A 28-year-old Ecuadorian woman living in Spain for three months consulted due to recurrent diffuse abdominal pain related to food intake from 8 months before.
The day before admission the pain increases in intensity and is accompanied by vomiting, so she consults the emergency department of our center.
Biochemistry and blood count were performed in the initial study, in which only mild microcytic anemia (Hb: 9.9 g/dl; MCV: 72; MCH; 29) stood out.
Chest X-rays and simple abdomen showed no abnormalities.
Upper endoscopy was also normal, with negative biopsies for Helicobacter pylori.
The stool study was also negative.
When the patient continued with significant pain and vomiting intensified, a new abdomen was performed in the standing position, which showed some hydro-aerial levels in the jejunum plate.
She was scheduled for surgery.
Since there was no complete manifestation of the disease, a nasogastric tube was placed and an expectant attitude was decided, but an intestinal transit was performed.
This study revealed negative, hollowed and interlocked images from the third duodenal portion to the jejunum.
1.
Diagnostic judgment: Ascaris lumoides.
The patient was treated with mebendazole, progressing favorably, with disappearance of pain and normalization of oral tolerance.
After two months, in consultations, recovery of the anemic picture was also observed.
