A Case of Strongyloides Stercoralis Infection Associated with Long-term Adminstration of Steroid in a Patient with Alcoholic Liver Disease

Strongyloides stercoralis is distinguished by a capacity, unusual among helminths to replicate within the human host, thereby permitting on going cycle of autoinfection due to internal production of internal larvae. It has a worldwide distribution but is much more common in tropical climates where the warm, moist soil offers an environment suited to the development of the larvae. In immunocompromised hosts who receiving corticosteroids, immunosupressive drugs, or radiotherapy in these with AIDS, large numbers of invasive strongyloides larvae can disseminate widely and be fatal. The presents case is a 76 year-old-woman presenting with vomiting and epigastric pain. The patient had a long history of adminstration of steroid and alcohol. A gastrofibroscopic biopsy and stool examination revealed rhabditoid larvae. The patient seems to have suffered from autoinfection with S. stercoralis. We report this case with the review of literatures. (Korean J Gastrointest Endosc l7: 675-679, 1997)ope