Strongyloidiasis Treatment & Management
- Author: Pranatharthi Haran Chandrasekar, MBBS, MD; Chief Editor: Burke A Cunha, MD more...
Approach Considerations
All persons found to harbor Strongyloides organisms should be treated, even if they are asymptomatic, because of the risk of hyperinfection. However, for infected pregnant patients, clinicians may prefer to defer treatment for strongyloidiasis until after the first trimester. All of the anthelmintic medications discussed in this article are US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) category C agents.
Strongyloides species are the hardest worms to eradicate. Treatment of early infection is with symptomatic support, because specific therapy is more effective once intestinal infection is established. Posttherapy stool examinations are recommended to verify Strongyloides eradication and to exclude other parasitic infections.
Empiric corticosteroid administration used to treat wheezing is problematic, because it may cause life-threatening hyperinfection. Thus, Strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome, usually precipitated by immune suppression, should be considered in patients who have resided in endemic regions.[63] Attempts at the detection and eradication of this infection are recommended to prevent this potentially fatal complication.
Surgical intervention may be required in the rare instance of acute abdominal symptoms (peritonitis) due to bowel obstruction or infarction in the context of severe strongyloidiasis.
Intensive care and transfer
Immunocompromised hosts may require hospitalization and intensive care in disseminated infection. Consider contact isolation in these patients, because sputum, stool, vomitus, and other bodily excreta may contain infective (filariform) larvae.
Patients with hyperinfection syndrome often have complications of sepsis, shock, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Any patient suspected of disseminated disease should receive care in a facility properly equipped for intensive management.
Anthelmintic Therapy
Strongyloides infection should be suspected in a patient with nonspecific gastrointestinal, respiratory, or recurrent dermatologic symptoms of unclear etiology with risk factors for Strongyloides infection. Conduct definitive treatment with anthelmintic drugs, although these medications target adult worms and are not very effective against larvae in the initial infection.
Strongyloides infections should be treated even in the absence of symptoms as hyperinfection syndrome carries a high mortality rate. Disseminated strongyloidiasis requires treatment for at least 7 days or until the parasite can no longer be identified in clinical specimens. Concomitant infections should be treated aggressively, and any immunosuppressants, including exogenous corticosteroids, should be quickly tapered.[64] Corticosteroid therapy must be avoided, because hyperinfection and death may occur.
Anthelmintic treatment may have to be repeated or the duration prolonged in patients with hyperinfection syndrome. Relapses may occur despite proper therapy.
Anthelmintic agents
Benzimidazoles (thiabendazole, mebendazole, and albendazole) are anthelmintic agents that disrupt energy production in the parasites. The final common pathway of the benzimidazoles is inhibition of beta-tubulin polymerase, which causes disruption of cytoplasmic microtubule formation. These anthelmintics not only kill adult gut-dwelling stages of the parasite but sterilize the larvae and eggs.
Thiabendazole is the most commonly administered agent but a number of side effects makes it less desirable. Ivermectin inhibits neurotransmission in nematodes by stimulating the release of gamma-aminobutyric acid-dependent neurotransmission; eradication rates with this agent are as high as 97%.
Ivermectin and thiabendazole have shown to be superior to albendazole, and ivermectin is becoming the drug of choice in many countries due to its more favorable side effects compared with albendazole.[65, 66, 25] A newer drug, tribendimidine, remains under investigation in China and shows some promise in the treatment of strongyloidiasis.[67]
Patients with hyperinfection and disseminated disease should be treated with ivermectin. In this select group of patients, ivermectin should be administered daily until symptoms have resolved and until larvae have not been detected for at least 2 weeks.
Among the immunosuppressive agents, only cyclosporine A is known to possess anthelmintic activity. This was initially confirmed in animal models and subsequently observed in clinical practice. To date, no cases of severe strongyloidiasis developing in transplant recipients treated with cyclosporine have been reported.
Antibiotic Therapy and Supportive Care
Provide antibiotic therapy directed toward enteric pathogens if bacteremia or meningitis is present or suggested; treat such bacterial complications for 2-4 weeks with antibiotics according to the results of in vitro testing against the bacterial isolate(s).
Provide supportive treatment as indicated (eg, intravenous fluids if volume depletion, blood transfusion if gastrointestinal or alveolar hemorrhage, mechanical ventilation if respiratory failure). Symptomatic treatment should be initiated. Pruritic dermatologic manifestations should be treated with antihistamines. Inhaled beta-agonists may improve wheezing; steroids should be avoided as they will worsen the infection. The use of leukotriene synthesis inhibitors for wheezing may also worsen infection, because leukotrienes are shown to play a potential role in the immunity against Strongyloides infection.
Arsic-Arsenijevic V, Dzamic A, Dzamic Z, Milobratovic D, Tomic D. Fatal Strongyloides stercoralis infection in a young woman with lupus glomerulonephritis. J Nephrol. Nov-Dec 2005;18(6):787-90. [Medline].
Weller PF, Leder KL. Strongyloidiasis. Available at http://www.uptodate.com/contents/strongyloidiasis?source=search_result&selectedTitle=1%7E4. Accessed January 29, 2008.
Asdamongkol N, Pornsuriyasak P, Sungkanuparph S. Risk factors for strongyloidiasis hyperinfection and clinical outcomes. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. Sep 2006;37(5):875-84. [Medline].
Robson D, Welch E, Beeching NJ, Gill GV. Consequences of captivity: health effects of far East imprisonment in World War II. QJM. Feb 2009;102(2):87-96. [Medline].
Fardet L, Généreau T, Poirot JL, Guidet B, Kettaneh A, Cabane J. Severe strongyloidiasis in corticosteroid-treated patients: case series and literature review. J Infect. Jan 2007;54(1):18-27. [Medline].
Gonçalves AL, Machado GA, Gonçalves-Pires MR, Ferreira-Júnior A, Silva DA, Costa-Cruz JM. Evaluation of strongyloidiasis in kennel dogs and keepers by parasitological and serological assays. Vet Parasitol. Jun 20 2007;147(1-2):132-9. [Medline].
Guyomard JL, Chevrier S, Bertholom JL, Guigen C, Charlin JF. [Finding of Strongyloides stercoralis infection, 25 years after leaving the endemic area, upon corticotherapy for ocular trauma]. J Fr Ophtalmol. Feb 2007;30(2):e4. [Medline].
Porto AF, Neva FA, Bittencourt H, Lisboa W, Thompson R, Alcântara L, et al. HTLV-1 decreases Th2 type of immune response in patients with strongyloidiasis. Parasite Immunol. Sep 2001;23(9):503-7. [Medline].
Satoh M, Toma H, Sato Y, Takara M, Shiroma Y, Kiyuna S, et al. Reduced efficacy of treatment of strongyloidiasis in HTLV-I carriers related to enhanced expression of IFN-gamma and TGF-beta1. Clin Exp Immunol. Feb 2002;127(2):354-9. [Medline]. [Full Text].
Porto MA, Alcântara LM, Leal M, Castro N, Carvalho EM. Atypical clinical presentation of strongyloidiasis in a patient co-infected with human T cell lymphotrophic virus type I. Am J Trop Med Hyg. Feb 2005;72(2):124-5. [Medline].
Carvalho EM, Da Fonseca Porto A. Epidemiological and clinical interaction between HTLV-1 and Strongyloides stercoralis. Parasite Immunol. Nov-Dec 2004;26(11-12):487-97. [Medline].
Thompson BF, Fry LC, Wells CD, Olmos M, Lee DH, Lazenby AJ, et al. The spectrum of GI strongyloidiasis: an endoscopic-pathologic study. Gastrointest Endosc. Jun 2004;59(7):906-10. [Medline].
DeVault GA Jr, King JW, Rohr MS, Landreneau MD, Brown ST 3rd, McDonald JC. Opportunistic infections with Strongyloides stercoralis in renal transplantation. Rev Infect Dis. Jul-Aug 1990;12(4):653-71. [Medline].
Schaeffer MW, Buell JF, Gupta M, Conway GD, Akhter SA, Wagoner LE. Strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome after heart transplantation: case report and review of the literature. J Heart Lung Transplant. Jul 2004;23(7):905-11. [Medline].
Stone WJ, Schaffner W. Strongyloides infections in transplant recipients. Semin Respir Infect. Mar 1990;5(1):58-64. [Medline].
Roxby AC, Gottlieb GS, Limaye AP. Strongyloidiasis in transplant patients. Clin Infect Dis. Nov 1 2009;49(9):1411-23. [Medline]. [Full Text].
Shoop WL, Michael BF, Eary CH, Haines HW. Transmammary transmission of Strongyloides stercoralis in dogs. J Parasitol. Jun 2002;88(3):536-9. [Medline].
Said T, Nampoory MR, Nair MP, Halim MA, Shetty SA, Kumar AV, et al. Hyperinfection strongyloidiasis: an anticipated outbreak in kidney transplant recipients in Kuwait. Transplant Proc. May 2007;39(4):1014-5. [Medline].
Croker C, Reporter R, Redelings M, Mascola L. Strongyloidiasis-related deaths in the United States, 1991-2006. Am J Trop Med Hyg. Aug 2010;83(2):422-6. [Medline]. [Full Text].
Dawson-Hahn EE, Greenberg SL, Domachowske JB, Olson BG. Eosinophilia and the seroprevalence of schistosomiasis and strongyloidiasis in newly arrived pediatric refugees: an examination of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention screening guidelines. J Pediatr. Jun 2010;156(6):1016-8, 1018.e1. [Medline].
Gill GV, Welch E, Bailey JW, Bell DR, Beeching NJ. Chronic Strongyloides stercoralis infection in former British Far East prisoners of war. QJM. Dec 2004;97(12):789-95. [Medline].
Nuesch R, Zimmerli L, Stockli R, Gyr N, Christoph Hatz FR. Imported strongyloidosis: a longitudinal analysis of 31 cases. J Travel Med. Mar-Apr 2005;12(2):80-4. [Medline].
Lim S, Katz K, Krajden S, Fuksa M, Keystone JS, Kain KC. Complicated and fatal Strongyloides infection in Canadians: risk factors, diagnosis and management. CMAJ. Aug 31 2004;171(5):479-84. [Medline]. [Full Text].
Keystone JS. Can one afford not to screen for parasites in high-risk immigrant populations?. Clin Infect Dis. Nov 15 2007;45(10):1316-8. [Medline].
Pelletier LL Jr. Chronic strongyloidiasis in World War II Far East ex-prisoners of war. Am J Trop Med Hyg. Jan 1984;33(1):55-61. [Medline].
Pelletier LL Jr, Gabre-Kidan T. Chronic strongyloidiasis in Vietnam veterans. Am J Med. Jan 1985;78(1):139-40. [Medline].
Genta RM. Global prevalence of strongyloidiasis: critical review with epidemiologic insights into the prevention of disseminated disease. Rev Infect Dis. Sep-Oct 1989;11(5):755-67. [Medline].
Glinz D, Silué KD, Knopp S, Lohourignon LK, Yao KP, Steinmann P, et al. Comparing diagnostic accuracy of Kato-Katz, Koga agar plate, ether-concentration, and FLOTAC for Schistosoma mansoni and soil-transmitted helminths. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. Jul 20 2010;4(7):e754. [Medline]. [Full Text].
Yori PP, Kosek M, Gilman RH, Cordova J, Bern C, Chavez CB, et al. Seroepidemiology of strongyloidiasis in the Peruvian Amazon. Am J Trop Med Hyg. Jan 2006;74(1):97-102. [Medline]. [Full Text].
Johnston FH, Morris PS, Speare R, McCarthy J, Currie B, Ewald D, et al. Strongyloidiasis: a review of the evidence for Australian practitioners. Aust J Rural Health. Aug 2005;13(4):247-54. [Medline].
Moon TD, Oberhelman RA. Antiparasitic therapy in children. Pediatr Clin North Am. Jun 2005;52(3):917-48, viii. [Medline].
Reddy IS, Swarnalata G. Fatal disseminated strongyloidiasis in patients on immunosuppressive therapy: report of two cases. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. Jan-Feb 2005;71(1):38-40. [Medline].
Newberry AM, Williams DN, Stauffer WM, Boulware DR, Hendel-Paterson BR, Walker PF. Strongyloides hyperinfection presenting as acute respiratory failure and gram-negative sepsis. Chest. Nov 2005;128(5):3681-4. [Medline]. [Full Text].
Lam CS, Tong MK, Chan KM, Siu YP. Disseminated strongyloidiasis: a retrospective study of clinical course and outcome. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. Jan 2006;25(1):14-8. [Medline].
Csermely L, Jaafar H, Kristensen J, Castella A, Gorka W, Chebli AA, et al. Strongyloides hyper-infection causing life-threatening gastrointestinal bleeding. World J Gastroenterol. Oct 21 2006;12(39):6401-4. [Medline].
Boulware DR, Stauffer WM, Hendel-Paterson BR, Rocha JL, Seet RC, Summer AP, et al. Maltreatment of Strongyloides infection: case series and worldwide physicians-in-training survey. Am J Med. Jun 2007;120(6):545.e1-8. [Medline]. [Full Text].
Ly MN, Bethel SL, Usmani AS, Lambert DR. Cutaneous Strongyloides stercoralis infection: an unusual presentation. J Am Acad Dermatol. Aug 2003;49(2 Suppl Case Reports):S157-60. [Medline].
Salluh JI, Bozza FA, Pinto TS, Toscano L, Weller PF, Soares M. Cutaneous periumbilical purpura in disseminated strongyloidiasis in cancer patients: a pathognomonic feature of potentially lethal disease?. Braz J Infect Dis. Oct 2005;9(5):419-24. [Medline].
Pacanowski J, Santos MD, Roux A, LE Maignan C, Guillot J, Lavarde V, et al. Subcutaneous ivermectin as a safe salvage therapy in Strongyloides stercoralis hyperinfection syndrome: a case report. Am J Trop Med Hyg. Jul 2005;73(1):122-4. [Medline].
Butterfield JH, Kephart GM, Frankson JL. Eosinophilic oophoritis: association with positive Strongyloides stercoralis serology and clinical response to ivermectin. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. Oct 2006;19(5):329-32. [Medline].
Harish K, Sunilkumar R, Varghese T, Feroze M. Strongyloidiasis presenting as duodenal obstruction. Trop Gastroenterol. Oct-Dec 2005;26(4):201-2. [Medline].
Komenaka IK, Wu GC, Lazar EL, Cohen JA. Strongyloides appendicitis: unusual etiology in two siblings with chronic abdominal pain. J Pediatr Surg. Sep 2003;38(9):E8-10. [Medline].
Morimoto J, Kaneoka H, Sasatomi Y, Sato YN, Murata T, Ogahara S, et al. Disseminated strongyloidiasis in nephrotic syndrome. Clin Nephrol. May 2002;57(5):398-401. [Medline].
Hsieh YP, Wen YK, Chen ML. Minimal change nephrotic syndrome in association with strongyloidiasis. Clin Nephrol. Dec 2006;66(6):459-63. [Medline].
Copelovitch L, Sam Ol O, Taraquinio S, Chanpheaktra N. Childhood nephrotic syndrome in Cambodia: an association with gastrointestinal parasites. J Pediatr. Jan 2010;156(1):76-81. [Medline].
Hayashi E, Ohta N, Yamamoto H. Syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone associated with strongyloidiasis. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. Mar 2007;38(2):239-46. [Medline].
Pirisi M, Salvador E, Bisoffi Z, Gobbo M, Smirne C, Gigli C, et al. Unsuspected strongyloidiasis in hospitalised elderly patients with and without eosinophilia. Clin Microbiol Infect. Aug 2006;12(8):787-92. [Medline].
Nuesch R, Zimmerli L, Stockli R, Gyr N, Christoph Hatz FR. Imported strongyloidosis: a longitudinal analysis of 31 cases. J Travel Med. Mar-Apr 2005;12(2):80-4. [Medline].
Masseau A, Hervier B, Leclair F, Grossi O, Mosnier JF, Hamidou M. [Strongyloides stercoralis infection simulating polyarteritis nodosa]. Rev Med Interne. Aug 2005;26(8):661-3. [Medline].
Qu Z, Kundu UR, Abadeer RA, Wanger A. Strongyloides colitis is a lethal mimic of ulcerative colitis: the key morphologic differential diagnosis. Hum Pathol. Apr 2009;40(4):572-7. [Medline].
Anamnart W, Pattanawongsa A, Intapan PM, Maleewong W. Factors affecting recovery of Strongyloides stercoralis larvae: an approach to a newly modified formalin-ether concentration technique for diagnosis of strongyloidiasis. J Clin Microbiol. Jan 2010;48(1):97-100. [Medline]. [Full Text].
Page WA, Dempsey K, McCarthy JS. Utility of serological follow-up of chronic strongyloidiasis after anthelminthic chemotherapy. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. Nov 2006;100(11):1056-62. [Medline].
Gam AA, Neva FA, Krotoski WA. Comparative sensitivity and specificity of ELISA and IHA for serodiagnosis of strongyloidiasis with larval antigens. Am J Trop Med Hyg. Jul 1987;37(1):157-61. [Medline].
Rodrigues RM, de Oliveira MC, Sopelete MC, Silva DA, Campos DM, Taketomi EA, et al. IgG1, IgG4, and IgE antibody responses in human strongyloidiasis by ELISA using Strongyloides ratti saline extract as heterologous antigen. Parasitol Res. Oct 2007;101(5):1209-14. [Medline].
Bon B, Houze S, Talabani H, Magne D, Belkadi G, Develoux M, et al. Evaluation of a rapid enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for diagnosis of strongyloidiasis. J Clin Microbiol. May 2010;48(5):1716-9. [Medline]. [Full Text].
[Best Evidence] Ramanathan R, Burbelo PD, Groot S, Iadarola MJ, Neva FA, Nutman TB. A luciferase immunoprecipitation systems assay enhances the sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis of Strongyloides stercoralis infection. J Infect Dis. Aug 1 2008;198(3):444-51. [Medline].
Montes M, Sawhney C, Barros N. Strongyloides stercoralis: there but not seen. Curr Opin Infect Dis. Oct 2010;23(5):500-4. [Medline]. [Full Text].
Taniuchi M, Verweij JJ, Noor Z, Sobuz SU, Lieshout L, Petri WA Jr, et al. High throughput multiplex PCR and probe-based detection with Luminex beads for seven intestinal parasites. Am J Trop Med Hyg. Feb 2011;84(2):332-7. [Medline]. [Full Text].
Basuni M, Muhi J, Othman N, Verweij JJ, Ahmad M, Miswan N, et al. A pentaplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for detection of four species of soil-transmitted helminths. Am J Trop Med Hyg. Feb 2011;84(2):338-43. [Medline]. [Full Text].
Sithithaworn J, Sithithaworn P, Janrungsopa T, Suvatanadecha K, Ando K, Haswell-Elkins MR. Comparative assessment of the gelatin particle agglutination test and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for diagnosis of strongyloidiasis. J Clin Microbiol. Jul 2005;43(7):3278-82. [Medline]. [Full Text].
Kishimoto K, Hokama A, Hirata T, Ihama Y, Nakamoto M, Kinjo N, et al. Endoscopic and histopathological study on the duodenum of Strongyloides stercoralis hyperinfection. World J Gastroenterol. Mar 21 2008;14(11):1768-73. [Medline]. [Full Text].
Mittal S, Sagi SV, Hawari R. Strongyloidiasis: endoscopic diagnosis. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. Feb 2009;7(2):e8. [Medline].
Robson D, Beeching NJ, Gill GV. Strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome in British veterans. Ann Trop Med Parasitol. Mar 2009;103(2):145-8. [Medline].
Fardet L, Généreau T, Cabane J, Kettaneh A. Severe strongyloidiasis in corticosteroid-treated patients. Clin Microbiol Infect. Oct 2006;12(10):945-7. [Medline].
Datry A, Hilmarsdottir I, Mayorga-Sagastume R, Lyagoubi M, Gaxotte P, Biligui S, et al. Treatment of Strongyloides stercoralis infection with ivermectin compared with albendazole: results of an open study of 60 cases. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. May-Jun 1994;88(3):344-5. [Medline].
Marti H, Haji HJ, Savioli L, Chwaya HM, Mgeni AF, Ameir JS, et al. A comparative trial of a single-dose ivermectin versus three days of albendazole for treatment of Strongyloides stercoralis and other soil-transmitted helminth infections in children. Am J Trop Med Hyg. Nov 1996;55(5):477-81. [Medline].
Steinmann P, Zhou XN, Du ZW, Jiang JY, Xiao SH, Wu ZX, et al. Tribendimidine and albendazole for treating soil-transmitted helminths, Strongyloides stercoralis and Taenia spp.: open-label randomized trial. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2008;2(10):e322. [Medline]. [Full Text].
Santiago M, Leitão B. Prevention of strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome: a rheumatological point of view. Eur J Intern Med. Dec 2009;20(8):744-8. [Medline].
Cohen J, Powderly WG. Infectious Diseases. 2nd ed. New York, NY: CV Mosby; 2004:503-15,:1186-7.
Long SS, Pickering LK, Prober CG. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Churchill Livingstone; 2003:1337-9.
Fusco DN, Downs JA, Satlin MJ, Pahuja M, Ramos L, Barie PS, et al. Non-oral treatment with ivermectin for disseminated strongyloidiasis. Am J Trop Med Hyg. Oct 2010;83(4):879-83. [Medline]. [Full Text].

