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Ascaris Lumbricoides: Differential Diagnoses & Workup
Updated: Jul 30, 2009
- Overview
- Differential Diagnoses & Workup
- Treatment & Medication
- Follow-up
- Multimedia
Differential Diagnoses
| Appendicitis, Acute | Obstruction, Large Bowel |
| Ascending cholangitis | Obstruction, Small Bowel |
| Asthma | Pancreatitis |
| Cholangitis | Strongyloides Stercoralis |
| Cholecystitis and Biliary Colic | |
| Hookworm |
Other Problems to Be Considered
Hepatic abscess
Tropical pulmonary eosinophilia
Visceral larva migrans
Workup
Laboratory Studies
- Early infection (larval migration)
- Complete blood count (CBC) may show eosinophilia.
- Sputum analysis may reveal larvae or Charcot-Leyden crystals.
- Stool examination findings are typically normal in absence of previous infection (during the first 40 d).
- Ascaris specific antibodies (not useful in acute infection and not protective)
- Increases in IgE and later IgG
- Established infection (adult phase): Stool examination findings include characteristic eggs. Adult females lay about 200,000 eggs per day, aiding microscopic identification of characteristic eggs.
Imaging Studies
- Early infection (larval migration): Chest radiography may reveal patchy infiltrates of eosinophilic pneumonia.
- Established infection (adult phase)
- Abdominal radiography may reveal adult worms (especially with contrast).
- Obstructing Ascaris lesions cause cylindrical filling defects on contrast computed tomography (CT) scans.
- Cholangiopancreatography by endoscopy (ERCP) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRCP, or magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography) may detect adult worms in bile or pancreatic ducts.8
- Ultrasonography may detect worms in the gallbladder.
More on Ascaris Lumbricoides |
| Overview: Ascaris Lumbricoides |
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Ascaris Lumbricoides |
| Treatment & Medication: Ascaris Lumbricoides |
| Follow-up: Ascaris Lumbricoides |
| Multimedia: Ascaris Lumbricoides |
| References |
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References
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Liu LX, Weller PF. Antiparasitic drugs. N Engl J Med. May 2 1996;334(18):1178-84. [Medline].
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Further Reading
Keywords
Ascaris lumbricoides, A lumbricoides, ascariasis, roundworm, intestinal parasite, roundworm treatment, roundworm symptoms, intestinal roundworm, human parasite, nematode infection, malnutrition, iron-deficiency anemia, bowel obstruction, Ascaris suum, eosinophilic pneumonia, Löffler syndrome






Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Ascaris Lumbricoides