eMedicine Specialties > Pediatrics: General Medicine > Parasitology

Hymenolepiasis: Differential Diagnoses & Workup

Author: Robert W Tolan Jr, MD, Chief, Division of Allergy, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, The Children's Hospital at Saint Peter's University Hospital; Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Drexel University College of Medicine
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Jan 22, 2009

Differential Diagnoses

Amebiasis
Hookworm Infection
Ancylostoma Infection
Intestinal Enterokinase Deficiency
Appendicitis
Intestinal Malrotation
Ascariasis
Intestinal Protozoal Diseases
Campylobacter Infections
Intestinal Volvulus
Cholera
Intussusception
Colic
Isosporiasis
Colitis
Lactose Intolerance
Constipation
Malabsorption Syndromes
Crohn Disease
Meckel Diverticulum
Cryptosporidiosis
Peptic Ulcer Disease
Cytomegalovirus Infection
Protein-Losing Enteropathy
Diarrhea
Salmonella Infection
Dientamoeba Fragilis Infection
Shigella Infection
Diphyllobothrium Latum Infection
Short Bowel Syndrome
Echovirus
Sinus of Valsalva Aneurysm
Enterobiasis
Small-Bowel Obstruction
Enteroviral Infections
Soy Protein Intolerance
Fascioliasis
Sprue
Food Poisoning
Taenia Infection
Gastroenteritis
Ulcerative Colitis
Giardiasis
Volvulus
Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome
Whipworm
Hepatitis A
Yersinia Enterocolitica Infection

Other Problems to Be Considered

Blastocystis hominis
Coenurosis
Dipylidiasis
Echinococcosis
Endolimax nana
Entamoeba coli
Iodamoeba buetschlii
Sparganosis
Celiac disease

Workup

Laboratory Studies

  • One third of infected children have eosinophilia exceeding 5%.
  • Diagnosis is made by discovery of eggs in stool specimens.
  • Sections of the adult worm most often disintegrate before passage into the stool but rarely may be discovered.

More on Hymenolepiasis

Overview: Hymenolepiasis
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Hymenolepiasis
Treatment & Medication: Hymenolepiasis
Follow-up: Hymenolepiasis
References

References

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  10. Kabani A, Cadrain G, Trevenen C, et al. Practice guidelines for ordering stool ova and parasite testing in a pediatric population. The Alberta Children's Hospital. Am J Clin Pathol. Sep 1995;104(3):272-8. [Medline].

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  17. Quihui L, Valencia ME, Crompton DW, et al. Role of the employment status and education of mothers in the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in Mexican rural schoolchildren. BMC Public Health. 2006;6:225. [Medline].

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Further Reading

Keywords

hymenolepiasis, abdominal pain, anal pruritus, diarrhea, dwarf tapeworm, gastrointestinal infection, GI infection, hand-to-mouth infection, Hymenolepididae, Hymenolepis diminuta, H diminuta, Hymenolepis nana, H nana, nasal pruritus, parasite, parasitic infection, rodent tapeworm, urticaria

Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Robert W Tolan Jr, MD, Chief, Division of Allergy, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, The Children's Hospital at Saint Peter's University Hospital; Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Drexel University College of Medicine
Robert W Tolan Jr, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, American Society for Microbiology, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, Phi Beta Kappa, and Physicians for Social Responsibility
Disclosure: GlaxoSmithKline Honoraria Speaking and teaching; MedImmune Honoraria Consulting; MedImmune Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Merck Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Novartis Honoraria Speaking and teaching; sanofi pasteur Grant/research funds Unrestricted research grant; sanofi pasteur  Consulting; sanofi pasteur Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Tap Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Baxter Healthcare Honoraria Speaking and teaching

Medical Editor

Glenn J Fennelly, MD, MPH, Director, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Jacobi Medical Center; Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Glenn J Fennelly, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Mary L Windle, PharmD, Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy, Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: Pfizer Inc Stock Investment from financial planner; Avanir Pharma Stock Investment from financial planner ; WebMD Salary and stock Employment and investment from financial planner

Managing Editor

Martin Weisse, MD, Program Director, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, West Virginia University
Martin Weisse, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Ambulatory Pediatric Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Daniel Rauch, MD, FAAP, Director, Pediatric Hospitalist Program, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine
Daniel Rauch, MD, FAAP is a member of the following medical societies: Ambulatory Pediatric Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and Society of Hospital Medicine
Disclosure: Baxter Honoraria Consulting; Pfizer Honoraria Consulting

Chief Editor

Russell W Steele, MD, Head, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Ochsner Children's Health Center; Clinical Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine
Russell W Steele, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Immunologists, American Pediatric Society, American Society for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Louisiana State Medical Society, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, Society for Pediatric Research, and Southern Medical Association
Disclosure: None None None

 
 
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