Human Gongylonema pulchrum Infection: Esophageal Symptoms and Need for Prolonged Albendazole Therapy

Claudia R. Libertin Division of Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida.

Search for other papers by Claudia R. Libertin in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Mohammed Reza Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida.

Search for other papers by Mohammed Reza in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Joy H. Peterson Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mayo Clinic Health System-Waycross, Waycross, Georgia.

Search for other papers by Joy H. Peterson in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Jason Lewis Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida.

Search for other papers by Jason Lewis in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
, and
D. Jane Hata Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida.

Search for other papers by D. Jane Hata in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.16-0852
Volume/Issue:
Volume 96: Issue 4
Page(s):
873–875
Restricted access
Get Permissions

We describe a case of human infection with Gongylonema pulchrum acquired in southeast Georgia. The patient presented with intermittent yet persistent nausea and vomiting for months. This case describes the need for extraction of worms on two occasions each followed by courses of albendazole treatment. Gongylonema pulchrum infections with high worm burden may relapse after extraction of the worm and a 3-day short course of albendazole therapy. Longer courses of albendazole may be indicated in selected circumstances.

Author Notes

* Address correspondence to Claudia R. Libertin, Division of Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL 32224. E-mail: libertin.claudia@mayo.edu

Authors' addresses: Claudia R. Libertin, Division of Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, and Department of Microbiology, Mayo Clinic Health System, Waycross, GA, E-mail: libertin.claudia@mayo.edu. Mohammed Reza, Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, E-mail: reza.mohammed@mayo.edu. Joy H. Peterson, Jason Lewis, and D. Jane Hata, Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mayo Clinic Health System, Waycross, GA, E-mails: peterson.joy1@mayo.edu, lewis.jason@mayo.edu, and hata.donna@mayo.edu.

Copyright:
© The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2017
Received:
28 Oct 2016
|
Accepted:
16 Dec 2016
|
Published Online:
05 Apr 2017
Cover The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Print ISSN:
0002-9637
Online ISSN:
1476-1645
  • 1.

    Eslami AH, Nabavi L, 1976. Species of gastro-intestinal nematodes of sheep from Iran. Bull Soc Pathol Exot 69: 92–95.

  • 2.

    Movassaghi AR, Razmi GR, 2008. Oesophageal and gastric gongylonemiasis in a donkey. Iran J Vet Res 9: 84–86.

  • 3.

    Eberhard ML, Busillo C, 1999. Human Gongylonema infection in a resident of New York City. Am J Trop Med Hyg 61: 51–52.

  • 4.

    Wilson ME, Lorente CA, Allen JE, Eberhard ML, 2001. Gongylonema infection of the mouth in a resident of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Clin Infect Dis 32: 1378–1380.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 5.

    Jelinek T, Loscher T, 1994. Human infection with Gongylonema pulchrum: a case report. Trop Med Parasitol 45: 329–330.

  • 6.

    Allen JD, Esquela-Kerscher A, 2013. Gongylonema pulchrum infection in a resident of Williamsburg, Virginia, verified by genetic analysis. Am J Trop Med Hyg 89: 755–757.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 7.

    Dimuke JC Jr, Routh CF, 1963. Human infection with Gongylonema in Georgia. Am J Trop Med Hyg 12: 73–74.

  • 8.

    Kheirandish R, Radfar MH, Sharifi H, Mohammadyari N, Alidadi S, 2013. Prevalence and pathology of Gongylonema pulchrum in cattle slaughtered in Rudsar, northern Iran. Scientia Parasitologica 14: 37–42.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 9.

    Halajian A, Eslami A, Salehi N, Ashrafi-Helan J, Sato H, 2010. Incidence and genetic characterization of Gongylonema pulchrum in cattle slaughtered in Mazandaran province, northern Iran. Iran J Parasitol 5: 10–18.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 10.

    Wilson ME, 2001. Worms that cause lumps in the mouth. Lancet 357: 1888.

  • 11.

    Ward HB, 1916. Gongylonema in the role of a human parasite. J Parasitol 2: 119–125.

  • 12.

    Huang Q, Wang J, Yang T, Liu Y, 2016. Multiple Gongylonema pulchrum worms in a human esophagus. Endoscopy 48 (Suppl 1): UCTN: E24–E25.

  • 13.

    Kudo N, Kubota H, Gotoh H, Ishida H, Ikadai H, Oyamada T, 2008. Efficacy of thiabendazole, mebendazole, levamisole and ivermectin against gullet worm, Gongylonema pulchrum: in vitro and in vivo studies. Vet Parasitol 151: 46–52.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
Past two years Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 177 177 37
Full Text Views 2876 428 1
PDF Downloads 2085 295 0
 
Membership Banner
 
 
 
Affiliate Membership Banner
 
 
Research for Health Information Banner
 
 
CLOCKSS
 
 
 
Society Publishers Coalition Banner
Save