In Spain, a man contracted a rare infection
(ORDO NEWS) — A Spaniard working in the sewers developed an infection so severe that doctors could see the larvae crawling under his skin.
In Spain, a 64-year-old sewer worker realized something was wrong with him after he experienced mild diarrhea and itching all over his body.
The man went to the University Hospital in Madrid, where doctors diagnosed him with a parasitic roundworm infection.
A Strongyloides stercoralis infection is usually asymptomatic, but in this particular case, it became so severe that doctors could see worms crawling under the person’s skin.
In photographs published in an online medical journal, doctors made marks on the man’s body, which showed how the worms moved under his skin.
Doctors believe that the man’s profession contributed to the infection with a roundworm that usually lives in tropical and subtropical regions around the world.
People infected with roundworms can live for years without any symptoms, but in this particular case, the patient had previously been given hormonal therapy for malignant spinal cord compression, which suppressed his immune system, allowing the parasite to multiply.
The hyperinfection became so severe that the larvae could be seen crawling under the patient’s skin like something out of a horror movie.
The abnormal number of larvae in the body makes this type of hyperinfection potentially fatal as it can cause sepsis and organ failure.
Fortunately, in this case, doctors were able to save the sewer worker’s life with strong antiparasitic drugs.
“After treatment with oral ivermectin, the patient’s rash and diarrhea subsided,” said the attending physician.
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