Strongyloides stercoralis Peter Bertrán

Background Information Nematode 2 life forms Transmission Penetrates through skin Migrate to alveoli Swallowing leads to hyperinfection Larvae excreted and process starts anew

Continued Background Information Pathogenic effects Dermatologic Rash, cutaneous granulomas Gastrointestinal Distension, diarrhea, pain Pulmonary Wheezing, cough, hemoptysis Central Nervous System Meningal symptoms Reproductive Cases of infertility in males

Historical Accounts 1876 Larvae and strongyloidiasis were both discovered by Louis Alexis Normand 1883 German parasitologist Karl Georg Friedrich Rudolf Leuckart discovered the alternation of generations involving parasitic and free-living phases discovery that infection occurred through the skin was made by Belgian physician Paul Van Durme Friedrich Fülleborn described the phenomenon of autoinfection For over half a century, S. stercoralis received little attention until prisoners of war who had acquired their infections in the Far East in the 1940s revealed disseminated infections in immunosuppressed patients

Cultural Spread Irrigation in underdeveloped developed countries Activities in which people are barefoot in an infection-prone area. Religious ceremonies Sporting events hunting

Human Movement and Distribution Est. 100-200 million infected worldwide Immigration from endemic areas Sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia, Central America, and South America, and parts of Eastern Europe are considered endemic areas. Worldwide prevalence is estimated as 2-20% in endemic areas

Treatments & Measures To Prevent Nematocides Wear proper footwear Proper waste disposal Albendazole Works by inhibiting glucose intake by nematodes. Side effects are mild

Infrastructure & Anthrpogenic changes More prevalent in areas where sewage is used for irrigation. Water purification in endemic areas is hard to come by. Quality healthcare is within reach, but sometimes too expensive. Better plumbing in countries has led to less disease spread Certain nematocides have been developed