Duodenal strongyloidiasis – Our 15-year histopathological experience at a tertiary gastrointestinal centre

Abstract

In order to emphasise the importance of histopathology in the clinically unsuspected diagnosis of duodenal strongyloidiasis, we report six cases diagnosed on duodenal biopsies identified from the database over a period of 15 years, and clinical, endoscopic and histopathological findings were analysed retrospectively. Four were elderly males and the remainder young females. Only one patient had an underlying immunocompromised state. Three presented with cholestatic jaundice and simulated hepatobiliary malignancy. In all cases, endoscopy provided non-specific findings. Only one case showed a predominant eosinophilic infiltrate. Eggs, larvae and adult forms of strongyloides were seen in crypts and showed intense basophilic staining on HE stain. It is concluded that since mostly undetected clinically, duodenal biopsy serves as the first step in the diagnosis of strongyloidiasis. Hepatobiliary manifestations, though very infrequent, should raise the suspicion for strongyloidiasis and thus necessitate the need for duodenal biopsy.