Fatal Strongyloides hyper-infection in a patient with myasthenia gravis.

PURPOSE: We report a fatal case of Strongyloides hyper-infection as the result of corticosteroid therapy of a patient with myasthenia gravis.

CASE PRESENTATION: Our patient was a farmer with a past history of living in an endemic area for Strongyloides stercoralis in Iran. Hyper-infection was diagnosed during the advanced-stage disease by demonstration of enormous number of larvae in the direct smears prepared from both the stool and tracheal secretions. Unfortunately, despite appropriate anti-parasite therapy, the patient died due to respiratory failure.

CONCLUSION

We recommend the provision of more awareness in high-risk people prior to immunosuppressive therapy, through screening for S. stercoralis, even in non-endemic regions.