Parasites in cytodiagnosis: a case report of Strongyloides stercoralis in Papanicolaou smears of gastric aspirate, with a review of the literature.

A case is reported of a 79-year-old Jamaican patient suspected of having malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract. This diagnosis was excluded by a Papanicolaou stain of his gastric aspirate, which revealed ova and larvae of Strongyloides stercoralis. This is the first time such ova have been reported in a Papanicolaou smear of gastric aspirate. A review of the literature on parasites encountered in the Papanicolaou smear is presented. The primary goal of the Papanicolaou cytologic screening technique is early diagnosis of malignancy. However, like fungal, bacterial and viral infections, parasitic infections impose themselves on cytodiagnosis. Here we report a case of Strongyloides stercoralis infection diagnosed in a Papanicolaou smear of gastric aspirate.