Comparative features of double-contrast barium studies in patients with isosporiasis and strongyloidiasis.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the gastrointestinal features of isosporiasis and strongyloidiasis.

METHODS

Two patients with isosporiasis and three patients with strongyloidiasis were assessed by double-contrast radiography of the duodenum and small intestine, with reference to histology of the duodenal biopsy specimens.

RESULTS

Both conditions affected the duodenum and the proximal jejunum, and showed similar radiographic changes as the diseases progressed. Thus, three patients with diarrhoea lasting 1 year or less showed only minimal or irregularly thickened mucosal folds, which seemed to result from mucosal inflammation. Two patients with long-standing disease periods (17 years and 30 years) presented a markedly granular mucosal appearance with effacement of the folds on radiography. These chronological differences in the radiographic features seemed to reflect the degree of villous atrophy.

CONCLUSION

Isosporiasis has similar radiographic features of strongyloidiasis.