Echinostomiasis in a child with severe anemia

Abstract

A child had presented with complaints of dark green-colored loose stools, nonbilious vomiting, and fever for a day. Blood investigations revealed low hemoglobin levels. Abdominal ultrasonography showed features suggestive of worms. Wet mount examination of stool showed eggs of Echinostoma species and Trichuris trichiura and fertilized and unfertilized eggs of Ascaris lumbricoides. High incidences of intestinal parasitic infections in children can lead to anemia, consequently disturbing the development of these children. Such intestinal parasitic infections seem to be associated directly due to the unclean living settings linked with lack of awareness regarding the communicable disease and diversity of influences that need to be further elucidated. In humans, Echinostoma species have seldom been detected perhaps for the reason of its complexity in diagnosis by fecal examination as the eggs generated per worm are relatively less in contrast to other helminthic parasites.