Capillaries
| Classification according to ICD-10 | |
|---|---|
| B81.1 | Intestinal capillaries |
| B83.8 | Other specified helminthoses - capillaries of the liver |
| ICD-10 online (WHO version 2019) | |
Capillariasis is a parasitosis caused by the hair worm Capillaria philippinensis, which was discovered by the Filipino parasitologist Carmen Velasquez . Capillariasis was first described in the Philippines in 1963; later case reports came from Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Iran, Egypt, Italy, and Spain.
The adult worms live in the lining of the small intestine . The female animals lay eggs, which can get into the water with the excrement . Embryos develop in the eggs . If the eggs are eaten by small fish, the larvae hatch, dig through the intestinal wall and develop in the mesentery of the fish. The development is completed after a few weeks. Humans become infected when they eat raw or undercooked fish that are infected with C. philippinensis. The parasite's eggs can also develop in the human small intestine and thus lead to an auto-infection. In the human intestine, the adult nematodes wind their way through the intestinal mucosa, causing injuries to the epithelial layer and submucosa .
Symptoms of the infection are chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain, stomach growling, significant weight loss up to cachexia, and chronic loss of electrolytes and proteins with the diarrhea. In contrast to other worm diseases, capillaries often lead to death if not treated in time. The cause of death is usually heart failure due to electrolyte imbalances or sepsis due to bacterial superinfections .
In the early stages of the disease, the symptoms are non-specific. The diagnosis is made by detecting eggs, larvae, or adult worms in intestinal contents or tissue samples. Often, many stool samples and biopsies must be examined before the diagnosis can be made.
Treatment is with mebendazole or albendazole , 200 mg twice per day orally for 20 to 30 days. Fluid and electrolyte losses must be compensated for. A high protein diet is recommended. Because of the dangerous nature of the disease, treatment must be started if the disease is suspected, even before the final diagnosis is made.
literature
- MJ Bair et al .: Clinical features of human intestinal capillariasis in Taiwan . In: World J Gastroenterol . No. 10 (16) , 2004, pp. 2391–2393 ( article (PDF; 100 kB) abstract ).
Web links
- Capillaria philippinensis Pietro Caramello, Atlas of Medical Parasitology, INFECTIOUS DISEASES, UNIT A, Tropical and Parasitology Service, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, Turin, ITALY
