A previously healthy, white 8-year-old girl presented with a 1-week history of abdominal pain and vomiting after a trip to a lake in Pennsylvania, north-eastern USA. There was marked dehydration. A raised blood eosinophilic count prompted microscopy for ova and parasites which demonstrated a heavy load of larvae of Strongyloides stercoralis. Charcot-Leyden crystals were also detected. The child received oral ivermectin and made a complete recovery.
Keywords: Disseminating disease,; Helminthic infection,; Hyperinfection syndrome,; Parasitic infection,; Strongyloides stercoralis,; Strongyloidiasis.