Acute airway obstruction by Ascaris lumbricoides in a 14-month-old boy

Abstract

We describe the case of a 14-month-old child with airway obstruction caused by a mature Ascaris lumbricoides worm. The child had been admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit due to overwhelming sepsis, and during the course of his illness developed acute airway obstruction that resolved once the worm was removed from the airway. The Ascaris life-cycle is detailed, and a literature review of patients with airway obstruction due to Ascaris worms is presented.

Keywords: Airway obstruction; Ascariasis; Ascaris lumbricoides; Child; Eosinophilia; Eosinophilic pneumonia.