Human intestinal capillariasis in an area of nonendemicity: case report and review

Abstract

We report a rare case of human intestinal capillariasis in a young Colombian man who presented with abdominal pain and mild, self-limited diarrhea. Capillaria eggs were visualized in the feces, and treatment with mebendazole (200 mg/d for 3 weeks) resulted in clinical and parasitological cure. To our knowledge, this is the first case in a South American person and the second case reported in Europe. This case highlights the acquisition of endemic intestinal parasitosis far away from classically considered areas of endemicity. We review the English-language literature on human intestinal capillariasis and compare findings from other cases with those from the current case.