Strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome precipitated by immunosuppressive therapy for rheumatoid arthritis and COVID-19 pneumonia

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed clinical and public health challenges worldwide. The use of corticosteroids has become an evidence-based practice to reduce the hyperinflammatory process involved in severe COVID-19 disease. However, this can result in the reactivation of parasitic infestations, even...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Tropical diseases, travel medicine and vaccines travel medicine and vaccines, 2023-10, Vol.9 (1), p.1-15, Article 15
Main Authors: Hamze, Hasan, Tai, Teresa, Harris, David
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Autoimmune diseases
Case Report
Corticoids
COVID-19
Diarrhea
Disseminated strongyloides
Hyperinfection syndrome
Infections
Infectious diseases
Lungs
Pandemics
Parasites
Parasitic diseases
Pneumonia
Public health
Rheumatoid arthritis
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Steroids
Strongyloidiasis
Tropical medicine
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The COVID-19 pandemic has posed clinical and public health challenges worldwide. The use of corticosteroids has become an evidence-based practice to reduce the hyperinflammatory process involved in severe COVID-19 disease. However, this can result in the reactivation of parasitic infestations, even with a short course. We report the case of a 64-year-old Cuban born patient who passed away from S. stercoralis hyperinfection syndrome following treatment with dexamethasone for severe COVID-19 disease on a background of prolonged immunosuppression for rheumatoid arthritis. Clinicians should be aware of the risk of strongyloidiasis as a complication of the treatment for severe COVID-19 and other immunosuppressive therapies. We recommend empiric Strongyloides treatment for those who are from, or who have accumulated risk by travelling to endemic areas, and are being treated with corticosteroids for severe COVID-19 disease.
ISSN:2055-0936
2055-0936
DOI:10.1186/s40794-023-00201-0