INFESTATIONS by parasites and worms are a common public health problem in many parts of the world. For example, 80% of our outpatients have either hookworm, one of the round worms, or filaria. The various complications of infestation by the round worm Ascaris lumbricoides are well documented; obstruction of the bile duct, pancreatic duct, and symptomatic bronchial obstruction being among the more familiar. The case presented is a rare complication of infestation by the round worm A lumbricoides—mesenteric thrombosis secondary to occlusion of the mesenteric vessels by the adult worm. No other case appears in the literature.
Report of Case
A 9-year-old Nigerian boy was first seen on Sept 26, 1961, with a history of constipation and abdominal distention of five days with vomiting of 24 hours. He had been well until nine days before when he complained of abdominal cramps. Two days later he developed a fever;