What is biliary ascariasis?

Biliary ascariasis is a rare cause of obstructive jaundice. Conventional management involves endoscopic extraction of worm. We are reporting a rare case of ascaris which induced extrahepatic biliary obstruction in a young male who presented with acute cholangitis.

How is ascariasis diagnosed?

Health care providers can diagnose ascariasis by taking a stool sample and using a microscope to look for the presence of eggs. Some people notice infection when a worm is passed in their stool or is coughed up.

What parasites cause biliary obstruction?

Human ascarides, Ascaris lumbricoides, dwelling in the small intestine, inadvertently migrate into the bile ducts and cause biliary obstruction.

Can parasites block bile duct?

Parasitic infestations of the biliary tract are a common cause of biliary obstruction in tropical countries and can lead to such serious complications as cholangitis and cholangiocarcinoma. Endoscopic therapy has helped in the management of biliary complications caused by these parasites.

What is the main symptom that ascariasis worms cause?

Symptoms include abdominal discomfort or pain. Heavy infections can block the intestines and slow growth in children. Other symptoms such as cough are due to migration of the worms through the body. Ascariasis is treatable with medication prescribed by your healthcare provider.

Can ascariasis cause death?

Ascariasis is one of the most common human parasitic infections worldwide. In some rare cases, ascariasis may cause serious consequences even sudden death.

What is the best treatment for ascariasis?

Anthelmintic medications (drugs that remove parasitic worms from the body), such as albendazole and mebendazole, are the drugs of choice for treatment of Ascaris infections, regardless of the species of worm. Infections are generally treated for 1–3 days. The drugs are effective and appear to have few side effects.

Which one of the parasites cause biliary tract obstruction and jaundice?

Ascaris lumbri- coides residing in the small intestine may mi- grate into aberrant sites, mostly into the bile duct through the duodenal papilla, and cause biliary colic and obstructive jaundice.

What happens if ascariasis is left untreated?

There are a number of complications that may occur with untreated ascariasis. Following is a list of these complications: Bowel obstruction (intestinal blockage) Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)

What are the long term effects of ascariasis?

If you have a heavy infestation, potentially dangerous complications may include: Slowed growth. Loss of appetite and poor absorption of digested foods put children with ascariasis at risk of not getting enough nutrition, which can slow growth. Intestinal blockage and perforation.

What are the biliary tract diseases?

Cholangitis is an infection of the biliary system, complicating benign and malignant obstruction of the biliary tract. The clinical presentation is quite variable depending on the nature of the illness, patient age, and condition of the patient.

Is biliary atresia fatal?

If an infant with biliary atresia is left untreated, it can be fatal. Bile cannot flow from the liver to the gallbladder. Bile builds up in the liver and can lead to cirrhosis and liver failure, which can be fatal.

Is biliary atresia congenital?

Biliary atresia (BA) is a congenital biliary disorder, which is characterized by an absence or severe deficiency of the extrahepatic biliary tree.