Eosinophilic cholecystitis along with pericarditis caused by Ascaris lumbricoides: a case report

World J Gastroenterol. 2007 Jul 21;13(27):3760-2. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i27.3760.

Abstract

Although the etiology of eosinophilic cholecystitis is still obscure, the postulated causes include allergies, parasites, hypereosinophilic syndrome, and eosinophilic gastroenteritis. It is sometimes accompanied by several complications, but a simultaneous onset with pericarditis is very rare. A 28-year-old woman complained of acute right hypocondrial pain and dyspnea associated with systemic eruption. Several imaging modalities revealed acute cholecystitis and pericarditis with massive pericardial effusion. A marked peripheral blood eosinophilia was observed, and the eruption was diagnosed as urticaria. Her serum had a high titer of antibody against Ascaris lumbricoides. Treatment with albendazole drastically improved all clinical manifestations along with normalization of the imaging features and eosinophilia. We report herein a rare case of simultaneous onset of acute cholecystitis and pericarditis associated with a marked eosinophilia caused by parasitic infection.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Albendazole / therapeutic use
  • Animals
  • Anthelmintics / therapeutic use
  • Ascariasis / complications*
  • Ascariasis / parasitology
  • Ascariasis / pathology
  • Ascaris lumbricoides / isolation & purification*
  • Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance
  • Cholecystitis / parasitology*
  • Cholecystitis / pathology
  • Eosinophilia / parasitology*
  • Eosinophilia / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Pericarditis / parasitology*
  • Pericarditis / pathology
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Ultrasonography / methods

Substances

  • Anthelmintics
  • Albendazole