Tapeworm Infection Diagnosed after Campylobacter jejuni-induced Enteritis

Intern Med. 2024 Mar 11. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.3388-23. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

A 35-year-old man with fever and diarrhea visited our hospital because of white string-like fecal excretion. Based on a morphological examination of the excreted object, a Diphyllobothrium infection was suspected. Additionally, Gram staining of a fecal sample revealed Campylobacter infection. After the intraduodenal administration of meglumine/diatrizoate sodium, the tapeworm was excreted. A polymerase chain reaction-based DNA sequence analysis demonstrated that the tapeworm excreted in this case was Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiensis. This report presents a rare case of coinfection with Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiensis and Campylobacter jejuni. Therefore, it is important to consider the coexistence of other intestinal infections when diagnosing parasitic infections in patients with fever.

Keywords: Campylobacter; Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiensis; Gastrografin; Tapeworm.