The Case of Enterobius vermicularis as a Cause for Acute Appendicitis

Acute appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix, which has many attributable etiologies [1,2]. One rare cause is inflammation or direct luminal obstruction due to parasite infestation. There have been case reports about parasites as a pathological finding after removal of the appendix in patients suffering from acute appendicitis [3–5]. Some studies speculate on the parasitosis causing symptoms mimicking acute appendicitis while others attribute the infestation as another cause of obstruction leading to inflammation of the appendix [6]. Pathogens such as Enterobius, Taenia, Schistosoma, Ascaris lumbricoides, and Oxyuris equi have been attributed as causes for acute inflammation of the appendix [4,5]. Large retrospective studies aimed at finding the incidence of parasitosis in appendicitis have found correlations anywhere from 0.2% to 41.8% [3,5,7]. However, this is only a correlation, and thus it is difficult to determine a causal relationship. Enterobius vermicularis (or Oxyuris, which is another name of this pathogen) infection is the most common type of infection from a parasite in Western Europe and the United States [8,9]. It is mainly seen in children of school age, but can also be found in adults. Enterobius Received Date: April 20, 2017, Accepted Date: July 13, 2017, Published Date: July 25, 2017.