TITLE:
Tape Worm Induced Recurrent Pancreatitis: A Case Report and Review of Literature
AUTHORS:
Abdulmalik Altaf, Rawa Alnabulsi, Turky Alsubahi, Nisar Haider Zaidi
KEYWORDS:
Recurrent; Idiopathic; Acute; Pancreatitis; Taenia saginata
JOURNAL NAME:
Case Reports in Clinical Medicine,
Vol.3 No.3,
March
18,
2014
ABSTRACT:
Recurrent idiopathic
pancreatitis is an uncommon disease. We are presenting a case of Taenia saginata causing pancreatitis,
which is rare in the literature. A 40 years old female was admitted to our
hospital with complaints of epigastric pain for 6 months, radiating to the back,
combined with nausea, vomiting and significant weight loss. On examination, she
looked ill, vitally stable, afebrile, not jaundiced, and her abdomen was soft,
lax with moderate epigastric tenderness, no distention and positive bowel sounds.
Her workup showed serum amylase of 1367 U/L, Liver function test, Calcium and Triglycerides
were all within normal ranges. Abdominal Ultrasound showed homogeneous bulky pancreas
with dilated pancreatic duct. CT abdomen confirmed the diagnosis of pancreatitis
with no evidence of biliary stones. An upper gastrointestinal endoscope revealed
diffuse gastritis with small haital hernia. She was treated conservatively as a
case of idiopathic acute pancreatitis and later was discharged in good condition.
One month later, she was admitted again with similar symptoms and attacks of diarrhea.
Investigations showed amylase of 139 U/L, abdominal Ultrasound was negative for
biliary stones. CT showed a prominent pancreatic duct and thickened duodenum. Oesophagogastrodudenoscopy
was repeated to evaluate the cause of the pain. This interestingly revealed a tapeworm
(Taenia saginata) in the second part of
the duodenum, adjacent to ampulla of Vater. The patient received Mebendazole 100
mg PO BID for three days and later was discharged home. At 4 weeks follow up, she
was asymptomatic and her stool analysis was negative.