Capilariasis

Question 1

What causes capillariasis?

Answer 1

Capillaria philippinensis- Asia

Capillaria hepatica- worldwide, very rare

Question 2

How is capillaria hepatica transmitted?

Answer 2

Humans eat embryonated eggs from animal faeces

Worms live in liver and produce unembryonated eggs
Liver then eaten by or decomposed by another animal, embryonated eggs then passed in faeces

Question 3

What are the signs and symptoms of capillaria hepatica?

Answer 3

Acute/ subacute hepatitis

Eggs can lead to granulomas and necrosis of liver

Question 4

How Soyinka treat capillaria hepatica?

Answer 4

Thiabendazole

Question 5

How is capillaria philppinensis transmitted?

Answer 5

Ingestion of raw fish containing larva

Unembryonated egg passed in stool, embryonates in water

Question 6

What are the signs and symptoms of capillaria philipenensis?

Answer 6

Malnutrition 
Oedema secondary to hypoproteinaemia
Chronic watery diarrhoea
All due to intestinal mucosa disruption
Autoinfection leads to hyper infection

Question 7

How do you diagnose capillaria philipinensis?

Answer 7

Unembryonated eggs in stool or intestinal biopsy

Eggs very hard to distinguish from trichuris but are more peanut shaped, smaller and not protuberant

Question 8

How do you treat capillaria philippinensis?

Answer 8

Mebendazole for 20days or albendazole for 10