MẤT PROTEIN QUA RUỘT – MỘT BIẾN CHỨNG NẶNG CỦA NHIỄM GIUN MÓC: BÁO CÁO CA BỆNH

Abstract

Objectives: Describe clinical, investigations and treatment results of hookworm infections with severe hypoproteinemia. Subjects and methods: Report a case of severe complications of hookworm at the Department of Emergency and Poison Control, National Children's Hospital. Results: A 20-month-old girl from the Muong ethnic was admitted because of lethargy and diarrhea. Initial tests showed that the child had severe anemia, with elevated eosinophils and severe hypoproteinemia. The patient was treated for the emergency condition and investigated common causes of hypoproteinemia. Patients were excluded: malnutrition, liver and kidney diseases,... Based on epidemiological factors and symptoms, we prescribed tests for parasites including worm eggs and quantified alpha 1 antitrypsin (A1AT) level in the stool. The child's stool showed a lot of hookworm eggs (+++) and increased A1AT concentration (106.2 mg/dL). The patient was confirmed with protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) due to hookworm infection and was treated with albendazole for 3 days. After 16 days of diagnosis and treatment, the patient had normal bowel movements, no edema, no reduction in serum protein and was discharged. Conclusion: Although hookworm infection is a common disease in developing countries, severe complications of hookworm such as protein-losing enteropathy are rare, so prompt diagnosis and treatment is required to avoid life-threatening.