Eosinophilic pneumonia in response to cutaneous larva migrans syndrome--a case report

Cutaneous larva migrans is a parasitic dermatosis imported by travelers returning from tropical and subtropical regions. In cutaneous larva migrans syndrome humans are incidental hosts and the larvae are unable to complete their natural cycle. Adult hookworms live in the intestines of dogs and cats, shedding eggs in feces that hatch and mature into larvae that can remain infective for months in the soil. Larvae penetrate the skin after contact with infected soil and cause an itchy creeping eruption. Cutaneous larva migrans is not usually associated with systemic symptoms and is rarely accompanied by peripheral blood eosinophilia. We report a patient who had both cutaneous larva migrans syndrome caused by Ancylostoma brasiliense and eosinophilic pneumonia after returning from Sri Lanka. The patient has been applied intravenous corticosteroids and local treatment with albendazole ointment with a very good clinical response.