Loeffler syndrome in a pediatric patient: regarding a case

Abstract

Introduction: Loeffler syndrome is characterized by acute and transient lung inflammation that occurs in response to the presence of soil-transmitted helminths in the lung tissues. In the Guantánamo province, it is considerably difficult to determine the real prevalence of intestinal parasitism in pediatric ages.

 Objective: to describe the case of a pediatric patient with Loeffler syndrome.

 Case presentation: six-year-old male patient with black skin, rural origin, school, complete vaccination schedule and apparent health history. He came to our services accompanied by his mother because he had had respiratory symptoms approximately five days ago due to a wet cough accompanied by fever, with chest pain accompanied by difficulty breathing. For this reason, he was transferred to the PICU where he was diagnosed with total right-sided pneumonia. It is reported to be serious and the drainage of 540 ml of bloody blood content with abundant slough and with expulsion through the pleural tube of an adult worm (Ascaris lumbricoides) is confirmed by the Overholt system, which appears parasitism and is diagnosed with Loeffler syndrome.

 Conclusions: the diagnosis of Loeffler syndrome is based on the characteristic respiratory symptoms, findings on chest x-rays and eosinophilia in peripheral blood, and also requires the exclusion of other types of eosinophilic lung disease. The patient's timely diagnosis allowed a completely satisfactory clinical improvement with positive results.