Acute Appendicitis Due to Enterobius vermicularis Infestation: A Case Report.

Abstract

Acute appendicitis is the most frequent abdominal surgical emergency worldwide. While luminal obstruction due to fecaliths and lymphoid hyperplasia is a common cause, parasitic infections are a rare but significant contributor. Enterobius vermicularis, the most common helminthic infection in developed countries, can trigger appendiceal inflammation through a mechanical obstruction or immune response. This report presents a case of a 16-year-old male with acute appendicitis secondary to E. vermicularis infestation. The patient presented with typical appendicitis symptoms, and laparoscopic appendectomy revealed the parasitic involvement, confirmed by histopathology. Postoperative recovery was uneventful following surgical intervention and anti-helminthic treatment. E. vermicularis is often an incidental finding in appendectomy specimens but may play a pathogenic role in some cases of appendicitis. This case underscores the importance of considering parasitic infections in patients with atypical presentations of appendicitis and highlights the value of histopathological examination in appendectomy cases.