Schistosomiasis: an unexpected finding in appendicitis

Schistosomiasis is an uncommon cause of appendicitis in the developed world. It needs to be correctly identified, as it has further treatment implications for the patient. We present the case of a 34-year-old Zimbabwean migrant with appendicitis and associated adjacent peritoneal nodules. Histological testing showed these to be parasitic larvae, Schistosoma. He was followed up by the infectious diseases team and treated with Praziquantel as eradicative therapy. Appendicitis may be the only sign of a Schistosoma infection, which would enable early eradicative treatment, thus preventing the development of more serious hepato-intestinal complications.