Acute Schistosomiasis in a Traveler Returning From St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands: A Case Report

In this case report, we describe a patient who presented to their primary care provider with abdominal pain after returning from travel to the Caribbean island of St. Croix. The patient reported two weeks of epigastric abdominal pain, dyspepsia, nausea, and night sweats. Following an initial evaluation that revealed eosinophilia with unclear etiology, they were referred to an infectious disease clinic. Through a targeted infectious evaluation and workup, the patient was diagnosed with acute schistosomiasis syndrome and was treated with praziquantel. Treatment resulted in the complete resolution of her symptoms, and follow-up laboratory evaluation showed complete resolution of her eosinophilia. This case highlights the need for ongoing surveillance and continued public health efforts to eliminate the disease, as well as the importance of a broad differential of peripheral eosinophilia in returning travelers.