Enterobius vermicularis: A cause or an incidental finding in pediatric appendicitis?
Gonca Gerçel1,2
, Ali İhsan Anadolulu3,4, Osman Hakan Kocaman5,6, Cansu Yol7
1Department of Pediatric Surgery, Şanlıurfa Training and Research Hospital, Şanlıurfa, Türkiye
2Department of Pediatric Surgery, Istanbul Sancaktepe Şehit Prof. Dr. Ilhan Varank Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye
3Department of Pediatric Surgery, Mehmet Akif İnan Training and Research Hospital, Şanlıurfa, Türkiye
4Department of Pediatric Surgery, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Faculty of Medicine, Göztepe Prof. Dr. Süleyman Yalçın City Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye
5Department of Pediatric Surgery, Harran University Faculty of Medicine, Şanlıurfa, Türkiye
6Department of Pediatric Surgery, Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye
7Department of Pathology, Mehmet Akif Inan Training and Research Hospital, Şanlıurfa, Türkiye
Keywords: Appendicitis, children, enterobiasis, enterobius vermicularis, histopathology.
Abstract
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the incidence of Enterobius vermicularis (E. vermicularis) in appendectomy specimens and its contribution to the pathogenesis of appendicitis.
Patients and methods: The files of appendectomy specimens from patients who had E. vermicularis between June 2016 and June 2022 were reviewed retrospectively. The samples of patients whose appendectomy specimens showed E. vermicularis were analyzed in three groups according to the results of histopathological evaluation: reactive lymphoid hyperplasia, acute appendicitis, and perforated appendicitis.
Results: The files of 1,334 patients were examined, and E. vermicularis was found histopathological in 24 (1.8%) patients (15 males, 9 females; mean age: 11.2±2.9 years; range, 7 to 17 years). Histopathological examination of appendectomy specimens revealed reactive lymphoid hyperplasia in 15, acute appendicitis in six, and perforated appendicitis in three. Only neutrophil counts were significantly different in patients with reactive lymphoid hyperplasia and acute appendicitis (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The high rate of histopathological reactive lymph nodes in appendectomy specimens with E. vermicularis suggests that this parasite is found incidentally in the appendix. Differentiating enterobiasis from true appendicitis may prevent unnecessary appendectomies.
Citation: Gerçel G, Anadolulu Aİ, Kocaman OH, Yol C. Enterobius vermicularis: A cause or an incidental finding in pediatric appendicitis?. Turkish J Ped Surg 2024;38(1):7- 12. doi: 10.62114/JTAPS.2024.18.
The study protocol was approved by the Harran University Clinical Research Ethics Committee (date: 03.10.2022, no: HRÜ/22.19.16). The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.
A written informed consent was obtained from the parents and/or legal guardians of the patients.
Data Sharing Statement:
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Study idea/concept: G.G., A.İ.A., O.H.K.; Design and writing the article, references: G.G., O.H.K.; Data collection and/or processing/materials: G.G., A.İ.A., C.Y.; Literature review: G.G.; Critical review: G.G., O.H.K.; Control/ supervision: O.H.K.
The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.
The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.