A Semantic Surprise in Colon: Gastrodiscoides hominis
Abstract
Human gastrodiscoidiasis is a rare, geographically restricted trematode infection caused by Gastrodiscoides hominis, an amphistome platyhelminth, also known as the colon fluke. The disease is endemic to Assam in northeastern India, although sporadic cases have been reported in other Asian countries and across different continents. The disease primarily affects the right colon, leading to epithelial desquamation, inflammation, and increased secretion of colonic mucus. We report the case of a 30-year-old Indian man with a history of cramping lower abdominal pain, increased stool frequency, and weight loss, with an inflammatory pattern on routine stool analysis, detected to have multiple platyhelminths adherent to the cecum and ascending colon, subsequently confirmed microbiologically as G. hominis and effectively treated with mebendazole. Our case highlights the importance of considering rare helminthic infections in patients with chronic gastrointestinal symptoms, particularly those from endemic areas, and the role of colonoscopy in confirming the diagnosis and guiding treatment.
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