Gnathostomiasis: import from Laos.

Gnathostomiasis is a nematode infestation endemic in Southeast Asia, which can involve multiple organs including the liver, eyes, gastrointestinal tract and CNS. The most common manifestation is recurrent migratory subcutaneous swellings which can appear anywhere on the body and are accompanied by pruritus and systemic symptoms such as low-grade fever, loss of appetite and nausea. The diagnosis is based on the clinical picture, history of travel, peripheral blood eosinophilia and the determination of agent-specific antibody levels. The standard treatment is albendazole. We present a 37-year-old Laotian woman, who had lived in Germany for 17 years, but developed recurrent swelling of the cheek following a visit to Laos. Because of the typical clinical findings, the history of a visit to Laos, and the presence of specific anti-Gnathostoma antibodies on Western blot, the diagnosis of cutaneous gnathostomiasis was made.