Trichinella spiralis: incidental finding

Abstract

The case is presented of a 46-year-old male Kikuyu in Kenya with a one-month history of severe pruritus followed by progressive swelling of the right eye. A well differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma involving the periorbital connective tissue and extraocular muscles was seen. An incidental finding was an encapsulated Trichinella spiralis larva within the extraocular muscle. In an addendum a further incidental finding of T. spiralis is reported. 12 encapsulated larvae were found in otherwise healthy-looking muscle fibres in a biopsy taken from a suppurating back lesion. The implications for assessment of the true incidence of T. spiralis in man in Kenya are briefly discussed.