Un caso di sospetta gnatostomiasi cutanea

A case of suspected cutaneous gnathostomiasis in a 43-year-old italian man who had returned from a trip to Madagascar is described. The infestation was characterized exclusively by cutaneous lesions (a single, linear track localized on the back, erythemato-papular lesions and wheals). All lesions were pruritic. General physical examination and laboratory and instrumental examinations were negative. On the basis of several clinical and therapeutic criteria, larva currens, visceral larva migrans and cutaneous larva migrans were excluded. The patient was successfully treated with oral albendazole (three courses of one week each with a dosage of 400 mg/day).