Parasite infection in an officer of an ocean liner.

Accepted 20 March 1997 A 51-year-old officer of an ocean liner was hospitalised complaining ofworms emerging from the anus and in the stool starting about three months earlier. He reported a weight loss of 7 kg over six months. About six months prior to the admission, he reported often having eaten raw or undercooked beef purchased in South America (Chile and Colombia) during a voyage. General physical examination did not reveal anything specific. Laboratory findings showed no abnormal findings except for mild eosinophilia. An egg in the stool is shown in figure 1. A specimen of the parasite body (proglottid) in the stool, which was stained by black ink injection, is shown in figure 2.