An Unusual Case of Ascariasis-Induced Convulsions and Unconsciousness in a Young Adult Male at Tanga Regional Referral Hospital in Tanzania

Human beings are the definitive host for Ascaris lumbricoides. Infected persons may either be asymptomatic or may present with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, bloating, and diarrhea. The authors report a case of intestinal A. lumbricoides with neurological manifestations. A 25-year-old male presented with repeated episodes of tonic-clonic convulsions and loss of consciousness lasting for 3 – 5 minutes, without regaining consciousness. There was no history of head trauma and had no history of experiencing similar episodes of convulsions in the past. He neither had a fever nor abdominal pain. Initial investigations, including imaging and blood tests, were normal. The patient was empirically treated with antihelminthic therapy, which resulted in the expulsion of multiple Ascaris lumbricoides. This case highlights the importance of considering parasitic infections in the differential diagnosis of neurological symptoms, even in the absence of typical gastrointestinal manifestations.