Diptera (Insecta: Pterygota) larvae as predators of Strongyloides stercoralis causing false negative stool cultures

Abstract

A stool sample of a five-year-old boy with suspected STH infection arrived at the Laboratory of the Instituto de Investigaciones de Enfermedades Tropicales (IIET), National University of Salta in Oran, province of Salta, Argentina in 2017. Three Harada Mori were prepared, of which only one showed the presence of S. stercoralis. In the other two, the presence of an unknown larva was observed, which was later identified as an insect larva of the Diptera order. PCR analysis of the liquid medium of Harada Mori and Diptera larvae revealed presence of S. stercoralis DNA. These results, added to the predatory characteristics of the dipteran larvae, indicate that the S. stercoralis larvae were prey for these organisms, resulting in a negative diagnosis for S. stercoralis in the Harada Mori.