Worm infection (including hydatid disease)

The main clue to the diagnosis of all helminth infections is peripheral blood eosinophilia, the presence of which should always prompt taking a full travel history. Filarial infections are unusual in the UK. The most common imported filariasis is Loa loa infection from West Africa, characterized by transient ‘Calabar swellings’, particularly on the face, arms, and upper limbs.