Halteria sp. is a non-pathogenic ciliate protozoa living in environmental water sources. In this case report, an unexpected detection of Halteria sp. in peritoneal lavage fluid of a patient after non-vehicle traffic accident was presented.

A patient was admitted to the emergency service following a non-vehicle traffic accident. Routine physical and laboratory examinations were performed including peritoneal lavage. High leukocyte count was detected in the peritoneal lavage fluid. Native microscopic examination of the peritoneal lavage fluid revealed ciliated, 20-40 μm - diameter protozoa with numerous green granules in the cytoplasm. The protozoa were motile and had a leaping type of motility. No culturable pathogen was isolated from the peritoneal fluid. No specific therapy was applied, except for blood transfusion. The patient was discharged with cure after one week.

May-Grunwald stain was used for the diagnosis of protozoa. Since Halteria sp found in the environmental waters has a potency to colonize the genital tract, the presence of the organism in the peritoneum following a non-vehicle accident, was attributed to a possible blunt trauma during the accident.