What causes ascariasis?
Ascaris infection is caused by ingesting (swallowing) the eggs of the roundworm A. lumbricoides.
How is ascariasis transmitted?
Ascariasis spreads through hand-to-mouth contact — when a person touches and swallows fertilized Ascaris eggs.
In places that lack adequate sanitation, people infected with ascariasis may defecate (poop) outside. In some areas, people use human feces as fertilizer. Contaminated feces containing Ascaris eggs can lie in fields, streets and yards. The eggs can survive extreme temperature and humidity, often for years.
People may swallow the tiny eggs when they:
- Touch contaminated soil and then put their hands in or near their mouths.
- Eat fruits and vegetables grown in the infected soil without washing, peeling and cooking the produce.
How does ascariasis affect me?
After you swallow the eggs, they pass into your intestines. There, they hatch into larvae (immature form of worms) and begin to travel through your body:
- From your intestines, they reach your lungs by traveling through your bloodstream or lymphatic system.
- In your lungs, they pass through the air sacs and into your throat.
- They travel to your throat, where you swallow them.
- Back in your intestines, they grow, mature into adult worms and mate.
- Fertilized eggs leave your body in your stool (poop), with the goal of infecting another host.
The whole process can take two to three months. The worms can live in your body for up to two years.
What are the symptoms of ascariasis?
If you only have a few roundworms, you may not have any symptoms. If you do have symptoms, you may experience abdominal pain that comes and goes.
The first sign of an infection might be seeing a live worm in your vomit or poop. If the larvae have traveled to your lungs, you may get a sickness similar to pneumonia, with:
At this early stage of the disease, the symptoms are challenging to diagnose. They’re similar to symptoms of many other illnesses.
Once the worms reach your intestines, you may experience more intense abdominal symptoms. The more worms you have, the more severe the symptoms will be. Symptoms may include:
In severe cases, the worms may partly or completely block your small intestine. You may get an inflamed pancreas. The infection can even be life-threatening.
FAQs
Symptoms include abdominal discomfort or pain. Heavy infections can block the intestines and slow growth in children. Other symptoms such as cough are due to migration of the worms through the body. Ascariasis is treatable with medication prescribed by your healthcare provider.
What is the treatment of ascariasis? ›
Anthelmintic medications (drugs that remove parasitic worms from the body), such as albendazole and mebendazole, are the drugs of choice for treatment of Ascaris infections, regardless of the species of worm. Infections are generally treated for 1–3 days. The drugs are effective and appear to have few side effects.
How do you get rid of Ascaris roundworm? ›
Ascariasis is treated with albendazole, mebendazole, or ivermectin. Dosage is the same for children as for adults. Albendazole should be taken with food. Ivermectin should be taken on an empty stomach with water.
What are the signs and symptoms of roundworm? ›
Signs and Symptoms
- Cough.
- Shortness of breath.
- Abdominal pain.
- Nausea and diarrhea.
- Blood in the stool.
- Weight loss.
- Fatigue.
- Presence of the worm in vomit or stool.
If you have a large number of worms in the intestine, you might have:
- Severe abdominal pain.
- Fatigue.
- Vomiting.
- Weight loss or malnutrition.
- A worm in your vomit or stool.
Stool tests
To diagnose ascariasis, your doctor will examine your stool for the tiny (microscopic) eggs and larvae. But eggs won't appear in stool until at least 40 days after you're infected. And if you're infected with only male worms, you won't have eggs.
What organ is infected by ascariasis? ›
What is ascariasis? Ascaris is an intestinal parasite of humans. It is the most common human worm infection. The larvae and adult worms live in the small intestine and can cause intestinal disease.
What happens if ascariasis is left untreated? ›
Most cases of ascariasis are mild and don't cause major problems. However, heavy infestations can spread to other parts of the body and lead to dangerous complications, including: Intestinal blockage. Intestinal blockage occurs when a mass of worms blocks your intestines, causing severe pain and vomiting.
How do you get rid of Ascaris naturally? ›
Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Intestinal Worms In No Time
- Garlic. Garlic is a popular anti-parasitic food that can help deal with any type of intestinal worms. ...
- Unripe Papaya. ...
- Neem. ...
- Turmeric. ...
- Cloves.
If you suspect that you have a parasitic infection, you can take a parasite test to confirm its presence. Various kits are now available that allow you to take a stool sample and send it to a lab for analysis and your healthcare provider can order this test for you.
Complications of ascariasis are related to worm burden and location of the relatively large nematode. They include acute abdomen, upper GI bleeding, small-bowel obstruction, volvulus and intussusception, peritonitis, biliary colic, acute cholecystitis, acute pancreatitis, acute cholangitis, and hepatic abscess.
How do you clean roundworms out of your house? ›
Treatment generally consists of a general dewormer and environmental cleaning. Indoors, the floor should be vacuumed and cleaned with an all-purpose cleaner. Litter boxes and bedding should be scrubbed and laundered. All animals in the house should be dewormed together to ensure all infected animals are treated.
What color are roundworms in poop? ›
You may notice the adult roundworms in your dog's feces or vomit. They will appear white or light brown in color and may be several inches long.
How do I check myself for roundworms? ›
You should see your GP if you notice a roundworm in your faeces or you have unexplained symptoms (as above) after visiting a tropical or sub-tropical country. A roundworm infection can be diagnosed by examining a small sample of faeces under a microscope.
What does a roundworm look like in humans? ›
Threadworms look like tiny pieces of white cotton. Roundworms look more like earthworms. Hookworms can cause a red worm-shaped rash. The twisted shape of the worm is raised and easy to see.
How do humans get an Ascaris infection? ›
Ascariasis spreads through hand-to-mouth contact — when a person touches and swallows fertilized Ascaris eggs. In places that lack adequate sanitation, people infected with ascariasis may defecate (poop) outside. In some areas, people use human feces as fertilizer.
How do you get rid of Ascaris worms naturally? ›
Some common components of a parasite cleanse include berberine, black walnut, papaya seeds, pumpkin seeds, and wormwood. Garlic, probiotic-rich yogurt, and carrots or sweet potatoes are sometimes also recommended to help support your body's natural defenses.
What are 5 characteristics of Ascaris? ›
Ascaris – Description
- Ascaris is a yellowish-white or pinkish worm. ...
- It has an elongated and cylindrical body that is unsegmented and bilaterally symmetrical. ...
- The females are longer and thicker, with 4-5 mm in diameter and the males are usually 2-4 mm in diameter.
