Intestinal Worms

India’s National Health Portal reveals that there are four types of intestinal worms that affect humans the most:

• Roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides)
• Tapeworm (Cestoda)
• Whipworm (Trichuris trichiura)
• Hookworms (Ancylostoma duodenale)

The common signs and symptoms of intestinal worm infections include:

• Tiredness
• Extreme loss of weight
• Fever
• Nausea
• Bloating
• Abdominal cramps
• Jaundice
• Soft, greasy stools or watery diarrhoea
• Dysentery (blood and mucus in watery stools)
• Itchy area around anus
• Children can be irritable or cranky, unable to sleep at night

These worms usually enter the human body through the fecal-oral route and lay eggs in the intestines. Adult worms can cause a variety of symptoms and even grow a few feet long. They can also travel through your bloodstream and cause complications in different parts of your body. Worms can easily enter your body because of unhygienic habits such as:

• Not washing hands properly after urinating and defecating
• Walking barefoot on the grass in your lawn
• Not washing your hands before eating food
• Drinking dirty or contaminated water 
• Drinking untreated or unpasteurized milk
• Eating undercooked meat, chicken or eggs
• Not washing vegetables before cooking or fruits before eating them
• Taking a swim in a public swimming pool, rivers or lakes with untreated water 
• Getting a lick from an infected pet
• Being exposed to areas with infestations, like open sewers or garbage dumps

The diagnosis is mainly considered by the physician based on the signs and symptoms of the patient and by performing the following tests:

• Stool routine or stool culture
• Tape test: In this test, microscopic examination of the parasites’ eggs is done by pressing a cellophane tape against the skin around the anus which is then examined under a microscope.
• Visual examination: By monitoring the child’s anus, underwear or diapers.

Management of intestinal worm infection:

• Maintenance of good hygienic practices play an important role in the management of intestinal worm infection.
• Promoting hand washing and improved sanitation techniques for school kids.
• Education on healthy behaviours which include good health and hygiene helps in reducing transmission and reinfection.
• Development of adequate sanitation facilities.
• Encouraging periodic deworming using deworming tablets can help.
• Encouraging supplementation with vitamin A for preschool children.
• Providing treatment with anthelminthic medications.