It is the most common gastrointestinal worm in the world. The human roundworm belongs to the group of roundworms. Humans become infected by accidentally ingesting water or food contaminated with invasive roundworm eggs. In the small intestine, larvae are released from the eggs and begin their journey through the blood vessels to the liver and lungs, from where, after about 10 days, they are expectorated and then swallowed and return to the small intestine, where they mature.
- Symptoms and course
In the course of the disease, there are three syndromes of symptoms associated with: migration of larval forms, invasion of the small intestine and complications of roundworms.
Larval migration through the liver rarely causes clinical signs. In contrast, the presence of larvae in the lungs leads to cellular infiltrates and inflammatory exudates. These lesions are accompanied by cough, bronchial spasticity and, less commonly, fever. There is often significant leukocytosis and eosinophilia in the blood count.
Symptoms suggestive of small bowel invasion include:
- unspecified,
- recurrent abdominal pain,
- nausea,
- occasional vomiting,
- lack of appetite,
- apathy
- excessive motor excitability
- sleep disturbances (grinding of teeth).
In prolonged roundworm disease, malnutrition and stunted physical development may develop. Due to the parasite 's excretion of highly allergenic substances, skin lesions, conjunctivitis and swelling of the eyelids, rhinitis, spastic bronchitis, etc., often occur during the course of the disease. These changes are also observed in people who come into contact with an infected person or come into contact with any form of human roundworm, e.g. in laboratories.
The most dangerous are the complications of roundworm. Vomiting reflexes can cause the parasites to move up the gastrointestinal tract and can lead to upper airway obstruction. Often roundworms invade the bile ducts, pancreas or appendix causing obstruction of the bile ducts, pancreatic ducts or even obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract.
When to go to the doctor and treating ascariasis ascariasis
The diagnosis of ascariasis is made by finding the parasite in the faeces or by mouth. The diagnosis is based on a faecal examination for roundworm eggs. This test can be falsely negative when only male parasites are present, or in the first two months of infection (females are still immature and do not produce typical parasite eggs).
On the other hand - it sometimes happens that an inexperienced laboratory technician describes roundworm eggs while only pollen is present in the faeces, which may look microscopically similar to roundworm eggs (false positive).
In diagnosed cases, as well as in highly suspected cases of invasion, oral anti-cysticercosis drugs are administered. The choice of drug is up to the doctor; these preparations are only available by prescription. Faecal examinations are carried out 2 weeks after treatment.
- Treatment
Cysticercosis is prevented by observing basic rules of personal hygiene and sanitation. In cases of confirmed infection, it is advisable to wash and iron personal linen, bedding and thoroughly air or wash blankets, bedspreads and carpets. The risk of roundworms is very high in agricultural areas, where the custom of pouring natural manure (septic tank), which often contains roundworm eggs, onto fields is still in use.
This creates a high risk of infection for both those working in such fields and those consuming crops from such land. The roundworm eggs survive outside the human body for approx. 3-4 weeks, but in moist and shaded soil they can survive for up to six years.
