Hanoi After 5 years of severe itching and scratches all over her body, and dermatological treatment that did not work, a 40-year-old woman was diagnosed with roundworm infection.
On June 16, Dr. Tran Huy Tho, Deputy Director of Dang Van Ngu Permanent Hospital, under the Central Institute of Malaria - Parasitology - Entomology, said that the patient came to the clinic with many scratched and infected skin patches, and many wriggling marks under the skin like crawling worms.
The patient said she had visited many dermatologists and used many types of medicine but her condition did not improve. She loved cats so she raised two of them, especially hugging, kissing, and letting them sleep with her.
Blood tests showed that the patient was infected with roundworms, accompanied by allergic skin symptoms. The doctor used specific medication to reduce the growth of larvae and itching. The patient's health then stabilized.
Toxocara is a parasite that infects cats and dogs. Toxocara eggs are usually found in soil or water contaminated with cat or dog feces. Normally, Toxocara eggs in cats and dogs are released into the environment through feces. After 1-2 weeks, they will become embryos. This is the stage when Toxocara eggs enter and cause disease in humans.
People can be infected with this type of worm by accidentally eating it. The larvae move through the intestinal mucosa into the blood circulation to the central nervous system such as the brain, spinal cord and nerve roots, causing encephalitis and meningitis. Children are susceptible to worm infection due to the habit of playing with sand and soil, which is a place where worm eggs are spread due to the defecation characteristics of dogs and cats.
Dog and cat roundworm disease is easily confused with skin diseases and allergies. Patients have severe itching, skin lesions and infections for many years, and have received dermatological treatment but the disease has not improved.
Nowadays, many people keep pets, play and sleep with them, which is a potential risk of disease. Doctors recommend that families clean the environment and indoor areas, do not let children play in places with dog and cat feces, wash hands thoroughly before eating, eat cooked food and drink boiled water. Deworm pets regularly.
Thuy Quynh
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