Foods at risk of dragon worm infection

There is currently no cure for dragon worm disease. People need to pay attention to high-risk foods and prepare them safely, especially paying attention to cooking food to kill worm larvae.

High-risk food processing sources

According to the National Institute of Malaria, Parasitology and Entomology (NIMPE), dragon worm disease is caused by the roundworm Dracunculus medinensis. The disease is transmitted through the digestive tract, by drinking water or eating food contaminated with dragon worm larvae.

The head and part of the body of a dragon worm emerged from a swollen pimple on the thigh of a patient in Yen Bai.

PHOTO: CDC DOCUMENTS OF YEN BAI PROVINCE

Asteroidiasis is a neglected tropical disease and is a parasitic disease that the World Health Organization has been aiming to eradicate globally since 1986. In Vietnam, the first case of asteroidiasis was reported in April 2020 and then sporadic human cases appeared. The most recent case was in Hoa Binh province.

Dr. Do Trung Dung, Head of the Department of Parasitology (NIMPE, Hanoi ), said that patients infected with dragon worms all have symptoms of rash, itching and swelling. Most patients with dragon worms have muscle pain in the area where the worms are located; pain and burning in the swelling. Notably, most patients have fluid discharge from the swelling and the worm head emerges from this swelling.

According to a study with a group of dragon worm patients conducted by NIMPE experts, factors related to dragon worm infection include: eating raw fish; eating raw frogs; eating raw snake meat; drinking unclean water.

NIMPE's group of parasitology experts also believes that further research is needed on the status of infection, disease sources, and pathogens in endemic areas of dragon worm disease to have more effective disease prevention and control measures; increasing communication to the community on how to consume aquatic foods, especially the need to cook food thoroughly, drink boiled water, not eat raw food, and not drink unboiled water.

How to catch dragon worms safely

Dr. Dung said that dragon worms are 70 - 120 cm long. When you see worms crawling out of the swollen nest, you should skillfully catch them by using a round stick and slowly roll it to pull all the worms out.

"Do not hold the scissors too hard or cut the wound to remove the worm because it will break and you will not be able to remove it all. If you pull the worm out yourself but break it halfway, the larvae and toxins will be released and spread along the worm's path, making the infection worse," Dr. Dung noted.

In severe cases of infection, complications such as sepsis, ankylosing spondylitis, abscesses due to dead worms; or tetanus can occur.

To prevent dragon worm disease, experts from the Yen Bai Provincial Center for Disease Control note that people with dragon worm disease need to practice good food hygiene and safety , use separate tools for processing cooked and raw foods (cutting boards, knives, blenders, bowls, plates, etc.), and especially wash their hands after processing raw foods.

At the same time, do a good job of cleaning the surrounding environment and residential areas. Do not come into contact with clean water sources in the community to avoid female worms releasing eggs into the water environment, infecting people. Sprinkle lime powder or chloramine B into domestic wastewater before discharging it into the environment.

Patients in the advanced stages of dragonworm disease should not bathe or wash in ponds or lakes to avoid spreading the larvae into the environment. It is necessary to clean wounds and regularly bandage the affected skin area until all worms are completely removed from the body.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cac-thuc-pham-co-nguy-co-gay-nhiem-giun-rong-185250313181824002.htm