Don't forget the diseases that are easily contracted around us.

Diagram of the transmission of helminthic diseases. Source:vinmec

Phu Yen Newspaper interviewed Dr. Nguyen Thanh Lam, Head of Tropical Diseases Department, Phu Yen General Hospital, about how to recognize, diagnose, treat and prevent worm infections.

* Doctor, how does parasitic worm infection affect human health? Has this disease received adequate attention?

- Parasitic infections, including worms, are among the neglected tropical diseases. Why do we say neglected tropical diseases? Because patients, their families, and even medical staff forget about them and do not pay attention to them.

In fact, anyone can be infected with worms, however, this disease is common in poor people, who have little access to information about health care, disease prevention and do not have access to diagnostic and treatment facilities. Many people do not have the habit of deworming regularly. When infected with worms, the disease progresses silently for a long time, by the time symptoms appear, the disease is already serious, for example, worms have reached the brain, causing convulsions; liver fluke infection leads to liver abscess, infection...

Parasitic worm infections destroy health, affect the patient's ability to work, affect their family's economy and affect the socio-economic situation, but few people pay attention. Many cases of parasitic worm infections have complications, the cost of treatment is not small! And if the disease has reached a severe stage, for example, parasitic worms nest in the brain, after treatment, the parasitic worms are destroyed but the sequelae still remain, that is, the damage to the brain caused by parasitic worms is still there.

BSCKII Nguyen Thanh Lam

* Is the diagnosis and treatment of worm infections complicated, doctor?

- Treatment of intestinal helminth infections is less complicated than treatment of ectopic helminth infections. Phu Yen General Hospital has routinely performed stool microscopy tests to detect intestinal helminths and ELISA tests to detect ectopic helminths such as roundworm larvae infection in cats and dogs, strongyloidiasis, liver fluke infection, gnathostomiasis, schistosomiasis and other types of helminths.

More than 10 years ago, the Department of Tropical Diseases - then the Department of Infectious Diseases - Phu Yen General Hospital deployed a Parasitic Infection Treatment Unit and a Viral Hepatitis Treatment Unit. After that, for a period of time, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and due to problems in bidding and lack of chemicals, this activity was interrupted. From 2024, Phu Yen General Hospital will re-deploy the treatment of parasites in general and parasitic worms in particular.

All tests are performed accurately at the Department of Biochemistry - Microbiology, Phu Yen General Hospital; medicine is covered by health insurance. Thus, patients do not have to travel far to treat parasitic infections, saving time and travel costs.

If there are signs of suspected worm infection, people should go to Phu Yen General Hospital for diagnosis and treatment.

* What is the first priority for effective treatment of worm infections?

- Firstly, we must strengthen communication and health education to help people know the harmful effects of worm infection, the symptoms of worm infection... so that they can go to the doctor, detect the disease and cooperate with the doctor during the treatment process. In cases of prolonged headaches, prolonged abdominal pain, idiopathic itching, prolonged anemia... they must go to the hospital for examination and testing.

Treatment of intestinal helminth infections is less complicated than treatment of ectopic helminth infections. Phu Yen General Hospital has routinely performed stool microscopy tests to detect intestinal helminths and ELISA tests to detect ectopic helminths such as roundworm larvae infection, strongyloidiasis, liver fluke infection, gnathostomiasis, schistosomiasis and other types of helminths.
BSCKII Nguyen Thanh Lam, Head of Tropical Diseases Department, Phu Yen General Hospital

Second, the doctor must carefully advise the patient to comply with the treatment, for example, infection with roundworm larvae in dogs and cats may require up to 3 courses of treatment, as well as the side effects - rare - during treatment and the drug regimens to prevent side effects, treatment when side effects occur... so that the patient can feel secure during treatment.

Patients should not self-medicate and must follow the doctor's instructions. If treatment is stopped halfway, there will be no results.

* How to prevent worm infection, doctor?

- To prevent parasitic worm infection, it is necessary to communicate so that people know the transmission of parasitic worm, the risks of parasitic worm infection, the harmful effects of the disease... Must eat cooked food, drink boiled water; avoid raw foods that are at risk of parasitic worm infection such as blood pudding, vegetables grown in water... Must wash hands regularly, properly, especially before eating and after going to the toilet. In particular, after contact with pets, you must wash your hands to avoid the risk of roundworm infection; at the same time, it is necessary to communicate so that people keep the environment clean, do not let livestock, dogs and cats roam freely; do not let dogs and cats defecate indiscriminately; parasitic worm eggs in dog and cat feces released into the environment will have the risk of entering human food.

People should remember to regularly deworm people, pets and livestock. If there are any suspicious signs, go to a medical facility for examination, diagnosis and treatment.

* Thank you doctor!

Source: https://baophuyen.vn/suc-khoe/202506/dung-lang-quen-benh-de-mac-quanh-ta-446146c/