Causes of roundworm disease
- Causes of roundworm disease
- Symptoms of roundworm infection
- Complications of roundworm disease
- People at risk of roundworm infection
- How to prevent roundworm infection?
The scientific name of roundworm is Ascaris lumbricoides. Unlike other parasites, this is a type of worm that is quite large when mature, about 20cm long. Female worms are longer than male worms.
When the female roundworm lays eggs, if they fall into the soil, after about two weeks, the eggs will develop into roundworm larvae. Normal environmental temperatures are extremely favorable for roundworm larvae to continue the cycle. Roundworm eggs are only destroyed at temperatures above 60 degrees Celsius. The habit of walking barefoot, contacting the outside environment without tools or protective equipment, not cleaning hands properly... is the cause of roundworm disease.
In addition, other common causes of roundworm disease include: eating food from street stalls, of unknown origin, not ensuring food hygiene and safety; eating raw vegetables, using fresh manure to fertilize vegetables, unhygienic living habits such as nail biting, thumb sucking, not washing hands before eating and after going to the toilet...
Ascaris migrating into the biliary tract can cause biliary colic, biliary obstruction, cholecystitis, cholangitis, jaundice, liver abscess, and bile duct perforation.
Symptoms of roundworm infection
Symptoms of roundworm infection are not specific and can be easily confused with other diseases.
In children, symptoms may include prolonged digestive disorders, malnutrition, stunted growth, and slow weight gain. If there are too many worms in the intestines, the child will show signs of intestinal obstruction. Specifically, the child will have abdominal pain with bloating and constipation. If worms from the small intestine pass through the bile duct, it will cause bile obstruction, cholangitis, gallstones, and worms down to the appendix causing acute appendicitis.
If the worm goes astray to the lungs, the patient may come to the doctor because of wheezing, chronic difficulty breathing or acute symptoms such as severe chest pain, dry cough, high fever.
In some rare cases, live worms are seen coming out of the child's stool when defecating or worms are seen coming out of the child's mouth or nose when the child is sleeping, coughing, or choking.
Complications of roundworm disease
Mild roundworm infections usually do not cause complications. But if the infection is severe, dangerous complications can occur:
- Malnutrition causes slow growth and impaired cognitive development in children.
- Intestinal obstruction: Adult worms can block the intestinal lumen, leading to acute intestinal obstruction. Other complications associated with intestinal obstruction include intussusception, gangrene, and intestinal perforation.
- Diseases related to the liver, gallbladder and pancreas: Adult roundworms moving into the bile duct can cause biliary colic, biliary obstruction, cholecystitis, cholangitis, jaundice, liver abscess and bile duct perforation, etc.
People at risk of roundworm infection
Roundworm infection can occur in anyone, at any age, especially those living in tropical areas with high rainfall. However, based on the route and cycle of infection, the following people are at high risk of getting the disease:
- People living in poor, backward areas.
- People living in rural and mountainous areas.
- Farmers , animal husbandry and crop growers.
- Children, especially those living in underdeveloped areas.
How to prevent roundworm infection?
To prevent the disease effectively, you can refer to some suggestions below:
- Deworm the whole family every six months. The medicine is effective not only on roundworms but also helps to eliminate other types of worms.
- Personal hygiene, clean environment regularly, build hygienic toilets.
- Wash hands with soap before eating, after using the toilet, after contact with dirty environment or objects.
- Balanced diet, full of nutrients, always eat cooked food, drink boiled and cooled water.
- Limit eating raw vegetables; if necessary, wash vegetables thoroughly several times with specialized vegetable wash.
- Do not go barefoot; if gardening, cleaning up trash or weeds, wear boots, a mask, and gloves.
- Do not use fresh manure to fertilize vegetables or plants.
Where to get tested for roundworm?
Patients can get examined and tested for roundworm at the following addresses:
- Bach Mai Hospital
- Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases
- Dang Van Ngu Hospital - Central Institute of Malaria, Parasitology and Entomology,
- Hanoi Medical University Hospital
- Cho Ray Hospital
- Children's Hospital 1, Ho Chi Minh City
- Other major General Hospitals and Medical Centers across the country
Source: https://suckhoedoisong.vn/bieu-hien-khi-mac-benh-giún-dua-kham-o-dau-169251129134810313.htm
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