Ascariasis Health Video

Video Transcript

Dr. SUSAN MCGLADERRY, BM, BCH, MRCP : Hello, my name is Dr. Sue McGladerry. I'm the medical director from FirstMed Centers in Budapest. I would like to talk to you and give you some general information about ascariasis. This is an intestinal infection caused by the parasitic roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides. It is the most common human infection caused by worms in the world, although it's not common in developed countries. Worldwide, it has the greatest frequency in areas with poor sanitation and crowded living conditions. Ascariasis occurs when worm eggs commonly found in soil and human feces are ingested. The eggs can be transmitted from contaminated food, drink, and soil. The roundworms range in size from about 15 cm all the way up to 35 cm for an adult female. The worms can grow to be as thick as a pencil and they may live for 1 or even 2 years. The signs and symptoms of ascariasis range from no symptoms at all to symptoms depending on the number of worms involved in the infestation and the more worms there are, the more likely the infection is to be severe. Children are more likely than adults to develop serious gastrointestinal symptoms because their intestines are smaller than in adults, and in particular, they are at high risk of having intestinal obstruction. Mild infestations may have signs such as worms in the stool, coughing up worms, loss of appetite, fever, or wheezing. In the case of a more severe worm infestation, they can result in serious signs and symptoms such as vomiting, shortness of breath, abdominal distention, severe stomach or abdominal pain, intestinal blockage, and problems of the liver and gallbladder. The diagnosis of ascariasis is made by finding eggs or worms in stool samples. In that case, specific treatment from a doctor will clear that infection usually within the space of about 1 week.