Ascariasis

Ascariasis: a helminthic disease caused by roundworms

Ascariasis is a helminthic disease caused by roundworms known as roundworms. These large dioecious worms parasitize the human small intestine and can cause serious complications.

The source of infection is a sick person. A female roundworm lays up to 200 thousand immature eggs per day, which are excreted in the patient’s feces. In the absence of well-equipped latrines and violation of hygiene rules, roundworm eggs can be scattered around houses, in courtyards, vegetable gardens, gardens, and contaminate vegetables, berries, and fruits. On the surface of the earth and in the upper layers of soil at a certain temperature and humidity, roundworm eggs mature in 2-6 weeks and can remain viable for up to 5-7 years.

A person becomes infected by eating raw, unwashed or poorly washed vegetables, berries, and fruits contaminated with ripened roundworm eggs, and less often by drinking unboiled water. Infection often occurs through dirty hands. The infection season in the temperate climate zone lasts up to 7 months (from April to October), infection in winter is possible through greenhouse vegetables or when eggs are brought into the home on shoes. In warm climates, the A. infection season lasts all year round.

When infected, roundworm larvae enter the human intestine, where they form into adult parasites. The entire development cycle of roundworm from the moment a person is infected until the eggs of a new generation of parasites appear in his feces lasts 2.5-3 months. During Ascariasis, two stages are distinguished: early (migration, before the larvae enter the intestines for the second time) and late, intestinal.

The early stage is often asymptomatic. Sometimes patients experience malaise, cough, fever, and may develop urticaria. In the late stage, patients complain of nausea, malaise, and cramping abdominal pain. Unpleasant sensations in the pit of the stomach, drooling, loss of appetite, headache, dizziness, increased fatigue, and, less often, night terrors appear. Children grind their teeth in their sleep; they have bronchitis and pneumonia caused by migrating roundworm larvae.

Various methods are used to diagnose ascariasis, including microscopic examination of stool for the presence of roundworm eggs, as well as immunological tests.

Ascariasis is treated with antihelminthic drugs such as mebendazole, albendazole and pyrantel. To prevent ascariasis, you must follow good hygiene rules: wash your hands before eating, do not eat unwashed vegetables, fruits and berries, drink only boiled water to kill ascaris larvae and other parasites.