The article briefs on an important topic in biology and answers the question — how does ascariasis affect your body?
We will study what ascariasis symptoms are, their causes and treatments. Read more to come across some interesting facts about ascariasis.
Ascariasis is a condition affecting the small intestine. Its origin is a species of roundworm called Ascaris lumbricoides. Infections due to these organisms materialise commonly. This infection is endemic in places lacking good hygiene and sanitation.
Infected people generally show no symptoms in the disease’s initial stages. However, realising common symptoms can help identify a possible roundworm infection. Prescribed medications by a doctor can effectively treat the condition.
Read further to learn more about the ascariasis symptoms; their effect on our body.
Ascariasis symptoms in the lungs
As mentioned before, it is a common infection worldwide, especially in rural areas with poor sanitation. The most common mode is the contamination of soil or food. Transmission essentially is through the faecal-oral course.
A person can ingest the worm eggs by consuming food grown in contaminated soil and also living in highly unhygienic conditions. The worms typically produce eggs 10–12 weeks after ingestion. After ingestion, they eventually develop into adult worms in the small intestine. After the eggs hatch, the larvae proceed to the liver and further move to the trachea. From here, these worms can travel to the heart and reach the lungs two weeks after ingestion. An infected person can develop an illness similar to pneumonia if the lungs get affected. In addition, some other symptoms can appear, such as the following:
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Wheezing.
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Coughing.
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Fever.
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Dyspnoea.
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Chest pain.
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Bloody mucus.
When the lung tissues get affected, a few patients can become slightly symptomatic. If the larvae migrate to the alveoli, it induces an allergic reaction, and this reaction can cause respiratory symptoms to appear.
Factors that determine the effect of ascariasis on an individual
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Age: Ascariasis commonly affects small children. They mainly tend to play with soil and often do not remember to wash their hands.
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Climate: People living in warmer climatic conditions are at more risk. A warm climate is ideal for the worms to flourish and breed.
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Unsanitary conditions: There are many problems regarding sanitation in rural areas. So, places like these have a greater risk of spreading this infection.
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Improper waste management: People in backward areas tend to defecate in the open, increasing the chance of transmission of ascariasis infection.
Consumption of unclean raw fruits and vegetables: This increases the chance of transmission of infection. Human faeces as manure in many countries is still widespread. Vegetables and fruits cultivated in this manure use must be washed and/or appropriately cooked before consumption.
Ascariasis symptoms in the small intestine
In most cases, severe abdominal symptoms are experienced when the worms progress towards the small intestine.
A person accidentally ingests the eggs, and larvae form in the small intestine from the eggs. They can worm their way into the intestinal wall to travel to the heart and lungs. We discussed their travel to the lungs in the previous section.
After infecting the lungs, they are back in the intestines. The larvae grow into male or female worms. Female worms are roughly 40 centimetres long; male worms are smaller in length. If both female and male worms breed in the intestines, female worms tend to produce around 200,000 eggs a day. A few ascariasis symptoms when the small intestine are infected are –
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Nausea.
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Vomiting.
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Loss of appetite.
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Diarrhoea.
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Intestinal perforation.
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Abdominal cramps.
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Stunted growth in children.
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Swelling in the abdominal area.
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Blockage of intestines.
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Tiredness.
Various diagnostic tests and treatment options
The most common method of diagnosis is testing the stool sample. Collected faecal samples can detect eggs or worms present. Nevertheless, the ascariasis infection of the lungs is more challenging to diagnose. Another way to diagnose the condition is to check fluids in the stomach and lungs.
A living worm can come out while coughing or out the nose while sneezing in some cases. The worm extruded can be shown to a healthcare professional for examination. Ascariasis can be treated with medications. Some common medications are:
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Mebendazole.
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Albendazole.
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Pyrantel pamoate.
This condition can sometimes lead to intestinal perforation or blockage, which can be life-threatening and may require surgery as a treatment. Perforation can sometimes lead to internal bleeding in the intestine. Surgery is required to remove entangled manifestations of worms that can block the intestines or organs they travel through. Other methods to detect the infection are endoscopy, MRI, ultrasound, and CT scans.
Conclusion
We learned about what ascariasis symptoms are and how ascariasis affects the body. We discussed the symptoms of an ascariasis infection in the lungs and the small intestine, factors that determine the effect of ascariasis on an individual, and the diagnostic methods and treatment options provided by healthcare officials.