Roundworms Infection

Roundworms are a type of parasitic worm that can infect the body of nearly all mammals, including humans. Roundworms are a bit different than the microscopic parasites you might be thinking of. These worms can grow up to 16 inches long and hundreds of them can live in your body. If you're not already getting squeamish, read on about roundworm infections.

Progression

• To understand the symptoms of roundworms, you must first understand how they make their way into your body. The eggs of the roundworm are ingested into your body and travel down to the intestines. When they hatch, they migrate into your lungs. Then you cough them up, swallow them again and they return back into your intestines where they reproduce and start the journey over again. A roundworm can produce up to 200,000 worms daily, so the situation can quickly escalate.

Symptoms

• The severity of symptoms that one might experience with roundworms depends on how many worms are present in the body. If there are only a few, you may not notice any symptoms. The symptoms of a more moderate infestation change with the progression of the worms. Coughing and wheezing can occur when the worms are in the lungs. The infestation in the intestines causes problems like pain, nausea and diarrhea. Heavy infestations of roundworm cause these symptoms as well as fatigue and weight loss. The person may also notice worms in the stool and poking out of their nose and mouth!

Causes

• Roundworm is spread when human feces come into contact with soil. Most roundworm infestations occur in undeveloped countries and poor rural areas. Some areas actually use human feces as fertilizer, or may have unsubstantial sewage systems that allow the waste to mix with soil. The eggs need warm moist soil to thrive, so countries with a warm climate and southern states of the U.S. are at risk. People can ingest the roundworm eggs when they eat produce that was grown in that soil.

Diagnosis

• Doctors have several ways of testing for roundworms. If you have been infected for at least 40 days, there will probably be eggs present in your stool, which can be seen with a microscope. Blood tests can diagnose an infestation earlier. Your blood will produce more white blood cells as it prepares to fight off the foreign invaders. Imaging tests, like X-rays, MRIs and CT scans can sometimes show roundworms in various areas of the body.

Treatment

• Cases of roundworm that present no symptoms usually go away on their own. Large infestations need to be treated because they can cause complications such as nutritional deficiencies, damage to the intestines and allergic reactions. Anti-parasitic medications are usually prescribed to kill the existing worms. The treatment may need to be repeated later if more eggs hatch. More severe cases may require surgery to remove large amounts of worms and repair any organ.

Prevention

• There are several ways that you can prevent a roundworm infestation. The best way is to practice good hygiene by washing your hands after you use the bathroom and before handling food. Also, when visiting foreign countries, stick to bottled water and fully cooked produce. Hot cooking temperatures will kill the worms and eggs. If you eat any raw produce, you may want to wash it thoroughly and peel it yourself.