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Types of Parasitic Worms

Human parasites are an inconvenient fact of life most people do not wish to address because of the stigma attached to parasitic infestation. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates the number of parasites present in the United States, number in the thousands. Socioeconomic status is no barrier for parasitic worms who aren't fussy who they use as hosts.

  1. Types

    • Pinworms or threadworms (Enterobius vermicularis) are common parasites infesting 200 million people worldwide. 40 million people in America have pinworms; many are children between the ages of two and ten. Anal itching heralds the possibility of pinworm infestation, as the itching may be caused by the nocturnal female pinworm traveling down the intestine and laying 15,000 eggs around the anal opening. The eggs hatch within 4 to 6 hours, during which time, the host inadvertently scratches his anus, transferring the worm eggs onto his fingers. The fingers touch the mouth, the eggs are swallowe, and the cycle restarted.

    Function

    • Parasites live on, or in, a host which may be animal or human, bird, fish or insect--even fleas. Human parasites are introduced into the body through the ingestion of contaminated food, infested drinking water, the earth (dirt), or through contact with an infested host. Most types of parasitic worms are found in the intestines, attaching themselves in or through the intestinal wall and eating the food you eat. The dwarf tapeworm spends its entire life cycle with one host mammal, attaching itself securely to the intestinal wall with four suckers and a small ring of hooks around its head. Prevalent in the southern United States, children are frequently infested with this 1.5-inch mature dwarf tapeworm, often infesting the entire family.

    Effects

    • Parasitic worm infestation may cause symptoms in the host including fatigue, insomnia, diarrhea, anemia, dizziness, itching, allergies, headaches, abdominal pains and digestive complaints. Distention of the stomach may be present in severely infested hosts due to malnutrition. Body weakness and lethargy may also be apparent.

    Size

    • Parasitic worms include intestinal flukes (Fasciolopsis Buski) growing to 0.8 to 3 inches (2 to 7.5 cm) long, and attaching themselves to the small intestine by suckers. Ulceration at the attachment location may later form abscesses. Nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain and occasional constipation may be the early signs of infestation. Later, during heavy infestation, water retention and fatigue may cause serious complications.

    Geography

    • In Mexico, parents routinely treat their children for worm infestation. This practice is not widely used in the United States although many ailments and illnesses stem from parasitic worm infestations. Natural remedies are available should you suspect parasitic worm infestation in members of your family. Personal hygiene habits such as frequent hand-washing are recommended for reducing the instance of parasitic worm infestation within the family unit. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a mass deworming program to be available in all schools.

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