Roundworms in the Body

There are more than 20,000 different species of nematodes, or roundworms. Free-living roundworms feed off of bacteria and fungi. However, not all roundworms are free-living. Some types of roundworms are parasitic, using the human body as a source of nutrients in a way that makes us sick. Most types of parasitic roundworms can be found in the intestines.

Biological Makeup

• Roundworms are structurally simple, biologically speaking. While the average human is composed of trillions of cells, an adult roundworm is made of approximately only 1,000 cells. Roundworms do not have a circulatory or respiratory system. Some roundworms are small, less than 1 millimeter in size, and some are huge, reaching sizes of more than 24 feet long.

Parasitic Roundworms

• Parasitic roundworms usually vary in size from about 1 millimeter to 3 feet. Humans are generally infected in warm, tropical climates. Roundworms live in soil and infect humans as eggs or larvae when humans ingest the soil in which they live. Some varieties of roundworm can infect humans through the skin.

Symptoms

• There are several common types of roundworms that cause different types of symptoms, including ascariasis, hookworm, trichinosis and whipworm. Ascariasis causes coughing, weight loss, fatigue, abdominal pain and the presence of worms or blood in vomit or stool. Hookworm may be asymptomatic or present with weight loss, diarrhea and an itchy rash. Trichinosis can cause pink eye, photosensitivity and high fever. Whipworm presents with abdominal pain, diarrhea or anemia. Ascariasis is the most common type of roundworm infection; more than 1 billion people suffer from ascariasis.

Treatment

• Treatments vary depending on the type of roundworm in the body. To treat ascariasis, trichinosis, hookworm and whipworm, prescription medication such as Vermox, Pin-Rid and Albenza may be used. To relieve symptoms, doctors may prescribe anti-inflammatory medication, oral iron and antibiotics.