Ascariasis is a human worm, caused by a roundworm, the lumbricoid ascaris (roundworm). A worm with a cylindrical body and thinner ends, which can reach up to 40 cm in length.
This worm can be found all over the world, being more common in tropical regions.
It is estimated that 30% of the world population is parasitized by it, mainly children.
Symptoms
In most cases the disease has no symptoms. When they appear, they are associated with intestinal pain, weight loss, nausea and diarrhea.
Depending on the organ affected by the worm, other symptoms may arise. In the lungs, during the passage of larvae, pneumonitis may occur, associated with fever, dry cough, bronchitis and chest pain (Loffler's syndrome).
In severe cases, the large accumulation of worms can lead to intestinal obstruction.
Streaming
By ingesting the worm eggs present in soil, water or food contaminated with infected human feces.
An individual contaminated by the worm eliminates thousands of eggs daily. ascaris by the feces. An example of transmission is that if there are no adequate basic sanitation conditions, these faeces contaminate soil and water, and can reach human beings.
Life cycle
Eggs eliminated with faeces contain the embryos of ascaris inside. After a few days, still inside the egg, the embryo turns into a larva, which after going through two molts, can infect anyone who eats it.
Eggs can contaminate soil, water or food. And so, being ingested by a host, such as a pig or a man.
Infecting ingested eggs release the larvae into the duodenum, in the small intestine.
Now free, the larvae cross the wall of the small intestine and reach the bloodstream.
From there, they reach the lungs, where they undergo new seedlings. After they are mature, they migrate close to the oral cavity, which causes coughing spells, being pushed into the pharynx and swallowed.
Thus, they return to the intestines, where they settle definitively and mature sexually.
It is important to know that the ascaris adults do not multiply within hosts. Eggs need to be eliminated to develop larvae. Each female worm lays more than 200,000 eggs daily that leave the host's body through feces.
Prevention and Treatment
- Health education;
- Sanitation adequate;
- Treatment of water used for human consumption;
- Hygienic care in food preparation (particularly those consumed raw);
- Personal hygiene.
The treatment of this worm it can be done with the use of medications.