Signs And Symptoms Of Roundworms In Humans

Roundworm is a disease that is spread by lack of sanitation, it occurs mostly in children. In a healthy well-nourished child with only a few worms, there are often no symptoms of roundworm. The signs and symptoms that do occur in humans fall into three main groups.

1. There is often a cough and bronchitis when the larvae of the worm migrate through the lungs and bronchi.

2. Mechanical symptoms due to adult roundworms in the intestines can include stomach-ache, vomiting, or intestinal obstruction.

3. General symptoms. Abdominal distension, poor nutrition, and anaemia. If there are large numbers of worms they eat a lot of food which ought to be for the child's body and they also secrete a substance which interferes with the absorption of protein from the intestines.

In short, roundworms are not very important when they are limited to few in the intestines of a well-fed and otherwise healthy child.

They are very important when there are many in the intestines of a child who is barely getting enough food to live on anyway. They are therefore a problem in all developing countries.

Cause of roundworm in humans.

A worm about 15-35 cm in length and 2-6 mm in diameter when adult, called Ascaris lumbricoides.

Hookworm Route

The eggs are passed in the stools of infected people. They contaminate soil and vegetables and later, when swallowed by the child or adult, develop into larvae and pass through the walls of the intestines to the blood; from there they are carried to the lungs, migrate through the bronchi and oesophagus as 'hookworms' do, and then develop into adult worms in the bowel. From there they pass eggs and the cycle is repeated continuously.

Roundworm Susceptibles

All children are susceptible to roundworm as soon as they begin to play in the compound and eat food with dirty hands.

Over 50 per cent of children aged 3-7 can be infected in a developing country.

Roundworm Treatment

With piperazine, between 4 and 12 tables according to the child's age and weight.

Roundworm Prevention from human

Roundworm can be prevented from being spread by the use of proper daefecation ground. This so important and even small children faeces must be put down to latrines.

Also, all fruit and vegetables must be washed very carefully if they are eaten without being cooked. Hands must be washed before eaten and avoid eating carelessly.