Worms Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention

Worm disease refers to worm infection in the human body. Let’s find out the causes, symptoms, and treatment of worms below.

Worm disease refers to worm infection in the human body. Let’s find out the causes, symptoms, and treatment of worms below.

Worms

Medical specialist	Internal Medicine Specialist
Symptoms	Abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, weakness, flatulence
Risk Factors	Not keeping hands and feet clean
Diagnosis	Complete blood count, stool examination
Treatment	Antihelmintik

Drug	Albendazole, Mebendazole, Pirantel Pamoat
Complications	Malnutrition, anemia, growth, and development disorders
When to See a Doctor?	Weakness, difficulty moving, diarrhea, and severe constipation

 

Understanding

Worms are one of parasites that can enter the body, causing symptoms of the disease. This condition is called worms.

Worms themselves generally refer to worm infections in the human body.

There are three groups of worms that are known to infect humans, namely:

Platyhelminthes or flatworms

This group of worms consists of:

• Trematodes , eg Schistosima japonicum . In humans generally live in the blood and are often found in hot tropical areas.
• Cestoda , eg Taenia solium , Taenia Saginata . This parasite lives in the human digestive tract and feeds on food that has been partially digested in the human intestine.

Acanthocephalins

This group generally attacks the human gastrointestinal (digestive) system.

Nematodes

This group of worms can attack the gastrointestinal tract, blood, lymphatic system, and subcutaneous tissue of humans.

Examples are Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura.

This group of worms is often found in pets, such as dogs and cats. These pets can then transmit it to humans.

Reason

The cause of worms is parasitic infection of worms into the body. There are various ways worms enter the body, including:

• touching objects/objects that are contaminated with worm eggs (especially if you don’t wash your hands)
• consumption of food or fluids containing worm eggs
• touching the ground and not washing hands
• walking barefoot on earth containing worms
• consumption of raw or undercooked foods containing worms

Risk Factors

There are several risk factors for worms, such as:

• living in an environment with poor sanitation
• not taking good care of personal hygiene
• people with a weakened immune system, for example, people with HIV/ AIDS

Symptoms

Symptoms of intestinal worms vary, depending on the type of worm that infects.

However, the following things can be a sign of intestinal worms:

• finding worms in the stool or during bowel movements
• has a red, itchy, worm-like rash on the skin
• have diarrhea or stomach pain for more than two weeks
• constipation or constipation
• a stomach that looks swollen or bloated
• weight loss for no apparent reason
• intense itching in the anus area, especially at night
• skin reactions, such as rashes, hives, and other allergic skin reactions
• a feeling of anxiety and anxiety arises due to irritation due to toxic substances and worm metabolism residues on the human central nervous system
• feeling tired and lacking energy
• joint and muscle pain
• In children, symptoms of stunted growth and development and malnutrition can occur
• elephant foot

Diagnosis

How do you know you have this health problem? For the diagnosis, a physical examination will be carried out to obtain information from the patient.

After that, the next step is to find worm samples. This will help the process of determining the diagnosis. Usually, a stool sample is needed to check for worm eggs.

In addition, blood samples can also be examined, for example in cases of filariasis (elephantiasis).

The diagnostic method used may vary, depending on the type of worm that infects it.

Treatment

Treatment for people with intestinal worms is generally done by taking deworming medication that is taken for 1-3 days.

Inhabitants of the same house with worms may need to take deworming medication too.

The type of deworming medication depends on the type of parasite that infects it, such as albendazole, mebendazole, and pyrantel pamoate.

Prevention

To prevent worms, you need to pay attention to the following things.

• Maintain cleanliness and make it a habit to wash your hands, especially after using the restroom, and before eating or preparing food. Bring disinfectant liquid to use at any time.
• Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before cooking.
• Cook food thoroughly. Note that different sources of protein need a certain temperature to reach their individual ripeness.
• Consume bottled water or boiled water.
• Give pets deworming regularly, especially for dogs and cats.
• Dispose of pet waste in the trash as soon as possible. Use a mask and gloves when doing this.
• Always use footwear.
• Save the footwear used for outdoor activities outside the home.

Complications

Worm infections that are not handled properly can cause various complications, such as:

• interference with nutrition
• anemia
• diarrhea
• severe constipation

If this condition lasts long enough in children, for example, it can cause disturbances in growth and development.

When to See a Doctor?

Check with your doctor immediately if you have worms that cause weakness, look pale, and make it difficult to move.