What kind of parasite is ascaris

Ascariasis can also be passed directly from person to person. People with ascariasis often have no symptoms. Symptoms become more noticeable when the roundworm infestation grows. Some people with a large infestation may have other symptoms, such as fatigue and fever. A major infestation can cause extreme discomfort. After ingestion, the A. The worm goes through several stages:. You can limit your exposure to roundworms by avoiding unsafe food and water.

Keeping your immediate environment clean also helps. This includes laundering clothing exposed to unsanitary conditions and cleaning cooking surfaces well. Children who are 3 to 8 years old are most likely to be infected because of their contact with soil while playing.

However, heavy infestations can spread to other parts of the body and lead to dangerous complications, including:. Children are more likely to have gastrointestinal complications because the smaller size of their intestines increases their chances of having an intestinal blockage.

Doctors generally make the diagnosis by examining a stool sample for parasites and ova eggs. If your doctor suspects you have ascariasis, he or she will ask for a stool sample from you. Imaging tests can show how many worms have grown to maturity and where major groups of worms are inside the body. Doctors usually treat roundworm with antiparasitic drugs. Call your doctor right away if your child has any symptoms of ascariasis. This is especially important if you adopted your child from a developing country or you traveled to areas where ascariasis is common.

Also call the doctor if your child's symptoms don't get better with treatment or if new symptoms start. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. What Is Ascariasis? Treatment with prescription anti-parasite drugs usually clears up the infection within a week. What Causes Ascariasis? Most people with ascariasis got it by: putting dirty hands in their mouth eating fruits or vegetables that weren't peeled, washed, or cooked Globally, ascariasis is the most common human worm infection.

What Happens in Ascariasis? They include: coughing up worms wheezing or trouble breathing worms in stool poop loss of appetite fever nausea and vomiting diarrhea belly pain or bloating Kids are more likely than adults to complain of gastrointestinal symptoms.

Is Ascariasis Contagious? How Is Ascariasis Diagnosed? How Is Ascariasis Treated? Can Ascariasis Be Prevented? Ascariasis is now uncommon in the United States. People infected with Ascaris often show no symptoms. If symptoms do occur they can be light and include abdominal discomfort. Heavy infections can cause intestinal blockage and impair growth in children.

Other symptoms such as cough are due to migration of the worms through the body. Health care providers can diagnose ascariasis by taking a stool sample and using a microscope to look for the presence of eggs. Some people notice infection when a worm is passed in their stool or is coughed up.

If this happens, bring in the worm specimen to your health care provider for diagnosis. More on: Handwashing. Anthelminthic medications drugs that rid the body of parasitic worms , such as albendazole and mebendazole, are the drugs of choice for treatment.

Infections are generally treated for days. The recommended medications are effective. In developing countries, groups at higher risk for soil-transmitted helminth infections hookworm, Ascaris , and whipworm are often treated without a prior stool examination.

This can happen when hands or fingers that have contaminated dirt on them are put in the mouth, or by eating vegetables or fruits that have not been carefully peeled, washed, or cooked. People with ascariasis often show no symptoms. If symptoms occur they can be light. Symptoms include abdominal discomfort or pain. Heavy infections can block the intestines and slow growth in children.

Other symptoms such as cough are due to migration of the worms through the body. Ascariasis is treatable with medication prescribed by your healthcare provider. Humans can also be infected by pig roundworm Ascaris suum.