Intestinal Worms - Infection by intestinal parasitic worms
(geohelminths) is widespread throughout the world, affecting millions of
people. Children are particularly
susceptible and typically have the largest number of worms, which cause a number
of health problems; making them unwell, affecting their physical and mental
development, and affecting their attendance and performance at school.
WHAT PROBLEMS DO THEY CAUSE?
As numbers of worms build up over time,
many of the health problems caused by these worms are chronic and can be long
lasting. The worms can cause
malnutrition, as they rob the body of food through loss of appetite so the children
eat less, or through stopping the food being absorbed properly once it has been
eaten. Children with chronic worm
infections and large numbers of worms may be stunted and underweight. Heavy infections with roundworm can also
cause bowel obstruction.
Intestinal
worms can also contribute to anaemia, especially hookworm, which causes
bleeding in the intestines and loss of blood.
The larger the number of worms, the more likely they are to make the
children ill, which can also lead to the children missing school, and doing less well when they
are at school. Chronic infections can
lead to long term retardation of mental and physical development, and in very
severe infections, even death.
HOW DO PEOPLE BECOME INFECTED WITH WORMS?
People become infected with intestinal
worms through contact with soil that has been contaminated with human faeces
from an infected person. For roundworm
and whipworm people can become infected when they ingest the worm eggs, either
by eating contaminated food (e.g. fruits or vegetables that have been watered
with water containing contaminated soil), or by geophagic activity (ingesting
contaminated soil directly). For
hookworm, people become infected when the larvae burrow through the skin of
bare feet.
WHAT IS THE TREATMENT FOR INTESTINAL WORMS?
Treatment for intestinal worms is simple,
cheap and effective, with a single dose of Albendazole (400mg pills), which
kills the adult worms. In the case of
roundworms, which are large, these may then be noticed when they are passed out
with the stools. Treatment can be
through a doctor or health worker, or by teachers who have been trained to treat children at school. As reinfection is likely to occur, treatment
should take place once a year, or every six months if reinfection is a big
problem. Albendazole for intestinal
geohelminth infections can also be given safely with praziquantel for
schistosomiasis.
WHO SHOULD NOT BE TREATED?
- If children are already unwell for some other reason, e.g. with a fever, treatment should be delayed until they are feeling better.
- If girls are pregnant, treatment should not be given in the first three months of pregnancy.
- Children with chronic illness such as sickle cell anaemia.
ARE THERE ANY SIDE EFFECTS?
Albendazole is very safe and most people do
not experience any side effects, but a small minority report mild and short
lived symptoms. These may include
headache, fever, stomach ache, diarrhoea and vomiting. Side effects are most likely to occur in
people with heavy infections of worms.
If side effects are serious or persist, children should be taken to a
clinic.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF TREATMENT?
Benefits of treatment to individual
children are: generally feeling better, an improved appetite and loss of many
of the symptoms of worm infection described above. By having their worm infection treated,
children should have improved nutrition, better school attendance, and be able
to concentrate better when they are attending school.
Treatment of school age children will also
benefit the local community, since children not only carry the greatest burdens
of worms, but can also be a major source of infection.
HOW DO YOU PREVENT BECOMING INFECTED WITH
INTESTINAL WORMS,
AND PASSING ON INFECTION TO OTHERS?
- Wash all fruits and vegetables in clean water before eating (to prevent roundworm and whipworm infection).
- Wear shoes or slippers (to prevent hookworm infection).
- Water from septic tanks or other potentially contaminated sources should not be used for watering vegetables.
- Defecate in a latrine, rather than in the bush or around the home or school.
- Communities and schools should provide themselves with latrines and clean sources of drinking water.
- Young children should be taught to use chamber pots, which can then be emptied into a latrine.
- Children should be taught to wash their hands after using the latrine, after playing in dirty soil, after farming or gardening and before preparing or eating food.
Adapted from: http://www.schoolsandhealth.org
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