Worm Infestations

INTRODUCTION: -Most animals, including humans, can be infested with parasitic worms
that derive all their nutrients from their hosts. Most of these worms live in the intestines for at
least part of their life cycle. In many cases, worm infestations are long-term diseases that
produce few symptoms in their early stages.
Various types of the family of worms known as roundworms can infest humans. Most
affect only people in the developing world. However, some roundworms, such as
threadworm, commonly affect people in developed countries.
MEANING: Worms are parasites that enter the body and are able to live and feed off the person they have
entered.
Infestation means something harmful or unwanted : to be in or over (a place, an animal, etc.)
in large numbers
DEFINITION:Worms (sometimes called helminths) are parasites that enter the body and are able to live and
feed off the person they have entered.
The most common worm infection in the India is Hookworms. Medicines to treat
worms are sometimes called anthelmintics. Mebendazole (trade name Vermox) is the most
commonly prescribed medicine for worms.
TYPES OF WORM: into three groups:

There are many types of worms and they are usually divided

1. ROUND WORMS:It is also known as Ascaris. Is a nematode, mostly known as round worm. It is
most common helminthic infestation. It lives in the lumen of small intestine. The
adult female roundworm measures 20to40cm &the male 12to30cm in length. Each
female round worm produces 2, 40,000 eggs per day.
LIFE SPAN:
Life span the life span of an adult round worm is between 6 & 12 months &maximum
1.5&2 years.
MODE OF TRANSMISSION :-The mode of transmission is feco-oral route by
ingestion of inffctive eggs with food or soil or drink or by contaminated hands &
fingers.
INCUBATION PERIOD :- 2 Month
2. PINWORM:
PINWORM is also known as threadworm or oxyuriasis. Is a nematode type
worm. It is very common parasitic infestations of infants & young children.
LIFE SPAN :-The life span was 20 days.
3. HOOKWORMS (ANCYLOSTOMIASIS):

Hookworms is a nematode causing intestinal infestation in human by two

species i.e A. duodenal & N.americanus.
It is widely prevalent in rural areas &slums. A.duodenale is mainly found in
north india & N.americanus in south india. Another species A.ceylanicum has been
reported from a village near kolkata. Hookworms live in the small intestine mainly in
jejunum &remain attached to the intestinal villi. Male worm is 5ti11mm long &
female worms is 9to13mm long with dorsally curved anterior end or hook.
LIFE SPAN: life span the life span was 1to4 years
MODE OF TRANSMISSION:- Mode of transmission of hookworm infective larval
is usually by skin penetration in barefooted individual.
INCUBATION PERIOD:- The incubation period for N.americans is about 7 weeks
& for A.duodenale it varies from 5 weeks to 9 weeks.
4. TAPE WORM:
Tape worm are also known as teniasis. Tape worm are cestodes commonly
found in children as pork tapeworm and beef tape worm. Others tapeworm are dwarf
tapeworm and zoonotic cestodes.
MODE OF TRANSMISSION : Mode of transmission of tape worm are
Consumption of infective cysticerci in improperly cooked meat of infective pig or
beef. Ingestion of unwashed raw vegetables, food and water contaminated eggs.
Reinfection by regurgitations of eggs from the small intestine by retroperistalsis.
CLINICAL MANIFESTATION:
The common clinical manifestations of worm infestation are as follow: Abdominal pain
Nausea
Loss of appetite
Sleeplessness
Irritability
Anemia
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Pica
Restlessness
Abdominal distention
CLINICAL MANIFESTATION OF ROUNDWORMS: Cough
Growth failure
Vitamin deficiencies
Urticaria
fever
CLINICAL MANIFESTATION OF PINWORM:
Poor appetite
Teeth grinding
Enuresis
Scratching itching
CLINICAL MANIFESTATION OF HOOK WORM:
Black colored stool
Perverted taste
Constipation
CLINICAL MANIFESTATION OF TAPEWORMS
Headache\
Growth failure

DIAGNOSTIC TEST:
A. History collection: - history of passage of worms.
B. Stool examination: - It is done to detect which type of worm is present.
C. Blood examination :-CSF examination
D. CT & MRI:MANAGEMENT:
The commonly used effective anthelmintic are single dose
ALBENDAZOLE (15mg/kg) or MEBANDAZOLE (100mg) twice
daily for 3 days irrespective of patients age.
Correction of anemia should be done with iron therapy & blood
transfusion in severe anemia patients.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES:
PREVENTIVE MEASURES OF ROUND WORM: Prevention of round worm infestation can be done by interrupting its
transmission.
Sanitary disposal of human excreta, reduction of fecal contamination
of the soil, provision of safe drinking water, food hygiene, good
personal hygiene, improving habits of hand wash before & after
defecation, avoidance of open field defecation are important means of
prevention.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES OF PIN WORM

The preventive measures include maintenance of personal hygiene,
careful hand washing with soap & water after defecation & before
meal, keeping short nails, cleaning nails with soap & old tooth brush,
treatment of all infected family members, wearing of tight pants to the
children, laundering of infected clothing etc.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES OF HOOK WORM

The preventive measures includes simple habits of improved personal
hygiene, avoiding contact of contaminated soil by using foot wear, use
of sanitary latrine for the sanitary disposal of feces to prevent soil
pollution, change in farming practice, that is not to use raw feces or
untreated sewage as fertilizer and improving use of health facilities for
diagnosis & treatment.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES OF TAPE WORM
The preventive measures of tapeworm include treatment of infected
person, meat inspection, consumption of meat with proper cooking,
adequate sewage treatment & disposal creating awareness about
preventive aspects by health education.

COMPLICATION:
Intestinal obstruction
Perforation
Jaundice
Appendicitis
Pancreatitis
Ascaris encephalopathy
Liver abscess
Peritonitis
Protein loss (kwashiorkar)

REFERENCE:1. B.T Basavanthappa, Text book of community health nursing. (2008) Jaypee brothers
2.
3.
4.
5.

New Delhi.
T. Bhaskara Rao Text book of community medicine. (2006) paras. New Delhi.
K. Park Textbook of preventive & social medicine (2005) Bhanot.
Indian journal of holistic nursing. vol (4) no June 2008.
http://www.stonybrookmedicalcentre.orgl.