Children
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While the thought of having worms is chilling to most people, getting infected with worms happens easily, which is why deworming is so important.
Intestinal parasitic worms, also known as helminths, rely on human intestines for nutrition and survival. Essentially, taking up resources that the body needs. As a result, untreated worm infestations can lead to malnutrition and stunted growth. Dr Marisna Venter, GP at Mediclinic Hermanus, shares some of the most common worm infestations and why deworming is important.
The most common types of worms are:
- Roundworms (Ascaris lumbricoides): Symptoms include malnutrition, extreme stomach and abdominal aches, fever, vomiting, coughing, and restlessness
- Hookworms: Symptoms include experiencing iron deficiency and anaemia, diarrhoea accompanied by stomach cramps, weight loss, and an itchy red rash on the feet where the worm entered the body
- Whipworms (Trichuris trichiura): Symptoms include diarrhoea that contains blood, experiencing pain during bowel movements, unexplained weight loss, nausea accompanied by vomiting, and rectal prolapse.
- Tapeworms: Symptoms include craving lots of salt, nausea and feeling weak, and losing weight due to your body not being able to absorb enough nutrients.
- Pinworms/threadworms: Are especially common in children. Symptoms include nocturnal anal itching. These spread when a person touches a contaminated surface and puts their hands in their mouth (eg: while eating).
Why deworming is important
Dr Venter explains, “When deworming, all humans and pets in the household should be dewormed at the same time, because symptoms take a while to show up in people with worm infestations. It’s also important to note that preventative deworming and treatment if you have a confirmed worm infestation differ, depending on the worm type. Pinworms, for instance, are treated with stat dose and repeated after 2 weeks.”
As a preventative measure, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends deworming two times a year, or every six months, for children once they reach two years of age, preferably using liquid medication that will be easy to digest. The deworming process includes using medication to eliminate intestinal parasites, including worms. The process is relatively simple, as it can be done with medication bought from the pharmacy. While deworming medication can kill adult worms that are already in your system, it won’t kill the eggs; hence, it is recommended that the process be repeated every six months.
Preventing worm infections
According to Dr Venter, taking precautions such as washing your hands regularly after using the bathroom, playing with pets, or playing outside is key. Handwashing is one of the most effective habits for preventing worm infestations. Despite these prevention methods, children and adults can still get infected with intestinal worms in different ways:
- Through the skin, often the feet or buttocks
- Through drinking infected water or eating unwashed fruits and vegetables
- Consuming contaminated meat