About this topic
The medical name for roundworm is ascariasis. It is an infection of the intestinal tract caused by a worm called ascaris. When this worm lives in your bowels, it lays eggs there. The eggs are passed out of your body through your stool. You may become infected by eating or drinking things with the eggs in them. This may happen by: ‚
- Putting dirty fingers or hands in your mouth
- Eating dirty raw fruits and vegetables
- Drinking dirty water
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Take your drugs as directed by the doctor.
- Wash your hands with soap and water before eating, when your hands are dirty, and after using the toilet.
- Drink water from a clean source. Boil the water properly and let it cool down before you drink it.
- Eat well-cooked meals.
- Avoid sharing your personal items while you have the infection. Wash clothing and bedding in hot water.
What follow-up care is needed?
Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. You may need more tests. ‚
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may give you drugs to kill the worm. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Not able to get good nutrition
- Blocks in the bowels or tubes connected to the stomach
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Practice proper sanitation and disposal of stool.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 15 seconds.
- Always wash your hands after going to the toilet and before eating.
- Teach children to keep their hands out of their mouth.
- If you suspect that your drinking water may be contaminated, boil it for at least 30 minutes.
- Wash, peel, or cook raw fruits and vegetables before you eat them.
- Avoid sharing personal items with an infected person.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Very bad belly pain
- Passing worms in stool, even after treatment
- Upset stomach or throwing up
- You are not feeling better in 2 to 3 days or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you how and when to wash my hands to avoid passing the infection to others.
- I can tell you what I will do if I am passing worms in my stool after treatment.
Where can I learn more?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ‚
http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/ascariasis/index.html ‚
KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/stomach/ascariasis.html ‚
NHS Choices ‚
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/roundworm/Pages/Introduction.aspx ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚