All about Ascariasis
Ascariasis
What is Ascariasis?
Ascariasis is a disease caused by the parasitic roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides. Infections have no symptoms in more than 85% of cases, especially if the number of worms is small. Symptoms increase with the number of worms present and may include shortness of breath and fever in the beginning of the disease. These may be followed by symptoms of abdominal swelling, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Children are most commonly affected, and in this age group the infection may also cause poor weight gain, malnutrition and learning problems. Ascariasis is an infection of the small intestine caused by Ascaris lumbricoides, a large roundworm. The eggs of the worm are found in soil contaminated by human faeces or in uncooked food contaminated by soil containing eggs of the worm. A person becomes infected after accidentally swallowing the eggs. The eggs hatch into larvae within the person's intestine. The larvae penetrate the intestine wall and reach the lungs through the blood stream. They eventually get back to the throat and are swallowed. In the intestines, the larvae develop into adult worms. The female adult worm which can grow to over 30cm in length, lays eggs that are then passed into the faeces. If soil is polluted with human or animal faeces containing eggs the cycle begins again. Eggs develop in the soil and become infective after 2-3 weeks, but can remain infective for several months or years.
History of Ascariasis
The disease of Ascariasis has been around for many years. First studied by Edward Tyson in the late 17th century, Ascariasis comes in two forms. Ascaris lumbricoides, the human form, and Ascaris suum, the pig form, are very similar in structure and many believe the two evolved from a common origin. A. lumbricoides is a helminthes, or worm, grouped with specifically the nematodes, or round worms in terms of classification. With modern technology Ascaris eggs have been found in human coprolites from
What is Ascariasis?
Ascariasis is a disease caused by the parasitic roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides. Infections have no symptoms in more than 85% of cases, especially if the number of worms is small. Symptoms increase with the number of worms present and may include shortness of breath and fever in the beginning of the disease. These may be followed by symptoms of abdominal swelling, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Children are most commonly affected, and in this age group the infection may also cause poor weight gain, malnutrition and learning problems. Ascariasis is an infection of the small intestine caused by Ascaris lumbricoides, a large roundworm. The eggs of the worm are found in soil contaminated by human faeces or in uncooked food contaminated by soil containing eggs of the worm. A person becomes infected after accidentally swallowing the eggs. The eggs hatch into larvae within the person's intestine. The larvae penetrate the intestine wall and reach the lungs through the blood stream. They eventually get back to the throat and are swallowed. In the intestines, the larvae develop into adult worms. The female adult worm which can grow to over 30cm in length, lays eggs that are then passed into the faeces. If soil is polluted with human or animal faeces containing eggs the cycle begins again. Eggs develop in the soil and become infective after 2-3 weeks, but can remain infective for several months or years.
History of Ascariasis
The disease of Ascariasis has been around for many years. First studied by Edward Tyson in the late 17th century, Ascariasis comes in two forms. Ascaris lumbricoides, the human form, and Ascaris suum, the pig form, are very similar in structure and many believe the two evolved from a common origin. A. lumbricoides is a helminthes, or worm, grouped with specifically the nematodes, or round worms in terms of classification. With modern technology Ascaris eggs have been found in human coprolites from