Behaviour
Ascaris worms from one child in Uganda © Russell Stothard
Infection
People become infected with Ascaris worms when they ingest Ascaris eggs.
This can happen when:
- children play in soil which contains Ascaris eggs
- people consume food or water which is contaminated with eggs
- people eat soil - this is common is some communities
Signs and symptoms
Some people with Ascaris infections are asymptomatic. The severity of disease depends on how many worms are living in the gut.
Chronic Ascaris infections can cause:
- diarrhoea
- abdominal pain
- malnutrition
- intestinal obstruction - this is extremely serious
- stunted growth
- learning difficulties
Disease control
Efforts to control ascariasis include:
- improving sanitation, for example making sure latrines are available
- mass distribution of deworming drugs
Treatment
The World Health Organisation recommends these drugs for treatment of ascariasis:
- Albendazole
- Mebendazole
- Levamisole
- Pyrantel
Museum research
Scientists are researching Ascaris worms and the people they infect to determine:
- who is infected
- how people respond to treatment
- how the disease is spread
- whether the same worms can infect humans and pigs