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Section 3. Summaries of Infectious Diseases
Ascaris lumbricoides Infections
Clinical Manifestations
Etiology
Epidemiology
Diagnostic Tests
Treatment
Isolation of the Hospitalized Patient
Control Measures
CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS: Most infections are asymptomatic.
Moderate to heavy infections may lead to malnutrition, and nonspecific
gastrointestinal tract symptoms may occur in some patients.
During the larval migratory phase, an acute transient pneumonitis
(Löffler syndrome) associated with fever and marked eosinophilia
may occur. Acute intestinal obstruction may develop in patients
with heavy infections. Children are prone to this complication
because of the small diameter of the intestinal lumen and heavy
worm burden. Worm migration can cause peritonitis, secondary
to intestinal wall penetration, and common bile duct obstruction
resulting in biliary colic, cholangitis, or pancreatitis. Adult
worms can be stimulated to migrate by stressful conditions (eg,
fever, illness, or anesthesia) and by some anthelmintic drugs.
Ascaris lumbricoides has been found in the appendiceal lumen
in patients with acute appendicitis, but a causal relationship
is uncertain.
ETIOLOGY: Ascaris lumbricoides is the most widespread of all
human intestinal roundworms.
EPIDEMIOLOGY: Adult worms live in the lumen of the small intestine.
Females produce 200 000 eggs per day, which are excreted in
stool
. . . [Go to Full Text]
Related text in Red Book:
- Drugs for Parasitic Infections
Red Book
2006: 790-820.
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