What causes worms?

They are a major parasite of human kind.

Roundworms are the result of unhygienic preparation of food or unhygienic sanitary conditions. There are a number of roundworms.

Acariasis is one of the most common worms and ingesting eggs initiates infection. The eggs are ingested from food that is contaminated with faeces. The worms hatch and live in the intestine.

Threadworms are common in children and live in the mucosa of the stomach. The adult worm lays eggs around the anus causing irritation. Scratching tend to lead to reinfection through transmission of the eggs to the mouth.

Hookworms penetrate the skin via filariform larvae (from eggs deposited in soil) and migrate through the body to the intestine.

Whipworms are also spread through the faecal-oral route, and they also live in the intestine.

What happens with worms?

The most common symptom is severe nighttime itching around the anus, giving rise to restlessness. Other symptoms include nausea, abdominal pain, flatulence, stomach upset, and diarrhoea with loss of appetite.

Traditional Pharmacy

Most infection is easily treated. Over-the-counter treatment, such as mebendazole tablets, is available from your pharmacist for the eradication of thread, hook, round and whipworm.

Ask you pharmacist for advice.

What else to do

• Always wash hands before eating and after toilet.
• Ensure food, particularly beef and pork, is well cooked.
• Keep fingernails clean and trimmed.

Natural Pharmacy

Proper attention to hygiene is the single most important factor in the prevention of worm infestation.

Prevention and Cautions

Wash meat-cutting utensils, before and after preparation.

Seek professional advice if

You think you or your children are infected.

References

• The Merck Manual 17th Edition
• Encyclopaedia of Natural Medicine 2nd Edition. 1998