2. What is Heminthiasis
Heminthiasis is a group of infectious diseases caused by intestinal parasites
The parasytes are classified as
The round worms include : Human whipworm, Pinworm and Ascaris
Tapewoms : Taeniasis, echinococosis, coenurosis
Trematode: Amphistomiasis, Clonochiasis, Fasciloliasis
The infections take place in the human intestine
They are transmitted by by eggs located in the human feces that
contaminates soil in areas of poor sanitation
3. What are the causes of Helmithiasis
Most common form of transmition is through consuming infected water,
contaminated vegetables and raw or undercooked meat
The contaminated food contains round worms eggs
Meat ,pork and venison contain Ascaria Eterobius and Taenia
Round worms mainly are contained in infested drinking water or consuming
infected fish and crustation
Pet may also be carrier of Helmiths and can cause contamination as well
Round worms such as Brugia and Wuchereria and Onchocera are carried by
mosquitos
5. Pathological prograss
At first the eggs are consumed (their outer layer protect them from the
stomach acids)
As they develo into larva they will colonize the intetine as they feed off food
particles
As the Larvae developes into an adult it shall sat consuming tissue from the
intetine and shall move toward other areas of the body such as liver, brain ect
The adult females will lay the eggs in the intetine ares and they shall exit the
body via the extrements
6. Geo-contacts for Helminthiasis
Areas with the highest prevelance of Helminthiasis are tropical and
subtropical areas including: Sub-Saharan Africa, Central and east Asia, and the
americans
Some Helminthiasis are classified a neglected tropical disease
*soil-transmited helminthiasis
*Lympathic filariasis,dracunculiasis and onchocerciasis
*areas in africa and east Asia that have unclean water source (mainly infected
with human feces )
Area that traditionally eating raw fish and crustation
7. Diagnosis
Microscopic examination of the eggs
Oval eggs can be found in fecal matter
The number of eggs is measured in units of Eggs per Gram
Serological test
Antigen tests
Molecular diagnosis
8. Treatment
Medication:
Benzimidazoles (such as abendazole and mebendazole) are the first and main
treatment for Round worms and tape worms
Macrocyclin (such as ivermectin) are effective against adult and megrating
larva stages of nematodes
Praziquine is also used in some cses
Surgery-used in case of complication, such as intestinal obtruction
9. prevantion
Disrupting the cycle of the worm will prevent infestation and re-infestation
Propare hygine
Sanitation
Reduction of open defecation -stop using human feces as fertilizer
Make sure the water suplly is indeed sterile
Boiling water before consumption in areas where it's maybe contaminated
Cook food properly
