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Ascariasis in children

Ascariasis is the affection of the children and adults worms (human Ascaris Ascaris lumbricoides). Man is both the intermediate and the final host of this parasite. The disease is seasonal, getting the greatest prevalence in the warmer time of the year. Symptoms of ascariasis in children associated with the migration of this parasite in the body. The most common symptoms of ascariasis occur in the gastrointestinal tract, rarely in the respiratory system.

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Where did the children come from roundworm?

Infection of children with ascariasis occurs by the fecal-oral way. Man, the body of which Mature individuals produce a fertilized egg makes them stand out together with faeces. Children become infected with these eggs through soil, contaminated water, food, dirty hands.

Ways of infection:

  • Contact with infected children in the children's team;
  • Toys;
  • Door handles in public places, in transport;
  • Banknotes and coins;
  • Vegetables and fruits with micro-particles of soil;
  • The transfer of eggs of Ascaris insects.

What happens after getting the eggs of a parasite in the body of the child?

Once in the intestine, the roundworm eggs from 12 duodenal ulcer with flow of blood are carried throughout the body. They penetrate into the lungs, the liver, the right heart. Once in the lungs in a small circle of blood circulation, the larvae fall into the alveoli. The larvae then ascend to the larynx in the throat, swallow again and the second time enter the intestine. This cycle roundworm are 2-3 weeks.

In the small intestine roundworm go through a stage of growth and maturation to Mature individuals. If one is a sexual partner, a female soonhighlights of cal about 200 thousand eggs. These eggs must undergo in the soil a process of maturation within 1-2 weeks under favorable conditions (temperature from +16 to +32°C). Then they find a new host and the cycle of development is repeated again.


Symptoms of ascariasis in children

Infants ascariasis practically nonexistent, because they are protected by specific maternal antibodies through breast milk. The accidental parasites in the organism of children under the age ends with their disposal. From 2-3 to 10 years old children are active, their diet expands and they often get worm infestation.

Symptoms of ascariasis in children:

  • The bounce in growth, low body weight,
  • Delayed physical development,
  • Bounce in mental and intellectual development at massive invasion;
  • Weakness, lethargy, frequent headaches;

  • Manifestations of Allergy;

  • Complications - pneumonia, pyrexia, cough;

Occasionally can manifest themselves symptoms such as restless sleep, photophobia, abdominal pain.


Look like roundworm and their eggs?

Human Ascaris applies to round worms. It has a pink color, length up to 25 cm for males and 40 cm for females. Roundworm thickness – 3-5 mm, sexually Mature specimen covered with cuticle. This shell protects the worms from stomach acid and enzymes, process protein. The main habitat of the roundworm – the small intestine. To its walls the parasite is not attached, he has no scolexes to consolidate in the mucosa. In the gut of the worms is retained due to the constant movement against the movement of food.

The lifespan of the roundworm – 2 years, then the parasite dies. If there is no re-infection ascariasis in rare cases ends spontaneously. Eggs of Mature individuals have yellow or yellow-brown, size 50 to 70 microns. They can be seen only on microscopic examination.


What to do if left in Ascaris?

Published instance of the worms should be placed in a container with a lid and show specialist. If the transfer of the Ascaris impossible to photograph her. Accurate data on the presence inthe child's body the parasite will help the formulation of emergency diagnosis and timely initiation of treatment.


What is ascariasis?

Classification ascariasis on its localization:

  • Intestinal complications;
  • Complications in other organs;
  • Ascariasis unspecified etiology.

Classification of helminths, depending on the stage of the disease:

  • In the acute stage;
  • Intestinal stage;
  • Stage complications.

The consequences and complications of ascariasis

If for most adults this kind of bot is not a threat to life or health, the baby stomach worm infestation carries heavy consequences.

Complications of ascariasis:

  • Obstruction of the intestine. Accompanied by abdominal pain, constipation, bloating, vomiting with the smell of feces. Arises from the fact that the lumen of the small intestine is closed by a tangle of ascarids may be complicated by perforation of the bowel wall and peritonitis.
  • Appendicitis. Occurs when accumulation of ascarids in the cecum, is manifested by pain and rise in temperature.
  • Pneumonia. Appears after a stay of larvae in the lungs within 10 days. Damaged capillaries and alveoli affects secondary bacterial infection.
  • Asphyxia. Occurs when irritation of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract of the larvae or when the reflex spasm of the smooth muscle.
  • Atypical location of Ascaris. Occurs when the migration of larvae through the blood in the sinuses, middle ear, lachrymal canal, the genitals.
  • Abscess of the liver. Occurs as a result of contact of larvae and adult individuals with venous blood flow, damaging the mucosa.
  • Mechanical jaundice. Bile stasis appears when the blockage of the bile ducts of the major species of helminth when migrating from 12 duodenal ulcer.

Chronic disease, is not manifested serious complications, exacerbated in children for bacterial infections, leading to delayed growth and mental development.


Diagnosis of ascariasis in children

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To differentiate ascariasis in children from similar symptoms it is possible to perform accurate diagnosis. The doctor tries to collect the prior medical history, to determine the stage of development of helminthiasis.

Methods of diagnosis of ascariasis in children:

  • General analysis of blood – when migrating larvae in the lungs there is an increase in the concentration of leukocytes in the blood;
  • Analysis of the biochemistry of the blood increases the fraction of eosinophils, reacting first to a helminth infection;
  • A blood test for antibodies to Ascaris – accurate serological diagnostic method, specific antibodies to the parasite Ascaris lumbricoides are formed almost immediately after the ingestion of Ascaris larvae;
  • Sputum analysis – is carried out in the form of pulmonary ascariasis in children, with intensive cough in the sputum find of Ascaris larvae and a large number of eosinophils;
  • Stool – microscopic examination detects in excreta, yellow-brown fertilized eggs of Ascaris, with the larval stage of the parasite stool tests can be false negative;
  • Urine analysis – the allocation of volatile fatty acids may indirectly indicate the presence of Ascaris, even in larval form.
  • Chest x-ray – within 10 days for the pulmonary form of the development of infestation may show characteristic changes, volatile infiltration of the lung;
  • The abdominal radiograph is used for differential diagnosis of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract may reveal intestinal obstruction from a large number of Ascaris in the lumen of the intestine;
  • Anthropometry is applied in children, as in the chronic form of ascariasis, especially in mass infestation of the parasite takes away from the child's body the nutrients and vitamins.

Treatment of roundworm in children

Treatment of Ascaris in children is to receive anthelmintic drugs. In any case, it is not recommended to carry out selection of a means to do so can only be a doctor.

First, not every drug can be used for the treatment of children. Second, the dose selected for them individually. Third, all anthelmintic drugs havetoxic effects on the body, so self-medication can damage the health.

If roundworm is diagnosed in the child in the migration phase, it shows the desensitization drugs and anthelmintic means. Most often in children prescribed Tiabendazol (Mintezol) or mebendazole (Vermoxum). They have a broad spectrum activity and has a harmful effect on the larvae of Ascaris. If a child has pronounced pulmonary symptoms, he pick up the dose of bronchodilators and corticosteroids.

When children have revealed a roundworm in the intestinal stage, his choice is prescribed the following medications:

  • Vermoxum (Mebendazole).
  • Decaris (Levamisole).
  • Pyrantel (Kombantrin).
  • Piperazine.
These drugs are highly effective and often one treatment is enough to save a child from infection. 30 days after treatment, a re-diagnosis of the disease.

If the child is suffering from acute ascariasis, regardless of the purpose of the drug, a mandatory component of treatment are antihistamines. They prevent allergic reactions resulting from the release of toxins helminths. For sensitization is used, calcium gluconate, calcium chloride, ascorbic acid, corticosteroids.

Drugs for the treatment of ascariasis:

  • Mintezol. Daily dose of 25 mg/kg/day, it is divided into 3 admission, course of treatment – 5 days.
  • Medamin. Daily dose of 10 mg/kg/day, it is divided into 3 doses, taken throughout the day, with a massive invasion, the course takes 2-3 days.
  • Decaris (Levamisole). The daily dose of 2.5 mg/kg/day, it is divided into 2-3 doses taken during the day.
  • Combantrin. Used in tablet form in accordance with the age and body weight.
  • Vermoxum (Mebendazole). Daily doses of 25-50-100 g/day, it is divided into 2 admission, treatment course – 3 to 4 days. Not used in children under 2 years of age and with a massive infestation, as it can provoke the penetration of Ascaris in the lungs, in the throat, stop intestinal peristalsis, vomiting, acute pain.

During treatment of the child it is desirable to translate into a diet meal plan, with food intake, rich in vitamins and proteinsof animal origin. Need to give up simple carbohydrates (sweets, flour and confectionery products), from fatty foods.

For the correction of intestinal microflora of patients recommend receiving Bifiform, Linex, and other prebiotics and probiotics. Chelators appointed after a course of antihelminthic treatment. They are aimed at reducing desensitization of the body. It can be drugs such as Polifepan, White activated charcoal, POLYSORB, etc. in addition to the specific drugs prescribed enzymes, multivitamins, iron supplements (if you have anemia).

Control of the effectiveness of treatment after 3 weeks after it. In the laboratory examine three stool. Forecast treat ascariasis favorable, particular caution should be exercised when therapy worm infestations infants. Asphyxia after migration of Ascaris into the respiratory tract can lead to death, she docked during urgent surgical intervention. As a rule, the prognosis for recovery is favorable. Complications are not common, but in extreme cases may require surgical intervention.



Can ascariasis be repeated after treatment?

Once transferred ascariasis in children may not be a guarantee against re-infection. In contact with eggs in the digestive tract begins a new cycle of parasite development and the onset of symptoms. Specific immunity to ascariasis neither in childhood, nor in the adult organism is formed.


How to prevent ascariasis in a child?

It is very important to carry out prevention of ascariasis in children, since after treatment it is easy again to worm infestation. In the environment of the child even after thorough disinfection could be eggs of the parasite. Therefore, in order to protect family members and the child, it is impossible to prevent the eggs and larvae of roundworm in the body.

Prophylactic measures against ascariasis are:

  • Early diagnosis and treatment of patients. Upon the slightest suspicion of helminthiasis, it should be pass a stool, to do a test trial on detection of antibodies to roundworm, to undergo treatment under the guidance of a physician gelmintology or infectious diseases.
  • Thorough handwashing after contact with sand and earth, before eating, after using the toilet. This way of infection is most common among children.
  • Eating only processed foods: fruits, vegetables, berries, herbs, orappropriate thermal treatment of dishes for infants power supply (not less than 50°C), drink exclusively boiled water.
  • Change the sand in children's sandboxes, processing, regular digging and hoeing for solar rehabilitation.
  • Engineering protection of soil from contamination with fecal matter during the construction of kindergartens, filtration and disposal of sewage, cleaning of cesspools.
  • Composting of faeces over 4 years to use as fertilizer.
  • The insect carriers of roundworm eggs.

The doctor pays attention:

  • The main source of ascariasis – ground contact, the infected eggs of the helminth. Contact with Pets, eating fish or meat can not be the cause of the infestation.
  • During the expulsion of Ascaris you need to monitor the status of children after taking medication. Dead parasites can accumulate in the intestinal lumen large balls, cause obstruction of the bowel, accompanied by pain, nausea, vomiting.

  • The use of folk remedies for the treatment of ascariasis (spices, pumpkin seeds, garlic) is not effective enough to expel the worms. Discomfort makes the Ascaris to move into other organs, where their presence is atypical for this species.
  • Spontaneous death of roundworm in children after 2 years of stay does not guarantee a complete cure. The constant ingestion of eggs of the parasite constantly updates a colony of worms.
  • The pathology of the intestine, skin, lungs, allergic reactions in children – a reason for a survey on ascariasis and other helminth infections. The clinical picture of these diseases has its own specifics, can masquerade as other diseases. The sooner an accurate diagnosis is undertaken, the sooner will come the recovery.