Some types of worms can infect people. Some can be caught in Northern Ireland and others are only caught abroad. Most worm infections aren't serious and can be easily treated with medicine.
The worst parasitic worms are usually found in warm tropical or subtropical parts of the world, but some worms are common in other places, too. Anyone can get worms.
If you have worms, a GP will prescribe medicine to kill them. You take this for 1 to 3 days. The people you live with may also need to be treated. Any worms in your gut will eventually pass out in your poo.
Most people don't experience serious complications from pinworm infections, but in rare cases the following complications can occur: Urinary tract infections (UTIs). UTIs can develop if you do not treat the pinworm infection. Vaginitis and endometritis.
Most types of worms that infect humans only cause mild symptoms, but it's still important to contact a doctor if you suspect a worm infection so you can get treated early. Medication is often effective at getting rid of worms.
Except in severe cases of heartworm infestation, worms do not usually constitute an emergency. However, worms should never be left untreated, as worm infestations can cause damage to your dog's internal organs. In a worst-case scenario, the effects of worms can even lead to a loss of consciousness and death.
Symptoms may include diarrhoea, tiredness and weakness, abdominal pain and weight loss. Some worms cause anaemia.
If you have worms, your GP will prescribe medicine to kill them. You take this for 1 to 3 days. The people you live with may also need to be treated. Any worms in your gut will eventually pass out in your poo.
Signs and Symptoms
Parasites can live in the intestines for years without causing symptoms.
Adult worms may live up to 17 years in the human body and can continue to make new microfilariae for much of this time. Most people with loiasis do not have any symptoms.
In fact, you can get pinworms and tapeworms no matter how often you take a bath. But most of the time, these parasites are easy to get rid of. Pinworms are also called “threadworms.” They're the most common type of intestinal worm infection in the U.S., and one of the most common in the world.
They can affect the lungs, intestines, liver, and other parts of the body. Liver flukes affect the liver, gallbladder, and bile duct. Two types, Clonorchis and Opisthorchis, can enter the body when a person eats contaminated raw or undercooked: fish.
What are intestinal parasites? Intestinal parasites are usually microscopic organisms that invade the gastrointestinal tract in humans where they live alongside a host of other good and bad bacteria and fungi.
Sometimes worms are visible in the anal area, on underwear, or in the toilet. In stool, they look like small pieces of white cotton thread.
If you have a large number of worms in the intestine, you might have: Severe abdominal pain. Fatigue. Vomiting.
Are roundworms contagious? Yes. If you come into contact with infected poop of people or animals, you can get roundworms. You can also get them by touching infected surfaces, like soil.
The doctor will examine your child and may want to do blood or faeces (poo) tests. Also take your child to the GP if: your child passes a large worm. they have abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or low energy levels.
At first, symptoms of intestinal worms may be mild or non-existent, but infections can lead to diarrhoea, abdominal pain, weakness, anaemia and nutritional problems. The disease can affect cognitive and physical development, and in severe cases can be fatal.
In some cases, they may cause permanent nerve or eye damage, even blindness. How do hookworms harm people? Hookworm larvae typically move around within the skin causing inflammation and red, itchy tracks in the affected skin. This is called cutaneous (skin) larva migrans.
Any worms in your gut will eventually pass out in your poo. You may not notice this. To avoid becoming infected again or infecting others, it's very important during the weeks after starting treatment to wash your hands: after going to the toilet.
Parasitic worms infect more than a billion people worldwide, using a range of tricks to survive inside the human body. Some species can live for weeks inside the gut, a place with almost no oxygen.
The spread of worm infections
Threadworms are easily spread so the slightest contact can pass on the infection, which is why many adults end up with the same infection as their children. To halt the spread of worms, it's crucial to treat all members of the family – not just the youngsters!
Having worms can make you feel extreme hunger just after eating, or extreme fullness when you haven't eaten anything. This is because the worms feed on the food that you have eaten, leaving you hungry, but can also cause you to feel nauseous or gaseous, which can make you feel full.