Symptoms:

Most of the time, there are no symptoms. If there are symptoms, they may include:

• Bloody sputum
• Cough
• Low-grade fever
• Passing worms in stool
• Shortness of breath
• Skin rash
• Stomach pain
• Vomiting worms
• Wheezing
• Worms exiting through the nose or mouth

Signs and tests:

The infected person may show signs of malnutrition. Tests to diagnose this condition include:

• Abdominal x-ray
• Complete blood count
• Eosinophil count
• Stool ova and parasites exam

Treatment:

Treatment includes medications that paralyze or kill intestinal parasitic worms, such as albendazole or mebendazole. These drugs should not be used for pregnant patients. Pyrantel pamoate is the preferred medication for pregnant patients.

If there is a blockage of the intestine caused by a large number of worms, endoscopy to remove the worms or, rarely, surgery may be needed.

Expectations (prognosis):

Most people recover from symptoms of the infection, even without treatment, although they may continue to carry the worms in their body.

Complications may be caused by adult worms that move to certain organs such as the bile duct, pancreas, or appendix, or multiply and cause a blockage in the intestine.

Complications:

• Liver secretion (biliary tract) obstruction
• Blockage in the intestine
• Hole (perforation) in the gut

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of ascariasis, particularly if you have traveled to a high-risk area. Also call if symptoms get worse, do not improve with treatment, or if new symptoms occur.

Prevention:

Improved sanitation and hygiene in developing countries will reduce the risk in those areas. In areas where this disorder is common, routine or preventive (prophylactic) treatment with deworming medications may be advised.