Introduction
Around 1.5 billion people, i.e., 24% of the world’s population, face the burden of infections caused by soil-transmitted helminth (STH) like roundworms, whipworms, and hookworms. These worms thrive in the human intestine and survive by consuming ingested nutrition. The adult worms lay thousands of eggs, passed in infected people’s faeces. When an infected person defecates in the open, the faeces filled with worms mixed with soil and vegetables or fruits grown in the ground contain parasite eggs. A person will get infected if they consume fruits or vegetables grown in the contaminated soil without washing, peeling or cooking, if they drink contaminated water or don’t wash their hands properly after handling the contaminated soil. The infection rate is high in regions that lack adequate sanitation and hygiene. One of the proven methods to prevent and cure the infection is through medical intervention called deworming.
Understanding deworming
Deworming is a medical process that has been followed to tackle STH infections by removing the intestinal worms in the human intestine. World Health Organization (WHO) recommends deworming using annual or biannual doses of albendazole (400 mg) or mebendazole (500) to prevent and cure infection in children and adults. The frequency of administration is based on the baseline prevalence of the disease.
Deworming tablets are administered orally. Experts often advise one to take it along with food as it reduces the risk of stomach upset. But it can be consumed either way. The tablet is recommended to be used as a single dosage annually. But in case of severe infection or to prevent re-infection, doctors advise to repeat the dose.
Risks of neglecting deworming
Having worms in the intestine harms a person’s development and growth as they can cause numerous health problems by impairing their nutritional status. Some of the commonly found health issues are
- Malnutrition
Intestinal worms compete with their host for nutrients and increase malabsorption of nutrients. In some cases, STHs also cause loss of appetite, resulting in a reduction of nutritional intake. This, in turn, will make it difficult for a person’s body to fight off worms harboured in the intestine, resulting in impaired physical growth and development of a person, especially children. In addition, roundworms will also compete for vitamin A in the human intestine.
- Anaemia
Worms, especially hookworms, will cause chronic blood loss by sucking blood from the intestinal wall of a person, and this can result in anaemia. Feeding on host tissues will also cause a loss of iron and protein. It is commonly found in girls and women of reproductive age, and they often have symptoms like fatigue, dizziness and weakness.
- Diarrhoea
STHs irritate the intestines and disrupt a person’s digestive process. This, in turn, will result in diarrhoea. The severity of diarrhoea varies from person to person based on the worm infection type and the individual’s immune system. It will be mild in many cases, and the person becomes all right within a few days. But, in some instances, diarrhoea will be severe and may require medical intervention.
- Intestinal blockages
In case of severe infection, a mass of worms block a portion of a person’s intestine, and it, in turn, will lead to severe abdominal cramping and vomiting. The blockage can sometimes make a hole in the intestinal lining or appendix, resulting in internal bleeding or appendicitis. Since it causes a life-threatening situation, it needs immediate medical intervention.
- STH infection will also cause nausea, vomiting, dehydration, weight loss, frequent urination, abdominal pain, fatigue and stool with blood.
Importance of deworming tablets
Deworming tablets act as an immunoregulatory and antiparasitic and paralyses the intestinal worms in the human body. Consumption of deworming tablets results in quick death of the worms, which will be eliminated through faeces. Some of the health benefits of consuming the tablets are
- Due to their anti-bacterial properties, the tablets cure skin infections by reducing irritation, itching and inflammation.
- Consumption of tablets will help an infected person receive vital nutrients required for physical well-being and help them fight malnutrition.
- The tablets help to treat ailments like colon and rectum cancer and parasite infections.
- Studies found that when a woman takes deworming tablets during pregnancy, the risk of neonatal mortality will decrease by 14%.
- The low birthweight percentage is at least 11% lower in countries with lower STH transmission than in other regions.
Conclusion
Even though the symptoms and consequences of intestinal worms vary from one person to another, one should not ignore them because they might lead to severe damage to the intestines and, in rare cases, will become fatal. People, especially children and adults, from regions that lack adequate hygiene and sanitation are advised to follow proper hygienic practices and take deworming tablets as doctors recommend.