Lyla Lindsey
Intestinal worms are a common occurrence in humans, especially in children aged 4-11 years. The most common type of worm infection in Australia is Enterobius vermicularis, more commonly known as threadworms. These worms are tiny, about 13mm long, and look like small pieces of white thread or cotton. They live in the intestines and cause an itchy bottom, particularly at night. Threadworms can be easily treated with over-the-counter medication. Other types of worms that may infect humans in Australia include roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, and various other intestinal parasites. These worms can be acquired through different means, such as penetrating the skin, ingesting undercooked meat, or coming into contact with contaminated soil or water. While most worm infections are not serious and can be treated with medication, it is important to maintain good hygiene practices to prevent infection.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Most common worm infection in Australia | Threadworms |
| Common length of threadworms | 13mm |
| Threadworms appearance | Small white threads |
| Threadworms location | Intestines |
| Threadworms diagnosis | Sticky tape test |
| Other worm types | Roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, dog tapeworms, pork tapeworms, beef tapeworms, strongyloides stercoralis, dog hookworms, trichinosis, dwarf tapeworms |
| Roundworms appearance | Similar to earthworms |
| Hookworms appearance | Red worm-shaped rash |
| Tapeworms appearance | Long, pale yellow and flat |
| Worm infection causes | Touching objects with worm eggs, touching soil with worm eggs, walking barefoot on soil containing worms, eating raw or undercooked meat, swallowing water with worm eggs, pets |
| Worm prevention | Wash hands before eating or preparing food, wash hands after using the toilet and touching soil |
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What You'll Learn
Threadworms: tiny, white, thread-like worms that cause an itchy bottom
Threadworms, also known as pinworms, are tiny, white, thread-like worms that are the most common worm infection in Australia, especially in children. They infect the large intestine and can cause an itchy bottom or vagina. This is because threadworms come out of the anus at night to lay their eggs between the buttocks, causing extreme itching. They can be seen with a torch and may also be visible on the surface of stools, in the case of a heavy infestation.
Threadworms are about 13mm long and look like small pieces of white thread or cotton. They can be diagnosed by a 'sticky tape test' available from your doctor, which detects the eggs deposited around the anus at night. The test involves using special sticky tape to take a sample first thing in the morning, which is then examined under a microscope.
Threadworms are easily treated with over-the-counter medication from a pharmacy. Treatment may also include herbal remedies such as wormwood leaf, black walnut, berberis bark/barberry, and garlic, which can help balance gut flora and keep intestinal worms at bay.
To prevent threadworm infections, it is important to maintain good hygiene practices, such as washing hands before eating or preparing food, after using the toilet, and after touching soil.
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Tapeworms: long, pale yellow, flat worms that can be caught from dogs
Tapeworms are a type of intestinal parasite that can infect both humans and dogs. In humans, tapeworms are long, pale yellow, and flat. They can grow to several metres in length and are composed of many small segments, each containing eggs. While tapeworm infections are not common in Australia, they can be caught from dogs.
In dogs, tapeworms live in the small intestine, and the eggs are passed in the faeces, contaminating the environment. The two most common species of tapeworm in Australian dogs are the flea tapeworm (*Dipylidium caninum*) and the hydatid tapeworm (*Echinococcus granulosus*)*. Flea tapeworms are transmitted to dogs through fleas, while hydatid tapeworms are contracted when dogs eat raw offal or carcasses containing tapeworm cysts.
Humans can become infected with tapeworms from dogs by accidentally ingesting the eggs passed in the dog's faeces. This can occur when humans come into contact with contaminated surfaces or soil and then touch their mouths, or through direct contact with dog faeces. Ingesting tapeworm eggs can lead to hydatid disease in humans, a serious and potentially fatal condition. The disease is caused by cysts that form in vital organs, such as the liver, lungs, brain, kidneys, and, rarely, the heart or bones. Symptoms of hydatid disease may include diarrhoea, unexplained weight loss, a swollen abdomen, and fatigue. However, in some cases, there may be no symptoms at all.
To prevent tapeworm infections in dogs, it is important to practise good hygiene and restrict dogs from consuming raw offal or scavenging on carcasses. Regular deworming treatments are also recommended, especially for dogs in rural areas with access to animal carcasses. Humans can reduce their risk of tapeworm infections by practising good hand hygiene, avoiding walking barefoot outdoors, and thoroughly washing fruits and vegetables before consumption.
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Roundworms: similar in appearance to earthworms
In Australia, the most common worm infection is threadworms, which look like small white threads. However, other types of worms may infect people, including roundworms, which resemble earthworms in appearance.
Roundworms, or Ascaris lumbricoides, are large intestinal parasites that can infect both humans and pigs. The female roundworm can grow up to 30 cm in length. Roundworm infections, also known as ascariasis, are typically found in tropical or temperate regions with poor sanitation and hygiene. While ascariasis is rare in Australia, it can still occur, especially in rural and remote communities or travellers returning from overseas.
Roundworm infections usually occur when eggs are ingested from contaminated soil or produce containing soil with infective eggs. The eggs can mature into an infective form after 18 days but may take several weeks. Under favourable conditions, eggs can remain viable for many years. Transmission does not occur through direct person-to-person contact or fresh faeces.
Once ingested, the eggs hatch and the larvae develop into adult worms in the intestines, where they can survive for up to 24 months. Roundworm infections may not always cause symptoms, but when they do, they can include abdominal discomfort or pain, fever, cough, and eye damage. In some cases, worms may obstruct the pancreatic duct or migrate up the biliary tree, requiring surgical or endoscopic removal.
To prevent roundworm infections, it is essential to maintain good hygiene practices, such as washing hands before preparing or consuming food and after handling soil or using the toilet. Additionally, it is crucial to wash, peel, or cook raw vegetables and fruits before consumption and ensure proper sanitation to prevent the contamination of soil with human faeces.
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Hookworms: cause a red worm-shaped rash
In Australia, threadworms are the most common type of worm infection. However, other types of worms, such as hookworms, are also present and can infect humans.
Hookworms are a type of intestinal worm that can infect humans and animals, including dogs and cats. In Australia, the risk of hookworm infection is particularly prevalent in tropical northern regions, with the Ancylostoma ceylanicum species being a common hookworm of domestic dogs and cats throughout Asia. Dog hookworms, such as the Ancylostoma caninum species, can infect humans through skin penetration. This typically occurs when individuals walk barefoot outdoors and come into contact with larval hookworms in soil or sand contaminated with stool from an infected dog.
Once the larvae of hookworms penetrate human skin, they can migrate under the skin, causing pink or red curving tracks known as larva migrans or larva currens. These tracks may be raised and intensely itchy, with a tingling or prickling sensation sometimes experienced within 30 minutes of penetration.
Hookworms can also cause a red worm-shaped rash on the skin. The rash is characterised by a winding, snake-like appearance with blisters and itching. This condition is known as cutaneous larva migrans (CLM) or "creeping eruption". The raised, twisted shape of the worm is typically easy to see on the skin.
It is important to note that hookworm infections can be dangerous to humans, and drug resistance in hookworms is an emerging concern in Australia. Therefore, if you suspect a hookworm infection, it is crucial to seek medical advice and treatment.
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Ascaris worms: cause abdominal discomfort or pain
Threadworms are the most common worm infection in Australia, especially in children. They are tiny parasitic worms that live in the intestines and cause an itchy bottom, worse at night. They can be easily treated with pharmacy medicines.
Ascaris worms, on the other hand, are a rare cause of worm infection in Australia, but they are common in overseas tropical regions. They are large roundworms, about 6 to 13 inches long and as thick as a pencil. They cause ascariasis, a parasitic intestinal infection that is one of the most common worm infections in people worldwide, affecting over 1 billion people. Ascariasis is transmitted by the ingestion of Ascaris eggs, usually from eating food or drinking water tainted with the eggs or by hand-to-mouth contact. It can also be caused by swallowing soil containing Ascaris eggs.
Ascariasis symptoms depend on the number of worms in the body, which organs are infected, and the person's immune system health. Many people with ascariasis have no symptoms, especially if they only have a few worms. However, a high number of worms can cause abdominal discomfort or pain, nausea, vomiting, occasional diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, restlessness, trouble sleeping, and a dry cough that may bring up blood. In severe cases, a mass of worms can block the intestine, causing serious abdominal pain, swelling, and vomiting. This can lead to intestinal tearing and appendicitis.
If you suspect you have an Ascaris worm infection, seek medical advice. Treatment for ascariasis involves taking antiparasitic medications that kill adult worms.
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Frequently asked questions
Threadworms, also called pinworms, look like small pieces of white thread or cotton, about 13mm long.
Threadworms are tiny parasitic worms that live in the large intestine. They come out of the anus at night to lay their eggs, causing extreme itching. The eggs can get under your fingernails if you scratch, and then be transferred to your mouth.
Threadworms are the most common type of worm infection in Australia, especially in children aged 4-11 years. Other common intestinal worms include roundworms and hookworms. The most common human tapeworm in Australia is the dwarf tapeworm.
Tapeworms can be acquired by eating undercooked meat containing cysts of tapeworm larvae, or by accidentally ingesting tapeworm eggs from contaminated dog or dingo stools. Tapeworms are long, pale yellow, and flat.
Most worm infections are easily treated with over-the-counter medication from a pharmacy. Threadworms can also be treated with a "sticky tape test" available from your doctor.
