ASCARIASIS IN SOUTH AFRICA AND MEXICO

ASHANTI T. HARRIS, MPH STUDENTWALDEN UNIVERSITY

PUBH 6165DR. PATRICK TSCHIDA

FALL, 2011

Expected Learning Outcomes

What is Ascariasis? History of Ascariasis Cause of Ascariasis Transmission Prevalence Symptoms Diagnosis How Can You Protect Yourself?

What is Ascariasis?

A disease caused by eating or drinking food that is infested with eggs of roundworms (PubMed Health, 2011).

Associated with hygiene, sanitation, places where human fertilizer is used (PubMed Health, 2011).

PubMed Health (2011). Ascariasis. Retrieved October 19, 2011 from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001652/

Cause of Ascariasis

Parasite: Ascaris lumbricoides (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010).

Acaris is known as a soil-transmitted helminth (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010). Parasites – Ascariasis. Retrieved October 19, 2011 from: http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/ascariasis/

Transmission

Ascaris lives in the intestines (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010).

Ascaris eggs are passed through feces of infected individuals (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010).

Eggs can be transmitted to fingers and hands and then into the mouth from contaminated soil or fruits and vegetables (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010). Parasites – Ascariasis. Retrieved October 19, 2011 from: http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/ascariasis/

Prevalence

In tropical and subtropical regions (Mayo Clinic, 2010).

Uncommon in the United States (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010).

Mayo Clinic (2010). Ascariasis. Retrieved October 19, 2011 from: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ascariasis/DS00688

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010). Parasites – Ascariasis. Retrieved October 19, 2011 from: http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/ascariasis/

Symptoms

Normally there are no symptoms (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010).

Cough, wheezing, chest pain, gas, bulging belly, diarrhea, nausea, and anorexia (MedScape, 2008).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010). Parasites – Ascariasis. Retrieved October 19, 2011 from: http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/ascariasis/

Medscape (2008). Ascariasis Clinical Presentation. Retrieved October 22, 2011 from: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/212510-clinical

Diagnosis

Stool specimen (Mayo Clinic, 2010)

Blood test (Mayo Clinic, 2010)

X-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans or MRIs (Mayo Clinic, 2010)

Mayo Clinic (2010). Ascariasis. Retrieved October 19, 2011 from: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ascariasis/DS00688/DSECTION=tests-and-diagnosis

Treatment

Medications: Albendazole (Mayo Clinic, 2010) Ivermectin (Mayo Clinic, 2010) Mebendazole (Mayo Clinic, 2010)

Surgery (Mayo Clinic, 2010)

Mayo Clinic (2010). Ascariasis. Retrieved October 19, 2011 from: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ascariasis/DS00688/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs

How Can You Protect Yourself?

Practice good personal hygiene (Mayo Clinic, 2010)

Be a cautious traveler (Mayo Clinic, 2010)

Mayo Clinic (2010). Ascariasis. Retrieved October 19, 2011 from: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ascariasis/DS00688/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs

Summary

Ascariasis Cause Transmission Prevalence Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment Prevention

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010). Parasites – Ascariasis. Retrieved October 19, 2011 from: http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/ascariasis/

Mayo Clinic (2010). Ascariasis. Retrieved October 19, 2011 from: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ascariasis/DS00688

Medscape (2008). Ascariasis Clinical Presentation. Retrieved October 22, 2011 from: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/212510-clinical

PubMed Health (2011). Ascariasis. Retrieved October 19, 2011 from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001652/

Other Informative Sources

KidsHealth http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/stomach/

ascariasis.html MedlinePlus

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000628.htm

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/ascariasis/Pages/default.aspx

World Health Organization http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/diseases/

ascariasis/en/ Global Network

http://globalnetwork.org/about-ntds/factsheets/ascariasis

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