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Ascariasis
 Cause
 Transmission
 Symptoms
 Diagnosis
 Treatment
 Research


Ascariasis

Symptoms

If you have only a few roundworms in your intestines, you might not have symptoms. If you do have symptoms, you may have vague or sporadic feelings of abdominal pain.

The first sign of infection may be the presence of a live worm in your vomit or stool. If the larvae have migrated to your lungs, you may have an illness resembling pneumonia with wheezing, cough, and fever. This stage of the disease precedes the intestinal phase by weeks, and the symptoms are difficult for a healthcare provider to diagnose.

If you have a heavy infection of the worms, you may have a partial or complete blockage of the small intestine and experience the following symptoms:

  • Severe abdominal pain
  • Vomiting
  • Restlessness
  • Disturbed sleep

The heavier or greater the worm infection, the more severe your symptoms are likely to be. Your pancreas might become inflamed. Serious infections, especially those causing blockages, can be fatal.


See Also

Parasitic Roundworm Diseases

Related Links

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See Also

Parasitic Roundworm Diseases

Related Links

View a list of links for more information about ascariasis.