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Ascariasis and Water: An Overview

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Water and Health

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Abstract

Ascaris lumbricoides is globally the most widespread of all human intestinal roundworms. It infects more than one-fourth of the world’s population. Infection occurs with greatest frequency in tropical and subtropical regions. Poor personal hygiene, poverty, overcrowding and inadequate sanitation are important predisposing factors. Children are more prone to pulmonary and intestinal ascariasis while hepatobiliary ascariasis is seen with more frequency in adults. Various radioimaging techniques are available for the diagnosis of ascariasis. Ultrasonography (US) is an inexpensive, rapid, accurate and safe modality for the diagnosis. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has both diagnostic and therapeutic role. Management is mainly by benzimidazoles, and prevention remains the best strategy at community level. New control methods are under study to decrease emergence of drug resistance to the common antihelminthic compounds.

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Acknowledgments

Authors would like to thank Department of Radiology, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana (Punjab), for providing the image of barium meal follow-through.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, India

    D. K. Chhina & P. Suri

  2. Department of Gastroenterology, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, India

    R. S. Chhina

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  1. D. K. Chhina
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  2. R. S. Chhina
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  3. P. Suri
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Correspondence to D. K. Chhina .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Mohali, Punjab, India

    Prati Pal Singh

  2. The National Academy of Sciences, Allahabad, India

    Vinod Sharma

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Chhina, D., Chhina, R., Suri, P. (2014). Ascariasis and Water: An Overview. In: Singh, P., Sharma, V. (eds) Water and Health. Springer, New Delhi. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-1029-0_18

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