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Ascariasis is an intestinal infection caused by the roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides, one of the most common human parasites worldwide.

Cause & Transmission
• The infection occurs when a person ingests microscopic eggs from contaminated food, water, or soil (often due to poor sanitation or unwashed produce).
• Once swallowed, the eggs hatch into larvae in the small intestine, migrate through the bloodstream to the lungs, then travel up the airways and are swallowed again—returning to the intestine to mature into adult worms.

Symptoms
• Mild infections are often asymptomatic.
• Heavier infections can cause:
• Abdominal pain, nausea, bloating, or diarrhea
• Visible worms in stool or vomit
• Growth and nutritional problems in children
• During the lung migration phase, symptoms may include cough, wheezing, or fever (“Löffler’s syndrome”).

Complications
• Intestinal obstruction (especially in children)
• Biliary or pancreatic duct obstruction (worms entering ducts)
• Malnutrition and impaired growth in chronic cases

Diagnosis
• Microscopic identification of Ascaris eggs in stool samples.
• Imaging (ultrasound, X-ray, CT) may occasionally show adult worms.

Treatment
• Anthelmintic medications such as albendazole, mebendazole, or ivermectin are highly effective.
• Surgery may be required if there is bowel obstruction.

Prevention
• Improved sanitation and hygiene (handwashing, washing produce, proper disposal of feces).
• Mass deworming programs are used in endemic regions.