Skip to main content

Pinworm, Whipworm, Hookworm and Roundworm Infestations – PST05103 Pharmaceutical Microbiology

NTA Level 5 • Semester 1 • PST05103

Pinworm, Whipworm, Hookworm and Roundworm Infestations

Pharmaceutical Microbiology • Source Session/Topic 40
Full source-text version: all educational wording from the extracted learning source is retained; only presenter/tutor metadata and web-layout noise are removed, while formatting is improved for readability.

Session 40: Pinworm, Whipworm, Hookworm and Roundworm Infestations

Total Session Time: 120 minutes

Pre-requisites

• Human anatomy and physiology

Students Learning Tasks

By the end of this session students are expected to be able to:

• Describe causative agents, transmission, life cycle, signs/symptoms of

common diseases caused by helminths (, pinworm, whipworm, hookworm,

intestinal roundworm, filarial worm)

• Describe treatment, prevention and control of pinworm, whipworm,

hookworm, intestinal roundworm, filarial worm)

•

Resources Needed:

• Flip charts, marker pens, and masking tape
• Black/white board and chalk/whiteboard markers

SESSION OVERVIEW

|Step |Time |Activity/ |Content |

| | |Method | |

|1 |5 minutes |Presentation |Introduction, Learning Tasks |

|2 |25 minutes |Presentation |Pinworm infestation (Enterobiasis)|

|3 |25 minutes |Presentation |Whipworm infestation |

| | | |(Trichuriasis) |

|4 |25 minutes |Presentation |Hookworm infestation |

| | | |(Ancylostomiasis) |

|5 |30 minutes |Presentation |Roundworm infestation (Ascariasis)|

|6 |5 minutes |Presentation |Key Points |

| 7|5 minutes |Presentation |Evaluation |

SESSION CONTENTS

STEP 1: Presentation of Session Title and Learning Tasks (5 minutes)

READ or ASK students to read the learning tasks and clarify

ASK students if they have any questions before continuing

STEP 2: Pinworm Infestation –Enterobiasis (15 minutes)

Cause and Transmission

• Pinworm infection (also known as enterobiasis), is a human parasitic

disease caused by the pinworm Enterobius vermicularis.

• E. vermicularis is an intestinal nematode that is tiny, white and

spindle-shaped with a large, bulbar esophagus

• Enterobiasis is transmitted by the faecal-oral route, either directly

or indirectly via contaminated hands or objects such as clothes, toys,

and bedding.

• The disease is more common in children
• Females usually migrate out the anus at night and depositeggs on the

perianal skin.

• The eggs embryonate quickly and, if ingested, hatch and mature in the

intestines.

• Life cycle

o Eggs are deposited on perianal folds. Self-infection occurs by

transferring infective eggs to the mouth with hands that have

scratched the perianal area.

o Person-to-person transmission can also occur through handling of

contaminated clothes or bed linens.

o Enterobiasis may also be acquired through surfaces in the

environment that are contaminated with pinworm eggs (e.g. curtains,

carpeting).

o Some small number of eggs may become airborne and inhaled. These

would be swallowed and follow the same development as ingested

eggs.

o Following ingestion of infective eggs, the larvae hatch in the

small intestine and the adults establish themselves in the colon

o The time interval from ingestion of infective eggs to oviposition

by the adult females is about one month.

o The life span of the adults is about two months. Gravid females

migrate nocturnally outside the anus and oviposit while crawling on

the skin of the perianal area.

o The larvae contained inside the eggs develop (the eggs become

infective) in 4 to 6 hours under optimal conditions.

o Retroinfection, or the migration of newly hatched larvae from the

anal skin back into the rectum, may occur

[pic]

• Signs and Symptoms

o Enterobiasis is most common in children, who usually present with

▪ Pruritus ani
▪ Insomnia (sometimes)
▪ Abdominal pain
▪ Anorexia, and pallor
▪ Genitourinary infection may occur in females.
• Treatment and Prevention

o Antihelminthic drugs

▪ Mebendazole
▪ Pyrantel pamoate
▪ Albendazole

o Preventive measures include;

▪ Treatment of the sick and carriers
▪ Improved personal hygiene, including washing the perianal

region and changing nightclothes

STEP 3: Whipworm Infestation –Trichuriasis (30 minutes)

Cause and Transmission

• Trichuriasis is a parasitic disease caused by infection of the large

intestine by Trichuris trichiura (also known as the human whipworm),

which is an intestinal parasitic nematode.

• Adult whipworms mainly live in the caecum, but can be seen throughout

the colon and rectum. People infected with whipworm can suffer light

or heavy infections.

• T. trichjura belongs to the family Trichuridae. The worms are known as

"whip-worms" because they have a broad short posterior end and a very

long narrow whip-like anterior end

• Trichuriasis is transmitted by the faecal-oral route, involving the

ingestion of eggs with contaminated food, water or soil.

• Life cycle

o The unembryonated eggs are passed with the stool. In the soil, the

eggs develop into a 2-cell stage, an advanced cleavage stage, and

then they embryonate; eggs become infective in 15 to 30 days.

o After ingestion (soil-contaminated hands or food), the eggs hatch

in the small intestine, and release larvae that mature and

establish themselves as adults in the colon.

o The adult worms (approximately 4 cm in length) live in the cecum

and ascending colon. The adult worms are fixed in that location,

with the anterior portions threaded into the mucosa.

o The females begin to oviposit 60 to 70 days after infection. Female

worms in the cecum shed between 3,000 and 20,000 eggs per day. The

life span of the adults is about 1 year.

[pic]

Signs and Symptoms

• Heavy infections may cause dysentery, anaemia, malnutrition, and

occasionally rectal prolapse

Treatment and Prevention

• Anthelminthic medications

o Albendazole

o Mebendazole

• Infections are generally treated for 3 days.
• Trichuriasis is prevented b;

o Sanitary disposal of faeces

o Effective sewage disposal systems

o Personal hygiene e.g. washing hands

o Thorough washing of vegetables, salads and fruits with clean water

prior to consumption

STEP 4: Hookworm Infestation –Ancylostomiasis (30 minutes)

Ancylostomiasis

• Human hookworm or ancylostomiasis is a hookworm disease caused by

infestation of the small intestine with Ancylostoma duodenale or

Necator americanus. It is one of the main causes of anaemia in the

tropics which is also the major clinical feature.

• Life cycle

o Eggs are passed in the stool and under favorable conditions

(moisture, warmth, shade), larvae hatch in 1 to 2 days to form

rhabditiform larvae.

o The larvae grow in the feces and/or the soil and after 5 to 10 days

(and two molts) they become filariform (third-stage) larvae that

are infective

o These infective larvae can survive 3 to 4 weeks in favorable

environmental conditions.

o On contact with the human host, the larvae penetrate the skin and

are carried through the blood vessels to the heart and then to the

lungs.

o They penetrate into the pulmonary alveoli, ascend the bronchial

tree to the pharynx, and are swallowed.

o The larvae reach the small intestine, where they reside and mature

into adults.

o Adult worms live in the lumen of the small intestine, where they

attach to the intestinal wall with resultant blood loss by the

host.

o Most adult worms are eliminated in 1 to 2 years, but the longevity

may reach several years.

o Some A. duodenale larvae, following penetration of the host skin,

can become dormant (in the intestine or muscle)

o In addition, infection by A. duodenale may probably also occur by

the oral and transmammary route.

o N. americanus, however, requires a transpulmonary migration phase.

[pic]

• Signs and Symptoms

o The majority of patients are asymptomatic

o Ground itch” (itching at the site of invasion by the larvae)

o Pneumonitis, cough, dyspnea, and, occasionally, hemoptysis

o Anorexia

o Anaemia

o Fever, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, weight loss, nausea and

vomiting, spleen and liver enlargement, and edema.

o Children may suffer from mental, physical, and sexual retardation.

• Treatment and Prevention

o Anthelminthic medications

▪ Mebendazole
▪ Thiabendazole
▪ Albendazole
▪ Pyrantel pamoate
▪ Levamisole

o Infections are generally treated for 1-3 days.

o Hookworm can be prevented by;

▪ Sanitary disposal of feces
▪ Treatment of infected persons
▪ Wearing of shoes
▪ Health education
▪ Improved nutrition.
▪ Anthelmintic treatment should be supplemented with an

improved diet, including administration of iron.

STEP 5: Roundworm Infestation –Ascariasis (30 minutes)

Cause and Transmission

• Ascariasis is a worm infestation caused by Ascaris lumbricoides

o A. lumbricoides belongs to the phylum Nematoda

o They are mainly free living and ubiquitous

o A. lumbricoides is the largest and most common intestinal nematode

of humans

o A. lumbricoides is found in the small intestine, particularly the

jejunum. Females produce as many as 240,000 eggs per day and as

many as 65 million in a lifetime

o Ascariasis is transmitted by the faecal-oral route through

consumption of drinks (water) or food contaminated with faeces

containing eggs of A. lumbricoides.

o Life cycle

▪ Adult worms live in the lumen of the small intestine.
▪ A female may produce approximately 200,000 eggs per day,

which are passed with the feces. Unfertilized eggs may be

ingested but are not infective. Fertile eggs embryonate and

become infective after 18 days to several weeks, depending on

the environmental conditions (optimum: moist, warm, shaded

soil).

▪ After infective eggs are swallowed, the larvae hatch, invade

the intestinal mucosa, and are carried via the portal, then

systemic circulation to the lungs.

▪ The larvae mature further in the lungs (10 to 14 days),

penetrate the alveolar walls, ascend the bronchial tree to the

throat, and are swallowed.

▪ Upon reaching the small intestine, they develop into adult

worms. Between 2 and 3 months are required from ingestion of

the infective eggs to oviposition by the adult female. Adult

worms can live 1 to 2 years

[pic]

• Signs and Symptoms

o Cough

o Low-grade fever

o Passing worms in stool

o Shortness of breath

o Skin rash

o Stomach pain

o Vomiting or coughing up worms

o Worms leaving the body through the nose or mouth

• Treatment and Prevention

o Treatment includes medicines that paralyze or kill intestinal

parasitic worms.

o If there is a blockage of the intestine caused by a large number of

worms, endoscopy may be used to remove the worms. In rare cases,

surgery is needed.

o People treated for roundworms should be checked again in 3 months.

▪ This involves examining the stools to check for eggs of the

worm. If eggs are present, treatment should be given again

o Anthelminthic medications

▪ Albendazole
▪ Mebendazole

o Infections are generally treated for 1-3 days

o Preventive measures include;

▪ Hygienic practices e.g. washing of hands after using the

toilet and before eating

▪ Washing, peeling or cooking all raw vegetables and fruits

before eating, particularly those that have been grown in soil

that has been fertilized with manure

▪ Sanitary disposal of faecal matter
▪ Diagnosis and treatment

o Thorough washing of vegetables, salads and fruits with clean water

prior to consumption

STEP 6: Key Points (5 minutes)

• Eenterobiasis is a human parasitic disease caused by the pinworm

Enterobius vermicularis.

• Trichuriasis is caused by Trichuris trichiura
• Human hookworm or ancylostomiasis is caused by Ancylostoma duodenale

or Necator americanus. Ascariasis is caused by Ascaris lumbricoides

• All but hookworm infestation are transmited by the faeco-oral route
• Treatment involve the use of antihelminthic drugs
• Prevention of these parasitic worm infestation is mainly personal and

environmental hygiene.

STEP 7: Evaluation (5 minutes)

• What is a trichuriasis?
• What are signs and symptoms of ancylostomiasis?
• What is the treatment for enterobiasis?

References

Hugo and Russell (2011), Pharmaceutical Microbiology 8th Edition, Willey-

Blackwel publications

Karen C. Carroll et al (2013); Jawetz, Melnick and Adelberg’s Medical

Microbiology 26th Ed. McGraw Hill Co. Inc.

Greenwood et al (2012); Medical Microbiology, 18th edition Churchill

Livingstone

Session 40: Pinworm, Whipworm, Hookworm and Roundworm Infestations

Total Session Time: 120 minutes

Pre-requisites

• Human anatomy and physiology

Students Learning Tasks

By the end of this session students are expected to be able to:

• Describe causative agents, transmission, life cycle, signs/symptoms of

common diseases caused by helminths (, pinworm, whipworm, hookworm,

intestinal roundworm, filarial worm)

• Describe treatment, prevention and control of pinworm, whipworm,

hookworm, intestinal roundworm, filarial worm)

•

Resources Needed:

• Flip charts, marker pens, and masking tape
• Black/white board and chalk/whiteboard markers

SESSION OVERVIEW

|Step |Time |Activity/ |Content |

| | |Method | |

|1 |5 minutes |Presentation |Introduction, Learning Tasks |

|2 |25 minutes |Presentation |Pinworm infestation (Enterobiasis)|

|3 |25 minutes |Presentation |Whipworm infestation |

| | | |(Trichuriasis) |

|4 |25 minutes |Presentation |Hookworm infestation |

| | | |(Ancylostomiasis) |

|5 |30 minutes |Presentation |Roundworm infestation (Ascariasis)|

|6 |5 minutes |Presentation |Key Points |

| 7|5 minutes |Presentation |Evaluation |

SESSION CONTENTS

STEP 1: Presentation of Session Title and Learning Tasks (5 minutes)

READ or ASK students to read the learning tasks and clarify

ASK students if they have any questions before continuing

STEP 2: Pinworm Infestation –Enterobiasis (15 minutes)

Cause and Transmission

• Pinworm infection (also known as enterobiasis), is a human parasitic

disease caused by the pinworm Enterobius vermicularis.

• E. vermicularis is an intestinal nematode that is tiny, white and

spindle-shaped with a large, bulbar esophagus

• Enterobiasis is transmitted by the faecal-oral route, either directly

or indirectly via contaminated hands or objects such as clothes, toys,

and bedding.

• The disease is more common in children
• Females usually migrate out the anus at night and depositeggs on the

perianal skin.

• The eggs embryonate quickly and, if ingested, hatch and mature in the

intestines.

• Life cycle

o Eggs are deposited on perianal folds. Self-infection occurs by

transferring infective eggs to the mouth with hands that have

scratched the perianal area.

o Person-to-person transmission can also occur through handling of

contaminated clothes or bed linens.

o Enterobiasis may also be acquired through surfaces in the

environment that are contaminated with pinworm eggs (e.g. curtains,

carpeting).

o Some small number of eggs may become airborne and inhaled. These

would be swallowed and follow the same development as ingested

eggs.

o Following ingestion of infective eggs, the larvae hatch in the

small intestine and the adults establish themselves in the colon

o The time interval from ingestion of infective eggs to oviposition

by the adult females is about one month.

o The life span of the adults is about two months. Gravid females

migrate nocturnally outside the anus and oviposit while crawling on

the skin of the perianal area.

o The larvae contained inside the eggs develop (the eggs become

infective) in 4 to 6 hours under optimal conditions.

o Retroinfection, or the migration of newly hatched larvae from the

anal skin back into the rectum, may occur

[pic]

• Signs and Symptoms

o Enterobiasis is most common in children, who usually present with

▪ Pruritus ani
▪ Insomnia (sometimes)
▪ Abdominal pain
▪ Anorexia, and pallor
▪ Genitourinary infection may occur in females.
• Treatment and Prevention

o Antihelminthic drugs

▪ Mebendazole
▪ Pyrantel pamoate
▪ Albendazole

o Preventive measures include;

▪ Treatment of the sick and carriers
▪ Improved personal hygiene, including washing the perianal

region and changing nightclothes

STEP 3: Whipworm Infestation –Trichuriasis (30 minutes)

Cause and Transmission

• Trichuriasis is a parasitic disease caused by infection of the large

intestine by Trichuris trichiura (also known as the human whipworm),

which is an intestinal parasitic nematode.

• Adult whipworms mainly live in the caecum, but can be seen throughout

the colon and rectum. People infected with whipworm can suffer light

or heavy infections.

• T. trichjura belongs to the family Trichuridae. The worms are known as

"whip-worms" because they have a broad short posterior end and a very

long narrow whip-like anterior end

• Trichuriasis is transmitted by the faecal-oral route, involving the

ingestion of eggs with contaminated food, water or soil.

• Life cycle

o The unembryonated eggs are passed with the stool. In the soil, the

eggs develop into a 2-cell stage, an advanced cleavage stage, and

then they embryonate; eggs become infective in 15 to 30 days.

o After ingestion (soil-contaminated hands or food), the eggs hatch

in the small intestine, and release larvae that mature and

establish themselves as adults in the colon.

o The adult worms (approximately 4 cm in length) live in the cecum

and ascending colon. The adult worms are fixed in that location,

with the anterior portions threaded into the mucosa.

o The females begin to oviposit 60 to 70 days after infection. Female

worms in the cecum shed between 3,000 and 20,000 eggs per day. The

life span of the adults is about 1 year.

[pic]

Signs and Symptoms

• Heavy infections may cause dysentery, anaemia, malnutrition, and

occasionally rectal prolapse

Treatment and Prevention

• Anthelminthic medications

o Albendazole

o Mebendazole

• Infections are generally treated for 3 days.
• Trichuriasis is prevented b;

o Sanitary disposal of faeces

o Effective sewage disposal systems

o Personal hygiene e.g. washing hands

o Thorough washing of vegetables, salads and fruits with clean water

prior to consumption

STEP 4: Hookworm Infestation –Ancylostomiasis (30 minutes)

Ancylostomiasis

• Human hookworm or ancylostomiasis is a hookworm disease caused by

infestation of the small intestine with Ancylostoma duodenale or

Necator americanus. It is one of the main causes of anaemia in the

tropics which is also the major clinical feature.

• Life cycle

o Eggs are passed in the stool and under favorable conditions

(moisture, warmth, shade), larvae hatch in 1 to 2 days to form

rhabditiform larvae.

o The larvae grow in the feces and/or the soil and after 5 to 10 days

(and two molts) they become filariform (third-stage) larvae that

are infective

o These infective larvae can survive 3 to 4 weeks in favorable

environmental conditions.

o On contact with the human host, the larvae penetrate the skin and

are carried through the blood vessels to the heart and then to the

lungs.

o They penetrate into the pulmonary alveoli, ascend the bronchial

tree to the pharynx, and are swallowed.

o The larvae reach the small intestine, where they reside and mature

into adults.

o Adult worms live in the lumen of the small intestine, where they

attach to the intestinal wall with resultant blood loss by the

host.

o Most adult worms are eliminated in 1 to 2 years, but the longevity

may reach several years.

o Some A. duodenale larvae, following penetration of the host skin,

can become dormant (in the intestine or muscle)

o In addition, infection by A. duodenale may probably also occur by

the oral and transmammary route.

o N. americanus, however, requires a transpulmonary migration phase.

[pic]

• Signs and Symptoms

o The majority of patients are asymptomatic

o Ground itch” (itching at the site of invasion by the larvae)

o Pneumonitis, cough, dyspnea, and, occasionally, hemoptysis

o Anorexia

o Anaemia

o Fever, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, weight loss, nausea and

vomiting, spleen and liver enlargement, and edema.

o Children may suffer from mental, physical, and sexual retardation.

• Treatment and Prevention

o Anthelminthic medications

▪ Mebendazole
▪ Thiabendazole
▪ Albendazole
▪ Pyrantel pamoate
▪ Levamisole

o Infections are generally treated for 1-3 days.

o Hookworm can be prevented by;

▪ Sanitary disposal of feces
▪ Treatment of infected persons
▪ Wearing of shoes
▪ Health education
▪ Improved nutrition.
▪ Anthelmintic treatment should be supplemented with an

improved diet, including administration of iron.

STEP 5: Roundworm Infestation –Ascariasis (30 minutes)

Cause and Transmission

• Ascariasis is a worm infestation caused by Ascaris lumbricoides

o A. lumbricoides belongs to the phylum Nematoda

o They are mainly free living and ubiquitous

o A. lumbricoides is the largest and most common intestinal nematode

of humans

o A. lumbricoides is found in the small intestine, particularly the

jejunum. Females produce as many as 240,000 eggs per day and as

many as 65 million in a lifetime

o Ascariasis is transmitted by the faecal-oral route through

consumption of drinks (water) or food contaminated with faeces

containing eggs of A. lumbricoides.

o Life cycle

▪ Adult worms live in the lumen of the small intestine.
▪ A female may produce approximately 200,000 eggs per day,

which are passed with the feces. Unfertilized eggs may be

ingested but are not infective. Fertile eggs embryonate and

become infective after 18 days to several weeks, depending on

the environmental conditions (optimum: moist, warm, shaded

soil).

▪ After infective eggs are swallowed, the larvae hatch, invade

the intestinal mucosa, and are carried via the portal, then

systemic circulation to the lungs.

▪ The larvae mature further in the lungs (10 to 14 days),

penetrate the alveolar walls, ascend the bronchial tree to the

throat, and are swallowed.

▪ Upon reaching the small intestine, they develop into adult

worms. Between 2 and 3 months are required from ingestion of

the infective eggs to oviposition by the adult female. Adult

worms can live 1 to 2 years

[pic]

• Signs and Symptoms

o Cough

o Low-grade fever

o Passing worms in stool

o Shortness of breath

o Skin rash

o Stomach pain

o Vomiting or coughing up worms

o Worms leaving the body through the nose or mouth

• Treatment and Prevention

o Treatment includes medicines that paralyze or kill intestinal

parasitic worms.

o If there is a blockage of the intestine caused by a large number of

worms, endoscopy may be used to remove the worms. In rare cases,

surgery is needed.

o People treated for roundworms should be checked again in 3 months.

▪ This involves examining the stools to check for eggs of the

worm. If eggs are present, treatment should be given again

o Anthelminthic medications

▪ Albendazole
▪ Mebendazole

o Infections are generally treated for 1-3 days

o Preventive measures include;

▪ Hygienic practices e.g. washing of hands after using the

toilet and before eating

▪ Washing, peeling or cooking all raw vegetables and fruits

before eating, particularly those that have been grown in soil

that has been fertilized with manure

▪ Sanitary disposal of faecal matter
▪ Diagnosis and treatment

o Thorough washing of vegetables, salads and fruits with clean water

prior to consumption

STEP 6: Key Points (5 minutes)

• Eenterobiasis is a human parasitic disease caused by the pinworm

Enterobius vermicularis.

• Trichuriasis is caused by Trichuris trichiura
• Human hookworm or ancylostomiasis is caused by Ancylostoma duodenale

or Necator americanus. Ascariasis is caused by Ascaris lumbricoides

• All but hookworm infestation are transmited by the faeco-oral route
• Treatment involve the use of antihelminthic drugs
• Prevention of these parasitic worm infestation is mainly personal and

environmental hygiene.

STEP 7: Evaluation (5 minutes)

• What is a trichuriasis?
• What are signs and symptoms of ancylostomiasis?
• What is the treatment for enterobiasis?

References

Hugo and Russell (2011), Pharmaceutical Microbiology 8th Edition, Willey-

Blackwel publications

Karen C. Carroll et al (2013); Jawetz, Melnick and Adelberg’s Medical

Microbiology 26th Ed. McGraw Hill Co. Inc.

Greenwood et al (2012); Medical Microbiology, 18th edition Churchill

Livingstone

PDF / OFFLINE NOTES

Unataka kutumiwa notes hizi kupitia WhatsApp?Kwa notes zilizopangiliwa vizuri kwa kusoma offline au PDF, bonyeza kitufe hapa chini. Ujumbe wenye Level, Semester, Module na Topic utaandaliwa moja kwa moja.TUMIWA NOTES WHATSAPP

WhatsApp: 255620339260
Scroll to Top
Changia Notes / Document