Ascariasis history and symptoms

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Fatimo Biobaku M.B.B.S [2]

Ascariasis is often asymptomatic. It can sometimes present with pulmonary and abdominal symptoms which are usually mild, however, severe cases of ascariasis occasionally occur especially following mechanical obstruction of a viscus.^[1]

The clinical symptoms vary and it is usually dependent on the worm burden and the involved organ.^[2] The patient can present with the following signs and symptoms:^[1][2]

• It is often asymptomatic
• Pulmonary symptoms from immune-mediated hypersensitivity response can occur in the 2nd week after egg ingestion, and these symptoms can include:

1. A low-grade fever
2. A non-productive cough
3. Chest discomfort
4. Dyspnea in severe cases
5. Eosinophilic pneumonia (löffler’s syndrome) in severe cases- This can present with dyspnea and wheezing

• Mild abdominal discomfort
• Dyspepsia
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Passage of worms in vomitus or stool
• Poor growth and malnutrition may occur in children
• Mechanical obstruction by the worm can result in signs and symptoms of intestinal obstruction, bile and pancreatic duct obstruction, and appendicitis
• Signs and symptoms of a complicated mechanical obstruction can occur such as perforation, intussusception, volvulus.

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