In the areas of the world where sanitation is spoor, the majority of residents harbor one or more species.
Intestinal helminth nematodes are disseminated by contamination of the environment with the stools of infected subjects; these stools may contain eggs which will transmit the infection when ingested, egg which will liberate skin-penetrating larvae or skin-penetrating larvae.
Infections are usually asymptomatic unless the worm burden is very large. Pathologic features include intestinal obstruction (Ascaris), rectal prolapse (Trichuris), anal itching (Enterobius) and iron deficiency anemia (hookworm).
It has been suggested that infection with intestinal helminths could facilitate both subsequent infection by other pathogens and/or faster progression to more severe forms of their infections disease, such as in tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus.
Diagnosis of intestinal helminths relies on identifying the character eggs, larvae, or adult worms (or segments) in feces.
Intestinal helminth infection
