Trichuriasis

This article is about the disease. For the organism, see Trichuris trichiura.
Not to be confused with Trichinosis or Trichomoniasis.
Trichuriasis
Other namesWhipworm infection
Life cycle of Trichuris trichiura
SpecialtyInfectious disease
SymptomsAbdominal pain, tiredness, diarrhea[1]
ComplicationsAnemia, poor intellectual and physical development[1][2]
CausesEat food containing Trichuris trichiura eggs[2]
Diagnostic methodStool microscopy[3]
PreventionImproved sanitation, handwashing, mass treatment[4][5]
MedicationAlbendazole, mebendazole, ivermectin[6]
Frequency464 million (2015)[7]

Trichuriasis, also known as whipworm infection, is an infection by the parasitic worm Trichuris trichiura (whipworm).[2] If infection is only with a few worms, there are often no symptoms.[1] In those who are infected with many worms, there may be abdominal pain, fatigue and diarrhea.[1] The diarrhea sometimes contains blood.[1] Infections in children may cause poor intellectual and physical development.[1] Low red blood cell levels may occur due to loss of blood.[2]

The disease is usually spread when people eat food or drink water that contains the eggs of these worms.[1] This may occur when contaminated vegetables are not fully cleaned or cooked.[1] Often these eggs are in the soil in areas where people defecate outside and where untreated human feces is used as fertilizer.[2] These eggs originate from the feces of infected people.[1] Young children playing in such soil and putting their hands in their mouths also become infected easily.[1] The worms live in the large bowel and are about four centimetres in length.[2] Whipworm is diagnosed by seeing the eggs when examining the stool with a microscope.[3] Eggs are barrel-shaped.[8] Trichuriasis belongs to the group of soil-transmitted helminthiases.[9]

Prevention is by properly cooking food and hand washing before cooking.[5] Other measures include improving access to sanitation such as ensuring use of functional and clean toilets[5] and access to clean water.[10] In areas of the world where the infections are common, often entire groups of people will be treated all at once and on a regular basis.[4] Treatment is with three days of the medication: albendazole, mebendazole or ivermectin.[6] People often become infected again after treatment.[11]

Whipworm infection affected about 464 million in 2015.[7] It is most common in tropical countries.[4] Those infected with whipworm often also have hookworm and ascariasis infections.[4] These diseases have a large effect on the economy of many countries.[12] Work is ongoing to develop a vaccine against the disease.[4] Trichuriasis is classified as a neglected tropical disease.[9]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Soil-transmitted helminth infections Fact sheet N°366". World Health Organization. June 2013. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Parasites - Trichuriasis (also known as Whipworm Infection)". CDC. January 10, 2013. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Parasites - Trichuriasis (also known as Whipworm Infection) Diagnosis". CDC. January 10, 2013. Archived from the original on 20 March 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d e Bethony, J; Brooker, S; Albonico, M; Geiger, SM; Loukas, A; Diemert, D; Hotez, PJ (May 6, 2006). "Soil-transmitted helminth infections: ascariasis, trichuriasis, and hookworm". Lancet. 367 (9521): 1521–32. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(06)68653-4. PMID 16679166. S2CID 8425278.
  5. ^ a b c "Parasites - Trichuriasis (also known as Whipworm Infection) Prevention & Control". CDC. January 10, 2013. Archived from the original on 20 March 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  6. ^ a b "Parasites - Trichuriasis (also known as Whipworm Infection): Resources for Health Professionals". CDC. January 10, 2013. Archived from the original on 20 October 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  7. ^ a b GBD 2015 Disease and Injury Incidence and Prevalence Collaborators (8 October 2016). "Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 310 diseases and injuries, 1990-2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015". Lancet. 388 (10053): 1545–1602. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(16)31678-6. PMC 5055577. PMID 27733282.
  8. ^ Engelkirk, Paul G.; Duben-Engelkirk, Janet (2008). Laboratory diagnosis of infectious diseases: essentials of diagnostic microbiology. Baltimore: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p. 604. ISBN 978-0-7817-9701-6. Archived from the original on 2017-09-08.
  9. ^ a b "Neglected Tropical Diseases". cdc.gov. June 6, 2011. Archived from the original on 4 December 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
  10. ^ Ziegelbauer, K; Speich, B; Mäusezahl, D; Bos, R; Keiser, J; Utzinger, J (Jan 2012). "Effect of sanitation on soil-transmitted helminth infection: systematic review and meta-analysis". PLOS Medicine. 9 (1): e1001162. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001162. PMC 3265535. PMID 22291577.
  11. ^ Jia, TW; Melville, S; Utzinger, J; King, CH; Zhou, XN (2012). "Soil-transmitted helminth reinfection after drug treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis". PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 6 (5): e1621. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0001621. PMC 3348161. PMID 22590656.
  12. ^ Jamison, Dean (2006). "Helminth Infections: Soil-transmitted Helminth Infections and Schistosomiasis". Disease control priorities in developing countries (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. Chapter 24. ISBN 978-0-8213-6180-1. Archived from the original on 2016-10-10.