Parasitic Worms (Helminths), Helminthiasis: Symptoms, Complaints, Signs

The following symptoms and complaints may indicate helminthiasis (worm disease):

Cestodes (tapeworms)

Cyclophyllidae

  • Strong sensation of hunger
  • Weight loss
  • Diarrhea (diarrhea)
  • Appendicitis (appendicitis)

Echinococcus [Echinococcosis]

  • Upper abdominal discomfort or chest pain (chest pain).
  • Occlusive icterus – yellowing of the skin caused by obstruction of the bile ducts.
  • Irritative cough, difficulty breathing
  • Expectoration (coughing up) of cyst contents,
  • Hemoptysis (coughing up blood).
  • Pleural lesions (injury to the pleura).
  • Hypersensitivity reactions, including allergic shock if necessary.

Hymenoleptidae

  • Nonspecific gastrointestinal symptoms

Pseudophyllidae

  • Mild symptoms in the gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal tract).
  • Ileus (intestinal obstruction)
  • Anemia (anemia) due to vitamin B12 deficiency.

Nematodes (threadworms)

Ancylostomatidae (hookworms).

  • Pruritus (itching)
  • Skin redness
  • Skin florescences
  • Dysphonia (hoarseness)
  • Cough
  • Löffler syndrome (pulmonary symptoms (lung symptoms), volatile infiltrates and eosinophilia (increase in the number of eosinophilic granulocytes) in the peripheral blood).
  • Salivation
  • Nausea
  • Abdominal pain (abdominal pain)
  • Meteorism (flatulence)
  • Weight loss
  • Loss of appetite
  • Impaired performance due to iron deficiency anemia

Anisakis

Angiostrongylidae

Ascarididae (roundworms).

  • Cough
  • Bronchitis (inflammation of the bronchi)
  • Dyspnea (shortness of breath)
  • Löffler syndrome (pulmonary symptoms (lung symptoms), volatile infiltrates and eosinophilia (increase in the number of eosinophilic granulocytes) in the peripheral blood).
  • Asthma attacks due to eosinophilic pneumonia (pneumonia), episodes of wheezing or “asthma“.
  • Fever episodes
  • Ileus (intestinal obstruction)
  • Icterus (yellowing)
  • Weight loss, if applicable
  • Abdominal pain (abdominal pain)
  • Nausea (nausea)/vomiting
  • Epileptic seizures
  • Paresis (signs of paralysis), unspecified.
  • Visual disturbances

Enterobius [oxyuriasis; pinworms/ pinworm]

  • Pruritus (itching) – perianal/”around the anus” (during nighttime sleep/especially early morning).
  • Failure to thrive/behave
  • Inflammation of the genital organs
  • Appendicitis (appendicitis)
  • Intestinal perforation (intestinal perforation)
  • Peritonitis

Other possible symptoms of oxyuriasis due to perianal pruritus (anal itching):

  • Ulcerations (excoriations) – due to scratching in the perianal area; possibly also bacterial superinfection.
  • Anal eczema
  • Perianal folliculitis (inflammation of a hair follicle).
  • Ischiorectal abscess

Note: 40% of affected individuals are oligo- or asymptomatic. Filiariidae (nematode).

  • Skin swelling
  • Dermatitis (inflammatory reaction of the skin).
  • Elephantiasis (abnormal enlargement of a body part due to lymphatic congestion).
  • Lymphangitis (inflammation of the lymphatic vessels).
  • Lymphadenopathy (lymph node enlargement)
  • Localized bulging edema (water retention), usually on the forearms or face.
  • Migration of the conjunctiva (pathognomonic in Loa loa).
  • Pruritus (itching)
  • Pigmentation disorders
  • Conjunctivitis (conjunctivitis)
  • Keratitis (corneal inflammation)
  • Onchocerciasis (river blindness) – chronic disease caused by filariae of the species Onchocerca volvulus from the group of nematodes and leads to blindness in about 10% of sufferers.
  • Chorioretinitis – inflammation of the choroid (choroid) with retinal (retina) involvement.

Rhabditidae

  • Severe pruritus (itching)
  • Localized inflammation of the skin/crusting (larva migrans externa syndrome).
  • Pneumonia (pneumonia)
  • Chronic bronchitis
  • Hemoptysis (coughing up blood)
  • Pneumonia (pneumonia)
  • Acute respiratory distress attacks
  • Nausea (nausea)
  • Diarrhea (diarrhea)
  • Constipation (constipation)
  • Colicky abdominal pain

Spiruridae

  • Blistering/inflammation on the skin.
  • Erythema (redness of the skin)
  • Hypersensitivity of the affected skin area
  • Ulceration (ulceration)
  • Bacterial superinfection of the ulcer
  • Fever
  • Nausea (nausea), vomiting
  • Painful lymphadenopathy (lymph node enlargement).
  • Orchitis (inflammation of the testicles)
  • Funiculitis (inflammation of the spermatic cord)
  • Lymphatic congestion of the extremities

Toxocara canis/-cati

  • Visual acuity loss (loss of visual acuity).
  • Localization in the muscles, liver, lungs, or central nervous system is possible

Trichinella (trichinosis) [trichinellosis].

  • Nausea (nausea), vomiting.
  • Diarrhea (diarrhea)
  • Abdominal pain (abdominal pain)
  • Facial edema with swelling of the eyelids
  • Conjunctivitis (conjunctivitis)
  • Myalgia (muscle pain)
  • Lymphadenopathy (lymph node enlargement)
  • High fever
  • Myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle)
  • Pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs)
  • Cough
  • Dysphagia (swallowing disorder)
  • Meningitis/encephalitis (inflammation of the brain (skin))
  • Cephalgia (headache)
  • Insomnia (sleep disturbance)
  • Rheumatoid complaints
  • Exanthema, unspecified
  • Petechiae – small skin hemorrhages.

Trichuridae (whipworms).

  • Bloody diarrhea (diarrhea).
  • Colic
  • Failure to thrive
  • Anemia (anemia)

Trematodes (sucking worms)

Fasciolopsis buski (large intestinal fluke, giant intestinal fluke).

  • Diarrhea (diarrhea)
  • Flatulence
  • Hemorrhages (bleeding)
  • Mucosal ulcerations (ulcers of the mucous membrane)
  • Facial edema
  • Ascites (abdominal dropsy)
  • Abdominal pain (abdominal pain)
  • Yellowish-greenish stools
  • Biliousness

Fasciola hepatica (liver fluke)

  • Abdominal pain (abdominal pain)
  • Anorexia (loss of appetite)
  • Feeling of fullness
  • Diarrhea (diarrhea)
  • Fever
  • Icterus (jaundice)
  • Cholecystitis (gallbladder inflammation)
  • Hepatitis (inflammation of the liver)
  • Dysphagia (swallowing disorder)
  • Dyspnea (shortness of breath)

Paragonimus (lung fluke)

  • Dyspnea (shortness of breath)
  • Cough with yellowish-brownish cough.
  • Hemoptysis (coughing up blood)
  • Night sweats (night sweats)
  • Chest pain (chest pain)
  • Fever
  • Pleurisy (pneumonia) with effusion
  • Pneumonia (pleurisy)
  • Diarrhea (diarrhea)
  • Tenesmus (abdominal cramps)
  • Lymphadenopathy (lymph node enlargement).
  • Cephalgia (headache)
  • Epileptic seizures
  • Neurological deficits, unspecified
  • Spastic paraplegia – paralysis of all extremities.
  • Encephalitis (inflammation of the brain)
  • Meningitis (meningitis)
  • Affection of the heart, unspecified
  • Subcutaneous granulomas

Schistosoma [schistosomiasis; bilharzia]

  • Pruritus [itching)
  • Fleabite dermatitis in the area of the skin site through which Schistosoma has penetrated
  • Generalized urticaria (hives).
  • Fever, chills
  • Cephalgia (headache)
  • Cough
  • Edema (water retention)
  • Intermittent diarrhea (diarrhea)
  • Abdominal pain (abdominal pain)
  • Rectal bleeding
  • Fatigue
  • Anemia (anemia)
  • Dysuria – pain during urination
  • Hematuria – blood in the urine
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Bronchitis (inflammation of the bronchi)
  • Acute hepatitis (inflammation of the liver)
  • Lymphadenopathy (lymph node enlargement).
  • Granulomatous growths especially on the liver, urinary bladder and rectum.