Deworming

In Children, Non Pregnant adolescent Girl & Women of Reproductive Age

Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are among the most common infections worldwide and affect the poorest and most deprived communities, caused by a group of parasites commonly referred to as worms

​

Transmission  Adult worms live in the intestine where they produce thousands of eggs each day. these eggs are passed by faeces which in turn contaminate soil in areas where sanitation is poor.

Transmission could happen in several ways:

• eggs that are attached to vegetables are ingested when the vegetables are not carefully cooked, washed or peeled;

• eggs are ingested from contaminated water sources;

• eggs are ingested by children who play in the contaminated soil and then put their hands in their mouths without washing them. 

 

Type  The main species that infect people are the roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides), the whipworm (Trichuris trichiura) and the hookworms (Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale).

​

Cause Those living in poverty are most vulnerable to infection which can impair nutritional status by causing:

• internal bleeding which can lead to loss of iron and anaemia;

• intestinal inflammation and obstruction;

• diarrhoea; and

• impairment of nutrient intake, digestion and absorption.

 

Symptoms  Intestinal worms produce a wide range of symptoms including intestinal manifestations (diarrhoea, abdominal pain), general malaise and weakness. Hookworms cause chronic intestinal blood loss that result in anaemia.

S. stercoralis may cause dermatological and gastro-intestinal morbidity and is also known to be associated with chronic malnutrition in children. In case of reduced host immunity, the parasite can cause the hyperinfection/dissemination syndrome that is invariably fatal if not promptly and properly cured and is often fatal despite the treatment.

​

Prevention including improvements in water, sanitation and hygiene.

​

Treatment  administration of anthelminthic medicines to populations at risk, can dramatically reduce the burden of worms caused by soil-transmitted helminth infections.

The WHO recommended medicines –albendazole (400 mg) and mebendazole (500 mg) – are effective, inexpensive and easy to administer by non-medical personnel (e.g. teachers). They have been through extensive safety testing and have been used in millions of people with few and minor side-effects.

Both albendazole and mebendazole are donated to national ministries of health through WHO in all endemic countries for the treatment of all children of school age.

Ivermectin for the control of S. stercoralis is expected to be available at affordable price from 2021. 

​

Solution  treatment with WormiRest (a simple pill) is universally recognised as a safe and effective solution to combat these infections. Home Remedies is working with Private Sector Health Care Providers to deliver large scale deworming program. Since 2016, we repeatedly visited private sector health care providers to deliver over 100 thousands treatments.

 

Impact