Question

CASE STUDY 1: A 3-year old male is brought to his pediatrician's office by his mother. She states that she has seen him scratching in the rectum area, that he does not seem to be thriving, and has been irritable. The patient was afebrile and otherwise appeared normal. The physician orders a cellophane tape method of collection to check for ova and parasites in the perianal area. Lab findings reported multiple elongated ova seen in the anal impression smear with one flattened side. QUESTIONS FOR CASE STUDY 1: How do the worms breed in the host? Which parasite is probably causing this infestation? How does a person become a host? How do you minimize the risk of becoming infected with this parasite? CASE STUDY 2: A 20-year old recent immigrant of Ghana, West Africa, presented himself to the ER with symptoms of painful passage of stool with a mixture of mucus, water, and blood. Upon examination, rectal prolapse was noted. Ghana is one of many developing countries that fertilizes their crops using water with human urine and feces. QUESTIONS FOR CASE STUDY 2 What is the parasite most likely causing this young man's illness? How does one become infected with this parasite? How does this parasite cause damage in the host? Which lab finding would help diagnose this parasite? CASE STUDY 3: A 5-year old female was seen in a community clinic after "vomiting a worm". This frightening experience included recent bouts of fever, symptoms of asthma, and abdominal pain. The girl and her family were also recent immigrants of a developing country where human feces is used as fertilizer, and where there is no plumbing and outdoor defecation is common. QUESTIONS FOR CASE STUDY 3: Why would the child cough up a worm? How does one become infected with this parasite? What is the parasite most likely causing this infestation?

Answer 1

ANSWERS :

CASE STUDY 1:

1. Worms enter into the body by eating of infected food or any drinks that contains worms or its eggs. After entering into the body the worm gets attached to the inside walls of the intestine through its head. The male and female worms mate inside the ileum and lays thousands of eggs. The worms breed inside the body by eating the food and its grow and reproduce by releasing thousands of eggs in the body.

2. Pinworm infection called enterobiasis parasite cause this infection.

3. The person becomes the host by ingesting infected food and water with parasite. The eggs enter into the adult and the life cycle gets started. The parasite lays eggs in the duodenum and grow into larva where they migrate to small intestine to colon. Female worm survives for 5 -13 weeks and male worms for 7 weeks. The eggs produces into ova and they migrate near the anal and starts exhibiting the symptoms of itchiness near anus, deposition of eggs near anal region. Thus human become host for the parasite.

4. To minimize the risk of being infected with the parasite the following measures are needed. They are as follows :

* Early in the morning wash the anal region

* Changing of under wear and bed clothing with clean and tidy clothes

* Hot water baths

* Avoid scratching the anal region to prevent further scratching

* Washing of the hands after toileting practices.