Pinworms that cause blindness, limb paralysis… are found in raw seafood

Worms parasitic in humans for 10-12 years, not only create moving tumors in the skin, brain, liver, lungs … but also cause many diseases in the central nervous system, in the digestive and urinary systems˳ ˳ When in the nervous system, the mortality rate from gnathostomiasis ranges from 8-25%, one third of the survivors have long-term sequelae˳

Infection by eating undercooked seafood

A 42-year-old high school patient, in Ha Tinh, suffering from pain and hemiplegia, was diagnosed with brain hemorrhage by the local medical center and transferred to Bach Mai Hospital, Hanoi for monitoring of brain hemorrhage˳

An MRI scan showed a brain tumor without any bleeding˳ The hospital sent a consultation to Prof˳ Dr˳ Nguyen Van De, former head of the Parasitology Department, Hanoi Medical University, and was diagnosed with an infection˳ thorn worms Gnathostoma˳

The patient received specific treatment for 1 course, after 1 month walking was almost normal, brain damage was reduced, continued for 2 more courses, after 3 months the brain damage was gone, walking and working normally˳ usually, but leave mild convulsions˳

Another patient also had hemiplegia, through MRI scan found that half of the brain has many tumors˳ After examining, Professor De determined that the patient was infected with gnathostomiasis parasitic worms in the brain, it is this worm that causes internal tumors and leads to paralysis˳ Through taking the history, the patient said that he often ate seafood˳

Or a male patient from Coc Leu, Lao Cai came to Hanoi hospital for treatment of hand swelling accompanied by itching for 3 years without improvement, after detecting gnathostomiasis and giving specific treatment, he recovered˳

Many other patients also experienced symptoms of swollen feet, swollen hands, treatment at hospitals for many years did not help, but later discovered that they were infected with gnathostomiasis…

The National Institute of Malaria – Parasitology – Entomology also received a young man in Dan Phuong, Hanoi who was infected with gnathostomiasis parasitic in the scrotum, then moved to the abdominal wall˳ The patient was treated according to the regimen, taking the drug until the 8th day, the right abdominal wall lesions were localized and the gnathostomiasis larvae were caught by themselves˳

Taking the history, this patient said that he had a habit of eating grilled frog meat˳

Not only in rural areas, but also in urban areas, the risk of gnathostomiasis is always present˳ Research shows that in eels in Hanoi, up to 11% are infected with gnathostomiasis Gnathostoma˳ In fish in Hanoi, there are 4˳6% infected with this parasite…”, Prof˳ De emphasized˳

Enteritis, blindness, paralysis and death

Mr˳ De said that when gnathostomiasis larvae enter the body, they do not stay in one place but move to other parts˳ It can be under the skin, can go to the brain, heart, liver … Therefore, if not detected and treated in time, it will be extremely dangerous for health˳

Symptoms depend on the area of ​​the body the larvae migrate into˳ There can be one or more related areas at the same time˳

– In skin and soft tissue: Patients with chronic urticaria; lumpy lump with irregular size, non-concave edema, movable (subcutaneous larva migratory syndrome); there may be pain at the lump or swelling of the muscle; Subcutaneous abscess caused by parasitic larvae causing superinfection…

In the respiratory system: Worms cause lung consolidation or atelectasis, pleural effusion, pneumothorax, pleural effusion and pneumothorax, cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, and hemoptysis˳

– Digestive: Larvae usually parasitize in the liver, the patient has pain in the right upper quadrant, epigastrium, and mass in the right lower quadrant˳ In the stomach causes stomach pain˳ Larvae can travel to the abdominal cavity to form tumors in the abdomen, patients have signs like appendicitis, cholecystitis or pseudomassive lesions in the intestines˳

– At the senses: With vision causing conjunctivitis, iritis, intraocular hemorrhage, glaucoma, scarring or damage to the retina causing vision loss, blindness, eye pain or photophobia˳ With hearing loss causes hearing loss or tinnitus˳

Especially dangerous when worms cause diseases in the central nervous system: myelitis nerve root (most common), encephalitis – myelitis – nerve root, encephalitis – meningoencephalitis˳ This condition can cause similar or subarachnoid hemorrhage˳ Pain related to nervefollowed by paralysis or decreased sensation for a few days˳

How do I know if I have a roundworm infection?

For more than this year, I often have itching and papules on the scalp, neck, shoulders… Because I have 2 dogs and have taken care of them directly for more than 10 years, I am afraid of being infected with canine worms˳