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General Medicine

Intestinal Parasites

Douglas W. MacPherson, MD, MSc–CTM, FRCPC Reviewed 06/2019
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Parasites are divided into two groups.

    • Intestinal protozoa: single-cell organisms; typically multiply within the host; transmission by direct fecal–oral route; do not cause eosinoph...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

Historical or physical features alone cannot separate intestinal parasites from other GI infections. 

  • Acute bacterial or viral GI syndromes tend to be sudden onset and short duration.

  • F...

TREATMENT

Select specific antiparasitic treatment based on patient history, parasite biology, and epidemiology. 

GENERAL MEASURES

  • Not all patients need drug therapy.

  • Symptomatic treatment is indicated fo...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Patient Monitoring

  • For most infections, testing for clearance is not indicated.

  • Consequences of intestinal parasitic infections include lactose intolerance, irritab...

REFERENCES

1
Mahmud MA, Spigt M, Bezabih AM, et al. Efficacy of handwashing with soap and nail clipping on intestinal parasitic infections in school-aged children: a factorial cluster randomized contro...

ADDITIONAL READING

  • Burgess SL, Gilchrist CA, Lynn TC, et al. Parasitic protozoa and interactions with the host intestinal microbiota. Infect Immun.  2017;85(8):e00101-17. [View Abstract on OvidMe...

SEE ALSO

Algorithm: Hematemesis (Bleeding, Upper Gastrointestinal) 

CODES

ICD10

  • B82.9 Intestinal parasitism, unspecified

  • A07.9 Protozoal intestinal disease, unspecified

  • B82.0 Intestinal helminthiasis, unspecified

  • B80 Enterobiasis

  • B71.9 Cestode infection, unspecified

  • B66.9 F...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • GI parasites are relatively common in patients presenting with GI symptoms and a pertinent history of travel, recent immigration, daycare, chronic diarrhea, or visible presence of worm...

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Related Images
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FIGURE 54-5 Life cycle of intestinal tapeworms Taenia solium (pork tapeworm) and Taenia saginata (beef tapeworm). Humans acquire intestinal tapeworm infections by ingesting the tissue stage of the parasite (cysticercus) in inadequately cooked meat (1). The parasite then hatches in the intestine (2) and matures to an intestinal tapeworm (3). The pork tapeworm (outside diagram) has a crown of spines on its head and ...
FIGURE 54-5 Life cycle of intestinal tapeworms Taenia solium (pork tapeworm) and Taenia saginata (beef tapeworm). Humans acquire intestina...
Figure 288.3. Gravid proglottid segments from T. saginata (A) and T. solium (B). Cleared in glycerol and mounted on a slide. Ub, Uterine branches. (A and B courtesy of Sylvia Paz Diaz Camacho.) C: Scanning electron micrograph of T. solium proglottid, showing genital atrium (a) and eggs (e) on surface (arrows).
Figure 288.3. Gravid proglottid segments from T. saginata (A) and T. solium (B). Cleared in glycerol and mounted on a slide. Ub, Uterine br...
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