Ascaris medicine
Ascariasis is a worm disease that is provoked by roundworms ascaris. They parasitize the human small intestine, although they can sometimes be found in other organs.
The choice of a medicine for ascaris should be carried out by a doctor. The fact is that different anthelmintics have different effects on the same groups of helminths. In addition, the roundworms themselves have different sensitivity to different drugs belonging to the group of anthelmintics.
Patients should be aware that in no case should the dosage of the drug recommended by the doctor be exceeded, since they all have toxic effects not only on worms, but also on the human body. Any deviation from the selected dose can adversely affect health. Antiparasitic drugs in this group have a wide list of side effects and contraindications. Many of them are prohibited for admission in childhood, almost all of them are not prescribed during pregnancy and lactation. This is another evidence in favor of the fact that a doctor should deal with the treatment of ascariasis.
Most often, anthelmintics are administered orally, so they are available in the form of tablets, powders, pills, suspensions and capsules. Parenteral administration of drugs for ascaris is recommended only in severe cases.
Prescribe a medicine for ascaris, depending on the phase of development of the disease.
List of medicines for ascaris
If the parasitic invasion was diagnosed at an early migratory stage, when the larvae of the worm did not reach the intestines and did not turn into sexually mature individuals, then the following drugs may be prescribed:
- Tiabendazole (Mintezol, Arbotekt, Tetusim, Mertect) course for 5-7 days.
- Mebendazole (Vermox, Vormin, Vermakar, Vormin) course for 3-4 days. Thiabendazole and Mebendazole are benzimidazole drugs. They act on the intestinal cells of the parasite, interfering with the absorption of glucose. As a result, roundworms die of hunger.
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Levamisole (Decaris). Levamisole is an imidazottiazole drug. After taking it, there is a depolarization of neuromuscular blocking agents in parasites.
In parallel, the patient undergoes detoxification therapy during the migration stage. To eliminate broncho-pulmonary symptoms, doctors recommend taking bronchodilators and corticosteroids. At the same time, a short course of antihistamine therapy is given. This is necessary in order to reduce the likelihood of developing an allergic reaction to the injected drug, designed to fight parasitic invasion.
When ascariasis is detected in the intestinal phase, the patient can be prescribed the same drugs that were used to treat parasites in the migratory stage. They will have a similar effect on sexually mature worms that parasitize the small intestine.
In addition, this list can be supplemented with some more drugs:
- Pirantel pamoat (Helmintox, Pirantel, Nemocid, Kombantrin). Pyrantel pamoate belongs to the group of imidazottiazoles and acts on the neuromuscular system of Ascaris, similar to Levamisole.
- Piperazine. This drug belongs to the group of piperazine salts. Piperazine provokes paralysis of the neuromuscular system of ascaris, disrupting the normal passage of impulses, thereby causing the death of the worm. It should be noted that only Piperazine is approved for use in pregnant women. However, it can be used not for any period of gestation and only under medical supervision.
- Pyrvinium embonate (Pirkon, Pirvinium, Vanquin). The drugs of this group block the enzyme systems of ascaris, disrupting the process of metabolism and transport of glucose. The effect can be obtained with a single dose of the drug.
- Carbendacim (Medamin). The drug paralyzes the acarid muscles, as a result of which the parasites lose their ability to stay in the intestines and go out with the feces.
After taking medication for ascaris
As for the dosage, it is selected individually, depending on the weight of the person and on the degree of infestation by parasites. Side effects for each drug will vary, but most often manufacturers of medicines for ascaris indicate the possibility of allergic reactions, including urticaria, itching, and a rash on the body. It is possible that the appetite deteriorates, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain appear. From the side of the central nervous system, complications are rarely observed, as possible side effects: headaches, sleep disturbances, dizziness. More detailed information should be checked with the attending physician, who recommends this or that drug for the treatment of ascariasis.
It is worthwhile to tune in to taking enzyme preparations in the event that ascariasis is diagnosed in the intestinal stage. Patients are prescribed Creon, Mezim, Pancreatin in order to normalize the function of digestion, which often suffers from parasitic invasion. You can correct the intestinal microflora with the help of probiotics, including: Linex, Bifidum Forte, Bifiform.
As for the non-drug correction of ascariasis, the patient is shown to adhere to a dietary diet during treatment. It is necessary to limit the intake of carbohydrate and fatty foods into the body, enrich the diet with vitamins and proteins of animal origin.
Laxatives, contrary to popular belief, are not prescribed, since they do not give the desired effect, and with constipation against the background of ascariasis, they can be harmful at all. The fact is that constipation can be caused by intestinal obstruction due to a massive accumulation of worms. As a result, taking laxatives will rupture the intestinal wall and the patient will develop peritonitis, which poses a direct threat to the patient's life.
After the course of treatment for ascariasis is completed, the patient must be re-diagnosed to determine the effectiveness of therapy. It is carried out 2 weeks later and 30 days after the completion of the drug intake. In addition, for another 3 years, the patient should be registered with the dispensary. Every year he will need to take a feces test to determine the ascaris eggs.
In general, the specific medicine for ascaris is carefully selected by the attending doctor. The course of treatment is most often short, and in some cases it can even be one day. Modern anthelmintic drugs are highly effective and, if used correctly, can achieve success in 80-100% of cases.
Article author: Mochalov Pavel Alexandrovich | d. m. n. therapist
Education: Moscow Medical Institute. IM Sechenov, specialty - "General Medicine" in 1991, in 1993 "Occupational Diseases", in 1996 "Therapy".
