Pediatric Ascariasis Treatment & Management

  • Author: William H Shoff, MD, DTM&H; Chief Editor: Russell W Steele, MD   more...
 
Updated: Sep 27, 2010
 

Medical Care

Pulmonary disease

Most cases are asymptomatic.

Most symptomatic cases are mild and self-limited (days) and do not require therapy.

Bronchospasm can be managed with conventional therapy.

Severe cases can be managed with systemic steroids and oxygen supplementation.

Partial small bowel obstruction

In the absence of signs of toxicity (eg, fever, tachycardia, protracted vomiting, peritoneal signs), persisting abdominal pain, or a palpable mass in the same site for more than 24 hours, several conservative management strategies, including supportive care, have proven efficacious. Some of these strategies are as follows:

Intravenous fluids and nasogastric tube with or without an antispasmodic (antimuscarinic)

Intravenous fluids, nasogastric tube, and antibiotics (eg, metronidazole, aminoglycoside, penicillin) with or without an antihelminthic after resolution of symptoms

Saline enema with or without an antispasmodic: Saline enemas are effective in children because 80% have an incompetent ileal-cecal sphincter.

Racine or mineral oil (15-30 mL via nasogastric tube) in conjunction with an antihelminthic: A low dose is used to allow worm death over few days. Several reports note that administration of antihelminthics in patients with partial bowel obstruction can precipitate complete obstruction.

Gastrografin (15-30 mL) via nasogastric tube: The hyperosmolar action results in increased fluid around worms, which favors their separation.

In the presence bowel obstruction, persisting or worsening abdominal pain, or sepsis, surgical intervention is warranted (see Surgical Care).

Hepatobiliary and pancreatic ascariasis

This typically manifests as biliary colic, acalculous cholecystitis, ascending cholangitis, pancreatitis, or hepatic abscess. Ascariasis is a common cause of these conditions in endemic countries.

Aggressive antibiotic therapy for suspected infection and early ERCP to remove the worms are highly efficacious together in the treatment of HPA. During ERCP, worms are sometimes observed to be moving into and out of the duct orifices. Worms are directly removed; when they are out of reach, they can be flushed out with rapid injection of 5-10 mL of diluted dye (eg, 10% Urograffin) into the duct. The entire worm must be removed because fragments lead to infection, granulomas, or stone formation.

After abdominal symptoms improve, antihelminthics can be administered. In one series, the ERCP complication (cholangitis, hypotension) rate was 6%.[13]

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Surgical Care

In endemic regions, ascariasis is a major etiology for conditions that require acute surgical intervention, including the following:

  • Intestinal obstruction
  • Appendicitis
  • Volvulus
  • Intussusception
  • Ischemic bowel
  • Hepatobiliary obstruction (if ERCP has failed or is unavailable)
  • Failure of conservative management of partial bowel obstruction
  • Severe abdominal pain or tenderness with signs of toxicity
  • Persisting or worsening abdominal pain
  • Severe abdominal pain with a palpable mass in the same site for longer than 24 hours

Surgical procedures used in the management of the bowel obstruction secondary to ascariasis include the following:

Milking the worms through the ileo-cecal valve: This is recommended for a worm bolus in the distal ileum. Milking proximal boluses may cause damage to the bowel. This process has been facilitated by oral administration of mineral oil (15-30 mL).

Enterotomy to remove the bolus if milking is unsuccessful

Segmental resection of damaged bowel with or without temporary ostomy, as needed: Anastomosis should be 2-layers and end-to-end to prevent residual worms from migrating through the anastomosis into the peritoneal cavity, which has been reported.

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Consultations

Surgeon

Any patient with acute abdominal pain and tenderness suggestive of an acute surgical process warrants a surgical consultation. If a double-contrast (ie, oral and intravenous dye) CT scan can be performed and the patient is not toxic or septic, the consultation may be deferred until the results of the scan are available. If the patient is toxic or septic, the surgical consultation should take place immediately.

Critical care specialist

Any patient who appears to be septic may qualify for early goal-directed therapy.

GI specialist

Any patient who is diagnosed with HPA or in whom a high index of suspicion for this diagnosis is noted warrants an immediate GI consultation for emergent ERCP. This procedure is often both diagnostic and therapeutic, with removal of the offending worm and relief of the obstruction.

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Diet

Advise patients with known ascariasis to avoid peppery and spicy foods because they induce increased worm migration.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

William H Shoff, MD, DTM&H  Director, PENN Travel Medicine, Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

William H Shoff, MD, DTM&H is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, International Society of Travel Medicine, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, and Wilderness Medical Society

Disclosure: Glaxo Smith Kline None None; Glaxo Smith Kline Honoraria Speaking and teaching

Coauthor(s)

Catherine T Shoff, DO  Staff Physician, Departments of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Director, Tri-Services Adult Cystic Fibrosis Ctr, Wilford Hall Medical Center, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Catherine T Shoff, DO is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Sleep Medicine and American College of Chest Physicians

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Michael E Greenberg, MD  MPH, Clinical Instructor, Department of Pediatrics, University of California at San Francisco

Michael E Greenberg, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, Ambulatory Pediatric Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Public Health Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Suzanne Moore Shepherd, MD, MS, DTM&H, FACEP, FAAEM  Associate Professor, Education Officer, Department of Emergency Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania; Director of Education and Research, PENN Travel Medicine

Suzanne Moore Shepherd, MD, MS, DTM&H, FACEP, FAAEM is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, International Society of Travel Medicine, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, and Wilderness Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Michael D Nissen, MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA  Associate Professor in Biomolecular, Biomedical Science & Health, Griffith University; Director of Infectious Diseases and Unit Head of Queensland Paediatric Infectious Laboratory, Sir Albert Sakzewski Viral Research Centre, Royal Children's Hospital

Michael D Nissen, MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Society for Microbiology, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, Royal Australasian College of Physicians, and Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Mary L Windle, PharmD  Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Martin Weisse, MD  Program Director, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, West Virginia University

Martin Weisse, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Ambulatory Pediatric Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Robert W Tolan Jr, MD  Chief, Division of Allergy, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, The Children's Hospital at Saint Peter's University Hospital; Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Drexel University College of Medicine

Robert W Tolan Jr, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, American Society for Microbiology, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, Phi Beta Kappa, and Physicians for Social Responsibility

Disclosure: GlaxoSmithKline Honoraria Speaking and teaching; MedImmune Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Merck Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Sanofi Pasteur Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Baxter Healthcare Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Novartis Honoraria Speaking and teaching

Chief Editor

Russell W Steele, MD  Head, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Ochsner Children's Health Center; Clinical Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine

Russell W Steele, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Immunologists, American Pediatric Society, American Society for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Louisiana State Medical Society, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, Society for Pediatric Research, and Southern Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

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The roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides causes ascariasis. Worms can reach 10-30 cm in length. Clinical disease results from effects of pulmonary larval migration, intestinal obstruction, or migration through the biliary tree.
Table 1. Major Soil-Transmitted Helminths[1, 2]
Parasite*DiseasePrevalence
A lumbricoidesCommon roundworm infection, ascariasis800 million to 1.4 billion
T trichiuraWhipworm infection, trichuriasis600 million to 1 billion
Necator americanus and



Ancylostoma duodenale



Hookworm infection580 million to 1.2 billion
Strongyloides stercoralisThreadworm infection, strongyloidiasis30-300 million
Enterobius vermicularisPinworm infection4-28% of children
Toxocara canis and



Toxocara cati



Visceral larva migrans and ocular larva migrans2-80% of children
*All major parasites are found in tropical, subtropical, and temperate climates.
Table 2. Minor Soil-Transmitted Helminths[1, 2]
Minor ParasiteDiseaseDistribution
Ancylostoma brazilienseCutaneous larva migransCostal regions worldwide
Uncinaria stenocephalaCutaneous larva migransCostal regions worldwide
Ancyclostoma caniumEosinophilic enteritisAustralia
Ancylostoma ceylanicumHookworm infectionAsia
Oesophagostomum bifurcumNodular worm infectionNorth America
Strongyloides fuelleborniSwollen belly syndromeWest Africa
Ternidens diminutusFalse hookworm infectionSouthern Africa
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