Emergency Department Care
Effective anthelmintic therapy is available for whipworm infection (trichuriasis) (see Medication).
Consultations
Specialty consultation for trichuriasis is not necessary unless rectal prolapse or severe anemia is present; both are rare.
Prevention
Household contacts are at low risk because of life-cycle requirements.
If fecal contamination of soil is possible (eg, children defecating in the back yard, human waste used as fertilizer), consider the possibility of household transmission.
Contacts may be screened for asymptomatic carrier state.
Improved sanitation is the best way to eradicate whipworm infection (trichuriasis).
Careful washing of vegetables and fruits grown in contaminated areas is also important.
Further Inpatient Care
Inpatient care for whipworm infection (trichuriasis) may be warranted for patients with rectal prolapse or severe anemia.
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This is an illustration of the life cycle of Trichuris trichiura, the causal agent of trichuriasis. Image courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Alexander J. da Silva, PhD, and Melanie Moser.
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Adult Trichuris trichiura males are 30-45 mm long, with a coiled posterior end. Adult females are 35-50 mm with a straight posterior end. Both sexes have a long, whip-like anterior end. Adults reside in the large intestine, cecum, and appendix of the host. Image shows the posterior end of an adult T trichiura, taken during a colonoscopy. Image courtesy of Duke University Medical Center and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
