Dear Doctor,

How often and what kind of dewormers should I use?

Aminah

Dear Aminah,

Dewormers are drugs used to clear the intestines and body of worms. These gain entry in the body commonly through feco oral route. If the food or drinks taken are contaminated by fecal matter containing eggs of worms, they can gain entry in the body, change into adult forms and multiply. The source of contamination can be using fruits/vegetables or meat which are unwashed or inadequately washed. Cutting them on unclean surface, cutting with unclean hands and or knife, cooking inadequately or consuming raw vegetables, serving or eating with unclean hands, serving in unclean dirty plates, are other possible sources of infection. One can get infected by handling pets and not washing hands after. Walking barefoot,, carries risk of infestation by hook worms which can enter the body through bare skin, mostly from feet. Swimming/bathing in untreated water can also cause infestation as the water may be harboring eggs of worms which may be swallowed inadvertently with water. .

Once inside the body, these worms can cause many kinds of illness ranging from abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, chronic cough, chronic anemia, skin rashes, any one or more of these problems.

If one is sure of hygiene of food and water consumed and has no problem suggestive of worm infestation, there is no need to deworm.. However, if one has a problem or is exposed to risk of infestation, deworming every 6 months is useful. In case of a person having more frequent infestation it can be more frequent.

Drugs like albendazole/mebendazole are used for deworming. Taking them once in prescribed dose is sufficient.

In case of serious worm infestations like tape worm, deworming is repeated after 2 weeks to kill the migratory larva forms of the worm thus breaking the life cycle.

Dr Rachna Pande  is a specialist in internal medicine at Ruhengeri Hospital