Gastroenterology Search
Gastroenterology Gastroenterology
parasitic%20infections
PARASITIC INFECTIONS
Treatment Guideline Chart
Gastrointestinal parasitic infection symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, dysentery, flatulence, malabsorption and symptoms of biliary obstruction.
It can be caused by protozoan parasites and helminths.
Host susceptibility factors in gastrointestinal parasitic infections are nutritional status, intercurrent disease, pregnancy, immunosuppressive drugs and presence of a malignancy.
Knowledge of the geographic distribution of parasites is helpful in the diagnosis of patients.

Parasitic%20infections Management

Follow Up

  • Repeat laboratory exams to document eradication of parasite, if necessary

Prevention

  • Health education regarding personal hygiene, routes of transmission & prevention of transmission
  • Handwashing to interrupt the fecal-oral or urinary-oral route of transmission of many parasites
  • Good food hygiene eg washing all vegetables & fruits before consumption to interrupt fecal-oral transmission
    • Kitchen utensils must be washed frequently
    • Meat & fish must be properly cooked
  • Use of footwear to inhibit the soil-to-skin route of infection
  • Targeted chemotherapy may prevent infections, like treating family contacts of a patient w/ certain parasitic infections eg enterobiasis
  • Proper disposal of sewage & wastewater to avoid contamination of food crops or water supplies by fecal material
  • Compost of human waste to kill infective forms of parasites
Editor's Recommendations
Special Reports
MORE Special Reports arrow