Finding worms in your stool is unsettling, and understandably so! While various types of intestinal parasites can cause this, identifying the culprit is crucial for effective treatment. Let’s explore what might be happening, how to find out, and why a visit to your Miami primary care doctor is essential.

What Kinds of Worms Can Infest Humans?

The idea of “worms” is broad. Here are the most likely types you might find in your stool:

Roundworms

• The Usual Suspect: Roundworms like Ascaris are the most common type of intestinal parasitic infection globally.
• What They Look Like: They resemble cooked spaghetti—thin, whitish, and smooth. They can range from a few inches to over a foot long.
• How They Get In: Often from consuming eggs in contaminated food or water, primarily in areas with poor sanitation.
• Symptoms They Cause: Sometimes none, but can lead to coughing (larvae migrate to the lungs), abdominal discomfort, even intestinal blockage in severe cases.

Tapeworms

• Unsettlingly Long: Tapeworms can grow incredibly large, sometimes exceeding 50 feet in length! They have a ribbon-like appearance and are made up of detachable segments.
• Heads and Segments: They attach themselves to your intestinal wall via a “head” (scolex). Segments contain eggs and break off, appearing in your stool.
• How They Get in: Through eating undercooked meat (beef, pork) or fish containing larvae, or contaminated food/water abroad.
• Symptoms They Cause: Often mild nausea, weight loss, diarrhea. Large tapeworms can cause intestinal obstruction.

Pinworms

• Childhood Culprit: Pinworms are highly contagious, especially in children. If one family member has them, others likely do as well.
• Tiny but Troublesome: About 1/2 inch long, these thin, white, thread-like worms live in the colon and rectum.
• The Nighttime Itch: Females migrate to the anus at night to lay eggs, causing intense itching.
• How They Spread: Easily! Scratching transmits eggs to fingernails, then to toys, bedding, or other people. They can even briefly survive in the air.

Flukes

• The “Flatworm” Category: Flukes have leaf-shaped, flat bodies. Several different types exist, but less common in the US.
• Where You Find Them: Primarily in specific countries in Africa, Asia, and South America.
• How They Get In: Usually by eating infected raw water plants or undercooked fish. They first develop into larvae within snails in freshwater.
• Symptoms They Cause: Vary by type, but can include abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, and more severe problems depending on the organs affected.

How Do You Get Worms in Your Stool?

Transmission methods vary by type, but common routes include:

• Contaminated Food or Water: Undercooked meat, unwashed produce, or unsafe drinking water.
• Contact with Feces: Poor hand hygiene after changing diapers, gardening in contaminated soil, etc.
• Pets and Other Animals: Some worms are transmissible from pets to humans.
• Travel: Certain parasites are more prevalent in specific international destinations.

How to Tell If You Have Worms in Your Stool

The Obvious and the Hidden:

• Visible Worms: Segments, whole worms, or tiny wriggling ones found in your stool or around your anus.
• Other Symptoms: Abdominal pain, diarrhea, unexplained weight loss, itching around the anus (especially at night), or sometimes no symptoms at all.

Why You Need a Doctor’s Diagnosis

• Not All Worms Look the Same: Identifying the specific type through stool tests or other means dictates the right treatment.
• Self-Treatment Risks: Over-the-counter options might not work for all parasites, and incorrect treatment could worsen things.
• Underlying Issues: Parasites sometimes signal an immune system problem or exposure to contamination your Miami doctor needs to uncover.

How to Get Rid of Parasites

• Medications: Anti-parasitic medications are the mainstay of treatment, and here’s a general idea of the types used:
  • Roundworms: Drugs like albendazole (Albenza) or mebendazole (Emverm) are usually effective in short courses.
  • Tapeworms: Depending on the specific tapeworm, niclosamide (Niclocide) or praziquantel (Biltricide) are among the options.
  • Pinworms: Albendazole or mebendazole are usually used as initial treatment. Since reinfection is common, repeated doses a few weeks later are often needed.
  • Flukes: Praziquantel is effective against many fluke types.
• Treating the Household: To break the cycle, especially for pinworms, your doctor might recommend:
  • Everyone takes it: Treating the whole house at once prevents immediate reinfection.
  • Repeat Doses: Two rounds spaced a few weeks apart can catch reinfections from lingering eggs.
• Prevention is Key: This is crucial to prevent getting sick again and protecting those around you:
  • Hand Hygiene: Thorough handwashing with soap and water, especially before eating, after toilet use, or changing diapers.
  • Clean Food: Wash produce well, cook meat to safe temperatures, avoid street vendors when traveling in high-risk areas.
  • Water Precautions: Boil water or use filters in places with unsafe drinking water.
  • Pet Care: Regular deworming of dogs and cats can prevent some zoonotic (animal-to-human) transmissions.

Talk To Your Miami Primary Care Provider!

If you suspect worms, the primary care doctors, internists, and nurse practitioners at Hiriart & Lopez MD are here to help. We offer accurate diagnosis, personalized treatment plans, and guidance on preventing future infections. Visit our offices at 9950 SW 107th Ave STE 101, Miami, FL, 33176 or call at (305) 274-8779. You can also schedule an appointment online!

Disclaimer: This is for informational purposes only. Always consult a doctor for accurate diagnosis and treatment, especially if you’re experiencing severe symptoms.