Diagnosis and Treatment
Most diagnoses are made by identifying the appearance of the worm or eggs in feces. Due to the large quantity of eggs laid, physicians can diagnose using only one or two fecal smears.
Infections can be treated with drugs called ascaricides. The treatment of choice is Mebendazole. The drug functions by binding to tubulin in the worms' intestinal cells and body-wall muscles. Nitazoxanide and ivermectin can also be used.
Read more about this topic: Ascaris Lumbricoides
Famous quotes containing the word treatment:
“I will use treatment to help the sick according to my ability and judgment, but never with a view to injury and wrongdoing. Neither will I administer a poison to anybody when asked to do so, nor will I suggest such a course. Similarly, I will not give to a woman a pessary to cause abortion. I will keep pure and holy both my life and my art.”
—Hippocrates (c. 460–c. 370 B.C.)