What Are the Symptoms of a Whipworm Infection? bloody diarrhea. painful or frequent defecation. abdominal pain. nausea. vomiting. headaches. sudden and unexpected weight loss. fecal incontinence, or the inability to control defecation.
What does whipworm do to humans?
People infected with whipworm can suffer light or heavy infections. People with light infections usually have no symptoms. People with heavy infections can experience frequent, painful bowel movements that contain a mixture of mucus, water, and blood.
Can you see whipworms in human stool?
Health care providers can diagnose whipworm by taking a stool (poop) sample. Providers look for whipworm eggs under a microscope.
How do you treat whipworms in humans?
Mebendazole, albendazole, or ivermectin, taken by mouth, is used to treat whipworm infection. Mebendazole taken twice daily for 3 days is preferred for heavy infections. Albendazole or ivermectin taken once a day for 3 days is an alternative.
How do you test for whipworms in humans?
The standard method for diagnosing the presence of whipworm is by microscopically identifying whipworm eggs in a stool sample. Because eggs may be difficult to find in light infections, a concentration procedure is recommended.
What happens if you don't treat whipworms?
The more whipworms, the greater the irritation, which can lead to weight loss, diarrhea, bloody stools, and anemia. This causes a decrease in quality of life and body condition score and can be dangerous in puppies, senior dogs, and dogs with compromised immune systems.
How long does it take for whipworms to become adults?
After a dog ingests eggs containing infective L1, the larvae will develop into reproductively mature adults after approximately 3 months.
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