Roundworms - Nature Cures®

Roundworms are the largest of the intestinal nematodes affecting humans, growing to 15-35 centimetres in length. They are transferred by ingestion. The eggs hatch and quickly penetrate the intestinal wall, where they enter the bloodstream.

From there, the roundworm makes its way to the lungs, from where it is coughed up and swallowed, returning it to the gut.

Roundworms are more complex than flatworms, possessing not just a separate mouth and anus, but a circulatory system as well. They are spread directly to humans from contaminated soil and food and are more common in tropical and subtropical areas, especially Asia, because of the use of untreated human faeces as a fertiliser.

Roundworms also grow in the warm soil of the south-eastern USA. They are the most common intestinal parasite in the world. Larvae penetrate through the skin of the feet and travel to the intestine where they reach maturity.

Unusually, nematodes can reproduce entirely in a human host or grow free in soil. They can infect a human host for over 30 years and migrating immature nematodes can cause gnathostomiasis

Types of roundworms

Anisakis

Anisakis are contracted through consuming undercooked or raw fish such as sushi and can cause anisakiasis in humans. The larval stage infects fish like Pacific salmon, red snapper, herring, cod and haddock and the mature anisakis infect sea mammals.

Signs and symptoms of anisakis

Appendicitis
Crohn’s disease
Intestinal disorders

Dog and cat roundworm

(Toxocara canis, Toxocara cati): These are contracted through soil contaminated with dog, cat or fox faeces. Humans are not usually viable hosts for the mature forms, but toxocariasis is an illness of humans caused by larvae (immature worms) of either the dog or cat roundworm which can infect children.

Signs and symptoms of dog and cat roundworm infection

A high eosinophil count combined with anaemia as revealed by blood tests is typical. The larvae can hatch and travel to the lungs causing pneumonitis, to the intestines causing pain or to the liver causing enlargement in addition to the brain or eye.

Dog heartworm

Dog heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) is contracted from a bite from an infected mosquito in tropical Africa, south-eastern Asia, South Pacific, Atlantic or the Gulf coast in the USA. Man is not a viable host for the mature worm, but larvae can remain in subcutaneous tissue or invade the lung.

Signs and symptoms of dog heartworm

If the larvae invade the lung, they can cause a cough and the lesions can be mistaken for lung cancer.

Trichinella spiralis

Trichinella spiralis can infect bears, horses, humans, pigs and rodents. Trichinosis can be contracted by eating undercooked or raw pork infected with these parasites. Cysts are present in infected pork and once eaten the immature roundworms are released and can travel to human muscles.

They burrow into the larynx, chest, abdomen, jaw and upper arm and cause tender calcified cysts in muscles and fever.

Symptoms of trichinella infection

Upon infection there will be two to four weeks of acute gastrointestinal symptoms, thereafter severe muscle pain plus a wide range symptoms which can masquerade as a variety of more familiar diseases.

In the advanced stages the Trichinella creates cysts within muscles, causes extreme dehydration, swelling of the lips and eyelids, difficulty breathing, enlarged lymph glands, meningitis and pneumonia.

Whipworms

Whipworms (Trichuris trichiura) are a round worm that causes trichuriasis when it infects a human large intestine. It is commonly known as the whipworm which refers to the shape being that of a whip.

Symptoms of roundworm infections

Many individuals do not show signs of roundworm disease, but some may show inflammation of the intestine and lungs and the following symptoms:

Allergic rash
Bloating
Brain disorders
Coughing
Diarrhoea
Eye disorders
Fever
Greasy stools
Nausea
Irritability and nervousness
Nerve problems
Neurological disorders
Pulmonary disorders
Tiredness
Weight loss
Wheezing
Vomiting

Infection of roundworms may also lead to temporarily induced lactose intolerance and to the malabsorption of vitamin A, protein and fat.

Natural remedies for roundworm infection

Black plum
Cascara: This can be consumed after eating pumpkin seeds to help eliminate parasites from the body. It is milder than senna but has a similar action. Prunes can also be consumed for the same purposes.
Chinaberry bark
Black seed
Cloves
Gentian root
Fennel seeds
Garlic: Take four cloves per day. Crush or finely chop and leave to stand for ten minutes then take with a glass of water or juice or add to a meal.
Ginger can be grated or sliced and added to herbal teas made from any of the other herbal remedies.
Grapefruit seed extract
Hyssop leaves
Oregano
Paico leaf: This herb can effectively eradicate roundworms in most cases.
Peppermint leaves
Pumpkin seeds can be eaten whole or mashed and mixed with juice. Two or three hours after eating up to 25 ounces of seeds, a laxative such as senna or prunes is recommended to purge the intestines. Cascara sagrada is a herb that can also be used after eating pumpkin seeds to help eliminate parasites from the body. It is milder than senna but has a similar action.
Quisqualis fruit
Thyme leaves
Torrya seed: This can be used with black plum, chinaberry bark and quisqualis fruit.
Walnut husks (green and black)
Wormwood: This can be taken as a tea. Do not take the pure oil as it is considered to be toxic.
Wormseed: This can be taken as a tea. NOTE: Do not use concentrated wormseed oil as it is too potent.

For more natural remedies see: Parasites

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