USAID's NTD Program

Roundworm: Ascariasis

Treatment

Mebendazole or albendazole are currently the drugs of choice to treat adult worms. Ascariasis infection is treated with a single dose of 300 mg to 500 mg of mebendazole or 100 mg of mebendazole twice a day for three consecutive days. Albendazole is given at a single dose of 400 mg.^1,2

Antihelminthic drugs are being successfully used to treat complications of intestinal ascariasis. The surgical treatment is now often indicated for more severe intestinal complications with peritonitis.³

Prevention and Control

Control measures include:

• Availability of water for use in personal hygiene
• Sanitation and education to promote using latrines
• Education on hand washing and washing of food
• Avoiding the use of uncomposted human feces as fertilizer
• Mass chemotherapy: Modern antihelminthics, such as mebendazole or albendazole administered in a single dose, are safe and relatively inexpensive, and effective for several months. The association of albendazole to ivermectine or to diethylcarbamazine in community-wide drug distribution to eliminate lymphatic filariasis in many areas also will reduce the number of eggs released in the environment and, consequently, decrease the intensity and prevalence of A. lumbricoides infection.¹

Although ascariasis is not eradicable, it can be better controlled if the above measures are implemented in areas of high prevalence.

Additional Resources

• Preventive Chemotherapy in Human Helminthiasis – October 2006 [PDF, 1.6MB]
  This WHO manual provides guidance on coordinating implementation of mass drug administration (MDA) for roundworm as well as the other NTDs targeted by MDA.

Learn more about roundworm:

• Epidemiology
• Symptoms
• Life Cycle
• Diagnosis
• Back to Roundworm Overview

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References

1. World Health Organization: Prevention and control of schistosomiasis and soil transmitted helminthiasis. Report of a WHO expert committee, WHO Technical Report Series 912. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2002.
   
2. WHO: Report of the WHO Informal Consultation on the Use of Praziquantel During Pregnancy/Lactation and Albendazole/ Mebendazole in Children Under 24 Months. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2003.
3. Wasadikar PP, Kulkarni AB: Intestinal obstruction due to ascariasis. Br J Surg. 84:410, 1997.