About 100 ascaris removed from 8-yr-old’s intestine

Bhopal: 8-year-old Ifra was admitted to People’s Hospital, Bhanpur in the  wee hours of Wednesday with complaints of severe abdominal pain.

Ifra, a resident of Galla Mandi, Bhopal and daughter of Irfan, a painter by profession, was in pain for the past 5-6 days and her parents took her to Hamidia Hospital, who then referred her to People’s Hospital of Medical Sciences.

On investigation, the doctors diagnosed intestinal obstruction and a big mass. During the surgery, which was led by paediatric surgeon and HOD surgery, Dr Ashwin Apte, the team of doctors found a bunch of live worms (ascaris or round worms) in the small intestine.

In a child the small intestinal is about 4 metre long and the roundworms had occupied about 1.5 metre of the total space. The doctors had to chop off a section of the intestine as it had developed gangrene.

Dr Apte, while speaking with WTN said, “The worm eggs would have been living and growing in there for at least six months. Had there been delay of even a day or two, the intestine would have burst and even proved fatal. Ifra’s haemoglobin level was also around 6 grams, which is common among those suffering from worms.”

Cause

Speaking on the cause and how it enters human body, Dr Apte says, “When we consume anything which is contaminated the eggs of worm reach and survive in the stomach. This generally happens when fruits and vegetables are not properly cleaned or are irrigated using sewage water or sanitation habits are not healthy.”

Prevention

The government has initiated administration of de-worming tablets in schools. However, it is ideal if the parents ensure that the child undergoes a stool test annually to ensure there are no worms. Confirming the above, Dr Apte adds, “The children up to the age of 10 must essentially take de-worming tablets to avoid such problems.”

The doctors who assisted in the surgery include, Dr Mahima, Dr Shankar, Dr Jitendra, Chirag, Dr Soumya and Dr Devesh.

Presently, Ifra is recuperating in the paediatrics ICU of the hospital.

–windowtonews