infections
Whipworm Infection
Introduction
Whipworm infection is an intestinal infection caused by the roundwormTrichuris trichiura. People acquire the infection by eating foods contaminated with soil that contains whipworm eggs or by swallowing eggs after having contact with contaminated soil. People may have no symptoms or may have abdominal pain, loss of appetite, diarrhea, bleeding from the intestine, or anemia, depending on the severity of the infection. Doctors usually diagnose the infection by identifying eggs in a stool sample. Adequate sanitation and good personal hygiene help prevent spread of the infection. An antiparasitic drug such asalbendazoleis used to treat the infection. (See also Overview of Parasitic Infections .) Trichuriasis is a common infection, occurring mainly in the subtropics and tropics, where poor sanitation and a warm, moist climate provide the conditions needed forTrichuriseggs to incubate in the soil. It also occurs in the southern United States. About 604 to 795 million people, mostly children, are infected worldwide. 