Capillariasis is a disease in the group of helminthiasis diseases caused by the nematode '' Capillaria philippinensis''.

Symptoms and signs

Symptoms in infested humans include watery

diarrhea Diarrhea, also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having at least three loose, liquid, or watery bowel movements each day. It often lasts for a few days and can result in dehydration due to fluid loss. Signs of dehydration often begin w ...

, abdominal pain, edema, weight loss,

borborygmus A stomach rumble, also known as a bowel sound, peristaltic sound, abdominal sound, bubble gut or borborygmus (pronounced ; plural borborygmi), is a rumbling, growling or gurgling noise produced by movement of the contents of the gastro-intestinal ...

(stomach growling), and depressed levels of

potassium Potassium is the chemical element with the symbol K (from Neo-Latin ''kalium'') and atomic number19. Potassium is a silvery-white metal that is soft enough to be cut with a knife with little force. Potassium metal reacts rapidly with atmosph ...

and

albumin Albumin is a family of globular proteins, the most common of which are the serum albumins. All the proteins of the albumin family are water-soluble, moderately soluble in concentrated salt solutions, and experience heat denaturation. Albumins ...

in the blood. In humans, the parasites damage the cells of the intestinal wall. This damage interferes with the absorption of nutrients and the maintenance of a proper electrolyte balance. Untreated ''C. philippinensis'' infestations are often fatal.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis usually involves finding the eggs and/or adults of ''C. philippinensis'' in stool samples.

Prevention

Prevention is as simple as avoiding eating small, whole, uncooked fish. However, in ''C. philippinensis''

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

areas, such dietary habits are common and have been practiced for many generations.

Treatment

Anthelmintics Anthelmintics or antihelminthics are a group of antiparasitic drugs that expel parasitic worms (helminths) and other internal parasites from the body by either stunning or killing them and without causing significant damage to the host. They may ...

such as

mebendazole Mebendazole (MBZ), sold under the brand name Vermox among others, is a medication used to treat a number of parasitic worm infestations. This includes ascariasis, pinworm infection, hookworm infections, guinea worm infections, hydatid disea ...

and

albendazole Albendazole (also known as albendazolum) is a broad-spectrum anthelmintic and antiprotozoal agent of the benzimidazole type. It is used for the treatment of a variety of intestinal parasite infections, including ascariasis, pinworm infection, ho ...

have been reported to eliminate infestation of humans more effectively than

thiabendazole Tiabendazole (INN, BAN), also known as thiabendazole (AAN, USAN) or TBZ and the trade names Mintezol, Tresaderm, and Arbotect, is a preservative, an antifungal agent, and an antiparasitic agent. Uses Preservative Tiabendazole is used primar ...

.Hwang, K.P., T.E. Wang, T.C. Liou, S.C. Lin, C.R. Kao, T.Y. Wang and K.K. Pang (2004)
Clinical features of human intestinal capillariasis in Taiwan
" ''World Journal of Gastroenterology'' 10(16):2391-2393.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Intestinal Capillariasis Trichocephalida Helminthiases Conditions diagnosed by stool test