Whipworm infection is an intestinal infection caused by the roundworm (nematode) Trichuris 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, rectal prolapse, or anemia, depending on the severity of the infection.
Doctors usually diagnose the infection by identifying eggs in a stool sample.
People are treated with medications used to treat worm infections.
Adequate sanitation and good personal hygiene help prevent spread of the infection.
Helminths are parasitic worms that can infect humans and animals. There are 3 types of helminths: flukes (trematodes), tapeworms (cestodes), and roundworms (nematodes). Trichuris trichiura is a roundworm.
Trichuriasis is a common infection. Approximately 800 million people are infected worldwide. It occurs mainly in tropical areas with poor sanitation and in children. In the United States, most cases of trichuriasis are in immigrants or travelers returning from areas where the infection is common, but the infection can be acquired in some southern areas.
(See also Overview of Parasitic Infections.)
Transmission of Whipworm Infection
People acquire the parasite by
Swallowing food contaminated by soil that contains whipworm eggs
Transferring eggs from their hands to their mouth after contact with contaminated soil or after swallowing contaminated soil
Children may swallow contaminated soil.
The eggs hatch in a person's small intestine and release larvae. The larvae then travel to the large intestine where they mature and embed themselves in the lining of the intestine. Adult female whipworms produce eggs, which are excreted in the person's stool.
Each larva grows into a worm that is approximately 1 1/2 inches (4 centimeters) long and is estimated to live approximately 1 year, although some may live longer.
Image from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Global Health, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria.
Symptoms of Whipworm Infection
Mild whipworm infections often cause no symptoms.
Severe whipworm infections may cause abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and diarrhea. Weight loss, anemia (a low number of red blood cells or a low level of hemoglobin), and protrusion of the rectum through the anus (rectal prolapse) may occur, especially in children.
Diagnosis of Whipworm Infection
Examination of a stool sample
Doctors diagnose trichuriasis by identifying eggs in stool samples examined under a microscope.
Sometimes, doctors see adult worms when using an endoscope to examine the large intestine, the rectum, and the anus.
Doctors do blood tests to check for anemia.
Treatment of Whipworm Infection
Medications used to treat worms (anthelmintics)
To treat whipworm infection, a doctor prescribes mebendazole, albendazole, or ivermectin. These medications are known as anthelmintics, and they are taken by mouth.
Doctors do not usually prescribe these medications for pregnant women because these medications can harm the fetus.
If people have been to areas in central Africa where a roundworm called Loa loa is transmitted, doctors check them for Loa loa infection (loiasis) before giving them ivermectin because ivermectin can cause serious brain inflammation (encephalitis) in people who have a severe Loa loa infection and whipworm infection at the same time.
Prevention of Whipworm Infection
Prevention of whipworm infection depends on
Adequate sanitation (particularly sanitary toilet facilities)
Good personal hygiene
Hands should be washed before handling food, and unwashed fruits and vegetables should be avoided. Potentially contaminated water also should be avoided.
