Ambulance 912HAP 9252
Back to all symptoms and conditions
General health information

Parasitic worms

Worms is a collective term for various parasites of the intestine, skin or organs. The species is identified from appearance, symptoms, travel and residence history, and targeted tests; do not take a general deworming treatment on your own initiative, because treatment and risks differ greatly.

In this article
Choose which sections to read

Worms is a collective term for various parasites of the intestine, skin or organs. The species is identified from appearance, symptoms, travel and residence history, and targeted tests; do not take a general deworming treatment on your own initiative, because treatment and risks differ greatly.

  • No symptoms, or occasionally seeing a worm, thread-like object or rice-like segment in stool or underwear.
  • Abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea, a swollen abdomen, reduced appetite or weight loss.
  • Do not simply use leftover treatment or veterinary medicine, and do not take a product if the species and safety for you are uncertain.
  • Wash hands after using the toilet, changing nappies or gardening and before eating or cooking, and keep nails short.
  • Make an appointment for a visible worm other than typical threadworms, or an uncertain species after travel or residence in the tropics.
  • For urgent GP care outside normal opening hours, call HAP 9252. Call Ambulance 912 only for an immediately life-threatening situation.

Your response

Two anonymous questions

Did you find what you were looking for?

Do you now have a clearer idea of your next step?

Share article

Email

Do you need a healthcare provider after reading?

Search by type of care, organisation, name or district.

Further reading

Browse A–Z
W
WhipwormsWhipworms are intestinal parasites acquired by swallowing mature eggs from soil or food contaminated with faeces. A mild infection often causes no symptoms; a heavy infection can cause prolonged or bloody diarrhoea, anaemia, poor growth and rectal prolapse, and requires targeted stool testing and treatment.
F
Filarial worms (filariasis)This article uses the Dutch term ‘draadwormen’ to mean filarial worms: various tropical roundworms transmitted by biting mosquitoes or flies. Depending on the species, larvae and worms may occur under the skin, in lymph vessels or around the eye. Travel region, symptoms and species determine investigation and treatment. These are different from pinworms or Strongyloides.
R
Roundworm infectionRoundworms are intestinal parasites acquired by swallowing eggs from contaminated soil, food or hands. Symptoms range from none to abdominal pain, cough or, rarely, blockage of the bowel or bile ducts.