Choice of deworming for adults

You are familiar with the advice to take deworming medicine for children. However, many do not realize that adults can still get worms, especially if you do not maintain cleanliness. What are the deworming medicines for adults? Should all adults take deworming regularly?

Should adults take deworming medicine?

Worms are often experienced by children. Lack of maintaining cleanliness can be one of the factors that can encourage the spread of infectious diseases caused by worms. However, it does not rule out that adults can also experience worms.

For children with intestinal worms, doctors usually recommend taking deworming medication every six months as a preventative as well as treatment. This also applies to adults who get worms.

Adults with worms should take deworming medicine to treat the root of the problem. If not treated properly, intestinal worms can lead to further complications, such as intestinal obstruction and malabsorption (failure to absorb) nutrients.

However, the recommendation to take deworming as a preventive measure is prioritized only for adults who are at high risk of developing intestinal worms.

Who should take deworming medicine?

The recommendation to take deworming once every six months as protection from worms is only recommended for adults who are at risk of developing worms, including:

1. People who work in worm-prone places

Adults who spend most of the time in places prone to worm populations are susceptible to worms. Especially if their main activity allows their skin to come into direct contact with contaminated soil. Some professions that are prone to worms, include construction workers, earthworkers, or breeders and farmers who work with or are exposed to animals.

People who work in this field are more at risk of worms if they don't wash their hands after doing activities. This risk is also the same if their place of work is poor with adequate sanitation facilities. As a result, soil contaminated with worms and animal and / or human feces can easily enter their mouths through unwashed hands.

2. People who eat unclean food

Eating vegetables or fruit that are not washed, peeled properly, or cooked until they are completely ripe, will put a person at risk of developing worms. Regularly eating uncooked beef or pork also increases your risk of getting worms.

3. People living in slum neighborhoods

Worm infections are more common in warm, humid climates. Communities who live in areas with inadequate sanitation facilities (hygiene) are also at risk, such as on riverbanks, suburbs, or rural areas.

A person is at risk of becoming infected with worms if their skin is in direct contact with contaminated soil. Soil can be contaminated with the feces of someone infected with worms from defecating in “natural toilets”, such as river banks, or when human waste is also used as fertilizer.

4. People living in wormy-endemic areas

Adults who live in locations where worms are endemic must be aware of the transmission of schistosomiasis by taking deworming medication. Schistosomiasis, or snail fever, is an acute and chronic parasitic infection caused by worms Schistosoma japonicum.

Schistosomiasis is common in tropical and subtropical areas, particularly in rural and / or rural areas without access to clean drinking water and adequate sanitary facilities. Transmission occurs when people suffering from schistosomiasis contaminate fresh water sources with their feces containing parasite eggs. The eggs then hatch in the water.

For more information on worm-endemic areas in your area, ask your local health worker.

Deworming recommendations for adults

In some cases, such as tapeworm infection, intestinal worms can heal on their own as long as you maintain your immune system and a healthy lifestyle.

However, some types of worm infections require special anti-parasitic drugs so that the worms in the body can be eradicated. Immediately consult a doctor if you experience symptoms of intestinal worms, such as:

• There is blood or pus in the stool
• Often vomits, even every day
• Body temperature increases
• More easily tired and dehydrated

The appearance of these signs indicates that you need intensive treatment. The drugs given will usually depend on the type of worm that is infecting your body.

Here are the types of deworming medication for adults:

1. Albendazole

Albendazole is a drug that is usually prescribed to treat tapeworm infections that affect the muscles, brain, and eyes.

In addition to tapeworm infections, albendazole can also be used to treat roundworm and hookworm infections in adults. This drug works directly by killing worms that are lodged in your body.

This medicine is usually available in tablet form and must be taken 2 times a day after meals. To treat intestinal worms, albendazole takes about 8-30 days to work, depending on the severity of the infection.

It is important to remember that albendazole should not be consumed by pregnant women or who are planning a pregnancy. The reason is, this drug is at risk of causing harm to the fetus.

2. Mebendazole

Similar to albendazole, mebendazole is a drug to treat several types of intestinal worms in adults. This medication is more commonly prescribed for hookworm, roundworm, and whipworm infections.

Mebendazole can kill adult worms in the body, but please note that this drug cannot kill worm eggs. Pregnant, breastfeeding women, as well as children under 2 years of age are also not advised to take this medicine.

3. Ivermectin

Ivermectin is a drug that doctors often give to treat strongyloidiasis, a type of roundworm infection that enters the skin and attacks the intestines in adults.

This drug works by killing worms that are still developing. Unfortunately, ivermectin cannot kill adult worms.

Ivermectin is taken in tablet form and must be taken on an empty stomach. Consult your doctor if you have certain health conditions before using ivermectin, such as having had meningitis or having an autoimmune disease.

4. Pirantel

Pirantel is another type of drug for intestinal worms in adults. Usually, pyrantel is given to treat roundworm, whipworm, and pinworm infections.

This drug is usually available in capsule and liquid medicine. The recommended dose for pyrantel is 1 drink, but must be repeated within a few days or weeks.

You can consume Pirantel by mixing it with juice, milk, or drink it on an empty stomach. Make sure you consult your doctor first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before taking this medicine.

5. Praziquantel

Praziquantel is also a type of drug intended to treat helminth infections in adults, especially worms that attack the blood vessels or liver, such as schistosomiasis. This medicine can also be used for tapeworm infections of the intestine.

The drug praziquantel comes in tablet form that must be taken after meals. Usually, you are required to drink 3 times a day.

If your lifestyle is already deemed hygienic — washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly, preparing food ingredients properly, cooking meat until cooked, washing hands diligently — the recommendation to take deworming for adults is generally changed to once a year.

As a preventive measure, it's okay if you want to take deworming every 6 months. The dose of deworming includes a single dose, so it won't cause serious side effects after taking the medicine even though your body doesn't have worms.