RT Book, Section
A1 Schieffelin, John S.
A1 Oberhelman, Richard A.
A2 Rudolph, Colin D.
A2 Rudolph, Abraham M.
A2 Lister, George E.
A2 First, Lewis R.
A2 Gershon, Anne A.
SR Print(0)
ID 7030865
T1 Chapter 324. Ascariasis
T2 Rudolph's Pediatrics, 22e
YR 2011
FD 2011
PB The McGraw-Hill Companies
PP New York, NY
SN 978-0-07-149723-7
LK accesspediatrics.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=7030865
RD 2024/04/20
AB Ascariasis  is  caused  by  the  intestinal  roundworm  Ascaris  lumbricoides.  The  World  Health  Organization  has  estimated  that  more  than  800  million  people  are  infected  with  A  lumbricoides,  with  the  largest  number  of  infections  occurring  in  Asia.1,2  In  areas  of  high  prevalence,  infection  rates  as  high  as  95%  have  been  noted.  Tropical  areas  with  warm,  wet  climates  favor  year-round  transmission  and  are  more  likely  to  have  high  prevalence  rates.  In  the  United  States,  the  highest  infection  rates  are  among  immigrants  from  developing  countries  (20–60%  infected  in  some  surveys).  Young  children  are  infected  most  frequently,  with  peak  prevalence  in  children  between  the  ages  of  3  and  8  years  living  in  the  tropics.  Intensity  of  infection  or  worm  burden  typically  decreases  significantly  after  the  age  of  15  years.  Infections  tend  to  cluster  in  families.  Individuals  may  be  asymptomatic  and  shed  eggs  for  years,  thus  enhancing  transmission.