A three-year-old boy in Indonesia underwent emergency surgery after doctors found multiple intestinal blockages caused by roundworms.
The child was taken to Dr Soebandi General Hospital in Jember with constipation, fever, and no bowel movements for three days.
Initially diagnosed with constipation, doctors reconsidered when the boy started vomiting live worms during his hospital stay.
An abdominal x-ray showed grey masses and excess gas in his digestive tract, indicating an intestinal obstruction.
Surgeons performed a laparotomy by cutting into the boy’s abdomen and discovered three areas of his small intestine blocked by parasites.
The medical team made a small incision in the intestine about 50cm from where it connects to the large bowel. They then “milked” the parasites out, filling three bowls with worms.
Laboratory tests identified the parasites as Ascaris lumbricoides, a roundworm that can grow up to 35cm long and live in the human gut.
The boy’s medical history showed he had diarrhea and fever a week before hospital admission and was previously diagnosed with a urinary tract infection at a primary care facility.
Blood tests revealed the child had anemia, a common sign of parasitic infection. This happens because some worms feed on blood in the intestines, causing chronic blood loss and reduced iron levels.
According to the case report published in the Journal of Medical Case Reports on April 10, the boy likely contracted the parasites through poor hygiene and environmental exposure.
The study noted the child previously lived in Bali where he often played in rivers without footwear. After moving to Jember, he went with his grandparents to landfills where he picked up trash with bare hands.
His mother typically hand-fed him, and he drank unboiled water, both possible sources of parasite eggs.
The medical team noted that roundworm infections typically occur in “poor tropical and subtropical nations with low personal hygiene and sanitation.”
Humans become infected by accidentally swallowing microscopic Ascaris lumbricoides eggs through contact with contaminated soil, food, or water.
After surgery, the boy received IV fluids, antibiotics, and parasite medications, including pyrantel pamoate tablets. He left the hospital seven days after the procedure with a prescription for albendazole tablets, another intestinal parasite treatment.
Globally, up to one billion people—about one in eight—are infected with giant roundworms. While many cases are mild, severe infestations can cause serious health problems, including intestinal perforation, which can be fatal without treatment.
