Children infected with helminth larvae are increasing.
Patient Nguyen Thi Ngoc Thanh (12 years old, in Bac Ninh) was diagnosed with liver fluke infection due to the habit of eating raw and undercooked food... About a month ago, the patient showed signs of fatigue, loss of appetite, fever, and severe abdominal pain. After being actively treated by doctors, the patient's health condition showed signs of recovery.
The patient said that for many years, his family had been subjective, often eating vegetables grown in ditches and fields, sometimes bought at the market and mostly eaten raw.
Doctor Phan Thi Thu Phuong - Examination Department, Dang Van Ngu Hospital (Hanoi) - who received and monitored the treatment of this case said that the patient was only 12 years old, so the treatment was very careful because when infected with liver flukes, the fluke larvae had invaded and destroyed the liver function, causing the patient's resistance to decrease, making it easy to face dangerous complications.
"The incubation period of liver flukes depends on the number of larvae eaten and the host's response. For small liver flukes, infection with more than 100 flukes will show obvious symptoms. Therefore, many people mistakenly think it is a common disease, so they are subjective and when they come to see a doctor, the disease has become complicated" - Dr. Phan Thi Thu Phuong emphasized.
Similarly, patient Thao Vy (10 years old, from Nghe An) also discovered the disease late. When admitted to the hospital, the disease was complicated, the whole body, especially the face, forehead, and near the eyes, was covered with tapeworm larvae .
It is known that the patient's family raises many dogs and cats, up to dozens of each type. The patient and his family members all have direct contact with dogs and cats, especially the patient loves to hug and kiss them.
Dr. Phan Thi Thu Phuong said: “Currently, many people have a hobby of raising dogs and cats, feeding them, sleeping and living together, and do not have hygiene measures, preventive examinations and deworming for pets. As a result, dogs and cats are seriously infected with worms and can easily spread to humans, especially through hugging, kissing, and sleeping with dogs and cats.
According to hospital statistics, in recent years, the number of hospitalizations due to parasitic infections has increased, not only adults but also children are now at high risk of parasitic infections with thousands of cases each year and potentially many dangerous complications," said Dr. Phuong.
To prevent large liver flukes, dog roundworms and other parasitic diseases, doctors recommend that people eat cooked food, drink boiled and cooled water; wash hands before eating or after playing with dogs and cats; clean up dog and cat feces in bags and throw them in the trash; vaccinate and deworm pets regularly...
In addition, when detecting signs of tapeworm infection in children, it is necessary to take the child to see a doctor and receive timely treatment to prevent recurrence and other complications.
