What are the symptoms of intestinal ascariasis?

Ascariasis is a parasitic disease caused by the roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides parasitizing the human small intestine. Its symptom manifestations mainly include the following aspects:

1. Gastrointestinal symptoms: Patients often experience recurrent upper abdominal or periumbilical abdominal pain, which may present as paroxysmal colicky or boring pain, possibly radiating to the back and right shoulder, with severe and intolerable pain; nausea and vomiting, particularly when worms are vomited out, with more pronounced symptoms; loss of appetite and indigestion.

2. Systemic symptoms: Some patients may exhibit irritability, easy startling, or lethargy, bruxism, and other symptoms. In cases of severe infection, children may develop malnutrition, mental restlessness, insomnia, teeth grinding, and night terrors.

3. Respiratory symptoms: When larvae migrate to the lungs, they can cause symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, and fever.

4. Complications: In severe cases, the worms may twist together and cause intestinal obstruction, leading to severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and constipation; or they may enter the bile ducts, pancreatic ducts, and other areas, causing complications such as biliary colic, jaundice, and pancreatitis.

If the above symptoms are present, timely medical attention is recommended.