Worms in humans (2024)

Some types of worms can infect people. Some can be caught in Northern Ireland and others are only caught abroad. Most worm infections aren't serious and can be easily treated with medicine.

How a pharmacist can help

A pharmacist can help if you have:

small, white worms in your poo that look like pieces of thread
extreme itching around your anus, particularly at night

This is probablythreadworms.

They're common in Northern Ireland and can be treated with medicine from a pharmacy.

When to see your GP

You should see your GP if you:

find a large worm or large piece of worm in your poo
have a red, itchy worm-shaped rash on your skin
have sickness, diarrhoea or a stomach ache for longer than 2 weeks
are losing weight for no reason

These could be symptoms of something like roundworm, hookworm or tapeworm.

These infections are usually caught while travelling. They can take a long time to cause symptoms, so tell your GP if you've been abroad in the last two years.

See what different worms look like

It doesn't matter which type of worm you have – all worm infections are treated in a similar way.

Treatment to get rid of worms

You might be asked to give a sample of poo so it can be tested for worm eggs.

If you have worms, your GP will prescribe medicine to kill them. You take this for one to threedays. The people you live with may also need to be treated.

Any worms in your gut will eventually pass out in your poo. You may not notice this.

To avoid becoming infected again or infecting others, it's very important during the weeks after starting treatment to wash your hands:

after going to the toilet
before eating or preparing food
regularly during the day

Important

Go back to your GP if your symptoms don't get better in two weeks or you keep passing live worms in your poo.

How you catch worms

Worms are mainly spread in small bits of poo from people with a worm infection. Some are caught from food.

You can get infected by:

touching objects or surfaces with worm eggs on themif someone with worms doesn't wash their hands
touching soil or swallowing water or food with worm eggs in it– mainly a risk in parts of the world without modern toilets or sewage systems
walking barefoot on soil containing worms– only a risk in parts of the world without modern toilets or sewage systems
eating raw or undercooked beef, pork or freshwater fish (like salmon or trout) containing baby worms– more common in parts of the world with poor food hygiene standards

You can catch some worms from pets, but this is rare.

How to prevent worm infections

wash your hands before eating or preparing food, and after touching soil or using the toilet
only drink bottled or boiled water in high-risk areas (places without modern toilets or sewage systems)
de-worm pet dogs and cats regularly
dispose of dog and cat poo in a bin as soon as possible
thoroughly wash garden-grown fruit and vegetables

Don't

let children play in areas where there's a lot of dog or cat poo
eat raw fruit and vegetables in high-risk areas
walk barefoot in high-risk areas
eat raw or undercooked pork, beef or freshwater fish