Onchocerca gigas disease

　　The adult Onchocerca gigas is milky white or pale red, with distinct transverse wrinkles on the body surface, especially in the anterior part. It is cylindrical, with a thick front end and a gradually narrowing rear end, and a bluntly rounded tail end. The entire worm body consists of three parts: the rostrum, the neck, and the trunk. The adult worms live in the pig's small intestine, and the eggs are excreted with feces and can survive in the soil for several months. After being eaten by beetles such as the golden mole and longhorn beetles, the eggs penetrate the intestinal wall into the body cavity to form cysts, and after 2-3 months of development, they become infective larvae (sparganum), which are eaten by pigs and mature and lay eggs after another 2-3 months. Humans can become infected by accidentally ingesting water or food contaminated with intermediate hosts or sparganum, but humans are not the appropriate host for this worm, so most Onchocerca worms cannot develop into maturity and lay eggs in the human body.
　　

　　Patients with giant gasterostomiasis may have intermittent abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, anemia, as well as nausea, vomiting, insomnia, night terrors, and other nervous and mental symptoms. Complications of giant gasterostomiasis include intestinal perforation or obstruction.

　　The severity of the symptoms of giant gasterostomiasis and the number of parasites are related, most of which are one. Patients may have intermittent abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, anemia, as well as nausea, vomiting, insomnia, night terrors, and other nervous and mental symptoms. A few may have intestinal perforation or obstruction, and abdominal masses can be palpated.

　　The first step in preventing giant gasterostomiasis is to do a good job of publicity and education, mainly educating people not to catch beetles. Strengthen the management of pig breeding to avoid feed containing pests, and the manure should be treated as harmless before use. Detect and treat infected individuals in a timely manner, such as deworming treatment for pigs that have been infected, and early treatment for humans who have been infected.

　　Humans can become infected by accidentally ingesting water or food contaminated with intermediate hosts or acanthocephala, but humans are not the appropriate host for this worm, so most acanthocephala cannot mature and lay eggs in the human body. The feces examination for giant gasterostomiasis can detect worm eggs.

　　In addition to conventional treatment, dietary adjustments are also needed for giant gasterostomiasis: eat light and nutritious food, eat more vegetables and fruits, rationally match the diet, pay attention to sufficient nutrition, and strictly follow the doctor's advice.

　　The main methods of treating giant gasterostomiasis are as follows:
　　1. Symptomatic treatment: Spasmolytics should be given to patients with abdominal pain; for those with malnutrition and anemia, nutrition should be strengthened and iron supplements should be taken.
　　2. Deworming treatment: There is no effective deworming medicine. Albendazole can be taken, 400-600mg for adults, taken all at once, and half the dose for children. Toleverol and levamisole can also be used.
　　3. Surgical treatment: When intestinal lesions evolve into acute abdomen, surgery should be performed immediately, and the worm should be clamped out.