Could YOU have worms and not know it? Gut symptom that affects millions could be hidden sign of parasites, here’s how to tell

Plagued by uncomfortable stomach cramps, diarrhoea or bloating? Do certain foods prompt an emergency dash to the loo? 

Gut symptoms blight millions of Brits every year. But the cause may not be actually be irritable bowel syndrome or increasingly common lactose intolerance. 

According to one physiology expert, a little-known parasite — hookworms — could instead be crawling in your gut. 

‘Inflammation in the small intestine triggered by the infestation can generate abdominal pain and diarrhoea,’ Dr Dan Baumgardt, a senior lecturer in physiology, pharmacology and neuroscience at the University of Bristol. 

‘It can also hamper the absorption of proteins and iron from the gut, causing anaemia.’ 

Iron deficiency condition anaemia occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough healthy red blood cells, required for carrying oxygen around the body, leading to symptoms including yellowing of the skin, dizziness and even depression. 

The gut, however, isn’t the only location the bloodsucking worms migrate, with the parasite often lurking in the respiratory tract too causing coughing and wheezing, Dr Baumgardt told The Conversation. 

Adult hookworms live in the intestines of infected dogs and cats. When those animals go to their bathroom, sometimes, their faeces contains hookworm eggs. 

When a human steps on, sits on or touches that soil, the larva can burrow into the skin or can absorb them.

It’s especially common in the feet, buttocks, thighs and hands, but the worms can enter through any part of the skin. An infection cannot spread between humans.

Another key characteristic of a hookworm infection may come via a skin rash once they start to burrow through the skin, Dr Baumgardt noted. 

Known medically as cutaneous larva migrans — a snake-like skin infection caused by hookworm larvae, baby worms that haven’t yet developed into adults — when larvae move under the skin, the body’s immune system reacts, causing inflamed, bumpy red lines.

Anti-parasite medication, however, can help clear the infection. 

Small, white worms in stools that look like pieces of thread, are a third tell-tale sign of infection.  

While hookworms are thought to affect around 470 million people worldwide, infections are especially common in tropical regions of the world — including the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, Africa and parts of the Southeastern United States.

But they are not the only worm to trigger uncomfortable gut symptoms, Dr Baumgardt added. 

Nearly half of all children under the age of ten and many adults have threadworms at some time often without realising as the infection usually causes no symptoms whatsoever.

Yet, they ‘can make themselves known in several other ways, including nighttime irritability and bed wetting’, he said. 

‘Because the worms prefer living in the intestine, in rare conditions they may cause abdominal pain and mimic appendicitis. 

‘In fact, in some cases the appendix is removed and found to be chock-full of wriggling worms.’

Like hookworms, they can be spotted in the stool after a bowel movement and treated with oral medications.  

Mebendazole, an oral anti-worm medication, can be bought over the counter at most pharmacies and is recommended to treat everyone in the household over the age of two, to prevent any further spread.

‘Hygiene measures are important to help clear the infection and prevent the spread, especially in those who can’t take medication,’ Dr Baumgardt noted. 

‘This involves scrupulous washing of hands, laundry and avoiding scratching the affected areas. 

‘It’s a good idea to trim fingernails too, to prevent the eggs from getting caught under them.’

Yet, worms don’t just invade the gut or lungs — some can work their way into other regions of the body. 

Dr Baumgardt said: ‘Take lymphatic filariasis, a condition that arises when certain worms of the Filariidae order, infiltrate the lymphatic system.

‘The lymph vessels act as drainage pipes, removing excess fluid from the tissues and returning it to the bloodstream.’ 

Also commonly known as elephantiasis, the accumulation of fluid in the legs can cause swelling and discomfort and in rarer cases trigger skin changes — making it thicker and tougher. 

Treatment often involves the drug diethylcarbamazine (DEC), which kills adult and immature parasitic worms.