Treatment consists of slow removal of the adult worm (which may be up to 80 cm long) over days to weeks by rolling it on a stick. Surgical removal under local anesthesia is an option but is seldom available in endemic areas.
There are no effective anthelmintic drugs for this disease; the beneficial effect of metronidazole (250 mg po tid for 10 days) has been ascribed to the drug’s anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.