Trichuriasis, also known as whipworm infection, is an infection by the parasitic worm Trichuris trichiura (whipworm).[1] If infection is only with a few worms, there are often no symptoms.[2] In those who are infected with many worms, there may be abdominal pain, tiredness and diarrhea.[2] The diarrhea sometimes contains blood.[2] Infections in children may cause poor intellectual and physical development.[2] Low red blood cell levels may occur due to loss of blood.[1]
The disease is usually spread when people eat food or drink water that contains the eggs of these worms.[2] This may occur when contaminated vegetables are not fully cleaned or cooked.[2] Often these eggs are in the soil in areas where people defecate outside and where untreated human feces is used as fertilizer.[1] These eggs originate from the feces of infected people.[2] Young children playing in such soil and putting their hands in their mouths also become infected easily.[2] The worms live in the large bowel and are about four centimetres in length.[1] Whipworm is diagnosed by seeing the eggs when examining the stool with a microscope.[3] Eggs are barrel-shaped.[4] Trichuriasis belongs to the group of soil-transmitted helminthiasis.
Prevention is by properly cooking food and hand washing before cooking.[5] Other measures include improving access to sanitation such as ensuring use of functional and clean toilets[5] and access to clean water.[6] In areas of the world where the infections are common, often entire groups of people will be treated all at once and on a regular basis.[7] Treatment is with three days of the medication: albendazole, mebendazole or ivermectin.[8] People often become infected again after treatment.[9]
Whipworm infection affects about 600 to 800 million people worldwide.[1][10] It is most common in tropical countries.[7] In the developing world, those infected with whipworm often also have hookworms and ascariasis infections.[7] They have a large effect on the economy of many countries.[11] Work is ongoing to develop a vaccine against the disease.[7] Trichuriasis is classified as a neglected tropical disease.