They can infect humans who accidentally ingest the tapeworm’s eggs, which are released from dog or dingo stools. These infections are not common in Australia, and are usually only acquired overseas.ĭog tapeworms ( Echinococcus granulosus) are yet another type of tapeworm. Pork tapeworm ( Taenia solium) and beef tapeworm ( Taenia saginata) can be acquired from eating undercooked meat containing cysts of the tapeworm larvae. Strongyloides, a roundworm, also infects humans when its larvae penetrate the skin. This commonly happens by being barefoot outdoors and coming into contact with larval hookworms in soil or sand contaminated with stool from an infected dog. Some other types of worms enter humans when their larvae penetrate the skin, often through bare feet.ĭog hookworms can be caught like this through the skin. The eggs can survive for around 2 weeks like this on surfaces. The eggs can then be spread via bed linen, bathroom fittings and other items, even food. Children with threadworms can get the eggs under their fingernails when scratching their itchy bottoms at night. The adult worms live in the lower intestine, coming out of the anus at night to lay their eggs. Threadworms are usually acquired by ingesting the eggs. There may be tingling or prickling half an hour after the larvae penetrate the skin.ĬHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS - Use the Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help. The tracks may be raised and cause intense itching.

Once they have entered humans by penetrating the skin, the larvae of some worms, for example dog hookworm ( Ancylostoma caninum) or Strongyloides, can migrate under the skin causing diagnostic pink or red curving tracks known as larva migrans or larva currens. Symptoms may include diarrhoea, tiredness and weakness, abdominal pain and weight loss. Other types of worms may not cause any symptoms (for example pork and beef tapeworms or Strongyloides stercoralis) or only cause symptoms a long time after infection (for example dog tapeworm) or if there is heavy infection. The threadworms may also be seen on the surface of the stools (poo) if a person has a heavy infestation. They look like small white threads moving about and may be seen with a torch. Threadworms (come out of the anus at night to lay their eggs between the buttocks, causing extreme itching.

A child with threadworms may be irritable, not sleep very well and lose their appetite. What are the symptoms of a worm infection?Ī person with intestinal worms may not have any symptoms, but threadworms ( Enterobius vermicularis), the most common worm infection in Australia, often do cause symptoms.Ī person with threadworms (also known as pinworms) may have an itchy bottom or redness and scratch marks around the bottom. These intestinal worms are parasites – they survive by living in another living thing (the host) and getting their food from it. In Australia, worms that may infect people include: Many types of worm can cause problems in humans.

Related information on Australian websites.Can a child with worms go to daycare or school?.What are the symptoms of a worm infection?.

Pin worms in dog poop