Ellen answers:

I think the percentage of patients with parasites in UK is quite small, though it can be very common in some lesser developed countries. Most common are probably thread worms, these do little harm unless the infestation level is massive. Most patients spot them and come for treatment. In over 30 years I have yet to find a patient with a tape worm. Experiences might well be somewhat different in doctors working in areas with high new immigrant/refugee populations, or in areas with very high levels of poverty. Patients with parasitic infections tend to have high eosinophil counts, ( though this is not the only reason for these cell numbers to be raised.) this is picked up on blood test we do on perhaps 100 patients a week, I have seen no evidence at all of patients routinely having positive results.

Ellen answers:

Depends on the parasite, but generally you will feel weak and will have extensive diarrhea and stomach pain, especially right after you eat. If you exert yourself by walking around anyway, you may have light vomiting. The stomach pain will be dull and will feel like something is chewing on you, seriously. Mine was usually in the lower abdomen below the belly button and extending across the belly, but sometimes more pronounced on the right side. If you have a worm like a tapeworm, you might see parts of it in your stools. But if you have amoebas, e coli, giardia, or other microscopic bugs in your system, you won’t. With giardia, your poop will be bright yellowish green and bubbly. You may see blood in your stools with all parasites. If you have them long enough, you’ll certainly lose weight, mostly because you don’t feel like eating!

The only way to know for sure if you have parasites is to have a stool exam. The remedy will be one of various medicines, prescribed by your doctor. These medicines are generally quite potent and will kill everything in your gut, even the good bacteria, so you’ll want to eat yogurt after taking them. Good luck!

PS. Intestinal parasites are quite rare in the USA, Europe, Australia, Canada, and Japan unless you’ve been drinking pond or stream water. You can get them quite easily just about anywhere in the developing world by drinking water or eating unwashed and/or uncooked fruits and vegetables. They come from fecal contamination. That’s pleasant to think about, isn’t it?

Ellen answers:

Hmmm, worms usually appear white in the stools. Black has kind of thrown me.

There are medications you can buy from your local pharmacy (disclaimer: I live in Australia so some of the names might be different where you live so I will give you the name of the active ingredients, too): Combantrin (pyrantel); Combantrin-1 (pyrantel and mebendazole); Anthel (pyrantel); & Vermox (mebendazole). Okay, so they are the main over-the-counter ones but your doctor can prescribe other ones that have broader spectrums (will kill more worms).

Ellen answers:

He would need a blood test so the Doctor can identify what parasite your brother has (if any) there are different parasites and different medications for whatever you dealing with. I travel out of the country alot and every time I come back home to the U.S. I have to have blood tests I have had several different parasitic infestations and each one I had a different medication…if you really believe that he does have parasites he really does need a blood test..it doesn’t hurt to get one…. Then he can receive the right meds..

Ellen answers:

There are a lot of these holistic methods of treatments out there, but very few of them are very effective. I also don’t think the taste of parsley would agree with a dog. The best thing to do is go get a dose of dewormer (strongid, drontal, droncit, etc.) from your veterinarian. They’re fairly cheap, and will do a much better job, and keep your dog much healthier.