Case description of ascariasis.

Ascaris lumbricoides are among the medically important worms belonging to the phylum Nematoda (roundworms) that are parasites of the human gastrointestinal tract. Despite current sanitation and hygiene standards in the United States, infection due to intestinal roundworms is not uncommon in children and adults. A high index of suspicion is warranted as patients may present anywhere along a spectrum of illness from asymptomatic to acutely ill. The following is a case presentation and discussion of Ascaris lumbricoides, the common roundworm or intestinal longworm. Arch Fam Med. 2000;9:1193-1194