Do Ascariasis, Trichuriasis and Hookworm Infections Predispose to Non-Specific Abdominal Symptoms among Adults in Endemic Areas?

Despite the ubiquity of intestinal helminthiasis in the third world, morbidity data are scarce. While acute pancreatitis and cholangitis are recognized complications of ascariasis, less is known on the propensity of helminthiasis to cause non-specific abdominal symptoms of a less dramatic nature, which may nevertheless produce chronic distress. Practitioners in endemic areas not infrequently incriminate intestinal helminths as the cause of non-specific abdominal symptoms not only in children but also in adults. We had previously found an association between abdominal symptoms and intestinal helminthiasis among adult women but not among men. The aim of this study was to test the reproducibility of our previous observation on a larger sample and to determine the independent effects of the three major worm infections in our area (ascariasis, trichuriasis and hookworm infection) on abdominal symptoms among adults.