Here in the Philippines, bulate sa tiyan is a widespread disease, particularly in poverty-stricken areas or areas without sewage and waste management. But what exactly does it mean to have bulate sa tiyan? And what can you do to treat and prevent it?
What is Bulate sa Tiyan?
Being infected with bulate sa tiyan means a person most likely has roundworms or Ascaris. Though it can also be used to refer to infection that’s caused by parasitic worms. This can also include hookworms and whipworms.
Symptoms of an infection typically include the following:
Because of these symptoms, most people think that bulate sa tiyan only affects a person’s digestive tract. While it is true that the worms live in the small intestine, roundworms in particular, can also affect a person’s lungs.
What happens is that when a person first gets infected, they ingest the microscopic eggs of these worms. These eggs hatch in the small intestine, and then releases larvae that migrate towards a person’s lungs through the bloodstream. When this happens, a person with an infection can also experience lung-related problems such as coughing, shortness of breath, and wheezing.
After about 10-14 days, the worm larvae migrate towards the throat, where an infected person coughs up the larvae and then swallows them.
When the larvae are swallowed, they start to mature into adult worms and develop in a person’s small intestine. Typically, the adult worms stay in the intestine until they die.
But before that happens, the worms will reproduce. Typically, females can lay about 200,000 eggs per day. Some of these eggs can remain in the intestine, where they hatch and start the cycle anew, while others get passed along with a person’s stool.
This infected stool is the main way that people get infected with bulate sa tiyan.
How Do People Get Infected with Bulate sa Tiyan?
Bulate sa tiyan is highly infectious, and can easily spread to other people if precautions are not taken. People can get infected when they ingest the eggs of these parasitic worms. The eggs can be found in contaminated feces, uncooked or undercooked food, as well as through infected drinking water.
This also means that bulate sa tiyan is most common in areas without clean drinking water, or a proper waste and sewage management system.
In the Philippines, poverty-stricken areas and far-flung provinces have a high incidence of parasitic worm infections. People in these areas also have limited access to healthcare services, so people with an infection don’t always get the treatment that they need.
How Do You Treat it?
Diagnosing bulate sa tiyan is the first thing that needs to be done. Doctors can request a blood test, or a stool test in order to confirm the diagnosis.
If the tests show a positive result, then treatment starts immediately. Doctors typically prescribe anti-parasitic medication to help kill off the parasites.
These medications can include albendazole, ivermectin, and mebendazole. Patients need to take the medication for one to three days, depending on the severity. Some possible side effects include diarrhea and mild stomach pain.
For more serious cases, doctors might need to do surgery to remove the parasitic worms. However, this type of infection is rare, and most cases don’t lead to this.
How Can it Be Prevented?
Here are some ways that you can prevent bulate sa tiyan:
- Be sure to wash your hands with soap and water before eating.
- When cooking food, especially meat, make sure that it is cooked through and not undercooked.
- If you’re unsure about your drinking water, boil it first or drink bottled water instead.
- If you experience any of the symptoms, be sure to visit your doctor as soon as possible.
Key Takeaways
When it comes to parasitic worm infections, the important thing to remember is that proper hygiene can significantly lower your risk of infection. By following the tips listed above, you can be sure to avoid being infected.
Learn more about Other Digestive Issues here.
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