Piperazine Health Dictionary

Ascariasis is the disease produced by infestation with the roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides, also known as the maw-worm. Super?cially it resembles a large earthworm: the male measures about 17 cm (7 inches) and the female 23 cm (9 inches) in length. Ascariasis is a dirt disease, most prevalent where sanitation and cleanliness are lacking, particularly in the tropics and subtropics. Consumption of food contaminated by the ova (eggs), especially salad vegetables, is the commonest cause of infection. In children, infection is commonly acquired by crawling or playing on contaminated earth, and then sucking their ?ngers. After a complicated life-cycle in the body the adult worms end up in the intestines, whence they may be passed in the stools. A light infection may cause no symptoms. A heavy infection may lead to colic, or even obstruction of the gut. Occasionally a worm may wander into the stomach and be vomited up.

Treatment Mebendazole is the drug of choice in the UK, being given as a single dose. It should be combined with hygienic measures to break the cycle of autoinfection. All members of the family require treatment. Other ANTHELMINTICS include piperazine and pyrantel.... ascariasis

Drugs used to treat ASCARIASIS, a disease caused by an infestation with the parasitic worm Ascaris lumbricoides. LEVAMISOLE, MEBENDAZOLE and PIPERAZINE are all e?ective against this parasite.... ascaricides

A FILARICIDE derived from PIPERAZINE used to treat FILARIASIS – a group of diseases caused by parasitic worms called nematode ?lariae.... diethylcarbamazine citrate

Infection with Enterobius vermicularis, the threadworm (or pinworm as it is known in the USA). It is the most common of all the intestinal parasites in Britain, and the least harmful. The male is about 6 mm (••• inch) in length and the female about 12 mm (••• inch) in length. Each resembles a little piece of thread. These worms live in considerable numbers in the lower bowel, affecting children particularly. They usually cause no symptoms but can result in great irritation round the anus or within the female genitalia, especially at night when the female worm emerges from the anus to lay its eggs and then die. The most e?ective form of treatment is either viprynium embonate or piperazine citrate, which needs to be taken by the whole family. Bedclothes must then be laundered.... enterobiasis