Reminder not to drink raw water: footage of giant worms being removed from patient's body (5 photos)
Doctors in Indonesia have found dozens of wriggling worms in the intestines of a three-year-old boy. The child developed a swollen abdomen, a fever, and was unable to go to the toilet for three days before his parents sought medical attention. 
The young patient began vomiting worms, and an X-ray of his stomach showed gray masses, indicating an “intestinal obstruction.”
Surgeons performed a laparotomy — an incision into the abdomen — and found worms blocking three sections of the small intestine. The parasites were removed and sent to the lab for analysis. 
This type of roundworm, known as ascaris, can grow up to 35 centimeters in length and live in the human intestine.
The patient was prescribed antibiotics, as well as the anthelmintic drug "Pirantel". A week later, the child was discharged from the hospital and prescribed "Albendazole" tablets - another drug for parasites.
Doctors from Jember suggested that the boy could have been infected through contaminated water and walking barefoot. Without timely treatment, helminths cause intestinal perforation, which can be fatal. 
“Intestinal obstruction is a rare manifestation of ascariasis, but it should be taken into account, especially in endemic areas. Poor hygiene and sanitation can be one of the reasons for the widespread spread of the disease,” the experts explained.
A blood test also showed that the boy had anemia. This is a condition in which the body does not produce enough healthy red blood cells needed to carry oxygen throughout the body. A common symptom of a parasitic infection, as some types of parasites feed on blood in the intestines. This leads to a decrease in iron levels in the body. 
It is estimated that about a billion people worldwide, or one in eight, are infected with roundworms. Infection occurs when food or water containing microscopic parasite eggs are consumed. Helminths are especially common in rural areas or areas with poor sanitation. 
