a very sick me

Ascaris lumbricoides is a parasitic worm that lives inside mammals, predominantly pigs and people. It’s estimated that about one quarter of the world’s population is currently infected.

Because the worm releases its eggs in the stool, infection occurs through ingestion of food contaminated with feces. From there on, the larvae hatch, burrow through the intestine, get carried by the bloodstream to the lungs, and finally migrate up the respiratory tract. They are then reswallowed and mature in the intestine, growing up to 30 cm (12 in.) in length, snugly anchored to the intestinal wall.

Infections are usually asymptomatic, especially if the number of worms is small. They may however be accompanied by inflammation, fever, and diarrhea, and serious problems may develop if the worms migrate to other parts of the body.