Strongyloidiasis is treated with vermifuge medications, such as albendazole and ivermectin, as they are able to eliminate the larvae of the parasite Strongyloides stercoralis from the intestine.
Strongyloidiasis larvae cause infection by penetrating the skin of people who walk barefoot or who consume contaminated food or water. The disease is detected by stool tests, requested by the general practitioner.
Learn more about how to identify strongyloidiasis.
Main remedies used
Treatments with the different vermifuges are equally effective, but attention should be paid to the dosage of the pills and the number of days recommended:
- Albendazole 400 mg: 1 tablet for 3 days; Mebendazole 100 mg: 1 tablet twice a day for 3 days; Nitazoxanide 500 mg: 2 times a day, for 3 days; Ivermectin 6 mg: single dose. The dose of ivermectin is 200mcg per kg of weight, which means the use of 2 tablets for those between 51 and 65 kg, for example.
It is recommended that these medications are prescribed by the general practitioner, who will select the best medication for each person, according to age, weight, presence of other diseases and use of other medications. In addition, these drugs should be avoided during pregnancy.
In addition to this, there are natural alternatives, which should not replace drugs, but which are useful to speed up treatment and prevent the problem from recurring. Here's how to prepare these types of natural remedies.
How to prevent strongyloidiasis
Simple measures should be taken to prevent strongyloidiasis, such as avoiding walking barefoot on soil with soil or mud, not using feces as fertilizer for plants, washing your hands before handling food and not eating food from unknown sources, as they may be contaminated by feces with larvae.
In addition, for those who underwent strongyloidiasis treatment, it is recommended to repeat the dose in 10 days, in order to eliminate all the larvae.
Know that other diseases can be caused by contaminated food.
