About 20 to 40 million people in Viet Nam are infected with parasitic worms, also called Helminths, and Vietnamese people lose 1.5 million liters of blood and 15 tons of food to the parasites on a yearly basis, a local health official has reported.

The infection is most common in children. In the south, the rate in children ranges from 10 to 50 percent whereas 80 percent of children in northern areas, where natural fertilizer is more often used in farming, are affected by the worms, according to Dr. Tran Thanh Duong, Head of the National Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology (NIMPE).

For instance, 50 percent of children aged 6 to 11 in Ha Noi are infected with parasitic worms while only 9.2 percent of children of the same age in Ho Chi Minh City suffer from the infection, according to the latest NIMPE figures.

Helminth infection is most common in children.

“It is estimated that Vietnamese people lose 1.5 million liters of blood and 15 tons of food to parasitic worms every year,” said Dr. Duong, adding that the infection causes dangerous diseases and affects human physical and spiritual growth.

NIMPE has launched the “Getting rid of parasitic worms in humans 6116” program, which encourages Vietnamese people to wipe parasitic worms from their bodies on January 6 and June 1 each year.

Viet Nam’s population is about 90 million people.

About half the world's population – more than 3 billion people – are infected with at least one of three main parasites: large roundworms, hookworms and whipworms, according to Scientific American magazine.

Most of those afflicted live in developing countries, where there is not enough clean drinking water or an effective sanitation system to keep infected feces from contaminating food and water, and where human excrement is used to fertilize crops, the magazine added.

CAUSES:

- Intestinal worms or stomach worms are mostly found in the gastro-intestinal tract of a person, primarily on the intestinal wall. Intestinal worms mostly strike during the rainy season.

- Stomach worms can be tapeworms, threadworms, hookworms, pinworms or roundworms. Stomach worms are quite common in children. Stomach worms can cause pain in the stomach as well as during motions.

- Eating contaminated food or eating food with dirty fingers can lead to intestinal worms. Not washing your hands frequently is also a possible cause for intestinal worms.

- Faulty living style like walking bare foot, eating undercooked flesh foods and poor sanitation can be the main reason for intestinal worms.

- Intestinal worms can enter through the mouth, the nose and the eyes. Sexual contact can also be a cause of intestinal worms.

PREVENTION:

- A healthy immune system along with hygienic habits and sanitised surroundings are needed for prevention of worm infections.

- Proper washing and cleaning of fruits and vegetables before consuming raw is necessary.

- Maintaining personal hygiene is the easiest and the most effective way of preventing the infection. You should clean your hands and legs each time you go out. Try to avoid eating foods from street-vendors.

- Do not forget to wash your hands after changing diapers, cleaning house, holding uncleaned food stuffs, handling animals.

- Eating fruits and green vegetables is a good way of detoxifying your body and is considered as the easiest method of killing parasitic worms.

- Drink plenty of water. Water also has tendency of detoxification. Drinking about 8-10 glasses of water a day will help a lot.

- Carrot juice contains digestive enzymes naturally, which can help eliminate worms from your body. Consume at least 1-3 glasses of juice from carrot daily.

- If you are suffering from stomach worms, then strictly avoid all fatty foods like oil, butter and cream.

- Meat (including red meats) must not be taken until the infection is completely cleared. Yoghurt will help you in restoring your digestive health.

- Don't forget to deworm every 6 months.