Stromectol
3 · 6 · 12mg
Ivermectin 3mg, 6mg and 12mg tablets, used for strongyloidiasis, scabies and onchocerciasis. It binds chloride channels found only in invertebrates.
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Strongyloidiasis
Strongyloidiasis is an intestinal infection caused by the roundworm Strongyloides stercoralis. Unlike most parasites, this worm can reproduce inside the human body, meaning an untreated infection can persist for decades. It is widespread across humid, tropical climates.
Key points
- Because the worm can complete its life cycle again within the same host, an untreated infection may persist for many years without symptoms.
- Long-term corticosteroid treatment increases the risk of hyperinfection, a serious complication in which larvae spread beyond the gut.
- A short course of ivermectin, an antiparasitic medicine, typically clears the infection effectively.
Who is at risk and how it spreads
The worm lives in warm, moist soil and enters the body through bare skin, most often the feet. Rural communities, agricultural workers, and travellers face heightened exposure. People with weakened immune systems, including those on long-term corticosteroids, are at risk of hyperinfection, a severe form where larvae spread beyond the gut.
Recognising and treating strongyloidiasis
Many infections cause no obvious symptoms for years. When symptoms do appear they typically include a moving, itchy rash at the entry site, abdominal discomfort, bloating, and intermittent diarrhoea. Hyperinfection can produce fever, cough, and severe gastrointestinal distress.
Treatment relies on ivermectin, which clears the infection effectively in a short course. It sits within the broader class of antiparasitic medicines. Anyone who suspects hyperinfection or who develops respiratory symptoms alongside gut symptoms should seek medical attention promptly.