Ubat cacing (deworming medicine) treats worm infections in the gut, and most worm infections are not serious and are easily treated. The most common type is cacing kerawit (threadworms), which causes extreme itching around the bottom at night and can be treated with mebendazole from a pharmacy for everyone aged 2 and over in the household, together with careful hand washing for 2 weeks. Other worms, such as cacing gelang (roundworm), cacing kait (hookworm) and cacing pita (tapeworm), are caught from soil, unwashed food, undercooked meat or walking barefoot, and need a doctor's prescription. See a doctor if you find a large worm in your poo, have stomach problems for more than 2 weeks, or lose weight for no reason.
Which worms (cacing) can infect people?
Several types of worms can live in the human gut. This table summarises the main ones, based on NHS and WHO information:
| Worm (Malay) | What it looks like | How it is caught |
|---|---|---|
| Threadworm / pinworm (cacing kerawit) | Tiny pieces of white thread or cotton in poo or around the bottom | Swallowing eggs from fingers, bedding, toys or surfaces |
| Roundworm (cacing gelang) | Looks more like an earthworm | Swallowing eggs from soil, unwashed vegetables or dirty water |
| Hookworm (cacing kait) | Can cause a raised, red, worm-shaped rash on the skin | Larvae in soil enter through the skin, mainly when walking barefoot |
| Tapeworm (cacing pita) | Long, pale yellow and flat | Eating raw or undercooked beef, pork or freshwater fish |
WHO estimates that about 1.5 billion people worldwide, or 24% of the world's population, are infected with worms spread through soil (roundworm, whipworm or cacing cambuk, and hookworm), mostly in tropical areas with poor sanitation. In Malaysia, a 2022 systematic review found that these infections are more common among Orang Asli communities than in the general population.
Note that kurap (ringworm) is not a worm at all, but a fungal skin infection; see our guide to kurap and panau.
Cacing kerawit: what are the signs of threadworms?
Threadworms (cacing kerawit) are tiny worms that are common in children and spread easily. According to the NHS:
- you can spot them in poo: they look like pieces of white thread;
- you might see them around your child's bottom, usually at night while your child is asleep;
- the main symptom is extreme itching around the anus or vagina, particularly at night;
- children may be irritable and wake up during the night.
Less common signs include weight loss, bedwetting and irritated skin around the anus. Itching around the bottom can also be caused by piles; see our guide to buasir.
Ubat cacing kerawit: how do you treat threadworms?
Medicine. According to the NHS, you can buy a medicine called mebendazole for threadworms from pharmacies, usually as a chewable tablet or liquid.
- Treat everyone aged 2 and over in your household, even if they have no symptoms.
- Tell the pharmacist if you need to treat a child under 2, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, as treatment might not be suitable.
- If you cannot take medicine, threadworms can be treated with hygiene measures alone for 6 weeks.
Hygiene is just as important. Medicine kills the worms but not the eggs, which can live for up to 2 weeks outside the body. Do these things for 2 weeks if you are taking medicine, or 6 weeks if you are not:
- wash hands and scrub under fingernails, especially before eating, after using the toilet and after changing nappies;
- keep fingernails short, and do not bite nails or suck thumbs or fingers;
- shower every morning, and make sure everyone wears underwear at night and changes it in the morning;
- wash sleepwear, sheets, towels and soft toys at a hot temperature every day for several days after treatment;
- rinse toothbrushes before use, disinfect kitchen and bathroom surfaces with hot water, and vacuum and dust with a damp cloth;
- do not shake clothing or bedding, and do not share towels.
There is no need to stay off nursery, school or work.
Cacing dalam perut: roundworm, hookworm and tapeworm
According to the NHS, see a doctor if you:
- find a large worm, a piece of worm or worm eggs in your poo;
- have a red, itchy, worm-shaped rash on your skin;
- have sickness, diarrhoea or stomach ache for longer than 2 weeks;
- are losing weight for no reason.
These could be signs of roundworm, hookworm or tapeworm. A doctor may ask for a sample of poo to test for worm eggs. All worm infections are treated in a similar way: a doctor prescribes medicine to kill the worms, usually taken for 1 to 3 days, and the people you live with may also need treatment. The worms pass out in your poo, which you may not notice.
Effects on health. According to WHO, light infections with a few worms usually cause no symptoms. Heavier infections can cause diarrhoea and stomach pain, malnutrition, weakness, and poor growth in children. Hookworms cause blood loss in the gut that can lead to anaemia, especially in girls and women; see our guide to kurang darah. For diarrhoea, see our guide to cirit birit.
How do you catch worms?
Worms mainly spread through tiny amounts of poo from people with a worm infection. According to the NHS, you can get infected by:
- touching objects or surfaces with worm eggs on them, if someone with worms has not washed their hands;
- touching soil, or swallowing water or food with worm eggs in it;
- walking barefoot on soil containing worms;
- eating raw or undercooked beef, pork or freshwater fish containing baby worms.
With threadworms, the worms lay eggs around the bottom, which makes it itchy. The eggs stick to fingers when scratching and pass to clothes, toys, bedding and food, and then to other people's mouths. This is why children can get threadworms again after treatment. You can catch some worms from pets, but this is rare.
Should you take ubat cacing regularly?
WHO recommends regular deworming without testing first for at-risk groups who live in areas where worms spread through soil are common. These groups include young children, school-age children, women of reproductive age (including pregnant women in the second and third trimesters and breastfeeding women), and adults in high-risk jobs. The aim is to keep the number of worms low and protect people from their effects on health.
Whether your family needs routine ubat cacing depends on where you live, your sanitation and your risk. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before giving deworming medicine regularly, especially to young children or during pregnancy.
How can you prevent worm infections?
The NHS recommends:
Do:
- wash your hands before eating or preparing food, and after touching soil or using the toilet;
- thoroughly wash fruit and vegetables, especially garden-grown ones;
- drink only bottled or boiled water in places without proper toilets or sewage systems;
- deworm pet dogs and cats regularly, and dispose of their poo in a bin quickly.
Don't:
- let children play where there is dog or cat poo;
- walk barefoot on soil in high-risk areas;
- eat raw or undercooked pork, beef or freshwater fish.
When should you see a doctor?
See a pharmacist first if you think you or your child has threadworms. See a doctor if you find a large worm or a piece of worm in your poo, have a worm-shaped rash, have sickness, diarrhoea or stomach ache for more than 2 weeks, or are losing weight for no reason. Go back to the doctor if your symptoms do not get better within 2 weeks of treatment, or you keep passing live worms in your poo.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What is ubat cacing?
Ubat cacing is the Malay term for deworming medicine, used to treat worm infections in the gut. For threadworms (cacing kerawit), the NHS says mebendazole can be bought from pharmacies. Other worm infections, such as roundworm, hookworm and tapeworm, are treated in a similar way with medicine from a doctor, usually taken for 1 to 3 days.
What are the signs of cacing kerawit (threadworms)?
Threadworms look like small pieces of white thread in poo or around the bottom, and usually come out at night. The main symptom is extreme itching around the anus or vagina, especially at night. Children may be irritable and wake up at night. Less common signs include weight loss, bedwetting and irritated skin around the anus.
Can adults take ubat cacing (ubat cacing dewasa)?
Yes. Adults and children aged 2 and over can usually take mebendazole from a pharmacy for threadworms, and the NHS advises treating everyone aged 2 and over in the household at the same time. Tell the pharmacist if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if the child is under 2, because treatment may not be suitable.
Can I give ubat cacing to my child (ubat cacing budak)?
Children aged 2 and over can usually be treated with mebendazole from a pharmacy, often as a chewable tablet or liquid. For children under 2, speak to a pharmacist or doctor first. Medicine does not kill the eggs, so hand washing, short nails and washing bedding are also important to stop the worms coming back.
How do you get cacing pita (tapeworm)?
Tapeworms are long, pale yellow and flat. According to the NHS, you can catch them by eating raw or undercooked beef, pork or freshwater fish that contains baby worms. See a doctor if you find a large worm, a piece of worm or worm eggs in your poo.
Should I take ubat cacing every 6 months?
In areas where worms spread through soil are common, WHO recommends regular deworming for groups at risk, such as young children, school-age children and women of reproductive age, without testing first. Whether your family needs routine deworming depends on where you live and your risk, so ask a doctor or pharmacist.
When should I see a doctor about worms?
See a doctor if you find a large worm, a piece of worm or worm eggs in your poo, have a red, itchy worm-shaped rash on your skin, have sickness, diarrhoea or stomach ache for more than 2 weeks, or are losing weight for no reason. Go back if symptoms do not improve within 2 weeks of treatment.
Disclaimer
This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis or treatment from a doctor or pharmacist. Health supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
References
- Threadworms — NHS
- Worms in humans — NHS
- Soil-transmitted helminth infections fact sheet — World Health Organization
- Mahmud MH, Baharudin UM, Md Isa Z. Diseases among Orang Asli community in Malaysia: a systematic review. BMC Public Health. 2022;22(1):2090.
