“What are these worms and should we be worried?” asks this reader, who is worried that the worms are inside her and the people who have used the toilet. The creature, who was found “swimming in [her] toilet”, seems to be a dark-brown color, with a brighter, yellowish tail/head (though it is difficult to tell).

Now, given the poor resolution of the photo, there is very little one can actually make out about the worm and its finer details. As such, this makes it difficult for us to identify the worm. Given its color, we would say it is possible that this is a drain fly larva. These creatures crawl their way up through drains in search of decomposing organic matter to feed on, and they lay eggs on the film that forms in drains that have not been cleaned in a while. To control and combat drain fly infestations, one must scrub away this film every time it forms, and consistently clean one’s drains and bathroom.

That said, our reader has also expressed that she is worried that this worm is in her. She does not report experiencing any symptoms, so we would not jump to the conclusion that her situation calls for medical attention. Of course, if our reader or her family does want to get checked, or they do start experiencing symptoms, then we recommend seeking the advice of a medical professional. As we are not such professionals, this is not advice we can offer. What we can recommend is that our reader do one or more of the following: 1) Search for a medical parasitologist in her area using this directory of medical parasitology consultants: https://www.astmh.org/for-astmh-members/clinical-consultants-directory. 2) Search for a local parasitologist by doing a Google search for “medical parasitologist (name of the closest big city)” or “tropical medicine specialist (name of the closest big city)”. 3) Get in touch with Dr. Omar Amin at the Parasitology Center at https://www.parasitetesting.com. To conclude, we are not sure what the worm in our reader’s toilet is. If the worm did not come from our reader or her family, then it may very well be a drain fly larva, or something else. It is impossible to say anything with certainty, given how blurry the photo is. If our reader is concerned that it is a parasite, or at least that it came from her, or someone else’s, body, then she should consult a medical professional. The same applies if she or someone else starts experiencing symptoms. We hope this helps, and we wish our reader the best.

Summary

Article Name

Dark Brown Worm Found in Toilet May Be a Drain Fly Larva, Though Concerns About Parasites are Raised

Description

"What are these worms and should we be worried?" asks this reader, who is worried that the worms are inside her and the people who have used the toilet. The creature, who was found "swimming in [her] toilet", seems to be a dark-brown color, with a brighter, yellowish tail/head (though it is difficult to tell).

Author

Worm Researcher Anton