A roundworm infection can be diagnosed by taking a small stool sample for examination under a microscope to see whether there are any eggs in the sample, or by identifying the worm itself.
In the UK, roundworm is a relatively rare condition, so a stool sample will only be routinely taken if:
- you experience non-specific gastrointestinal symptoms, such as vomiting or diarrhoea, and you have been abroad within the last year to two years to a region where roundworm is widespread, such as Africa or Asia
- you pass a worm from your nose, mouth or in a stool (faeces). The worms have a distinct appearance which standard laboratories can recognise
- worms are detected during diagnostic tests
