Strongyloides is a tiny parasitic roundworm that gets in through the skin and can quietly live in the body for decades.
The most common signs of strongyloides are bloating, heartburn, diarrhea that comes and goes, itchy skin or hives, a dry cough, and a strange moving rash called larva currens.
Because the symptoms are so vague, and one stool test often misses it, many people carry strongyloides for years without knowing.
Repeated stool tests and a blood antibody test are the best ways to find it. Clearing strongyloides naturally takes patience and consistency, usually around six months.
If you want to understand how strongyloides works, what to watch for, and how to support your body through a cleanse, keep reading.
What Is Strongyloides?
Strongyloides stercoralis, also called threadworm, is a microscopic roundworm.
It is estimated to affect at least 370 million people around the world, and it is most common in tropical and subtropical regions where sanitation is poor. rch
What makes strongyloides so different from other parasites is that it can multiply inside the body without ever leaving it.
That one trait is why strongyloides is so persistent, and why it deserves your attention.
How Do You Get Strongyloides?
Strongyloides gets in when bare skin touches larvae living in soil contaminated with human waste. Walking barefoot is the classic way in. rch
From the skin, the larvae travel through the body to the lungs and then down into the intestines, where they grow up. The adult worms settle into the lining of the small intestine, tucked away where they are very hard to reach.
Then comes the tricky part.
Strongyloides can complete its whole life cycle inside the human body, a process called autoinfection, so an infection can last for several decades. According to the CDC, strongyloides can persist even after many decades of living somewhere it is not common. rchcdc
So a trip where you went barefoot, or a childhood spent in a warm climate, may still be with you today.
What Are the Symptoms of Strongyloides?
Many people with strongyloides have no symptoms at all, or symptoms so scattered they never connect the dots.
When strongyloides symptoms do show up, they tend to be vague: abdominal pain, bloating, heartburn, diarrhea, constipation and chronic hives. sciencedirect
Here is what to watch for:
- Gut: upper belly pain that can feel like heartburn or an ulcer, bloating, nausea, and diarrhea that alternates with constipation
- Skin: chronic itching, hives, and the larva currens rash
- Lungs: a dry cough or wheezing as larvae pass through
Strongyloides can mimic ulcerative colitis, chronic malabsorption and other gut conditions, which is one big reason it gets missed. merckmanuals
Less often, people with chronic strongyloides have reported arthritis, heart rhythm irregularities and recurring asthma. cdc
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What Does a Strongyloides Rash Look Like?
The signature strongyloides rash is called larva currens, which means “racing larva.”
It shows up as a recurring, snake-like, raised or hive-like rash along the buttocks, groin area and thighs, caused by larvae moving under the skin. cdc
What sets it apart is how fast it moves. A larva currens track is typically a red, raised, winding line that can travel as fast as 10 centimeters in an hour. merckmanuals
The rash tends to appear, fade within hours or a few days, and then come back. That is why so many people never get it looked at while it is actually showing.
Why Do Standard Stool Tests Often Miss Strongyloides?
This is one of the most important things to know about strongyloides.
The larvae only show up in stool in small, irregular numbers. So a single stool sample can easily come back negative even when strongyloides is there.
The CDC considers serial stool exams, meaning several samples collected over time, the gold standard for finding strongyloides. cdc
A blood antibody test, called strongyloides serology, adds another layer. In one reported case, the stool samples were negative while the strongyloides blood antibody test came back positive. cdc
There is also a clue hiding in routine bloodwork. An elevated eosinophil count, a type of white blood cell, is the most common finding, though a normal count does not rule strongyloides out. cdc
If your eosinophils keep running high for no clear reason, ask your practitioner about strongyloides testing.
Can You See Strongyloides in Stool?
No, not with the naked eye. Strongyloides larvae are microscopic, so it takes a lab looking at stool under a microscope to find them, ideally across several samples.
How Is Strongyloides Tested With Autonomic Response Testing?
I use Autonomic Response Testing (ART) along with lab work.
I bring a strongyloides test vial into the body’s field and test an indicator muscle.
If the muscle goes weak in the presence of the strongyloides vial, I read that as resonance, which suggests strongyloides may be present. If the muscle stays strong, I read it as no current resonance.
I also use ART all through a cleanse, to see how the body is responding and when it is time to keep going, adjust or rest.
ART works beautifully alongside serial stool tests and the blood antibody test.
Each one looks at the body a different way, and together they give the clearest picture of what is going on with strongyloides.
Why Does Strongyloides Matter Before Taking Steroids?
This is the most important safety piece in this whole article.
In a healthy immune system, strongyloides is kept in check. But when immunity is suppressed, strongyloides can multiply fast and spread through the body. This is called hyperinfection, and it is serious.
Corticosteroids are the most common trigger. The CDC notes hyperinfection is most often tied to corticosteroids, no matter the dose or how long they are taken. Other triggers include biologic therapies, chemotherapy and HTLV-1 infection. Strongyloidiasis +2
Left unchecked, hyperinfection and disseminated strongyloides can have fatality rates approaching 90%. cdc
If you have ever lived in or traveled to a tropical or subtropical place, or walked barefoot on soil in a warm climate, ask your doctor about strongyloides screening before starting steroids or any immune-suppressing therapy.
How Can You Support Your Body Naturally?
Clearing strongyloides takes time.
The worms are tucked into the lining of the small intestine and keep reproducing through autoinfection, so a natural approach usually takes around six months of steady, consistent work.
If you start at the end of September, for example, and you stick with it, you can expect to be clear by February.
The key is consistency combined with pulsing. You do periods of high dosing, then rest, and you repeat that rhythm for the full six months.
My Pulsing Protocol
This is the protocol I use. Please adjust it with a trusted practitioner.
Understand this is never how you would start out; start low and slow, clean up your diet, and make sure your bowels and liver are supported.
- Para 3: 10 droppers, 5 times per day during on weeks
- Para 2: about one bottle over 6 days during on weeks
- The rhythm: high dosing for 6 days, then a week off. Keep alternating one week on and one week off, or take two weeks off if you feel you need it.
- How long: stay consistent with the on and off rhythm for the next six months
You can find Para 2, Para 3, HydroxyGen, CarboxyGen and IS BART in my Fullscript dispensary. Just search “CellCore” once you are in.
Or contact me directly.
For more on cleansing, read my post on parasite cleansing for rejuvenation.
Mimosa pudica is another tool I love for the gut, and you can learn more in my article on mimosa pudica benefits.
Supporting the Liver Through the Cleanse
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As parasites die off, your body has more waste to process, and much of that work falls on the liver.
You have to support the liver and take your breaks. This is key with strongyloides.
TUDCA: TUDCA is a bile acid that supports healthy bile flow. Bile is one of the main ways your body carries waste out, so keeping it moving helps you clear what the cleanse stirs up. Read more in my post on TUDCA benefits.
Liver herbs: Herbs traditionally used to support the liver include milk thistle, dandelion root, artichoke leaf and burdock root, as teas, tinctures or capsules.
Your off weeks: The off weeks are not a pause in progress. They give the liver time to catch up and rest before the next round. If you feel run down, foggy or achy, take an extra week off.
Nasal Rinse Recipes
Parasites, molds and other invaders can settle in the nasal passages, so nasal rinsing is a big part of my plan. These are two separate rinses. Never mix them together.
What You Need
A rinse device: I use a Navage for a deeper cleanse. A neti pot is a wonderful option if you want less plastic exposure.
Distilled water: always distilled, to stay away from contaminants that can be found in tap water.
The products: HydroxyGen, CarboxyGen and Para 3 are in my Fullscript dispensary. Search "CellCore" once you are in.
Rinse 1: HydroxyGen and CarboxyGen
- 6 to 8 ounces of distilled water
- 1 dropper of HydroxyGen
- A dash or pinch of CarboxyGen, working up slowly over time
Rinse 2: Para 3
- 6 to 8 ounces of distilled water
- Para 3, starting with 1 drop and working up over time
Rinse Tips
- Do not add salt to these rinses. Salt changes the pH.
- A burning feeling is common at first and goes away over time.
- Doing several rinses back to back in one sitting is easier on the sinuses than spreading them through the day.
Upgraded Nasal Rinses
For upgraded nasal rinses, the IS tinctures can be used. Reach out to me for guidance.
Strongyloides and Other Therapies
Soothing the Rash and Skin
The larva currens rash and that constant itch can wear you down during a long cleanse.
The propolis and cistus balm and ointment from KI Science is wonderful for calming the itching and irritation. Propolis is known for its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, and cistus has long been valued for skin support.
This balm is not just for pain. It also supports the skin as wounds close up, which really helps if scratching has left the skin broken or raw.
Apply a thin layer to the area as needed.
Working With the Full Moon
Parasites are believed to be most active around the full moon, so this is a very good time to focus on your protocol and stay consistent.
Work With Someone You Trust
Every body is different. A trusted practitioner can help you adjust dosing, know when to rest, and track your progress with retesting along the way.
Strongyloides is persistent, but so are you. With the right testing, patience and a steady six-month rhythm, you can clear strongyloides and move forward feeling lighter and stronger.
Disclaimer
The content in this article is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare practitioner before beginning any protocol, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking prescriptions or managing a health condition. This post contains affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Clinical Overview of Strongyloides. https://www.cdc.gov/strongyloides/hcp/clinical-overview/index.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. DPDx: Strongyloidiasis. https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/strongyloidiasis/index.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Intestinal Parasites: Domestic Guidance. https://www.cdc.gov/immigrant-refugee-health/hcp/domestic-guidance/intestinal-parasites.html
- Merck Manual Professional Edition. Strongyloidiasis. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/infectious-diseases/nematodes-roundworms/strongyloidiasis
- Strongyloides Hyperinfection Syndrome among COVID-19 Patients Treated with Corticosteroids. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2022;28(7). https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/28/7/22-0198_article
- Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne. Immigrant Health Service: Strongyloidiasis. https://www.rch.org.au/immigranthealth/clinical/Strongyloidiasis/
- Gardini G, et al. Dermatological Presentation of Strongyloides stercoralis Infection in Two Elderly Italian Inpatients. Pathogens. 2024;13(8):658. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/13/8/658
