What clinical intervention typically resolves an Ascaris lumbricoides infection?

Ascaris lumbricoides is a type of parasitic roundworm responsible for ascariasis, a common intestinal infection. The clinical intervention that effectively resolves this infection is the use of antihelminthic medications. These medications are specifically designed to target and eliminate helminths, which include roundworms, flatworms, and flukes.

Antihelminthic medications work by either paralyzing the worms or disrupting their metabolic processes, which allows the body to expel them naturally through the gastrointestinal tract. Commonly used antihelminthic drugs for treating ascariasis include albendazole and mebendazole, both of which have shown to be effective in eradicating Ascaris lumbricoides from the host.

In contrast, antiviral medications target viruses, antifungal medications are effective against fungal infections, and antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections. None of these classes of drugs have any action against helminths, which is why they are not suitable for the treatment of an Ascaris lumbricoides infection. The specificity of antihelminthic medications makes them the appropriate choice for treating infections caused by parasitic worms like Ascaris lumbricoides.