Helminthic infection in children is one of the most widespread and underestimated disease risks. Worms in children, causing not only insufficient intake of nutrients in the body, but also cause allergic reactions, chronic poisoning, low immunity, diseases and injuries of the gastrointestinal tract. Signs of parasitosis develop immediately, for a long time, the disease may be asymptomatic or unexpressed clinical picture and determined only in laboratory analysis.
The prevalence and types of worms
It is considered that the helminthiasis, infection with worms is a disease are more associated with people from social backgrounds is below average, living in unsanitary conditions, often contact with infected animals or soil. However, according to statistics, only in the European countries, the helminths found in this study, in every third patient.
In nature there are more than 300 species of helminths, more than 70 species distributed in Russia, the rest can enter into the human body at the time of travel in exotic countries. Among all types of parasitic worms that can exist in the human body, there are three groups:
- nematodes belonging to round helminths, some of the most common parasites in children (pinworm, whipworm, Trichinella, roundworm);
- ribbon (flat) worms associated with the cestode (tapeworm, tapeworms and Echinococcus);
- parasites-flukes, or trematodes, becoming a cause of opisthorchiasis, fascioliasis, chistosos, paragonimoz, etc
In most cases helminths parasitize and multiply in the intestine, but eggs and larvae can spread through the bloodstream to different organs in the body. Most often it affects the nearby organs of the digestive tract: liver, gallbladder, however, parasites can live in the muscle tissue, lungs, brain.
Helminthiasis: the path of infection
Ways of infection with worms depend on the characteristics of their development cycle. For some groups of helminths of man is the main "owner", in whose body they live and breed, for others – intermediate. In some cases, the parasites, the necessary maturation of eggs in the soil or other conditions. But the basic rules of protection against infection is good hygiene, provided, that in childhood, not always.
Childhood is a period when sustained immunity has not yet been established, which significantly increases the likelihood of Contracting parasitosis. The desire to try everything, taste, more contact with earth, sand, all the objects, which increases the likelihood for the invasion of helminth eggs in the body of the child.
The most common worms – pinworms, and roundworm is transferred on unwashed hands can remain on household items (hooks) that get inside the body with the food (poorly washed strawberries, green vegetables). There is also the possibility of the spread of worms after contact with an infected person or animal, or there are near them.
Pinworms are one of the worms that cause reinvasion for the itching, which is caused by the female pinworms in the process of laying eggs outside the anus, causing the patient to touch, to RUB, to scratch the irritated area and spread the parasite eggs on the bottom, bed linen, clothes, objects, surfaces. With repeated ingestion of eggs, which remain in the hands or bed, reinvasion occurs, the self-infection of the patient. Primary infection of children usually takes place in institutions, in playgrounds, in places of a mass congestion of children.
What factors increase the risk of infection with helminths?
- If, in accordance with hand hygiene: skip washing your hands after returning from the street of the guests from the bathroom, before any food intake.
- Biting nails, sucking fingers, holding in the mouth a variety of objects (pencils, pens, toys, etc).
- Pets visiting the street: even with timely anthelmintic treatment of dogs and cats may spread worm eggs, brought from the street to the feet, wool.
- Improper treatment of vegetables, fruits, berries, herbs before serving.
- The low level of hygiene in the house: wearing street shoes, a premature wash the floor, etc ..
Worms in kids: the various symptoms and treatment of helminthiasis
Many species of parasites, for a long time, do not contribute to the formation of a clear clinical picture eliminare: the aim of parasite is, that there are, so as not to be noticed, that the owner of the vehicle. So bright symptoms of helminthiasis can be found only in those cases when the infection is over (at the beginning or due to the long latent period) and/or a child has reduced immunity, concomitant diseases, against which the bot is more pronounced. Individual situation – the infection of exotic species of parasites, which cause a strong reaction from the body.
Common symptoms of helminthiasis in children:
- increased appetite without increasing body weight;
- the increased flow of saliva;
- the symptoms of bowel, dyspepsia, flatulence, unstable stool, nausea, pain in the stomach, right hypochondrium, spasm in the intestine;
- dizziness, headache, fatigue;
- a predisposition to allergic reactions, which were not observed before, or more severe allergies;
- sensitivity, irritability, sleep disturbances, attention and memory associated with intoxication by the waste products of helminths;
- injury, hair loss, nail exfoliation with the development of the lack of vitamins and iron;
- frequent inflammation of the throat (sinusitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis, etc..), the genitals, especially in girls because of the anatomic proximity of the vagina and the anus.
With a long-term helminth infections in children have lagged behind age norms in height, weight, development, disorders, and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the symptoms of severe poisoning, anemia, allergies, frequent respiratory infections of bacterial and viral etiology, neurological disorders.
The first symptoms usually appear after 2-4 weeks after exposure, the eggs of worms in the body. These vary depending on the number of parasites, the level of protective strength and health of the children, as well as the types of worms. So, pinworm night cause itching in the anus, which contributes to sleep disorders. At toxocarosis special features are cough, without signs of respiratory disease, fever, probably, asthma and allergic reactions.
The widespread belief that bruxism, grinding teeth in sleep is a sign of the presence of worms in the body, is refuted by medical scientists. The occurrence of bruxism is associated with the peculiarities of the human nervous system. Although the worms, especially pinworms, can interfere with sleep and contribute to neurotic children, bruxism, there is no evidence of worm infection. The treatment of this phenomenon involved neurologists and dentists.
With prolonged helminths all develop the clinical picture of poisoning.
Diagnostics of helminthiasis
In most cases helminthiasis in children diagnosed due to the annual preventive medical examinations of stool for the worm eggs. However, this is not the most reliable way: in the presence of symptoms and negative analysis it should be noted that not all types of worms can be defined in a similar way. Those species that lay their eggs can also prevent the detection during the laboratory tests, as the frequency of breeding may not coincide with the time of analysis. There have also been cases where the body has one or more of the same-sex individuals are not capable of reproduction, but harmful for the whole life cycle.
Negative fecal tests, it is recommended to carry out a review in 2-3 weeks. In the list of preventive the study, included analysis for the presence of helminth eggs and scraping on enterobiasis. To suspect the presence of worms can also be in accordance with the results of the blood tests: high levels of eosinophils in combination with reduced haemoglobin in most of the cases implies the presence of parasites in the body.
For the diagnosis can be used for biological studies of sputum, bile, urine, coprogram stool.
To clarify the diagnosis in cases of suspected Echinococcus examine the organs of the peritoneum ultrasonic and/or radiographic mode. Opisthorchiasis is diagnosed with the help of the analysis of the gut contents and duodenal sounding.
Define the type of the parasite and cause damage to the body through immunological studies. After an accurate diagnosis is the preferred treatment method.
Medicamentous methods for the treatment of helminthiasis in children
The treatment of helminthiasis is based on two directions: elimination of parasites and detoxify the body, lowers or offset the damage from existing worms.
To reduce the severity of signs of poisoning are appointed for vitamin preparations (b, C), iron, vitamin-mineral complexes, glucose, rate of infusion gemodeza, etc., In some cases, shows the use of diuretics, antihistamines. With the defeat of the heart muscle, liver tissue can be used to the hormonal factors.
As maintenance therapy gives the chelators, deducing from the blood in the waste products of the parasites, the enzymes that help improve digestion and the functioning of the organs, etc ..
When all helminth infections is highly recommended the use of broad spectrum preparations in children. Medications that cause the death of the parasites that affect the human body, so the choice of drug and its dosage should be undertaken with caution.
The home and the traditional methods of getting rid of maggots is strictly not recommended due to lack of evidence and the ability to accurately measure the dose and the likely impact on the child's body.
Principles of therapy of helminthiasis
In most cases, in the treatment of helminthiasis have one family member, the treatment should be available to all who live in the area, for adults and children. This is true not only very contagious askaridoza, but also for other types of helminthiasis. Medicines for every member of the family also selected a doctor based on age and health status.
If you have animals, are required to undergo anthelmintic treatment, regardless of the time, when is prevention.
In the room where the sick child, need to make a daily hygienic cleaning, preferably at the time of treatment to remove all of the carpets, soft toys, blankets. Bedding and linen, personal towels to be changed as often as possible (shorts – twice a day), after washing all the linen is to be carefully ironed.
This is necessary for monitoring compliance with the rules of hygiene: washing hands after every visit to the toilet, returning to the streets, used only for personal towels, short shaved nails. Without respect for the rules of therapy may be ineffective due to the continued presence of sources of infection in the environment of the patient.
Prevention of infection with worms
Preventive measures include in particular the rules of personal hygiene. Most of the worm eggs, are passed on to the mouth with hands, and washing your hands helps prevent the most cases.
Other preventive measures include:
- thoroughly (at least 2-3 minutes under running water) wash berries, vegetables, leafy greens prior to eating, if eaten raw;
- long cooking river fish (40-60 minutes) before meals;
- timely preventive anthelmintic therapy in domestic animals;
- The general cleanliness of the house in accordance with sanitary-hygienic norms.