Many people do not understand why they are asked to take a "worm egg" test when they apply for a job. Patients who come in with severe symptoms - vomiting, abdominal, heart or lung pain, constipation, allergies or headaches - are even more often surprised by the diagnosis of helminthic infection. It turns out that parasites are far from safe for humans, and the above symptoms are just the beginning. Let's get to know them better?
Parasites are everywhere: outside and inside
The word "parasite" comes from the Greek word "parasites", meaning parasite. These organisms live and multiply in the organs and tissues of the host, causing serious illness and even death. Such an infection is called an invasion. Depending on their structure and "habitat", parasites are divided into several groupsare shared and all of them are very dangerous.
Ectoparasites
This group includes parasitic organisms that live on or within the skin. They cause itching, dermatitis, allergies and carry dangerous infections.
- Head, body and pubic lice use their mouthparts to pierce the host's skin and drink blood. Infection with them is called pediculosis. Insects carry dangerous diseases - typhus and relapsing fever.
- The demodex mite (mite) is the causative agent of a disease called demodicosis. The length of the parasite is 0. 48 mm, so it is not visible to the naked eye. The mite lives in human hair follicles, causing inflammation (folliculitis) and dermatitis. Damage to the eyebrows and eyelashes also leads to eye infections.
- The scabies mite, as its name suggests, causes scabies. The 0. 25–0. 38 mm long female parasite chews through the epidermis (layers of skin) to deposit eggs. Scabies forms in the thickness of the skin. The parasite causes itching, rashes and allergic reactions. Affected: armpits, groin area, abdomen, spaces between the fingers. The disease spreads quickly because the female lays 3-4 eggs per day, from which the larvae hatch after 2-3 days.
Endoparasites
Internal parasites live in the host's organs (intestines, kidneys, liver) and blood, causing infection (invasion). There are more than 25 species of endoparasites. 15-16 million people die every year because of their mistakes.
Endoparasites include worms (worms) and protozoa. The number of infections has increased in recent years. Hidden forms of parasitism predominate, in 80% of cases the owner does not know that uninvited "guests" have settled in his body. Deaths due to parasitic diseases have also become more common. The development of tourism with visits to exotic countries has led to infection with tropical parasites, whichunder the conditions of our country, it is difficult to identify and destroy.
Helminths
The most common of these parasites are:
- Roundworms are up to 40 cm long and live in the small intestine. The female lays up to 200, 000 eggs per day. Worms weaken the body, cause anemia and indigestion. Gathering into a ball, the worms clog the lumen of the intestine and cause an obstruction. Sometimes huge balls of tangled roundworms are removed from a person during surgery.
- Tapeworms (broad tapeworms) are tapeworms that do not show symptoms for a long time after entering the human body. The growing worm causes bloating, anemia, gastrointestinal disturbances and intestinal obstruction. People become infected with tapeworms by eating poorly processed fish.
- The pork and cattle tapeworm enters the body when eating undercooked meat that contains the cysts (larvae) of the worm. Parasites reproduce quickly and populate the host's body. They describe a case in which a man was parasitized by 104 pig tapeworms, the total length of which was 128 meters. Sometimes the tapeworm larvae begin to "walk" throughout the body, causing tissue swelling, high fever, and muscle pain.
- Pinworms are small worms that live in the intestines. They are not as harmless as they seem. The infection causes allergic reactions, the worm penetrates the appendix, causing inflammation.
- Nematodes are a group of roundworms that live in the intestinal tract. Worms cause irritation of the intestinal wall and blockage of the bile ducts. 45 species of nematodes live in the human body. Intestinal tapeworm and whipworm are the most common.
Some worms live outside the gastrointestinal tract and cause extraintestinal helminthiasis (fluke, echinococcus, pig tapeworm cysts). They damage the nervous system, brain and internal organs. Patients present with fever, swelling and blood in the urine. Dirofilariasis, in which parasites are found in the heart, is dangerous. The parasite causes pain similar to the manifestation of ischemic heart disease.
Protozoa
In recent years, protozoan parasites have become widespread and affect various organs and tissues:
- Giardia is an organism that affects the small intestine and causes peristalsis. The disease is often asymptomatic.
- Trichomonas and chlamydia are protozoans that cause inflammation of the urogenital system.
- Blastocysts are intestinal parasites that irritate the mucous membrane and reduce immunity.
- Dysenteric amoebae are protozoa that cause the protracted form of ulcerative colitis. A person experiences abdominal pain, loose stools and fever. The disease is dangerous due to intestinal perforation.
How to get infected with helminths: raw water, exotic cuisine and unwashed hands
You should not think that parasites live only in people who do not take care of themselves and lead an antisocial lifestyle. Anyone can become infected, because a person is not exempt from communication with sick people and "parasite carriers". Uninvited "guests" enter the body through food, water from pets, dirty hands and insect bites.
They encourage infection by buying homemade lard, raw meat, dried and smoked fish in unauthorized markets. You can get infected in a canteen or cafe if sanitary conditions are not maintained there. Undercooked meat and fish dishes are dangerous.
The parasites have also benefited from their passion for Japanese cuisine, where unheated fish is added to dishes. Not all sushi bar chefs follow proper hygiene practices. As a result, a person becomes infected with helminths.
How to suspect a parasitic infection
In the presence of external parasites (lice, scabies mites, demodex), skin itching occurs, which worsens at night. Irritated areas, redness, blisters and pustules appear on the skin. Sometimes allergies occur and the temperature may rise.
In the case of worm infection, the clinical picture varies, but in all cases there are digestive problems (diarrhea or constipation), anemia and weakness. People lose weight even with an increased appetite, some people's taste preferences change - fatty, salty, etc. longs for. This is how the body tries to replace the loss of vitamins and microelements caused by the worm parasite.
Helminth infections are associated with bloating of the abdomen, pain in various parts of it, and itching around the anus. Sometimes during defecation the worms fall out of the anus or come out with the stool. In case of severe infection, vomiting occurs with the release of helminths. In a sick person, the liver and spleen are enlarged, pain occurs in the right or left hypochondrium.
In helminthiasis, neurological manifestations caused by poisoning caused by waste products of parasitic creatures are common: insomnia, irritability, constant fatigue, bruxism (teeth grinding during sleep).
Parasites weaken the body, undermine the immune system and cause allergies. Manifestations of bronchial asthma are often associated with the presence of worms (pinworms, whipworms, echinococcus).
How to identify dangerous parasites
It is impossible to identify and deal with dangerous residents alone, especially since they can exist in a complex, and by eliminating some, you only make room for others. Every clinic has a parasitologist who treats infections. If there is no such specialist, you can request an appointment with a therapist.
The doctor prescribes several tests:
- Blood for clinical analysis. In case of helminthiasis, an acceleration of the ESR, a decrease in hemoglobin and an increase in the number of eosinophils can be observed.
- Biochemical blood test to detect ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase, thymol test, amylase. An increase in these indicators is characteristic of nematode infection.
- Analysis of bile, mucus, sputum, muscle tissue.
Worm infections are often disguised as other illnesses. People undergo surgeries to find a pancreas or liver that has been consumed. It is not always possible to cure a patient with an advanced form, so you should not hope for a miracle - you need to take the same test for "worm eggs" in time. To establish a diagnosis, an endoscopy of the intestines and stomach is prescribed.
Diseases caused by parasitic protozoans are difficult to recognize. The infection proceeds latently and destroys the body until the patient shows serious organ changes.
Treatment of helminthiasis
In order to cure the patient, he gets rid of the parasites and their metabolic products. For treatment, anthelmintic drugs are used, which are selected taking into account the type of parasite and the patient's condition. This should be done by a doctor, as all anthelmintic pills contain dangerous substances.
To expel large worms, the patient prescribes a siphon enema. At the same time, make sure that the head of the helminth does not remain in the body, otherwise the parasite will grow again. In order to prevent re-infection, the anthelmintic treatment is carried out in several courses.
After the worms are expelled, drip infusions of solutions, restoratives and vitamins are prescribed. Restoring the function of organs affected by parasites.
Pediculosis is treated using special sprays and mercury ointments. If pubic lice are detected, the hair in the groin area is shaved.
Sulfur ointment, benzyl benzoate, and several other medications are used to treat scabies. Demodicosis is treated with complex external agents, which include mercury, tar, zinc and sulfur.
Prevention of parasitic infections
To avoid "catching" exo- and endoparasites:
- wash hands, vegetables and fruits thoroughly before eating;
- remove dirt under the nails;
- do not use other people's combs, shoes and household items;
- do not walk on the floor in public places with bare feet and wear a cap when swimming in the pool;
- don't buy food at "spontaneous" markets and don't eat at questionable restaurants;
- cook or fry meat or fish;
- monitor the health status of pets by timely deworming;
- use insect repellent when traveling;
- Having arrived from an exotic country, undergo a full examination and tests.
Parasites quickly infect people, so when they are detected, people living with the patient are also examined and, if necessary, treated.
In a modern clinic, you can perform the presence of worms and consult a family doctor for a quick cure of parasites.