Throughout life, a person is exposed to the risk of infection by various parasites. The most common are helminths (worms in humans). These parasites in the human body lead to many complications, among which are: disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, physical damage to internal organs and helminthiasis. Helminthiasis is not a disease, but a group of diseases provoked by parasites living inside a person. All helminths are divided into 3 main types:
- nematodes (belong to the order of roundworms), prominent representatives - roundworms, red worms, whipworms;
- tapeworms, or cestodes (an order of flatworms), are represented by tapeworms, tapeworms;
- flukes, or trematodes (order of flatworms), are represented by liver flukes.
Since helminths leave the body of the host during the reproduction period to maintain the species, transferring to another host or to the environment, they are also divided according to the type of transfer:
- Mechanical transfer involves movement over long distances, while development of worms in the host's body does not occur. These include most arthropods (crustaceans, arachnids and millipedes), often held on the legs of common flies.
- An intermediate host is a specific mode of transmission in which one of the stages of development occurs in the body of the vector. For example, for bovine tapeworm, the carrier (intermediate host) is cattle and humans are the final carrier.
Helminths also differ in their mode of transmission:
- active (contact);
- passive (food).
Contact helminths are able to enter the human body through mucous membranes and skin (schistosomes, roundworms). Foodborne illnesses are more common; they develop in a person after eating unwashed food, during contact with sick people or not respecting the rules of personal hygiene.
In total, there are more than 250 species of roundworms that parasitize humans in the world. Since the symptoms of the presence of worms in people have different manifestations, at the slightest suspicion you should contact a specialist and be tested.
The life cycle of worms, their reproduction and development
An example of helminth development is the classic roundworm life cycle diagram. The eggs of the parasite are extremely resistant to negative external influences and can stay in the soil for up to six months. The development of the larva itself takes from 2 weeks to 2 months, depending on environmental conditions: temperature, humidity, availability of oxygen. A mature egg enters the stomach with food, where gastric juice eats the eggshell, releasing the larva.
After that, the roundworm enters the bloodstream through the intestinal wall and begins to move throughout the vascular system until it enters the pulmonary alveoli. The roundworm larva is aerobic, only here it becomes active and continues to develop. Feeding on blood, it grows to 3-4 mm in length. After reaching primary maturity 4-5 days after invasion, the roundworm begins to move towards the bronchi. Its movement causes a cough in a person, as a result of which the larva, together with mucus, enters the oral cavity and again into the intestines. This is where the final stage of the formation of the larva into an adult occurs.
The life cycle of an adult roundworm lasts about a year, during which time it lays up to 250, 000 eggs. Human health, and sometimes even life, directly depends on the presence of worms in the body and their quantity, therefore it is important to start treatment as soon as possible. Ascariasis is accompanied by intoxication, and a complication will be intestinal obstruction, in some cases requiring urgent surgical intervention.
Reproduction of helminths occurs in 2 ways, based on which worms are divided into biohelminths and geohelminths. Typically, parasite eggs end up in the outdoor environment, where they mature. Then the egg must enter the host, where it either fully develops (geohelminths) or passes into the stage of transformation into a larva (biohelminths).
For biohelminths, the development process is more complex; the stages of development into an adult and reaching maturity are separated by the stage of larval emergence. That is, from the external environment the egg first enters an intermediate carrier, where the larva is born. It must then be ingested by its final host to reach its adult form. Sometimes biohelminths change up to 4 intermediate carriers before reaching their final host.
Symptoms
How to determine the presence of worms? Polymorphic symptoms and the absence of painful sensations in the early stages of the disease complicate the diagnosis. Often the reasons for the appearance of worms in people are related to the consumption of stale or contaminated food, and the parasites themselves live directly in the gastrointestinal tract, so the signs of their presence in the human body in most cases are related to the functioning of the intestines:
- loose stools (unstable);
- pain and swelling;
- allergic skin rash;
- bloating;
- nausea;
- vomiting;
- lack or excess of appetite;
- at night - sleep disturbances, throwing up, grinding teeth, salivation;
- itching in the anus;
- the presence of mucus or blood in the stool.
These symptoms appear after infection and last a short time (about 7 days). In case of re-infection, they are repeated after 2-3 weeks. In the absence of treatment or due to the appearance of an acute or chronic form of the disease, some symptoms do not disappear and to them are added the consequences of a long stay of parasites in the body:
- Intoxication occurs almost simultaneously with infection, but in the early stages it is not so obvious. The greater the number of worms in the human body, the stronger the symptoms of poisoning - from morning sickness to vomiting and abdominal pain.
- Congestion in the lungs (infiltrates), bronchial spasms, pneumonia. The main culprits are parasites that develop in the alveoli of the lungs and damage them, which provokes inflammatory processes.
- Inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis). An infectious disease, the result of the vital activity of helminths and subsequent intoxication.
- Meningoencephalitis is a dangerous inflammation of the brain and its membranes caused by bacteria and protozoa.
Different pathogens have their own manifestations and consequences, but most of the symptoms are common to all helminths.
Diagnosing
The diagnosis is made in laboratory conditions. Only in this case, in the presence of worm eggs and their traces in blood or feces, helminthiasis can be diagnosed with certainty. However, stool analysis is not always enough - some types of parasites are not manifested in it. A special method for determining the presence of worms is a serological blood test for antibodies. For the diagnosis of helminthiasis, the following is used:
- biliary studies;
- macroscopy (to identify roundworms and needles);
- biopsy of muscle tissue to check for trichinosis;
- X-ray and ultrasound.
Trichinosis is a parasitic disease in which the larvae of the pathogen spread throughout the host's body, causing much destruction in organs and the central nervous system, after which they settle in muscle tissue. Parasites in human muscles gradually create an infiltrating capsule around themselves and the symptoms of their presence in the body decrease, but by this time serious damage has already been caused to the host's health.
One of the main symptoms can be considered eosinophilia, in which the number of eosinophils in the patient's blood increases significantly. Eosinophils are a subtype of leukocytes that respond to the presence of smaller foreign objects in the circulatory system. In places where parasite larvae accumulate, internal swellings and spots on the skin quickly appear - traces of infiltration. They also remain in saliva and lung fluids.
Since the symptoms of helminthic diseases are extensive and mostly overlap with signs of other diseases, self-diagnosis cannot be completely reliable. There are cases when, after eating bananas, people have noticed dark threads in their stool, which were mistaken for worms. Before starting treatment, it is necessary to undergo all tests to determine the presence and type of parasites.
Treatment of helminthiasis
When treating parasitic diseases, some general rules should be followed:
- Complete disinfection of the patient's clothes and the room in which he is located. Reduce contact to a minimum, separate dishes.
- Strict diet excluding alcohol. It is recommended to drink carrot juice and infusion of birch buds.
- Maintain personal hygiene, frequent hand washing and laundry, cleaning of residential premises.
- Monitoring the progress of the treatment and its effectiveness.
Modern treatment methods exclude the use of a special drug, as this does not guarantee complete coverage of all types of helminths. Most often, the doctor prescribes a drug with initial action that weakens the parasites. After 3 days, depending on the age of the patient and the severity of the infection, anthelmintic drugs are prescribed. Pregnant women or people with drug contraindications are prescribed a non-toxic drug from the tetrahydropyrimidine group.
If it is not possible to visit a doctor, then use folk remedies. The following have a good anthelmintic effect:
- garlic infusion enema, taking garlic on an empty stomach;
- tansy infusion on an empty stomach 4 times a day before meals;
- solution of wormwood in alcohol, taken 3 times a day, 20 mg.
Nowadays, helminthic infections are diagnosed and treated in a short time. If you do not neglect the disease and start treatment on time, this will help to avoid complications and re-invasion. Parasitic diseases pose the greatest risk to children: there is a delay in mental development, complications arise in the form of chronic diseases and inflammatory processes. It is extremely important to immediately explain to your child the need to wash hands and follow the rules of personal hygiene. Adults should also follow other preventive measures.
Prevention of helminthiasis
In addition to personal hygiene, there are a number of factors that affect the elimination of the cause of worms:
- washing vegetables and fruits in hot water;
- keeping the house clean, regular wet cleaning;
- a balanced diet that provides the body with a sufficient amount of vitamins of all groups;
- monitoring the condition of domestic animals, annual visit to the veterinarian;
- proper thermal treatment of fish and meat;
- the fight against insects living in the house;
- refraining from swimming and resting in areas where cattle graze.
Compliance with preventive measures and timely consultation with a doctor in case of infection will help to avoid complications. The correct dose of drugs prescribed by a medical specialist will quickly get rid of parasites, and folk remedies can be used in combination with prescribed drugs.