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Worms in the human body

Probably everyone knows what worms are and where they come from.But not everyone can answer what worms are, and most importantly, what harm they can cause to the human body.

Characteristics and types of helminthiasis

Helminth infections are a group of human diseases caused by the ingestion of worms of parasitic origin, namely helminths that parasitize the internal organs of a person, affecting tissues and disrupting their normal function.

Parasites can settle in almost any organ: the intestines, lungs, gall bladder, liver and even the brain.The name of helminthiasis, its course, consequences and symptoms depend on the type of parasite that caused the disease.

But there are several generalized types of helminthiasis:

Types of contact parasites in the human body
  1. Get in touch.Transmission occurs directly from an already infected person through contact.The most common are hymenolepidosis, caused by dwarf tapeworm, and enterobiasis, caused by hookworms.Parasites crawl out of the rectum and lay eggs on a person's skin.Further distribution is through food and household items.The main cause of contact helminthiasis infection is non-observance of personal hygiene rules, as well as improper processing of products and non-observance of storage rules.
  2. Geohelminthiases.Characteristically, there is no need for an intermediate host;parasitic worms complete their entire life cycle in an organism.The eggs and larvae of parasites can only live in the external environment, most often in the soil.Very rare species are able to develop indoors, most only in soil or water.Children who often play with the soil and workers in farms and pastures are more susceptible to geohelminthiasis.Human infection occurs by eating unwashed vegetables and fruits and drinking untreated water.It is possible for helminths to enter through dust ingestion or through the skin.
    3. worm parasites in the human body
  3. Biohelminthiasis.For the development of helminths, the participation of an intermediate host, most often an invertebrate, is necessary.Basically, the transmission of biohelminthiasis occurs through blood-sucking insects.These types of parasites live in the blood of the final host, enter the body of the insect through a bite, then develop in it and through the same bite reach another person.But it is also possible to release eggs and larvae into the external environment, as with geohelminthiases.Each type of helminth requires its own specific type of intermediate host.

Symptoms and causes of helminthiasis

Clinical symptoms of helminthiasis depend directly on the type of parasites in the human body and their habitat.Depending on the affected organ, various manifestations of the disease appear, which often interfere with an accurate diagnosis.

parasites extracted from the human body

Helminthiasis goes through acute and chronic stages of development.The acute phase lasts no more than 8 weeks, but the chronic phase can last for years.The acute phase is distinguished by similar symptoms for all types of helminthiasis, since after the appearance of a foreign object in the human body, an immediate reaction of the immune system follows.

For the chronic phase, the symptoms become more specific to each specific disease and cannot be generalized.It all depends on the affected organ, for example, when parasites are located in the intestine, abdominal pain and problems with stool are typical.

Symptoms of helminthiasis:

  1. Increased body temperature.
  2. Excessive sweating and swelling.
  3. Muscle and joint pain.
  4. Diarrhea or, conversely, frequent constipation.
  5. Dehydration, frequent vomiting.
  6. Enlargement of the liver, spleen, lymph nodes, bloating.
    7. itching in the anus as a symptom of the presence of parasites
  7. Redness on human skin.
  8. Increased level of leukocytes.
  9. Iron deficiency anemia.
  10. Itching of the skin and anus.
  11. Disorders of the nervous system, apathy, nervousness, depression.
  12. The presence of bloody secretions in the stool or during urination.
  13. Pancreatitis, jaundice, hepatitis, intestinal obstruction.

Some types of helminthiasis are characterized by an asymptomatic, latent course of the disease.This is dangerous because, due to severe damage, a person's internal organ can simply rupture, after which the whole body will inevitably be infected with parasites and, as a result, such serious consequences as anaphylactic shock or peritonitis.

Special attention should be paid to the manifestations of helminthiasis in children, as they are at greater risk.

They are often confused with other diseases and are brought to critical stages of damage to the body.Children's immunity is not yet fully formed and does not show obvious signs of damage.

The most common childhood disease is enterobiasis.In second place are the different types of worms, which are more characteristic of children's diseases.It is necessary to pay attention to the consistency and regularity of stool, the appearance of various skin rashes and do not ignore complaints of itching in the anal area.

The main causes of helminthiasis:

eating unwashed fruit as a cause of parasite infection
  1. Eating unwashed vegetables, fruits and berries.It is very important to respect hygiene and sanitary standards.Carefully process the purchased products;for children, it is recommended to use special products for washing fruits and vegetables.Hand washing is mandatory before every meal.
  2. Meat and fish products.To avoid infection and serious consequences, high-quality heat treatment is required, as well as certification for the purchased product.Monitor compliance with storage conditions of semi-finished products.It is unacceptable to consume fish products bought on the street.
  3. Earth and sand.This is especially true for children, as they tend to put everything in their mouths.During games, do not let your child eat sand in the sandbox or soil in the summer cottage.Anything dropped on the floor or open ground is excluded.

Helminth eggs surround us everywhere, so we must pay special attention to personal hygiene to prevent as many possible helminthic diseases as possible.

Classification of parasites

Helminths are divided into three classes, depending on their shape and appearance:

  • Roundworms.To date, more than 80 thousand species of helminths of this class have been described.They can cause serious damage to the human body and cause various helminthic diseases.The development of roundworms goes through 5 stages, of which four are larvae and one is an adult.With each transition, the environment or intermediate host changes.The most common representatives:Ascaris parasite in the human body
    • roundworm – causes a disease called ascariasis.This type of parasite is able to live and feed exclusively on the human body.Roundworms are characterized by a cough, in which the larvae are pushed into a person's throat and return to the intestines as mature individuals;
    • Roundworms cause enterobiasis in the human body and parasitize the intestines.Upon entering the body of the host, they are characterized by indigestion, itching near the anus and in some cases with inflammation of the genital organs, especially in women.
  • Tapeworms.There are more than 10 orders of tapeworms that live in the human body.This is the most common class of parasites that cause extremely dangerous diseases.They go through two larval stages of development and reach the final host as adults.They enter the human body from an intermediate host, most commonly through the flesh of an infected animal.Therefore, to prevent the disease, it is important to monitor the correct preparation and selection of meat products.The most common types of helminths of this class:
    • tapeworm – causes the disease taeniasis, characterized by frequent vomiting, nausea or lack of appetite;
    • bovine tapeworm is a less dangerous disease, but requires very difficult and long-term treatment;
    • Echinococcus is a type of worm that causes migraines, dizziness, and can even cause epileptic seizures.
  • Flatworms (flux).What are fluke helminths?For the development of this class, the presence of an intermediate host is required.These parasitic worms are the cause of trematodes.The most dangerous varieties of this class:Opisthorchis parasites in the human body
    • fluke opisthorchiasis - enters the human body with fish meat, most often carp species, affecting the bile ducts of the liver;
    • schistosomes - transmitted through water, causing schistosomiasis, a very serious disease with extremely serious consequences;
    • paragonim is a pulmonary attack, the cause of paragonimiasis, infection is possible only by eating crab, lobster or pork.

All the listed types of worms in humans are only a small part of the variety of parasites that currently exist.According to some data, there are more than 1 million varieties.

Diagnosis and treatment of helminthiasis

Science does not stand still and a large number of methods have already been developed and are actively used to identify helminthic diseases.Modern methods make it possible to accurately determine the types of parasites in humans and the degree of tissue damage in their location.

Basic methods for diagnosing helminthiasis:

  1. Microhelminthoscopy.It is used to detect the eggs and larvae of worms.These include the methods of Kato, Kalantaryan and Fulleborn.Separately, each of these methods does not make it possible to correctly identify all types of parasites.But in total they give good results, especially in terms of the intensity of the spread of parasites living in the body.
  2. Macrohelminthoscopy.Most effective in identifying worms and roundworms.They help detect parasites in the feces through the use of a petri dish and a magnifying glass.
  3. Biopsy.If there is a possibility of helminth parasitism in human muscle tissue, then a sample is taken and sent for research.This method allows you to make the most accurate diagnosis.
  4. Immunological.They are performed by examining the patient's blood to detect antibodies to certain types of helminths that live in the human body.
  5. Analysis of bile or duodenal contents.It is used in cases of damage to the liver, gall bladder and duodenum.
  6. Instrumental.These include ultrasounds, x-rays and computer studies.They are used to determine the degree of damage caused by worms in the human body.And also to check other internal organs.

Medicinal methods are used to treat identified diseases.However, it has been proven that complex therapy using several drugs is more effective than monotherapy based on a single anthelmintic.

Helminth infections are most often treated by prescribing a single dose of tablets with an active ingredient such as levamisole.The dose is selected according to the age of the patient.This helps in weakening the parasites.

Then, after 3 days, a medicine containing mebendazole or albendazole is taken.This integrated approach significantly speeds up and increases the effectiveness of treatment.

Very often, a person may not even know about the worms in his body.In this regard, it is recommended to carry out preventive courses of anthelmintic drugs.This is especially true for preschool children and pet owners.

Parasites in humans can cause serious damage to internal organs.Timely diagnosis and treatment will help stop the development of these diseases in time and prevent serious consequences.