Helminthoses

Helminthiasis is a disease in which the human body is infected with parasites.This problem often affects children (80%), but adults can also be infected.Symptoms of the disease can be different depending on the method of penetration and the number of parasites.

Helminthiasis is a disease caused by infection with worms.

Description of the disease

Parasitic worms (worms, helminths) are individuals that take root almost everywhere.The most common types of worms that infect the human body are pinworms, tapeworms and roundworms.Any infected adult or child is a carrier of more than 400 different types of helminths, each of which has several classes.Therefore, only the attending physician can determine which worm is parasitizing a particular organism, as well as prescribe the exact treatment.

They are most often localized in the intestines, but can also affect other areas.Worms affect the brain and eyes, causing allergies and metabolic disorders.Their distribution is affected by living conditions and climate.Thus, in European countries, the percentage of the disease is much lower in urban areas.

The most dangerous are the larvae of worms, because they move throughout the body and cause additional damage to many important organs.Adult parasites settle at one point and affect only a certain place.Intestinal helminths do not live permanently in the human body and die sooner or later depending on the type.

But that doesn't mean you don't need to get rid of the problem.Both the parasites themselves and their decay products are dangerous.Worms worsen the general condition of the human body, lower immunity and aggravate chronic diseases in the patient.In addition, helminths in the body reduce the effectiveness of various types of vaccines and drugs.The most dangerous signs of helminthosis are the heart and eyes.

Irritating factors of the disease

Very often, the carrier of helminths is sick (more than half of the cases of infection): female parasites get out into the anal folds and lay eggs there (about 5 thousand eggs per woman).The infected person feels itchy, scratches the affected area and spreads the parasites further: on items in his wardrobe and on things he touches during the day.

Worms enter the body through food, but there are other ways of transmission: through the skin (particles of viral dust remain under the nails) or through air droplets.That is why patients who do not follow proper hygiene rules, eat dirty vegetables and fruits, and drink water from unclean taps are at risk of contracting this disease.

You can get worms by drinking tap water.

Thus, helminthiasis most often affects people living in private houses, pet owners, gourmets who prefer medium fried, smoked and sushi meat.Frequent carriers of parasites are dogs and cats (both domestic and stray).This parasite is called "takhajara" and can penetrate another organism;The risk of infection is especially high for a person with a weak immune system.The following types are distinguished:

1. Contact.Human-to-human transmission is the most common type of infection.
2. Geohelminthoses.Transmitted through land or water;In some cases, infection is possible through a sick animal.The infection vector contains adult worm eggs that reach humans through animal, insect, or human feces.People working in the soil are especially at risk without gloves.
3. Biohelminthosis.Worms enter through poorly fried foods: fish or meat.
4. Worms penetrate through insect bites (mostly mosquitoes).

Worms can enter the body with food without heat treatment.

Forms of the disease

Depending on the location, the following types are distinguished:

• luminal - localized in the intestine;
• individuals of the hepatobiliary system;
• effect on the lungs;
• penetrating tissue;
• ophthalmic helminth infections.

Among the most common types of worms are roundworms and tapeworms.

The most common types of helminths:

1. Roundworms.
2. Pinworms.
3. whipped up.
4. Wide band.
5. Trichinella.
6. Taurus built a ribbon.

The first type enters the intestines from the mouth, and then the lymph.Roundworms that travel to the lungs and other organs cause fever, malaise, and cough.The virus enters the stomach, where adults are formed.The patient develops an allergy and the infected person suddenly loses weight.Often, patients come to the hospital with other diseases (for example, pneumonia with similar symptoms).

Pinworms are localized in the large intestine, where they grow within 2 weeks.They penetrate through unwashed food, dirty hands and soil.The most striking symptom is anal itching, which worsens at night.If there are a large number of worms, the patient is constantly bothered by itching.

The whipworm enters through the alimentary canal.An infected person experiences abdominal pain, loss of appetite and anemia.Often, when a whipworm penetrates, the wrong therapy is prescribed to the infected person and it is suggested to remove acute appendicitis.

The fourth species inhabits freshwater crayfish or fish and then localizes in the human body through infected freshwater fish or its eggs.The patient feels constant stomach discomfort.

Trichinella enters from improperly thermally processed meat, which contains parasite eggs.The muscles and joints of the face, arms and legs are affected.First, a person feels nauseous, suffers from diarrhea, after a few days the temperature rises, the face swells, rashes appear on the body.After a month, the larvae die due to the active work of the body.

Cow tapeworm enters humans through pork or beef.This has a bad effect on the gastrointestinal tract, because they stop working normally (intestinal and digestive pathologies).

Symptoms of the disease

There are 2 stages of development of symptoms.Acute, lasts about 2 weeks when the parasite develops there.The symptoms are basically similar, which is completely independent of the type of worm.This form of the disease is characterized by the following symptoms:

1. General symptoms.They appear a few weeks after infection: the temperature rises, rashes appear, the face swells, there is a sharp weight loss, pallor and itching.Respiratory problems are common in children.

2. Disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.Diarrhea gives way to constipation, the patient is diagnosed with vomiting and abdominal pain near the navel and possible formation of active gas.These symptoms can be mild or severe depending on the type of parasite.
3. Nervous system problems.Parasites release toxic substances.The more they are in the body, the more actively they work.The patient often feels headache, nausea and dizziness.In addition, the symptoms develop to a high temperature, as a result of which the body and joints ache.The patient gets tired quickly, cannot sleep enough and cannot rest properly.Due to the lack of sleep, irritability occurs and work productivity decreases.
4. Allergy.The symptoms of skin rash due to helminthiasis are similar to urticaria or allergic rhinitis.The skin begins to peel, nails and hair become thin and brittle.Another distinguishing feature is the cracked heels.

5. Weak immunity.Helminthiasis significantly reduces immunity, and a person gets sick more often.Some internal organs may be damaged.

In the next stage, the chronic stage, the symptoms are more varied.Depending on the amount, location and type of worm, various organ disorders will appear here.If there are several helminths in the body, they do not manifest themselves in any way;various symptoms are noticeable only when the worms are actively multiplying.

Diagnosis of the disease

The diagnosis of helminthiasis consists of a general blood test in which eosinophils (which bind foreign proteins in the blood) are elevated.In addition, urine and feces are submitted for examination.A repeat test may be required after 3 days, as worms are not always noticeable.In some cases, additional analysis is necessary for helminth infections.For these purposes, bile, sputum and muscle tissue are examined.

During laboratory diagnostics, fragments of worm larvae or eggs are searched for in the object of analysis.If the symptoms are more chaotic, additional blood tests may be prescribed.Other means of diagnosis: ultrasound, X-ray, endoscopy and computed tomography.

Worms will absorb food that enters the human body, so laboratory tests will show a significant deficiency of vitamins and minerals.If roundworms or pinworms are suspected, a microscopic examination is prescribed.If the symptoms indicate problems with the digestive system, fibrogastroduodenoscopy is prescribed.

Treatment of the disease

All complex treatments are prescribed only by the attending physician, because it is necessary to destroy not only the parasites themselves, but also all the consequences caused by them.If a certain type of worm is detected, anthelmintic drugs are prescribed.Most often, treatment consists of a single dose of the drug, but in some cases, it is possible to take the drug again after a short period of time.

In addition, the following drugs may be prescribed:

1. Antihistamines (anti-allergic preparations) will remove all harmful substances from the body and normalize the condition of the skin.
2. If the level of hemoglobin or red blood cells in the blood is low, drugs containing iron, B vitamins or folic acid will be prescribed.
3. In addition, treatment will consist of taking vitamins and a special diet low in carbohydrates.
4. The room where the infected person lives, as well as personal belongings, are thoroughly processed.
5. The diagnosis of helminthiasis is indicated for all family members or people in direct contact with the patient.
6. Treatment requires nail care.They should be cut short and thoroughly cleaned.
7. In more advanced cases, hormonal drugs are prescribed, as well as drugs with a high potassium content.

In addition, treatment may consist of folk recipes.Natural plants also have anthelmintic properties.For example, celandine and elecampane juice.Vegetable juices (carrots) will also help to eliminate the symptoms of helminthiasis.Pomegranate, pumpkin seeds, mint or garlic are suitable for treatment.

Enemas with herbal decoctions help eliminate helminthosis.

Wormwood decoction can be used as an enema or internally.Folk remedies are often used together with saline laxatives.It is unacceptable to treat helminthosis only with medicinal methods, but as the main or preventive means, such natural preparations will benefit the body.

Treatment of children is often carried out in an inpatient setting, because the disease in them is more severe and lasts for a long time.When choosing drugs to treat a child, the doctor often adjusts them along the way, because the initial drugs will not always be effective for the child's body.

Disease prevention

Prevention of helminthiasis is quite simple and does not require much effort.After any work with the soil, wash your hands and treat your nails, because this is how parasites most often enter the body.You should always wash your hands before eating, after going out and after going to the public toilet.In addition, you can sometimes use hand sanitizers.

Everything must be carefully processed and boiled with boiling water.Care must be taken to protect food from flies and other insects, as insects often carry infections on their wings.This is especially true in spring and summer.

You should always wash your pets after a walk.After a long stay of an animal on the street (for example, in a summer cottage in the summer season), the animal's fur is treated with special anti-parasitic substances.All vaccinations of pets should be carried out on time.

You should only drink boiled or filtered water and avoid drinking water from wells or open reservoirs.Intestinal helminth infections may occur in springs.Individual dishes, towels and personal hygiene items are provided for each family member.Fry meat and fish well before eating.Sushi lovers can try to find a dish that does not contain raw products.

A preventive course of anthelmintic drugs should be carried out once every 6 months.

You can carry out drug prophylaxis twice a year: 1 tablet of an antiviral drug once a day after meals for 3 days.If the child is small, parents should consult a pediatrician about whether he can take such drugs.