The cause of many diseases, poor health, is infection with helminths. Various worms can enter the human body. Their size varies from the smallest millimeters to 16-18 meters. They parasitize in all organs and tissues and cause enormous damage to health. In order to protect yourself from invasion (infection), it is desirable to know what worms are and understand how to become infected with parasites of any kind.
Types of worms - what parasites live in the human body
Depending on the location of parasitism in the body and the characteristics of infection, parasites are divided into several classes.
Classification of worms by location in the human body:
- colon- These are worms that live in the gastrointestinal tract, mainly in the small intestine. Sometimes they invade other organs. This group includes tapeworms and roundworms.
- extraintestinal- develop, live and multiply in various organs outside the intestine. They can be localized in the lungs, eyes, brain, liver. This group includes flatworms.
Classification of worms by type of entry into the human body:
- contagious- be transmitted through contact from an infected person to a healthy person. Another source of infection is household items: towels, toys. Representatives of this species are dwarf tapeworms, pinworms.
- biohelminthiases- transmitted through contact with an animal as a result of eating infected meat that has not undergone adequate heat treatment. In order to become dangerous for humans, these parasites have to live in the body of an intermediate host for a certain period of time. This species includes beef and pork tapeworms.
- geohelminthiases- Part of the life cycle takes place in the human body, and part - in the soil. This is a necessary condition for their development. You can get infected through poorly washed vegetables and fruits. This group includes roundworms, trichinella.
Depending on the biological characteristics, helminths are divided into three types - roundworms, tapeworms, as well as flukes.
Roundworms (Nematodes)
Roundworms are so named because their bodies are round in cross-section. These parasites are most commonly found in a child's body. This type includes:
- pinwormsThey parasitize in the large and small intestine. Their body length does not exceed 1 cm. Helminthic invasion by pinworms most often affects children. These parasites live 1-2 months. With strict observance of personal hygiene, you can recover even without medication. Failure to do so may result in reinfection.
- roundworm- worms up to 45 cm long that parasitize in the small intestine. They can move freely in the intestine. Their life expectancy is 14 months. During this period, they release toxins into the blood and systematically poison the body.
- Vlasoglav- Worms with a body length of 3-4 cm They parasitize in the large and appendix and burrow into their mucous membrane to suck blood. Very poisonus. Live up to 5 years.
- trichinella- a parasite with a valley of 3–4 mm, which can be infected through meat that has undergone insufficient heat treatment. Helminths live in various organs and settle in the muscles of the eyes, heart and lungs. Life expectancy - up to 2 years.
- hookworm and necator- have the same biological characteristics, the same development cycle and the same method of parasitization, therefore they are grouped under the same name "hookworms". These 10–15 mm long helminths are located in the duodenum 12. Penetrate the human body through the skin upon contact with contaminated soil. They feed on blood by biting through the blood vessels, leading to iron deficiency anemia. This parasite is difficult to identify.
Tapeworms (cestodes)
The tapeworm has a flat body divided into segments. As the worm grows, the segments separate from the body and pass out with the feces. These ribbon-like individuals grow up to 20 m in length. They parasitize in the intestines, where they attach themselves to its walls with the help of suction cups.
In order to infect humans, tapeworms have to go through one of the developmental stages in an animal's body.
These parasites live in the body for years. Members of this group:
- wide band- reaches a length of up to 20 m. It parasitizes in the small intestine, causing severe dysfunction of the digestive tract. You can get infected by eating the flesh of freshwater fish and crayfish that have not undergone heat treatment.
- bull tapeworm- a 6–12 m long worm that lives in the small intestine and is attached to its mucous membrane with suction cups. The source of infection is beef that has not undergone adequate heat treatment.
- pork tapeworm- a parasite up to 2 m long that enters the body through raw or poorly processed pork. Adheres to the walls of the small intestine.
- Echinococcus- a parasite that can be infected by cats, dogs. A person is an intermediate host for this helminth, therefore, penetrating tissues, the larvae penetrate all organs, forming hydatid cysts. They are only surgically removed.
- alveococci- a species of echinococcus. Very dangerous helminths that can live in any organs, but mainly parasitize in the liver. They actively grow and develop on the principle of cancerous metastases, gradually infecting the entire body. The worms can be surgically removed.
flukes (trematodes)
Flukes are a type of worms that parasitize in all organs and tissues. They feed on epithelial cells. They reach a length of 1. 5 m. The body is shaped like a leaf. The route of infection is the consumption of raw fish, seafood or after insufficient heat treatment. This type includes:
- liver fluke- a worm 7–20 mm long. It parasitizes in the liver and bile ducts. It provokes the development of serious diseases and functional disorders.
- fluke- a worm 4-13 mm long, localized in the gallbladder.
Symptoms - signs of worms in humans
Exactly how helminthiasis manifests itself depends on the type of worms that have infested the body and their number. The main symptoms of a helminthic invasion:
- diarrhea or constipation;
- flatulence, flatulence;
- pain in muscles and joints;
- Anemia;
- allergic reaction;
- Dermatitis;
- weight problems - weight loss or obesity;
- sleep disturbance;
- nervousness, irritability, depression;
- apathy, fatigue;
- cough, inflammation of the airways;
- weakened immunity.
How to determine if worms are present
If symptoms appear that may indicate the presence of worms, it is worth undergoing diagnostics. The following tests help identify parasites:
- Examination of feces.
- blood analysis.
- Investigating the mysteries of the duodenum 12.
- Analysis of perianal and rectal mucus.
- Ultrasound, tomography, endoscopy.
You can be sure of the result of the diagnosis if you pass the analysis 3-4 times with an interval of several days. One analysis is insufficient to confirm the absence of a helminthic invasion.
The human body can infest one or more types of worms at the same time. All of them, regardless of size, provoke serious health problems, are the causative agents of complex chronic diseases that cannot be cured for years. In order to eliminate the risk of infection, it is necessary to regularly conduct diagnostics and preventive treatment. This is especially true for pet owners.