According to WHO studies, almost the entire population is infected with worms. Many people are unaware of the presence of helminths and protozoa and attribute the discomfort to a cold or poisoning. But sometimes a person can see all or part of a worm in the feces. It is better to have yourself checked regularly for foreign organisms.
The main types of worms
Helminths of various types can live in the human body, they affect not only the stomach, but also other internal organs.
Depending on their habitat, they are divided into several main classes:
- Geohelminths - larvae live in feces, human infections are oral, flies can be carriers;
- Biohelminths - the body of fish or animals is chosen as an intermediate host, in the form of larvae they get into the human body, where they begin to actively develop;
- Contact helmets - a small species transmitted by contact through objects of common use.
The greatest damage can be caused by 3 types of parasites - flukes, tapeworms and roundworms. Worms are divided into intestinal and extraintestinal forms based on their habitat. Intestinal worms have a complex structure and mainly reproduce outside the human body - roundworms, pinworms, tapeworms. They live only in the large and small intestine, feeding on the mucous membranes of the organ.
Even the simplest organisms - Giardia, Cryptosporidium - can settle in the intestine. Despite the primitive structure, getting rid of them is difficult - they multiply very quickly and quickly become immune to drugs. Various infectious diseases develop against the background of infection.
Extraintestinal forms can move throughout the body with the help of the bloodstream. Most commonly, these helminths infect the cells of the liver, pancreas, and spleen. Less often - the brain, respiratory and visual organs, lymph nodes, soft tissues. Diagnosing this form of infection is difficult because it is not always possible to detect these worms in a person's feces.
Cestodes and trematodes enter the body with badly fried meat and fish, dirty water. The rest of the parasites can be infected if the rules of hygiene are not observed.
Dirty hands and poorly washed food of plant origin occur in 80% of infections with helminthiasis.
What does a human worm look like? These are parasites in the form of worms, usually light in color. Their length varies from a few millimeters to 2-3 m.
roundworms
Roundworms are most common in children.
Main Types:
- roundworm - has a spindle-shaped structure, the length of females reaches 40 cm, they leave the body along with feces;
- Pinworms - small worms of gray-white color, the length of which does not exceed 10 mm, adults and eggs can be found in the feces;
- Hookworm necators - externally similar parasites, length - no more than 15 mm, sharp teeth;
- Vlasoglav - a worm about 5 cm long, all white.
More:
- Enterobiasis - infection by contact parasites with pinworms. Helminthiasis refers to epidemiological diseases - when a person is infected, everyone who comes into contact with them quickly becomes infected. Pinworms enter the body through the oral route. Enterobiasis is accompanied by severe itching in the anus, which often leads to re-infection.
- Trichuriasis is an infection with whipworms. It lives in the initial section of the small intestine, feeding on mucosal tissue and blood. With a large accumulation, severe diarrhea begins, prolapse of the rectum is possible.
- Hookworms infect the duodenum. The larvae penetrate through the skin on contact with the soil and are carried by the bloodstream to all internal organs and lungs. A person begins to have a strong cough, along with sputum, the larvae penetrate the organs of the digestive system. After the defeat of the blood vessels, the worm injects a special enzyme that prevents blood from clotting.
- Roundworms can move freely in the body, a person swallows eggs from parasites along with dirty vegetables, untreated water. Flies can be carriers of eggs.
Symptoms of helminthiasis
The main danger of helminthic invasions is the long-term absence of signs of infection. And when the symptoms appear, they are similar to other common diseases. A person begins to take pills for cough, fever, intestinal disorders or constipation on his own, but self-medication does not give positive results.
Externally, infection with parasites can manifest itself in the form of acne, seborrhea, cracked heels, spasms in the corners of the mouth, papillomas. In women, they can provoke the release of fluorine, inflammation occurs in the ovaries, menstruation becomes painful and irregular. With prolonged infection, fibroids, fibroids and mastopathy appear. In men, helminthiasis lead to impotence, prostatitis, prostate adenoma. Worms provoke the formation of sand and stones in the kidneys and bladder.
Symptoms of invasion in humans:
- frequent colds, respiratory diseases;
- chronic inflammation of the respiratory organs and paranasal sinuses;
- constipation, diarrhea, flatulence;
- joint and muscle pain;
- severe weight fluctuations;
- manifestation of anemia.
Granulomas are a clear sign of infection. Destroyed eggs accumulate in these tumors, they form on the walls of the intestine, in the lungs, liver and uterus. Against the background of constant poisoning by parasites, oncological diseases develop. Severe intoxication leads to allergic reactions, hives, eczema. The mental state of a person also changes - aggression is replaced by apathy, chronic fatigue appears and worries about insomnia.
The main symptom is worms in the stool. They can be seen visually or detected by special analysis.
children and parasites
Worms in children are diagnosed more often than in adults. The child puts dirty hands, toys in his mouth, loves contact with animals, plays in the sand and on the earth. According to statistics, every third child attending preschool has helminths. Pinworms, Ascaris, Giardia and Toxocara are often found in children.
Giardia are small parasites that affect even newborns. With infection, severe diarrhea begins, high temperature and abdominal pain appear. Many parents attribute the signs to the manifestation of an intestinal infection, the treatment does not give the desired result, helminthiasis passes into the chronic stage.
Toxocara live in the body of cats and dogs, go outside with feces. A child becomes infected while playing in the sandbox or on the ground after contact with stray animals. These worms look like white threads of varying thickness and length. A large photo describing the parasite can be used as a visual aid when discussing with a child the need to wash their hands thoroughly.
The consequence of infection is increased aggressiveness, constant whims, apathy. The child quickly begins to get tired, the quality of sleep deteriorates. The main symptom that allows you to reliably find out about the infection is itching in the anus, the presence of parasites in the feces.
Nocturnal teeth grinding is not a sign of a parasite infestation in a child.
Worm infestation is dangerous for a child - chronic diseases develop, the immune system is disturbed, problems with appetite and weight appear. When infected with whipworm, a child begins to develop developmental delay, severe anemia.
Medical treatment
Since there can be more than 200 different helminths in the human body, there is no uniform treatment method. Modern diagnostics will help to identify exactly what worms are present in the body, which will allow you to prescribe adequate therapy. Parasites of various types are most often found in humans.
Medicines only affect adults, they are powerless against larvae and eggs. Therefore, for complete relief, it is necessary to undergo several courses of antiparasitic therapy.
Worms in the body can cause many serious diseases - chronic diseases of the digestive and respiratory organs, nervous disorders, glaucoma, tumors of various origins. It is easy to avoid infection with helminths - wash your hands often, use antibacterial agents on the street, subject meat and fish to high-quality heat treatment, do not drink raw water, pour boiling water over all vegetables and without exceptionFruit.