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 damage they can cause to the human body.

Characteristics and types of helminth diseases

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

Parasites can settle in almost any organ: intestines, lungs, gallbladder, liver and even brain.The name of helminth disease, its course, consequences and symptoms depend on the type of parasite causing the disease.

But there are several general types of helminthiasis:

1. Contact.Transmission occurs directly from an infected person through contact.The most common are hymenolepidosis caused by dwarf tapeworms and intestinal worm disease caused by pinworms.The parasite crawls out of the rectum and lays eggs on human skin.Further distribution takes place through food and household items.The main cause of contact helminth infection is non-compliance with personal hygiene rules, as well as improper processing of products and non-compliance with storage rules.
2. Geohelminthiase.In particular, there is no need for an intermediate host;Parasitic worms complete their entire life cycle within one organism.Eggs and larvae of the parasite can only live in the external environment, most often in soil.Very rare species can grow indoors, mostly only in soil or water.Children who often play in the dirt and workers on farms and pastures are most susceptible to helminth infections.Infection in humans occurs from eating unwashed vegetables and fruits and drinking untreated water.Helminths can enter through food or through the skin.

3. Biological helminths.To develop helminths, the participation of an intermediate host, usually an invertebrate, is required.Basically, biological transmission of helminths occurs through blood-sucking insects.These parasites live in the blood of the final host, enter the insect's body through a bite, then develop in it and through that bite reach another person.But it is also possible to release eggs and larvae into the outside environment, as with geohelminthiase.Each type of helminth needs its own specific intermediate host.

Symptoms and causes of helminths

Clinical symptoms of helminthiasis directly depend on the type of parasites in the human body and their living environment.Depending on the affected organ, different manifestations of the disease occur, which often hinders accurate diagnosis.

Helminth disease goes through acute and chronic stages of development.The acute phase lasts no more than 8 weeks, but the chronic phase can last many years.The acute stage is distinguished by similar symptoms for all types of helminthiasis, since after the appearance of a foreign object in the human body, the immune system reacts immediately.

In the chronic phase, symptoms become more specific to each particular disease and cannot be generalized.It all depends on the organ affected, for example when the parasite is localized in the intestines, abdominal pain and stool problems are typical.

Symptoms of helminths:

1. Body temperature increases.
2. Excessive sweating and swelling.
3. Muscle and joint pain.
4. Diarrhea or, conversely, frequent constipation.
5. Dehydration, frequent vomiting.
6. Enlarged liver, spleen, lymph nodes, bloating.

7. Rash on human skin.
8. Increased white blood cell levels.
9. Iron deficiency anemia.
10. Itchy skin and anus.
11. Nervous system disorders, apathy, irritability, depression.
12. Bloody secretions appear in stools or when urinating.
13. Pancreatitis, jaundice, hepatitis, intestinal obstruction.

Some types of helminths are characterized by a latent, asymptomatic course of the disease.This is very dangerous because as a result of severe damage, a person's internal organs can rupture, after which the whole body will certainly become infected with parasites and the result will be serious consequences such as anaphylactic shock or peritonitis.

Special attention should be paid to the manifestations of helminths in children because they are at the highest risk.

They are often confused with other diseases and bring the body to a stage of serious damage.The child's immunity is not yet fully formed and there are no obvious signs of damage.

The most common disease in children is intestinal worms.In second place are various types of roundworms, the most characteristic of children's diseases.It is imperative to pay attention to the consistency and regularity of stools, the appearance of various rashes on the skin and do not ignore complaints of itching in the anal area.

The main causes of helminth disease:

1. Eat unwashed vegetables, fruits and berries.It is very important to comply with hygiene and sanitation standards.Handle purchased products with care;For children, specialized products should be used to wash 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 as well as certification of the purchased product is required.Monitor compliance with storage conditions of prepared semi-finished products.Consumption of fish products purchased on the side of the road is unacceptable.
3. Soil and sand.This mainly applies to children as they tend to put everything in their mouth.While playing, do not feed your child sand in the sandbox or dirt in the summer cottage.Anything dropped on the floor or bare ground is excluded.

Helminth eggs surround us everywhere, so we should pay special attention to personal hygiene to prevent possible helminth diseases as much as possible.

Classification of parasites

Helminths are divided into three types, 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 helminth diseases.The development of roundworms goes through 5 stages, including 4 larval stages and 1 adult stage.With each migration, the environment or intermediary server changes.The most popular representatives:
  • Ascariasis – causes a disease called ascariasis.This type of parasite is capable of living and feeding exclusively in the human body.Nematodes are characterized by coughing, in which the larvae are pushed into the human throat and returned to the intestine as adults;
  • Pinworms cause intestinal worms in the human body and are parasitic in the intestines.When entering the host's body, they show signs of indigestion, itching near the anus and in some cases genital inflammation, especially in women.
• Tapeworm.There are more than 10 orders of tapeworms living in the human body.This is the most common type of parasite that causes extremely dangerous diseases.They go through two stages of larval development and reach their final host as adults.They enter the human body from an intermediate host, most often through the flesh of infected animals.Therefore, to prevent diseases, it is important to monitor the preparation and choose the right meat products.The most common types of helminths of this class:
  • tapeworm – causes tapeworm disease, characterized by frequent vomiting, nausea or loss of appetite;
  • Beef 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 epilepsy.
• Flatworms (trematodes).What are helminths?To develop 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:
  • fluke opisthorchiasis - enters the human body through fish meat, most commonly carp, affecting the bile ducts of the liver;
  • Schistosomiasis - transmitted through water, causes schistosomiasis, a very serious disease with extremely serious consequences;
  • paragonim is a lung fluke, the cause of paragonimiasis, which can only be transmitted by eating crab, crayfish or pork.

All the listed worms in humans are only a small fraction of the parasites currently in existence.According to some data, there are more than 1 million varieties.

Diagnosis and treatment of helminths

Science does not stand still and a large number of methods have been developed and actively used to identify helminths.Modern methods can accurately determine the types of human parasites and the degree of tissue damage at their location.

Basic methods to diagnose helminths:

1. Microhelminths.Used to detect eggs and worm larvae.These include the methods of Kato, Kalantaryan and Fulleborn.Separately, each of these methods cannot accurately identify all types of parasites.But in general they all give good results, especially in terms of the intensity of spread of parasites living in the body.
2. Macroscopic examination.Most effective in identifying pinworms and roundworms.They help detect parasites in stool through the use of Petri dishes and magnifying glasses.
3. Biopsy.If there is a possibility that helminths are parasitic in human muscle tissue, samples will be taken and sent for research.This method allows you to make the most accurate diagnosis.
4. Immunology.They are performed by testing the patient's blood for antibodies to certain types of helminths that live in the human body.
5. Analysis of bile or duodenal contents.It is used in case of damage to the liver, gallbladder and duodenum.
6. Musical instrument.These include ultrasound, X-rays and computer studies.They are used to determine the level of damage caused by worms in the human body.And also to check other internal organs.

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

Helminth infections are usually treated by prescribing a pill with an active ingredient such as levamisole.Dosage is selected according to the patient's age.This helps weaken the parasites.

Then, after 3 days, take medication containing mebendazole or albendazole.This integrated approach significantly speeds up and increases treatment efficiency.

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

Human parasites can cause serious damage to internal organs.Timely diagnosis and treatment will help to promptly stop the development of these diseases and prevent serious consequences.