Helminthiasis

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.The symptoms of the disease can vary, depending on the way of penetration and the number of parasites.

Helminthiasis is a disease in which infection with worms occurs.

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 hookworms, tapeworms, and roundworms.Each infected adult or child is a carrier of over 400 different types of helminths, each of which has several classes.Therefore, only the attending physician can determine which worm is parasitic on a particular organism, as well as prescribe the correct treatment.

Most often they are located in the intestines, but they can also affect other areas.Worms affect the brain and eyes, causing allergies and metabolic disorders.Their prevalence is influenced by living conditions and climate.Thus, in European countries, in urban areas, the percentage of the disease is much lower.

The most dangerous are the larvae of worms, as they move throughout the body, causing additional damage to many important organs.Adult parasites settle in one spot and affect only a certain place.Intestinal helminthiases do not live forever in the human body, and depending on their type, sooner or later they die.

However, this does not mean that the problem does not need to get rid of.Both the parasites themselves and their decay products are dangerous.Worms worsen the general condition of the human body, lower immunity and worsen chronic diseases in the patient.In addition, helminths in the body reduce the effectiveness of various types of vaccines and medicines.The most dangerous signs of helminthiasis are for the heart and eyes.

Irritating factors of the disease

Very often, the carrier of helminths is a patient (more than half of the cases of infection): female parasites come out in the anal folds and lay eggs there (about 5 thousand eggs per female).The infected person feels itching, scratches the affected area and spreads the parasites further: on his clothes and the things he touches during the day.

Worms enter the body through food, but there are other ways of transmission: through the skin (dust particles with the virus remain under the nails) or by air droplets.That is why patients who do not observe the necessary hygiene rules, eat dirty vegetables and fruits and drink undistilled tap water are at risk of contracting this disease.

You can become infected with worms by drinking tap water.

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

1. Get in touch.Transmitted from person to person, they are the most common type of infection.
2. Geohelminthiases.Transmitted through land or water;in some cases, infection through a sick animal is possible.The vector of infection contains the eggs of adult worms, which reach humans through the feces of an animal, insect or person.People working the land are at risk, especially without gloves.
3. Biohelminthiasis.Worms that enter through poorly fried foods: fish or meat.
4. Worms that penetrate through the bite of insects (most often mosquitoes).

Worms can enter the body together with food without heat treatment.

Forms of the disease

Depending on the location, the following types are distinguished:

• luminal - located in the intestine;
• individuals of the hepatobiliary system;
• affecting the lungs;
• penetrating tissue;
• ophthalmic helminth infections.

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

The most common types of helminthiasis:

1. Roundworms.
2. Red worms.
3. The whipworm.
4. Wide band.
5. Trichinella.
6. Bull bar.

The first variety enters the intestines through the mouth, and from there into the lymph.Passing into the lungs and other organs, roundworms cause fever, weakness and cough.The virus enters the stomach, where an adult is formed.The patient develops allergies and the infected person suddenly loses weight.Often patients come to the hospital with other diseases (for example, pneumonia, which has similar symptoms).

Worms are most often located 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 food.The infected person feels abdominal pain, lack of appetite and anemia.Often, when a whipworm penetrates, the infected person is prescribed the wrong therapy and offered to remove the acute appendix.

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

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

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

Signs of illness

Symptoms have 2 stages of development.Acute lasts about 2 weeks, when the parasite develops there.The symptoms are mostly similar, which is absolutely 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, a rash forms, the face swells, there is a sharp loss of weight, pallor and itching.Breathing problems are common in children.

2. Dysfunctions of the gastrointestinal tract.Diarrhea suddenly gives way to constipation, the patient is diagnosed with vomiting and abdominal pain near the navel, and active gas may form.These symptoms can be mild or severe depending on the type of parasite.
3. Problems with the nervous system.Parasites release toxic substances.The more of them there are in the body, the more actively they work.The patient experiences frequent headaches, nausea and dizziness.Further, the symptoms develop with an elevated temperature, as a result of which the body and joints ache.The patient gets tired quickly, cannot sleep enough and rest properly.Due to the lack of sleep, nervousness appears and work productivity decreases.
4. Allergy.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 soles.

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

The symptoms in the next phase, the chronic one, are more diverse.Here, disorders of different organs will be visible depending on the amount, location and type of worm.If there are few helminths in the body, they do not manifest in any way;different symptoms are visible only when the worms are actively reproducing.

Diagnosis of the disease

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

During laboratory diagnostics, fragments of worm larvae or eggs are required in the object of analysis.If the symptoms are more chaotic, additional blood tests may be ordered.Other diagnostic tools: ultrasound, radiography, endoscopy and computer tomography.

Worms will absorb food that enters the human body, so laboratory tests will show a significant deficiency of vitamins and minerals.Microscopic examination is prescribed if roundworms or pinworms are suspected.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, as it is necessary not only to destroy the parasites themselves, but also all the consequences they caused.If a certain type of worm is detected, anthelmintic drugs are prescribed.Most often, the 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 medications may be prescribed:

1. Antihistamines (anti-allergic drugs), which 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, medications containing iron, B vitamins or folic acid will be prescribed.
3. In addition, treatment will consist of taking vitamins and following a specialized low-carbohydrate diet.
4. The room in which the infected person lives, as well as his personal belongings, are thoroughly processed.
5. The diagnosis of helminthiasis is indicated for all family members or people who interact directly with the patient.
6. Treatment requires nail care.They should be cut short and thoroughly cleaned.
7. In more advanced cases, hormonal medications are prescribed, as well as medications with a high potassium content.

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

Enemas with herbal decoction help eliminate helminthiasis.

Wormwood decoction can be used as an enema or internally.Folk remedies are often used in combination with saline laxatives.Treatment of helminthiasis only with medicinal methods is unacceptable, however, in addition to the main one or as a means of prevention, such natural preparations will benefit the body.

Treatment of children is often carried out in the hospital, as the disease is more severe and lasts longer in them.When choosing medications to treat a child, the doctor often adjusts them along the way, since the initial medications 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 each work with the soil, wash your hands and also treat your nails, as this way parasites enter the body more often.You should always wash your hands before eating anything, after going outside and after visiting a public toilet.Additionally, you can sometimes use hand sanitizer.

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

You should always bathe your pets after a walk.After a long stay of an animal on the street (for example, in the summer season in a summer cottage), the fur of the animal is treated with specialized agents against parasites.It is necessary to carry out all vaccinations for pets on time.

You should only drink boiled or filtered water and avoid water from wells or open tanks.Sources may contain intestinal helminthic infections.Individual plates, towels and personal hygiene items are provided for each family member.Fry meat and fish well before eating.Sushi lovers can struggle to find a dish that doesn't include the raw product.

Once every 6 months, a preventive course of anthelmintic drugs should be administered.

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 with the pediatrician if he can take such drugs.