Helminths as dangerous worms-parasites for humans

According to the WHO, every second person on earth is infected with helminths. Many people think that parasitic worms do not cause much harm to health. However, not everything is so simple: helminths can affect important internal organs: the heart, lungs and brain.

Helminths - who are they?

Helminths are parasitic worms that can choose a human, animal, or plant organism as a host. In total, there are three classes of helminths:

• tapeworms. This class includes about 3. 5 thousand species of helminths. The length of parasitic worms varies from a few mm to 10-15 meters;
• flukes.Parasites are so named because they have suction cups that they use to get food. The human body can infect about 4 dozen species of leeches. The length of the worms, as a rule, does not exceed 5 cm;
• roundworms.This class of helminths has more than 24 thousand species. Roundworms are spindle-shaped. Usually their length is no more than 0. 5 meters.

You can become infected with helminths in a number of ways. But most often, parasitic invasion occurs for the following reasons:

1. Poor hand hygiene.
2. Unwashed vegetables, fruits; uncooked or undercooked meat, fish - the use of such products increases the risk of parasitic infestation several times.
3. Store food outside of the refrigerator in the open. Insects can transfer worm eggs to products stored unpackaged.
4. contact with pets.

The main symptoms of the presence of parasites in the body:

• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
• weight loss;
• allergic rashes;
• flatulence;
• itching in the anus;
• Grinding teeth in a dream.

Learn about the signs of parasites in the bodyRead our article.

What helminths are most common in our country? Consider the most common types of parasitic worms and the diseases they cause.

tapeworms

The body of a tapeworm consists of segments, the total number of which ranges from 3 to 5000. The main element of helminth fixation is the head, additional are suction cups, hooks.

The most common causes of tapeworms are:

diphyllobothriasis

The causative agent of the disease is a broad tapeworm that affects the human intestine.The development of worm eggs occurs in fresh water. The scheme for getting tapeworms into the human body is as follows:

1. Worm eggs are swallowed by crustaceans living in a reservoir.
2. Infected crustaceans are eaten by fish.
3. A person becomes infected with the parasite by eating fish that has undergone insufficient heat treatment.

Symptoms of the disease develop 1. 5 months after infection. The main sign of the pathology is the presence in the feces of whitish fragments of the helminth.

The tapeworm attaches itself to the intestinal mucosa and absorbs large amounts of vitamin B12. Because of this, people with diphyllobothriasis often develop anemia. In addition, the tapeworm can cause an increase in the liver, spleen, and intestinal obstruction.

Teniarinhoz

The causative agent of the disease is the beef tapeworm, which lives mainly in the human small intestine. During its development cycle, the helminth replaces two owners: the intermediate animal is cattle, the main owner is man. The bull tapeworm can live in the body for 20 years, multiply and cause harm to health. The disease is common in many regions, but is most common in areas where it is cold.

Usually, people get taeniarhynchosis after eating undercooked or undercooked beef.

The disease often proceeds without pronounced symptoms and is discovered by accident when a person sees elements of helminths in his feces. In some people, in addition to the main signs of helminth infection, pain may appear on the right side of the anterior abdominal wall.

Adult helminths can penetrate the appendix, pancreatic duct and bile ducts, provoking acute inflammatory processes there. With multiple parasite invasion, intestinal obstruction may develop.

teniasis

The causative agent of the disease is the pork tapeworm, which first affects the human small intestine.Human infection occurs through consumption of raw or improperly cooked pork.

The parasite can invade various organs and tissues, causing pain in the abdomen, back, and limbs. The most favorable pathology occurs when the worm is localized in the subcutaneous fat and skeletal muscle tissue. Getting into the eye muscles, helminths cause a decrease in visual acuity, lacrimation, and photophobia. The defeat of the brain pork tapeworm can be fatal.

flukes

Flukes have a leaf-like shape and are characterized by high reproductive capacity at different stages of the life cycle. Reproduction of worms is possible not only sexually with fertilization, but also without it. In addition to suckers, worms have many hooks and spikes, thanks to which they are securely attached to the mucous membranes of the organs.

Common pathologies caused by flukes:

• fasciolosis;
• opisthorchiasis;
• paragonimiasis.

fascioliasis

Fascioliasis occurs when the liver or gallbladder is damaged by a liver fluke.Basically, the infection occurs when eating vegetables that have been irrigated with water from open reservoirs.

In addition to the usual signs of infection with parasites, a person may experience asthma attacks, which are accompanied by shortness of breath, facial flushing, dilated pupils, and tachycardia. When an adult has caused obstruction of the bile ducts, obstructive jaundice develops. Signs of pathology:

• cramping pains in the right hypochondrium;
• yellowing of the skin;
• Fever;
• colorless feces.

opisthorchiasis

The causative agent of the disease is the cat's fluke. The name of the parasite comes from the fact that it often affects cats and other fish-eating mammals in addition to humans.

As a rule, the cat fluke affects the liver and pancreas, causing inflammation in the organs. Symptoms vary and depend on the number of parasites. The patient may experience:

• signs of intoxication;
• Fever,
• hives;
• skin itching;
• Pain in muscles, joints, right hypochondrium.

In some cases, helminths cause an increase in the lymph nodes, the development of jaundice. The chronic form of the pathology often leads to hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver.

paragonimiasis

The culprit of the disease is a lung fluke that gets into the human body with infected crustaceans.

First, the parasite gets into the human intestine, then into the abdominal cavity. The end point of his journey is the lung tissue. In addition, the worm is able to invade the brain and affect the central nervous system.

Specific signs of parasitic invasion of the lungs:

• chest pain syndrome;
• cough with sputum that may contain pus and blood;
• Fever.

In some cases, helminths cause a violation of the ventilation function of the lungs and gas exchange during breathing.

roundworms

Due to their structure, roundworms (nematodes) are able to survive even under extreme conditions.Their body is covered with a three-layer skin-muscle sac, which reliably protects parasites from external influences.

Common diseases caused by nematodes:

• ascariasis;
• enterobiasis;
• trichinosis.

ascariasis

The development of the disease provokes roundworms, which are initially fixed in the small intestine. The average length of adults is 40 cm.Parasitic larvae can enter the human digestive system with unwashed vegetables and fruits, as well as contaminated water.Also often the cause of ascariasis is poorly washed hands before eating.

During the penetration of the larvae into the body, there may be a subfebrile temperature, an allergic rash on the skin, and a cough with clear sputum. Signs of the intestinal stage of ascariasis (diarrhea, abdominal pain) are observed only in the presence of several parasites. Usually, staying in the gut of a worm is asymptomatic.

Complications of multiple parasitic invasion:

• obstruction of the bile duct;
• purulent inflammatory processes in the gallbladder, liver;
• inflammation of the appendix;
• intestinal obstruction.

enterobiasis

The provocateurs of the disease are pinworms - small worms up to 1 cm long. Helminths enter the human digestive system in the same way as roundworms.

Currently, enterobiasis is the most common parasitic pathology in the world. Basically, the disease is diagnosed in children under 10 years old.

Symptoms, as in previous cases, develop only with numerous parasitic invasions. Children often have diarrhea, mucus in their stools, difficult and painful digestion, itching in the anus, and nausea. In severe cases of the disease, leg cramps can occur. In addition, pinworms can penetrate the genitals and cause acute inflammation there.

trichinosis

This disease provokes trichinella - one of the smallest parasitic worms. The length of the parasite rarely exceeds 4 mm. In the larval stage, worms can infect skeletal muscles. The exception is the myocardium - the muscle tissue of the heart. Adults parasitize in the small intestine.

As a rule, people are infected when they eat half-baked pork.At the same time, for the development of the disease, it is enough to eat only 30 g of meat affected by parasites.

The pathology is manifested by standard symptoms of a parasitic invasion. In advanced stages, swelling of the eyelids, face, arms and legs, pain in the lower back and chewing muscles can occur. Possible complications are complete or partial loss of mobility, paralysis of the airways.

How to avoid infection with helminths?

To reduce the risk of infection with parasitic worms, it is important to observe the following rules:

18 signs of the presence of parasites in the body

Since the parasite is present in the human body, it has a serious pathogenic effect. At the same time, the same parasite can simultaneously provoke many mechanisms of action on humans.

The WHO assumes that around four and a half billion people in the world are currently constantly affected by various parasitic diseases.

This problem is also very topical because it is very difficult to diagnose parasitosis. Worm infestations (a large collection of parasitic diseases) are present in humans even after the parasite has already departed. And if the patient has noticed this, then in this case, of course, he comes to the medical facility. Parasites can also be detected during preventive medical check-ups. But unfortunately, these cases are a drop in the ocean.

Mechanisms of action:

mechanical action.For example, if there is a roundworm in the intestines, it naturally presses and injures the intestinal wall. In some cases, there may be an inflammatory process. For example, if Echinococcus are in the liver, lungs or kidneys, tissue compression occurs accordingly. This is a classic, mechanical effect: bursting, pressure, dysfunction of the organ or system in which the parasite resides. There are not only many luminal parasites in the gastrointestinal tract, but also many tissue parasites that can fully develop the so-called mechanical action.

Stimulating allergic reactions.Unfortunately, when a person has allergic reactions, he begins to go in circles: to a dermatologist, to a pediatrician, to a general practitioner, to an allergist, but doctors do not always conclude the presence of parasitic invasions in the body from the first place.

Any parasite, even a banal pinworm, can cause severe allergic reactions, which can vary both on the skin and on the bronchopulmonary tree. For example, common obstructive bronchitis in children may be due to some type of parasite living in the gut.

Influence on the microflora.It's no secret that humans are a globe for the vast world of microbiota. The microflora that inhabits all of our mucous membranes, skin, organs and tissues is that friendly microflora that produces vitamins, minerals, hormones and enzymes for us and helps our body live normally. And now, unfortunately, in the presence of parasites, it begins to actively die.

immunosuppressive effect.Today it is clearly proven that the waste products of parasites dramatically suppress the immune system. You just block it. In addition, over millions of years, parasites have learned to mimic and hide from the immune system by producing specialized anti-enzymes. As a result, the immune system is blocked, and sometimes a person can suffer from various parasitoses for decades. Which sooner or later leads to serious diseases in the whole body or in a single organ or system.

The action of antienzymes. Unfortunately, parasites can not only deplete our bodies. If we try to consume vitamin foods, mineralized vitamins and minerals as a complex, they will not always benefit us because our parasites will take the lion's share of it.

Nervous reflex mechanism of action.The waste products of parasites poison the nervous system. And very often this can affect the psycho-emotional state of both an adult and a child. Any psychosomatic illness can be accompanied by a parasite invasion. A child may have hyperreactivity or vice versa, lethargy, tearfulness, a tendency to depression - all this can be a consequence of the presence of a parasite in the body. For example, even the simplest Giardia produces toxins. Let them be in microdoses, but they are still toxins identical to psychotropic substances. Of course, a child or adult with such prolonged intoxication will experience a serious strain on central nervous system function. And from here all sorts of mental and psychological disorders can follow: sleep disorders, nervous disorders, various mental problems. Moreover, not the parents, not the patient himself, when he grows up, the idea that this is due to a parasitic invasion can not even arise.

The most serious and terrible, in my opinion, is the stimulation of neoplasms by parasites. The persistent presence of parasitosis in the body can provoke such a problem as the formation of neoplasms: benign and malignant. In addition, the stimulation of neoplasms can be associated with two factors.

The first factor is the direct, damaging effect on the tissues of a particular organ.

The second factor is the effect, which is mediated by sharp inhibition of the immune system. The thing is, the part of the immune system that is responsible for protecting against parasites is also responsible for protecting against tumors. As a result of improper division, a cancer cell can appear in the human body. In this case, the lack of the immune system will manifest itself in such a way that this cell is not recognized in time by our immune cells and is not killed in time.

When can a person suspect the presence of parasites?

I am now going to give you a list of clinical manifestations of parasitic invasions, in the presence of which you should quickly contact your doctor to clarify whether you really have this diagnosis.

• The most common clinical symptom is itching in the anus. This is heard by many people, so it is associated with the presence of parasites, especially in children's practice.
• Grinding teeth in a dream. Again, this can very often be the case in pediatric practice. Moms suddenly notice that the child began to grind his teeth in his sleep. Why is this happening? Very often, creaking in children is associated with scary dreams. This is precisely the mechanism of toxic effects on the central nervous system that we have been talking about. The child has a terrible dream and in his sleep he grinds his teeth in fear. This is one of the reasons. There are other reasons too. The formation of trismus or increased tone of the masticatory muscles can also be a symptom in this case.
• Salivation while sleeping, salivation in the morning, nausea in the morning when brushing teeth. These are all manifestations that can indirectly indicate the presence of a parasitic invasion in the body.
• Exfoliation of the fingers and toes, exfoliation of the skin in layers.
• Increased feeling of hunger, sometimes to the point of fainting.
• Allergic rashes on the skin. Very often, when lecturing doctors, I draw attention to the fact that doctors are in no hurry to prescribe antiallergic drugs to one or another patient. First understand to the end - there are helminthic invasions. After all, a high-grade allergy that suddenly occurs in a person within a short period of time can indicate, first of all, that the patient has an invasion of parasites.
• Rashes on the eyelids, their peeling, swelling. , mental disorders without known causes.
• Any skin itching. Especially in children's practice. First of all, it is necessary to exclude the presence of parasitic invasions.
• Disturbed by symptoms such as bloating, boiling in the abdomen, unstable bowel movements. Any problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
• There is a lack of body weight or, conversely, excess weight. In parasitosis, it can be both.
• The presence of several chronic diseases at the same time. Diseases of the joints, bronchopulmonary tree, gastrointestinal tract. If suddenly a person gradually falls ill, then one, then the second, then the third, then the fifth, then the tenth, and at first there were no visible reasons for this, then this is an occasion to think about the presence of parasites in the body.
• Poor health and the diagnosis is unclear. Such patients can also go to different specialists, try to examine one or another. And in the end, the diagnosis remains unclear and the state of health poor.
• Incomprehensible abdominal pain, fleeting, sudden spasms, drawing pains. It is also necessary to exclude the presence of parasites, especially in pediatric practice.
• Prolonged toxic-allergic manifestations. Sudden, incomprehensible allergic reactions to food at regular intervals.
• Persistent anemia. When the hemoglobin is significantly reduced and difficult to correct. First of all, it is worth considering the presence of parasitic invasions in the human body.
• In children: delay in physical, psychosomatic, psychoemotional development, hyperreactivity or vice versa, lethargy, in schoolchildren, poor assimilation of the material - all this may indicate the presence of a hidden parasitosis in the body.
• Persistent lymphadenopathy (a condition manifested by an increase in the nodes of the lymphatic system), recurrent lymphadenitis may also indicate the presence of parasitic invasions.

I have listed the main clinical signs of parasitosis. Notice how wide they are. And with these symptoms, a patient can turn to almost any of the doctors. It is believed that a person who has found two or three such signs in himself is already undergoing a more thorough examination for the presence of parasitosis or an antiparasitic program.

During the consultation you can express your problem, the doctor will clarify the situation, decipher the tests, answer your questions and make the necessary recommendations.

I want to draw the attention of people who want to be treated on their own. If you walk into a pharmacy and ask the pharmacist, "Give me something for worms, " you are making a grave mistake - these things cannot be done. First, the pharmacist is not responsible for how you take this medication. Second, isit is not responsible for the consequences. Thirdly, you can hurt yourself a lot. Do not do this. To find out whether you have a parasitic infection or not, it is very important to contact a specialist, go through a certain list of studies and yourselfonly then subject to appropriate treatment.

What tests show the presence of parasites in the human body?

According to WHO statistics, about 4. 5 billion people in the world are constantly infected with parasites. This situation is complicated by the fact that diagnosing a parasite infestation is very difficult. How to find out if there are parasites in the body? What laboratory and instrumental research methods can detect parasitosis? Let's consider these questions in detail.

complications

Helminthiasis, which is caused by common species of parasites, can be treated with medications prescribed by a doctor. But if you do not pay attention to alarming symptoms, deterioration in health, weakness, fatigue, reduced immunity, the disease can lead to serious complications.

If the parasites have gotten into the lungs and the patient has not gone to the doctor with a cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, shortness of breath, pneumonia or even bronchial asthma can occur.

Parasites in the digestive system can cause cirrhosis, liver abscess, hepatitis, colon cancer, gastrointestinal bleeding, fluid buildup in the abdominal cavity (ascites), and peritonitis. They also often provoke the development of chronic kidney disease, meningoencephalitis, vision loss. Some cestodes (tapeworms) grow to over 1 meter in length, and small roundworms can form dense balls. This disrupts the normal functioning of the body, leads to severe intoxication, pronounced allergic reactions. Without urgent medical care, death is possible.

prevention

Helminthiasis often occurs when hygiene rules are not observed or food is improperly processed. To prevent a helminthic invasion you will need:

• Don't wear someone else's underwear, don't share a towel with strangers.
• Wash your hands thoroughly before eating - this is important, not only before breakfast, lunch and dinner, but also before a snack.
• Wash hands after going to the toilet.
• Wash your hands thoroughly after working on the beds and do all gardening work with thick rubber gloves.
• Only use clean water for drinking and cooking.
• Rinse fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water.
• Eat meat, fish and seafood that have undergone heat treatment.
• Do not buy products in impromptu markets from people who cannot confirm the safety of the goods.
• Monitor pet health, deworm regularly, even if the pet lives in an apartment and does not go outside. To choose medication and calculate dosage, consult with your veterinarian.
• Pay attention to cleanliness in living and working areas. Sometimes people put helminth eggs on the soles of their shoes. To reduce the risk of infection, you need to regularly carry out wet cleaning and disinfect all surfaces.

Even if these rules are observed, the risk of infection cannot be completely ruled out. To prevent the development of the disease, consult a therapist. The doctor will prescribe drugs to prevent helminthiasis. Be sure to let us know how often you travel, if there are pets in the house, personal property. It is recommended to carry out drug prophylaxis of helminthiasis twice a year.