Helminthiasis

Helminthiasis is a disease in which the human body is infected with parasites.This problem often affects children (80%), but adults can also become infected.Symptoms of the disease can vary depending on the method 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 pinworms, tapeworms and roundworms.Each infected adult or child is a carrier of more than 400 different types of helminths, each of which has several classes.Therefore, only the attending physician can determine which worm is parasitizing a given organism, as well as prescribe the correct treatment.

They are most often located in the intestines, but can also affect other areas.Worms affect the brain and eyes, causing allergies and metabolic disorders.Their distribution 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 the worms, as they move through the body, causing additional damage to many important organs.Adult parasites settle in one point and affect only a certain place.Intestinal helminths do not live permanently in the human body and, depending on their type, die sooner or later.

However, this does not mean that the problem should not be solved.Both the parasites themselves and their decay products are dangerous.Worms worsen the general condition of the human body, reduce immunity and worsen the patient's chronic diseases.In addition, helminths in the body reduce the effectiveness of various types of vaccines and drugs.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 items from his own wardrobe and 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 airborne droplets.Therefore, patients who do not follow the necessary hygiene rules, eat dirty vegetables and fruits and drink undistilled tap water are at risk of getting this disease.

You can get worms by drinking tap water.

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

1. Contact.Transmitted from person to person, they are the most common type of infection.
2. Geohelminthiasis.Transmitted through soil or water;in some cases, infection through a sick animal is possible.The vector of infection contains eggs of adult worms, which reach humans through the feces of an animal, insect or person.People working with the earth are at risk, especially without gloves.
3. biohelminthiasis.Worms that enter through poorly fried foods: fish or meat.
4. Worms that enter through insect bites (most commonly mosquitoes).

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

Forms of the disease

Depending on the location, the following types are distinguished:

• luminal - localized in the intestine;
• persons from 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. Pinworms.
3. Whipworm.
4. Wide band.
5. Trichinella.
6. Whipworm.

The first variety enters the intestines through the mouth, and from there into the lymph.Moving to 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 rapidly weakens.Often, patients come to the hospital with other diseases (for example, pneumonia, which has similar symptoms).

Pinworms are most often located in the large intestine, where they grow within 2 weeks.They penetrate through unwashed food, dirty hands and dirt.The most striking symptom is anal itching, which worsens at night.If there is a large number of worms, the patient is constantly worried about itching.

Whipworm enters through food.The infected person feels abdominal pain, lack of appetite and anemia.Often, when a worm penetrates the infected person, the wrong therapy is prescribed and the removal of acute appendicitis is suggested.

The fourth variety is established in freshwater crustaceans or fish and then localizes in the human body through infected freshwater fish or its eggs.The patient experiences constant stomach upset.

Trichinella enter through improperly cooked meat, which contains the parasite's egg.The muscles of the face, arms and legs, 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

The symptoms have 2 stages of development.The sore lasts about 2 weeks when the parasite develops there.The symptoms are largely 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 the infection: the temperature rises, a rash forms, the face swells, there is a sharp loss of weight, pallor and itching.Respiratory problems are common in children.

2. Malfunctions of the gastrointestinal tract.Diarrhea sharply gives way to constipation, the patient is diagnosed with vomiting and abdominal pain near the navel, active gas formation is possible.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.In addition, the symptoms develop into a fever, as a result of which the body and joints ache.The patient gets tired quickly, cannot sleep and rest properly.Due to lack of sleep, irritability appears and labor productivity decreases.
4. Allergy.Symptoms of a 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 heels.

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

The symptoms of the next stage, the chronic stage, are more varied.Here, disorders of various 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 themselves in any way;different symptoms are noticed only when the worms are actively multiplying.

Diagnosis of the disease

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

During laboratory diagnostics, fragments of larvae or eggs of worms are looked for in the object of analysis.If symptoms are more erratic, additional blood tests may be ordered.Other diagnostic methods: ultrasound, X-ray, endoscopy and computed tomography.

Worms will absorb food that enters the human body, so laboratory tests will show a significant lack of vitamins and minerals.In case of suspicion of roundworms or pinworms, a microscopic examination is prescribed.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 cause.If a certain type of worm is found, anthelmintic drugs are prescribed.Most often, treatment consists of a single dose of medicine, but in some cases it is possible to take the medicine again after a short period of time.

In addition, the following drugs may be prescribed:

1. Antihistamines (anti-allergic drugs), which will remove all harmful substances from the body and normalize the skin condition.
2. If the level of hemoglobin or red blood cells in the blood is low, medicines 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 directly interact with the patient.
6. Treatment requires nail care.They should be trimmed short and thoroughly cleaned.
7. In more advanced cases, hormonal drugs are prescribed, as well as drugs with a high potassium content.

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

Enemas with herbal decoctions 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 with medical methods alone is unacceptable, but in addition to the main or as a means of prevention, such natural preparations will benefit the body.

Treatment of children is often carried out as an inpatient, as their disease is more severe and lasts for a long time.When choosing drugs to treat a child, the doctor often adjusts them along the way, since the initial drugs 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 finger work, wash your hands and treat your nails, as this is how parasites most often enter the body.You should always wash your hands before eating anything, after going outside and after using a public toilet.Also, 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 wash your pets after a walk.After a long stay of an animal on the street (for example, during the summer season at a summer cottage), the fur of the animal is treated with specialized antiparasitic agents.It is necessary to carry out all vaccinations of pets on time.

You should only drink boiled or filtered water and avoid water from wells or open tanks.The springs may contain intestinal helminth infections.Individual dishes, towels and personal hygiene items are provided for each family member.Meat and fish are fried well before consumption.Sushi lovers can try to find a dish that does not include a 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 a meal for 3 days.If the child is small, parents should consult a pediatrician about whether he can take such drugs.