Helminths which are dangerous worms-parasites for humans

According to the WHO, one in two people on the planet gets infected with helminths every year. 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 the parasitic worms varies from a few mm to 10-15 meters;
• flukes.Parasites are so called because they have suckers that they use to get food. The human body can infect about 4 dozen species of flukes. As a rule, the length of the worms does not exceed 5 cm;
• nematodes.This class of helminths has more than 24 thousand species. Nematodes are spindle-shaped. Usually their length does not exceed 0. 5 meters.

You can get infected with helminths in various ways. However, most often parasitic invasion occurs for the following reasons:

1. Poor hand hygiene.
2. Unwashed fruits and vegetables; meat, undercooked or undercooked fish - the use of such products increases the risk of parasitic invasion many times over.
3. Keep food out of the open refrigerator. Insects are able to transfer helminth eggs to products that are stored without packaging.
4. Contact with pets.

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

• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
• weight loss;
• allergic rashes;
• swelling;
• itching in the anus;
• grinding your teeth in a dream.

Learn more about the signs of parasites in the bodyread our article.

What helminths are most often found 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 varies from 3 to 5000. The main element of fixation of the helminth is the head, the additional ones are suckers, hooks.

The most common causes of tapeworms are:

Diphyllobothriasis

The causative agent of the disease is a large tapeworm affecting 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 tank.
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 pathology is the presence of whitish fragments of the helminth in the stool.

By attaching itself to the intestinal mucosa, the tapeworm absorbs large amounts of vitamin B12. For this reason, people with diphyllobothriasis often develop anemia. In addition, tapeworms can cause an increase in the liver, spleen, intestinal obstruction.

Teniarinhoz

The causative agent of the disease is bovine tapeworm, which lives mainly in the human small intestine. During its development cycle, helminth replaces two owners: the intermediate is livestock, the main one is man. The bull tapeworm can live in the body for 20 years, multiplying and causing damage to health. The disease is common in many regions, but is more common in areas where it is cold.

As a rule, people contract teniarincosis after eating undercooked or undercooked beef.

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

Adult helminths are able to penetrate the appendix, pancreatic duct, bile ducts, provoking acute inflammatory processes in them. With multiple parasitic invasion, intestinal obstruction can develop.

teniasis

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

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

flukes

The flukes have a leaf-like shape and are distinguished by a high ability to reproduce in various periods 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 firmly attached to the mucous membranes of the organs.

Common diseases caused by flukes:

• fasciolose;
• opstorchiasis;
• paragonimiasis.

Fascioliasis

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

In addition to the standard signs of parasitic infection, a person may experience asthma attacks, which are accompanied by shortness of breath, redness of the face, dilated pupils, and tachycardia. If an adult has caused obstruction of the bile ducts, obstructive jaundice develops. Signs of pathology:

• crampy pain in the right hypochondrium;
• yellowing of the skin;
• fever;
• colorless stools.

Opistorchiasis

The causative agent of the disease is feline fluke. The name of the parasite is due to the fact that, in addition to humans, it often infects cats and other mammals that feed on fish.

Typically, feline fluke affects the liver and pancreas, causing organ inflammation. Symptoms vary and depend on the number of parasites. The patient may experience:

• symptoms of intoxication;
• fever,
• urticaria;
• itchy skin;
• pain in the muscles, joints, right hypochondrium.

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

Paragonimiasis

The culprit of the disease is a pulmonary fluke that enters the human body with infected crustaceans.

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

Specific signs of parasitic invasion of the lungs:

• chest pain syndrome;
• cough with sputum, which may contain pus and blood;
• fever.

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

nematodes

Thanks to their structure, nematodes (nematodes) are able to survive even in extreme conditions.Their body is covered with a three-layered musculo-skin sac, which reliably protects parasites from external influences.

Common diseases caused by roundworms:

• ascariasis;
• enterobiasis;
• trichinosis.

Ascariasis

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

During the penetration of the larvae into the body, a person can experience subfebrile temperature, allergic rashes, cough with clear sputum. Signs of the intestinal stage of ascariasis (diarrhea, abdominal pain) are observed only in the presence of several parasites. As a rule, dwelling in the intestines of a worm is asymptomatic.

Complications with multiple parasitic invasion:

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

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 the age of 10.

Symptoms, as in previous cases, develop only with numerous parasitic invasions. Babies often have diarrhea, mucus in the stool, difficult and painful digestion, itching in the anus and nausea. In severe cases of the disease, leg cramps can occur. In addition, pinworms are able to penetrate the genitals, causing acute inflammation in them.

Trichinosis

This disease causes 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, human infection occurs when eating half-cooked pork.At the same time, for the development of the disease, it is enough to consume only 30 g of meat affected by parasites.

The pathology manifests itself with standard symptoms of parasitic invasion. In the advanced stage, swelling of the eyelids, face, arms and legs, pain in the lower back, chewing muscles may occur. Possible complications are total or partial loss of mobility, paralysis of the respiratory tract.

How to avoid helminth infection?

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

18 signs of the presence of parasites in the body

Being present in the human body, the parasite has a severe pathogenic effect. At the same time, the same parasite can simultaneously produce many mechanisms of action on humans.

WHO currently estimates that around four and a half billion people around the world are constantly affected by various parasites.

This problem is also very topical because it is very difficult to diagnose parasitosis. Worm infestation (a large collection of parasitic diseases) is present in humans even when the parasite has already moved away. And if the patient has noticed this, in this case, of course, he will come to the medical facility. Parasitosis can also be detected during preventive screening. But unfortunately, these cases are a drop in the ocean.

Mechanisms of action:

mechanical impact.For example, if the nematode is found in the intestine, it will obviously press and injure the intestinal wall. In some cases, it causes an inflammatory process. If, for example, echinococcus is found in the liver, lungs or kidneys, tissue compression will occur as a result. This is a classic mechanical effect: bursting, pressure, dysfunction of the organ or system in which the parasite is present. There are many not only luminal parasites that are present in the gastrointestinal tract, but there are also many tissue parasites that can fully realize the so-called mechanical action.

Stimulation of allergic reactions.Unfortunately, when a person has allergic reactions, he begins to go round and round: to a dermatologist, a pediatrician, a general practitioner, an allergist, but doctors do not always rule out the presence of parasitic invasions in the body in the first place.

Any parasite, even a banal pinworm, can lead to the formation of severe allergic reactions, and they can be various, both on the skin and on the bronchopulmonary tree. For example, frequent obstructive bronchitis in children may be due to the fact that some kind of parasite lives in the intestine.

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

immunosuppressive action.It is now clearly demonstrated that parasite waste products dramatically inhibit the immune system. They just block it. In addition, parasites over millions of years have learned to mimic and hide from the immune system, producing special anti-enzymes. Thus blocking the immune system, and sometimes a person can suffer from various parasites for decades. Which sooner or later leads to serious diseases in the body as a whole or in a separate organ or system.

The effect of anti-enzymes. Unfortunately, parasites can't just deplete our body. If we try to consume vitamin, mineralized food, drink vitamins and minerals as a complex, they will not always benefit us, because our freeloaders will get 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 associated with parasitic invasion. A child can have hyperreactivity or vice versa, lethargy, crying, 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. That they are in microdoses, but they are still identical toxins to psychotropic substances. Of course, a child or adult with such persistent poisoning will experience severe strain on the functioning of the central nervous system. And from here all sorts of psychological and mental disorders can follow: sleep disorders, nervous disorders, various psychological problems. Moreover, not the parents, not the patient himself, if he is an adult, the idea that this is due to a parasitic invasion cannot even arise.

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

The first factor is the direct and harmful effect of the tissues of a particular organ.

The second factor is the action mediated by a strong inhibition of the immune system. The fact is that the part of the immune system responsible for parasite protection is also responsible for anticancer protection. As a result of improper division, a cancer cell can appear in the human body. In this case, the deficiency of the immune system will manifest itself in such a way that this cell will not be recognized by our immune cells in time and will not be killed in time.

When can a person suspect the presence of parasites?

I will now tell 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 felt by many people, so it is associated with the presence of parasites, especially in children's practice.
• Grinding your teeth in a dream. Again, very often this can be in pediatric practice. Moms suddenly notice that the baby has started grinding his teeth in his sleep. Why is this happening? Most often, crunching in babies is associated with frightening dreams. This is exactly the mechanism of the toxic effects on the central nervous system that we have talked about. The child has a terrible dream and grinds his teeth in fear in his sleep. This is one of the reasons. There are other reasons as well. The formation of trismus or increased tone of the chewing muscles, also in this case, can be a symptom.
• Salivation during sleep, salivation in the morning, nausea in the morning when brushing your teeth. These are all manifestations that can indirectly indicate the presence of a parasitic invasion in the body.
• Peeling of the fingers and toes, peeling of the skin in layers.
• Increased feeling of hunger, sometimes to the point of fainting.
• Allergic rashes on the skin. When I give lectures to doctors, I very often draw attention to the fact that doctors are in no hurry to administer antiallergic drugs to one or another patient. Understand first to the end: there are helminth invasions. Because a high degree of allergy, which suddenly appears in a person in a short period of time, can indicate, first of all, that the patient has a parasitic invasion.
• Rashes on the eyelids, their peeling, swelling. , mental disorders with no known cause.
• Any itchy skin. Especially in the practice of children. First of all it is necessary to exclude the presence of parasitic invasions.
• Disturbed by symptoms such as bloating, bubbling in the abdomen, unstable stools. Any problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
• There is a lack of body weight, or vice versa, overweight. With 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 begins to get sick in several stages, then one, then the second, then the third, then the fifth, then the tithe, and initially 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 various specialists, try to examine one or the other. And in the end, the diagnosis will still be unclear and the state of health will remain precarious.
• Incomprehensible pains in the abdomen, volatile, sudden spasms, drawing pains. It is also necessary to exclude, especially in pediatric practice, the presence of parasites.
• Prolonged toxic-allergic manifestations. Periodically appear suddenly, incomprehensible allergic reactions to food.
• Persistent anemia. When hemoglobin is significantly reduced and difficult to correct. It is worth thinking, first of all, about 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 hidden parasitosis in the body.
• Prolonged lymphadenopathy (a condition manifested by an increase in the nodes of the lymphatic system), recurrent lymphadenitis can 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 doctor. It is believed that if a person has found two or three of these signs in themselves, they are already undergoing a more thorough examination for the presence of parasites or a parasite program.

During the consultation, you will be able to express your problem, the doctor will clarify the situation, decipher the tests, answer your questions and provide the necessary advice.

I want to attract the attention of people who wish to be treated on their own. If you come to a pharmacy and ask the pharmacist, "Give me something for the worms", then you are making a big mistake: these things cannot be done. First, the pharmacist is not responsible for how you take this drug. Second, he is not responsible for the consequences. Thirdly, you can hurt yourself a lot. Do not do it. To understand whether you have a parasitic infection or not, it is very important to contact a specialist, follow a certain list of studies and only then undergo an adequate course of treatment.

What tests will 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 the diagnosis of parasitic infestations 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 caused by common types of parasites can be treated with medications prescribed by a doctor. But if you do not pay attention to alarming symptoms, deterioration of health, weakness, causeless fatigue, decreased immunity, the disease can lead to serious complications.

If parasites have entered the lungs and the patient has not gone to the doctor with complaints of cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, shortness of breath, pneumonia or even bronchial asthma they can develop.

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

Prevention

Helminthiasis often occurs when hygiene rules are not followed or food is not properly processed. To prevent helminth invasion, you need:

• Don't wear someone else's underwear, don't share a towel with strangers.
• Wash your hands thoroughly before eating: it is important to do this not only before breakfast, lunch, dinner, but also before a snack.
• Wash your hands after using the bathroom.
• Wash your hands thoroughly after working on the beds and do all the gardening with thick rubber gloves.
• Use only clean water for drinking and cooking.
• Rinse fruit and vegetables well under running water.
• Eat meat, fish, seafood that have undergone heat treatment.
• Do not buy products in spontaneous markets, from subjects who cannot confirm the safety of the goods.
• Monitor the health of pets, deworm regularly, even if the pet lives in an apartment and does not go out. To select medications and calculate the dosage, contact your veterinarian.
• Maintain cleanliness in living and working environments. Sometimes people carry helminth eggs on the soles of their shoes. To reduce the risk of infection, it is necessary to regularly wet cleaning, disinfect all surfaces.

Even by following these rules, the risk of infection cannot be completely eliminated. To prevent the development of the disease, consult a therapist. The doctor will prescribe drugs for the prevention of helminthiasis. Be sure to let us know how often you travel, if there are any pets in the house, a personal plot. Drug prophylaxis of helminthiasis is recommended to be performed twice a year.