Various types of parasites can be present in the human body for a very long time, causing very specific damage to health.
A significant number of people suffer from severe diseases caused by parasites. At the same time, many have no idea of the presence of parasites in the intestines and other organs.
Each species of parasite known to science has its own individual characteristics that an adult should know.
Risk of infection
At the present time, science knows more than 200 species of parasites, for which the human body is a habitat.
The methods and means of penetration of parasites in the most favorable place of residence have been studied in detail. We can say that each type of parasite has its own "specialization".
Many of the helminths live in the gastrointestinal tract. There are also those that parasitize the liver, lungs and even the brain.
Almost all people are under parasitic attack. It is equally likely that it is an adult or a breastfed baby.
A great danger is the presence of parasites in children. First of all, this is reflected in the state of health. Children often get sick for no apparent reason.
There is a delay in physical and mental development. It is not so easy to identify the cause of the discomfort, even if it often "resides" in plain sight.
It is enough to carry out a few studies, identify the type of parasite and prescribe a course of treatment.
A significant number of adults are at risk, since their professional activity is associated with the processing of raw materials contaminated with helminths.
Some species of parasites are highly resistant to environmental influences and can be destroyed with great difficulty.
Varieties of parasites
The appearance of parasites in the human body is always accompanied by certain signs.
The peculiarity of this situation is that the symptoms are often very weak and it is difficult to detect the presence of parasites without special studies.
The following types of helminths parasitize the body:
- round;
- tape;
- flukes.
This classification has been compiled taking into account the external characteristics, while, regardless of the species, parasites have many common characteristics.
Hooks and suckers of different shapes are designed to make it easier for parasites to fix their position in a certain place.
The life cycle of many parasites consists of several stages. In addition, a species like tapeworm has two "owners": a man and a pet.
Closed-loop migration provides these parasites with the ability to exist and reproduce. In the process of displacement, the parasite enters the human body and feeds on it.
This feature is inherent in all microorganisms that live in the intestine or other organs. Only useful species are included in creative activity, and parasites are included in destructive activity.
Given these circumstances, humans must bear the benefits and suppress the parasites.
nematodes
Nematodes include the nematode. It is an orange colored parasite and no suckers.
The shape of the spindle allows it to migrate through various organs and to penetrate the smallest openings and folds. This type of parasite is able to invade the lungs or pancreas.
The eggs laid by the nematode are protected by a robust shell that can resist the destructive effects of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. Most often, people get infected by eating unwashed fruits and vegetables.
Pinworm enters the human body in exactly the same way. In appearance, it is a thin-striped worm of light gray color, growing in length up to 10 mm. Already at the larval stage, the parasite begins to harm humans.
Developing in a mature specimen, the larva secretes toxic enzymes that irritate the intestinal mucosa.
An adult pinworm is able to penetrate the deep layers of the small intestine and penetrate it through and through. In situations like this, a serious disease called peritonitis develops.
Another round parasite that parasites the large intestine is whipworm.
When ingested, the following symptoms appear:
- headache and dizziness;
- persistent abdominal pain;
- sleep disorder.
Vlasoglav gets its name from its external characteristics: the worm is very thin and reaches a length of 50 mm. The parasite is the causative agent of trichocephalosis.
It never leaves the body: the worm can only be destroyed, after which the parasite comes out with the feces.
Tapeworms
The appearance of parasites in humans follows similar scenarios. Pork and bovine tapeworms in the form of tapeworms enter the body when eating meat, respectively, contaminated pork and beef from Finns.
In appearance, these Finns, or larvae, are white bubbles and resemble millet groats.
When they reach the intestine, the larvae entrench themselves and begin to develop into a real parasite. Development is asymptomatic in most cases.
After about three months, the tapeworm is already able to reproduce. This type of parasite reaches a length of ten meters or more.
The presence of tapeworms in the body causes a severe disease of teniarinosis. A more serious threat to human health is the tape-type Echinococcus parasite.
For this parasite, the human body is an intermediate refuge. The main owners are animals: dogs and cats. People become infected through contact with their beloved animals via food - through the mouth.
When they reach the intestine, the eggs begin to develop into larvae, which have six hooks for attachment.
With the bloodstream, they are transported to various organs and are most often fixed in the liver and lungs.
As it grows, the echinococcus begins to destroy surrounding tissues. Sometimes quite large parasites are mistaken for a tumor.
Alveococcus is another representative of the tape parasite in the human body. After entering the intestine, the larvae develop intensively and penetrate the walls of the small intestine and are carried by the bloodstream through various organs and systems.
Like echinococcus, the parasite lodges itself in the liver and begins its destructive activity.
Alveococcus takes the form of a multi-chamber bladder called a larvocyst. These larvocysts are capable of invading liver tissue and becoming cancer-like metastases.
The blood supply to the liver tissue is interrupted, necrosis begins, which represents a serious danger to human health and even life.
Fluke Worms
The tapeworm list contains a separate species of parasite called flukes.
The following species are particularly dangerous flukes:
- cat fluke;
- fasciola;
- schistosome.
Liver diseases are more common among human diseases than other organ diseases. The flukes got their name from their anatomical structure.
There are several suckers on the body of the parasite, with the help of which the parasite holds itself in a certain place and penetrates deep into living tissues.
Feline fluke is most commonly found in the gallbladder and pancreatic ducts.
Fluke enters the human body along with fish that has not been sufficiently salted or boiled.
In people affected by this parasite, the temperature rises sharply, an unreasonable cough appears, and rashes appear on the body. If you don't take emergency measures, the person can die.
Fasciola is absorbed by the body by drinking unboiled water. With the connivance of the patient, it causes chronic jaundice.
Schistosomiasis, which is caused by a rare parasite, has become more common in recent years.
This fact is explained by the fact that a large number of people have begun to visit tropical countries, where this parasite is widespread.
Preventive measures
Medical practice shows that parasites take root in the intestine much more often than in other organs.
Parasites of various types are able to adapt to exist in the liver, lungs, heart, brain and even the eyes: only this list gives a sufficient idea of the danger that parasites pose to human health andfull life.
Different types of parasites can enter the body both individually and in combination, which increases the severity of the injury.
To prevent parasites of any kind in your body, it is enough to follow the basic rules of hygiene and sanitary requirements for food.
Young children should be kept under constant supervision, especially in summer when going to the countryside or to the sea.
Today there is no need to eat raw meat or fish, including cold cuts. This atavism should be left in the past forever, so as not to expose your body to undue risk.