Worms are representatives of the lower worms that live in the human body. A disease associated with human infection by various types of worms is called helminthiasis. This disease is not uncommon and occurs in certain segments of the population. Children are prone to worm infection, hunters - trichinella, fishermen and lovers of Japanese cuisine (raw fish in the form of sushi) suffer from diphyllobothriasis.
Many diseases, surprisingly, can appear in the human body due to helminthiasis. Today, the theory of the connection of cancer with parasitic infections is one of the most relevant. In the presence of helminthiasis, symptoms do not always appear, and if, despite this, patients with this disease experience unpleasant and unpleasant sensations, they are perceived as signs of other diseases. The patient has been hospitalized for years for pancreatitis, gastritis or colitis, without suspecting that the cause of his ailments is helminthiasis.
How does the infection occur?
Helminth infection occurs as follows:
- Through unwashed hands
- In contact with the ground
- After insect bites
- Because of dirty hands
- When you eat raw meat and fish
- After eating unwashed fruits and vegetables
- After contact with an animal
- After contact with infected people
Mature parasite eggs can be found in soil, water and food (raw and lightly cooked meat or fish). Rare cases of the disease occur due to insect bites. The mechanism of helminthiasis infection is fecal-oral. A person ingests parasite eggs with food and water. Contact and household methods of infection are also shown. They occur when, after contact with soil or sand, hands have not been properly washed.
Vegetables and berries that grow on the ground and are not adequately washed are also a source of worm infection. Children who play with the yard and domestic animals are at risk of contracting worms. Pets that roam freely on the streets can bring helminth eggs into the home. Flies and other insects, after contact with animal feces, land on food, can easily carry helminth eggs. Surprisingly, person-to-person infection is also possible. It happens like this: a female worm can crawl out of the intestines and lay eggs directly in the underwear, causing intense itching. A person, after scratching an itchy area, may come into contact with other toiletries and household items. These items fall into the hands of other family members and then become contaminated.
Contamination through water is also possible. Many parasite eggs easily fall into open tanks and wells. Drinking unboiled well water is extremely dangerous.
Types of helminthiasis
Helminthiasis differ in the method of penetration into the human body:
- Biohelminths
- Geohelminthes
- Contagious
Biohelminths are transmitted to humans through contact with animals. Geohelminth can be infected through the soil. Contagious diseases arise due to contact with an infected person. The disease manifests itself differently depending on the method of infection, the number of worms and the degree of their adaptation to any human organ.
Helminthiasis stages
The most destructive effect on the body is not caused by adults, but by their larvae. The adults have already chosen a comfortable place for themselves in the human body, and the larva travels through the organs and leaves behind their damage. The most common habitat for parasites is the gastrointestinal tract. Different types of pests prefer different habitats. Thus roundworms are found in the small intestine and pinworms settle in the large intestine and the lower parts of the small intestine. According to the habitat of the parasites, helminth infections are:
- Translucent
- Fabric
The lumens are within the genital lumens and the tissues are within the tissues. Depending on their development, parasites can change their habitat, moving from the lumen form to the tissue form. Helminthiasis develops in two stages:
- Spicy
- Chronic
The acute stage lasts from a week to a month and the chronic stage continues until healing. The acute stage begins with the introduction of the egg and continues as the parasite matures and grows. The disease manifests itself as allergic reactions to a foreign organism. During the chronic stage of the disease, various body reactions appear. During this period, the parasite moves throughout the body in search of shelter. The disease is accompanied by disturbances in the functioning of organs and systems in the human body. Having integrated into the immune system of the human body, parasites consume substances necessary for their growth and development. This leads to metabolic disorders, disorders of the digestive system and difficulty in absorbing vitamins and minerals.
In addition to this damage, parasites throw their waste into the human body, poisoning the body, leading to intestinal disorders, reduced immunity and the development of bacterial infections. Parasites contribute to the risk of developing cancer. This is due to the negative effect on the immune system and the stimulation of cell division. Often, a patient is examined by many specialists who find a bunch of diseases in him. And in this case, all specialists can be replaced by a single doctor - a parasitologist.
Classification of helminths
Types of worms in humans:
- Flatworms
- Roundworms
Flatworms include:
- Trematodes (posthorciasis, schistosomiasis, paragonimus)
- Cestodes (broad tapeworm, porcine tapeworm, echinococcus, hive)
- Roundworms or nematodes:
- Pinworm
- Ascaris
- Pinworm
- Trichinella
This classification of helminths is presented in the medical literature. To successfully solve a problem such as helminthiasis, it is necessary to find out in depth the features of the structure and life cycle of parasites.
Tremorous
Another name for flukes is flukes. These pests are flat-leafed or lanceolate with two corymbs. One chorion is in the mouth and the second, which serves for attachment, is in the peritoneum. All representatives of the vesicles enter the body through an intermediate host. Most of these parasites are hermaphrodites.
Licensing
This is a worm - a worm up to 1. 3 cm long with two corymbs. Opisthorchiasis is a hermaphrodite that parasitizes the liver, gall bladder and pancreas in humans and some carnivores (foxes, dogs, cats). The eggs of opithorchiasis come out of the human or animal body in faeces. When these eggs enter a body of water, they are ingested by freshwater molluscs, in which the larvae hatch and develop. The larval development and maturation process takes two months. The larvae then crawl out of the mollusc and penetrate the carp's skin. After six weeks, the larvae become fully mature parasites. Opithorriasis enters the body of an animal or person after eating infected fish. This worm can live in a living organism for up to 20 years. Symptoms of hypothyroidism:
- Allergy
- Weakness
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Depression
- Loss of conscience
Damage caused to the organism by hypothoriasis:
- Poisoning by parasitic waste
- Liver tissue damage
- Gallbladder damage
- Disturbed outflow of bile
- Inflammation of the pancreas
- Secretory dysfunction
- Decreased gastric motility
- Thickening of the walls of certain organs, the appearance of tumors as a result.
The chronic course of the disease is characterized by:
- Heaviness after eating
- Pain
- Vomiting
- Motion sickness
Prevention of infection: To avoid infection with opithorriasis, you should not eat raw fish. The larvae die during the heat treatment of the products. Dried fish can only be eaten if it has been previously salted. Also, the larvae die when the fish is frozen for a long time.
Schistosomes
These parasites are of different sexes, similar to needles with a length of 0. 4 to 2. 6 cm. Females are longer than males and larger, producing 3000 eggs per day. The mode of reproduction is the same as that of the previous type of parasite, through freshwater molluscs. The larva enters the human body through the skin and mucous membranes while swimming in a body of fresh water. It can also enter the body of a person who accidentally swallows water while swimming. After a day of penetration, the larva turns into an adult and enters the peripheral veins, through which it is sent to the lungs and venous vessels. There the schistosome reaches sexual maturity.
Schistosoma lays eggs in the intestines, mucous membranes and bladder. The eggs are then expelled from the human body in urine or faeces and start their development process all over again. Schistosoma lives in the human body for several decades, causing damage and infecting new people. The problems that arise when infected with schistosomes are caused in the human body not by adults, but by their eggs. Only half of the eggs are excreted from the body, the rest accumulate in the organs. The eggs of this parasite have spines that damage a person's internal organs, often causing ulcers in the infected person. Patients with schistosomiasis show the following symptoms:
- Appetite disorder
- Anemia
- Enlarged liver
- Change spleen
- Decreased intestinal motility
- Stomach ache
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Intestinal bleeding
- Pain during urination
- Allergies
- Weakness
When the genitourinary system is infected, patients experience:
- Menstrual disorders and miscarriages in women
- Impotence and incomplete ejaculation in men
If the eggs enter the central nervous system:
- Acute cerebral schistosomiasis
- Chronic brain damage
- Death
Infected children show delayed growth and development and reduced performance in school. Prevention of the disease includes avoiding swimming and avoiding walking barefoot in tropical waters.
Paragonim
Paragonim is a 1 cm long lungfish with an oval body and red spines. This parasite multiplies in the lungs of animals and enters the human body by eating crayfish and freshwater crabs. The parasite affects the respiratory system. Patients with paragonimiasis are characterized by allergic reactions and reduced immunity. Symptoms:
- Temperature rise
- Cough
- Production of sputum from the lungs during coughing
- Shortness of breath
- In severe cases, blood and parasite eggs are present in the sputum
- Wheezing can be heard clearly in the patient's lungs
Prevention: Avoid eating raw crayfish and crabs.
Cestodes
Representatives of cestodes are tapes of various lengths. Some pests reach gigantic sizes. On the head of these pests there are corymbs, hooks or suction slits. Parasites need these devices to attach to the intestinal walls. Cestodes affect the whole human body; they are most dangerous for children who quickly develop anemia.
Echinococcus
These parasites reach a length of 5 centimeters and are the causative agents of Echinococcus disease. The multichamber representative of this type of worm is the causative agent of such a disease as alveolar coccosis. The disease is transmitted by cattle and domestic animals. When caring for these animals, parasite eggs fall from their fur into the hands of humans. When parasites enter the human intestine, they bite into the mucosa. As the parasite matures, it develops 4 segments, the last of which is filled with eggs. These parts are cut off and spread throughout the body, contaminating it. The fourth segment disperses the eggs throughout the body.
The patient's infected organ enlarges, for example the liver. An effusion may form. An enlarged organ can even rupture the abdominal cavity. And this can lead to severe rotting of the body and even death. Symptoms:
- Weakness
- Dizziness
- Allergic reactions to parasite waste.
Echinococcus affects:
- Brain
- Spinal cord
- eyes
- Thyroid gland
- Liver
- Lungs
- Matrix
This parasite can cause the formation of tumors, including malignant ones. The most unpleasant thing is that the treatment of this disease is possible only with surgery. Prevention: personal hygiene when in contact with animals.
Nematodes
These worms with an elongated body, round or cylindrical, parasitize, most often, the body of children. These roundworms include pinworms, roundworms and hookworms.
Pinworms
These are small white worms. The length of the female is 1 cm, the male 0. 5 cm. These pests have a pointed tail, which is why they were called pinworms. The habitat of worms is the human intestine. The front end of the parasite has a suction cup, with the help of which the worm pierces the intestines, and the sharp end hangs in the lumen and destroys the walls. This disease is called enterobiasis. You can get infected from a person through dirty hands. The disease is observed in children of preschool age who go to kindergarten. A symptom of hookworm infection is itching near the anus. More often, itching is felt at night, when the female lays eggs, secreting a special substance. Symptoms:
- Itching
- Diarrhea
- Stomach ache
- Headache
- Lack of appetite
Prevention: hand washing.
Roundworms
These worms are the largest. The length of the female is up to 0. 5 m. The female lays 200 thousand eggs per year, regardless of the male. The mechanism of infection is fecal-oral. Ascaris eggs enter the human body along with unwashed vegetables and fruits, from dirty hands. The larva, entering the intestine, is selected from the shell and penetrates the intestinal walls, while migrating through the intestinal veins to the liver, through the hepatic veins to the heart, through the pulmonary arteries to the bronchi, then to the trachea and the mouth. A partial number of larvae die in the open, the rest are swallowed back. Symptoms:
- Motion sickness
- Vomit
- Jaundice
- Pancreatitis
- Frequent acute respiratory infections
- Bronchitis
- Pneumonia
Prevention:
- Washing hands
- Washing vegetables and fruits
- Observance of personal hygiene
- Protect food from flies, cockroaches and other vectors.
In conclusion, we can say that the cause of the disease is not always bacteria and viruses that have entered the body. Pests can cause enormous damage to human health. If vague symptoms appear, the possibility of a parasite entering the body should not be excluded; the patient should visit a parasitologist.