Helminthiases are a common problem among certain population categories. In children, as a rule, parasitic pinworms, in people who often eat fish, diphyllobothriasis is diagnosed, and trichinosis is common among hunters.
The fact that human worms trigger the development of many diseases that, apparently, have nothing to do with helminthiasis, is now confirmed by various studies. In particular, there is a theory that helminthic diseases are associated with the development of oncological processes.
In addition, you should be aware that if there are helminths in the body, this does not mean that the patient will show symptoms of such an infection. Signs of their presence can be disguised as other diseases of the liver, gallbladder, gastrointestinal tract. As a result, a person can use different methods for a long time and not detect an infection. And after the right anthelmintic treatment scheme has been selected for the patient, the disease can be cured. So ask yourself the question: "What should I do if I have helminths, how to check for the presence of parasites, and whether I will infect loved ones? ", You should not be afraid to call a doctor and get all the answers, and also find outwhat to do if you are caterpillars.
For answers to questions about what a worm is, how dangerous the parasite is and how not to be infected with various types of parasites, read the article below. We will also talk about what are the signs of infection with worms, both general and specific.
How can you get helminths?
Helminth eggs can enter the human body in different ways. There are four main ways of infection:
Biohelminthiases. Worms can be found in raw or heat -unprocessed meat, as well as in fish. You can be infected by eating lard, barbecue, dried fish, sushi, etc.
Geohelminthiases. Mature helminth eggs that are in the soil and in the water enter the body. In this environment they find themselves, and because of human feces, as well as animal feces, get there. Also, an attack occurs when a person comes in contact with an animal, for example, constantly throwing cat or dog feces, as well as when food is contaminated with fly eggs.
Contacts. The most common worms, pinworms, are transmitted from person to person. In this case, the risk of getting the disease is the highest.
A number of parasites can enter the body when an insect bites a person.
Trying to find an answer to the question of what causes worms and how they are transmitted, it should be taken into account that the main mode of infection with parasites is oral-fecal. That is, a person only swallows worm eggs when he eats food, drinks water. In more rare cases, worms in a person are found after the bite of an infected insect.
Worm infection through soil
After contact with soil, sand, etc. , you not only need to wash your hands well, but also clean your nails. It is best for children to cut their nails very short. All vegetables grown in the ground must be carefully washed, and, if possible, scalded with boiling water.
Animals and flies
Wikipedia shows that worm eggs can appear in the house and from pets - cats, dogs walking on the street. There is a high risk of infection if children play with the animal. Therefore, you should immediately take action if there is a suspicion that the worm has started in the cat. Symptoms and treatment of infection in animals can be obtained from a veterinarian or watch the corresponding video on the network. In this way, any type of worm can appear in the body. Thus, the answer to the question of whether it is transmitted from a dog to a person and whether it is likely to be infected from a dog is unclear: yes, it is possible.
Another carrier of helminths is flies. They can initially land on feces, livestock waste, and then fly in and land on food. As a result, they spread helminth eggs, and people develop helminthic disease after infection.
How are Worms Transmitted from Person to Person?
How do you get cream worms, and are these parasites transmitted from person to person? The answer to this question is simple: if a female pinworm crawls out of the intestine along the rectum in a baby whale at night, she can lay a large number of eggs near the anus - up to 5000 pieces. As a result, severe itching occurs, the baby itches, and eggs fall on his hands. Next, from the baby’s hands, the eggs fall on clothes, bedding, and other objects touched by the child. It is clear how the worms are transmitted further: children and other adults are infected with eggs, after which small white worms multiply in the body. That is why it is very important to wash hands before eating, after returning from public places.
Infection through water
Many parasite eggs are found in open water bodies, as well as in well water. That is why people who use such water should use a special bacterial filter. It is also very important to boil the water that people drink and eat the dishes prepared from it. It is very dangerous to swallow water from a reservoir.
It should be taken into account, talking about what is helminthic invasion, that this is a disease that mainly affects children, because they are very susceptible to helminthiases. The fact is that in children the protective barrier has not been developed to the same level as in adults, their stomach acidity is lower.
Also, signs of the presence of worms in children appear very often due to the fact that small children, in the process of mastering the world, feel everything that comes to hand. Therefore, parents very often see symptoms of helminthic invasion in children, in particular, itching of the anus, loss of appetite, cough in children during infection, and others. But still, it is impossible to accustom a baby to adhere to strict hygiene rules in the first years of his life. Therefore, at present, the risk of infection is high for all family members.
Talking about egg worms - what is it and how to treat this disease, it should be remembered that worms do not reproduce in the human body. Worms in the human body die within a certain period of time. For example, pinworms live for several weeks, ringworm - about a year. Eggs that the adult parasite lays in the body will inevitably come out of the intestines - either when the stool or baby feces come out, or come in contact with the skin near the anus, as is the case with cream worms. When eggs are outside the human body, they mature in the external environment, after which they enter the human body again and again become parasites inside.
Since worm reproduction does not occur in the body, large numbers of helminths are observed only if re -infection occurs, if the egg again enters the body through the mouth.
Therefore, if re -infection does not occur, the cream worms that live in the body die within 4 weeks. And if you follow all the preventive measures carefully, then you can get rid of the presence of worms without treatment. However, in the case of children, compliance with all these rules is a very difficult task.
Signs of helminths
When infected with parasites, the first symptoms of worms in humans appear. About what symptoms appear with worms if you have an infection, you can learn in detail from a specialist. But some signs of worms in humans can be seen on their own.
So, the most obvious sign that an infection with a parasite has occurred is the presence of a sudden weight loss. Also, the patient's skin becomes pale - this is how anemia manifests itself. On appearance, signs of the presence of helminthic invasion are also displayed - a person looks tired, his level of fatigue may increase.
Helminths cause itching in the anus if the intestines are infected. However, they can also become parasites in other organs - in the lungs, liver, bladder, and even in the arms or legs, etc.
However, all the symptoms of parasites in the human body listed above are just the first general signs of an infection that develops when the body is massively damaged by worms and makes it possible to recognize that there is something wrong with health. There are other more specific symptoms of helminthic invasion in adults. Patients may regard it as a manifestation of another disease. At the same time, he can treat such diseases for a long time, of course, without success. This lasts until the true cause of the symptoms is determined - helminthiasis. More details on this can be found in the corresponding video on the network.
What symptoms of worms in adults and children can occur?
Digestive disorders
If the parasite is localized in the intestine, and not in other organs, then the main signs in adults and in children are a violation of digestive function. A person may be bothered by persistent diarrhea or constipation, periodically indicated by nausea, vomiting, pain in the abdomen, pain in the right hypochondrium, near the navel, intestinal disorders. If intestinal parasites are rolled up, bloating is often a concern.
All of these signs can be strong and weak, both long-term and periodic. It all depends on the severity of the infection. There are types of helminths that produce hormone-like substances, under the influence of which diarrhea persists to develop. If a large worm grows (like a tapeworm), it blocks the intestines and causes constipation.
General lethargy, disorders of the nervous system
Worms live and secrete large amounts of toxic substances, regardless of whether the parasite lives in the blood, in the liver, in a person’s lungs. The greater the infection, the more pronounced the signs of intoxication of the body, which adversely affects the nervous system.
As a result, headaches, dizziness and nausea develop. Some people mistake such signs for the development of migraines, and, as a result, they take painkillers.
Sometimes when infected with parasites, the temperature rises, pain in the joints interferes. In addition, helminthic lesions cause a lack of vitamins and nutrients in the body. This phenomenon, as well as depression of the nervous system, leads to the manifestation of chronic fatigue syndrome. The patient feels tired, he is worried about drowsiness, feeling weak in the body. If we talk about a child, he is naughty, always nervous. Young children have disturbed sleep, they cry or scream at night. School-age children, due to lack of attention and fatigue, can learn badly.
Allergies and skin manifestations
Signs of helminths Worms cause skin deterioration. Toxins with which worms infect the body have a negative effect on the general condition and can trigger the manifestation of various reactions on the skin. Eruptions appear as a result of the release of histamine from mast cells and the accumulation of a portion of the blood fluid in the tissue with the height of the epidermis.
These same reasons lead to the development of allergic reactions. In particular, itching, red spots, acne, urticaria, as well as tuberculosis, allergic rhinitis, manifestations of bronchial asthma may appear. Also, when infected, nails can flake off, brittle hair is observed, and cracks on the heels appear.
Deterioration of immunity and infectious diseases
As worms feed on the body, they release toxic waste products. Toxic effects, a decrease in vitamins and minerals in the body lead to the fact that the immunity of infected people deteriorates significantly. As a result, the state of health in chronic diseases also worsens, the inflammatory process in the nasopharynx begins to interfere - sinusitis, stomatitis. In women and girls, vulvovaginitis, bacterial vaginosis are possible. There is evidence that with prolonged infection with pinworms, the development of complementary inflammation is possible. In this case, it is very important to track their presence in a timely manner. Parasites in the liver also cause bad breath, a persistent foul taste.
There is also the opinion that worms in a person give rise to the appearance of snoring and grinding of teeth every night. However, this relationship has not yet been proven.
Where do Parasites Live in the Human Body?
The types of parasites in the human body are determined depending on where exactly in their body they live. How to determine the presence and how to remove parasites from the body depends on its type.
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These worms inhabit mainly the intestines, living in its various departments. Mining worms, ringworms, tapeworms, and other tapeworms are localized in the small intestine. In the small intestine live pygmy tapeworms, pinworms, in the large intestine - whip worms. In total, there are about a hundred types of cavity parasites. Pictures and images are available online.
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This type of worm in humans does not live in the intestines, but in organs and tissues. There are types that live in the brain (cysticercosis), liver (echinococcosis), lungs (paragonimiasis), muscle, lymphatic (filariasis), and other helminths.
What are worms in a person, you can find out from an expert.
Roundworms are a species that belong to the luminal and tissue parasites, because in the first phase of their development, they can move through the blood and infect any organ. How to get rid of ascaris, the doctor who prescribes the treatment regimen for infection with the parasite will tell.
What a worm looks like in humans can be found by looking at images of the corresponding parasite type. Special literature shows the appearance of worm eggs.
The signs of infection depend on the type
How worms manifest themselves and how dangerous they are depends on the type of parasite, where exactly in their body they live, and also on the intensity of the infection. Signs of aggression in humans can be detected after a few days. For example, if a ringworm appears, then health deteriorates after 2-3 days. When infected with other types of helminths, the first signs are observed in patients after 2-3 weeks. The incubation period for filariasis is 6 to 18 months.
Intestinal worms are dangerous from the point of view that if there is an individual in the gut, then it is impossible to understand that a person is infected, because there are no symptoms. Certain symptoms can be bothersome only if a long worm (ascaris, tapeworm, etc. ), or a large infection has occurred. Almost all helminthiases are accompanied by headache, fatigue, dizziness, irritability.
What is a worm, what is its name and appearance?
Pinworms (enterobiasis)-you can determine the presence of this type of helminth by the manifestation of the main symptoms, as well as by the manifestation of itching in the anus, which becomes more intense at night. If there are only a small number of pinworms in the body, the itching may last for a few days, then pass and reappear after a few weeks. With strong aggression, itching can be felt continuously.
Ascaris - what are the signs of ascariasis, depending on the phase of development of this parasite. In the phase when the larvae migrate to the heart, lungs and other organs, there is weakness, subfebrile temperature, cough, in which sputum is excreted, sometimes with pus and blood. If an x-ray of the lung is taken at this time, volatile infiltration is visible on it, which then disappears. Allergic reactions develop, blood tests show a large percentage of eosinophils. If the invasion is strong, the development of bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma attacks may occur. Often people are interested in whether there can be a cough when infected? It is possible. You may also have a sore throat. The signs of the second phase are associated with digestive disorders. Roundworms produce substances that neutralize pepsin and trypsin, human digestive enzymes. As a result, the protein is not digested, and the patient loses a lot of weight. With ascariasis, complications are sometimes noticeable - pancreatitis, obstructive jaundice, intestinal obstruction, appendicitis.
Ankylostomiasis, schistosomiasis, diphyllobothriasis, trichuriasis - with such lesions, anemia and beriberi develop. After all, toxins released by helminths of this variety significantly worsen the intestinal microflora, triggering the development of dysbacteriosis.
Opisthorchiasis, fascioliasis, clonorchiasis are liver parasites. Consequences of aggression are icteric syndrome, enlarged liver, spleen, pancreatitis, cholecystocholangitis, neurological disorders, pathology of the digestive system.
Trichinosis - with such lesions, the most common symptoms are muscle pain, swelling of the eyelids, swelling of the face, fever.
Strongyloidiasis - causes ringworm, the symptoms of which are very varied. There may be signs of dyspepsia, allergies, bile duct dysfunction, etc.
Genitourinary schistosomiasis - caused by flatworms, manifested by diuretic disorders. At the end of urination, blood is found in the urine. In men, it can lead to pathological lesions of the prostate, pathology of the seminal vesicles. In women, it causes consequences in the form of vaginal bleeding, genital lesions. Fibrosis may appear in the bladder.
Cestodosis - caused by tapeworms. These are bovine tapeworms, sheep brains, echinococcus, broad tapeworms, etc. The symptoms of this disease are severe weight loss, weakness, and dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract.
How to determine the presence of worms in a person?
If certain symptoms that indicate an infection are worrying, one is naturally worried about how to understand if you have helminths. Of course, it is possible to say with certainty whether there is an infection or not only after visiting a doctor and conducting all the necessary tests. But there are other ways that are suitable for those who are interested in finding out that you have worms. To do this, you need to carefully monitor the state of health and pay attention to the changes taking place in the body. After all, the presence of some obvious symptoms provides an answer to the question of how to understand that you have worms.
Prevention of infection with worms
To prevent infection, you need to clearly understand what the cause of the invasion is, what is helminthiasis, what is a worm. It is important to take all preventive measures, which significantly reduce the chances of infection.
- It should wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly, pour boiling water over it.
- It is important to fight flies, cockroaches, mosquitoes - to track down where they come from, to destroy them.
- Cooking meat and fish should be at least 40-60 minutes.
- You only need to use your own hygiene items - towels, combs (so that lice are not contagious), etc.
- It is important to teach babies before eating, as well as after each contact with animals, immediately go and wash their hands with soap and water.
- If there are animals, large and small, in the house, you should always give them funds for worm prevention. To find out which one, you should contact your veterinarian.
- It is important that the youngest child plays only with clean toys, and nipples or dropped nipples should be washed immediately.
- Children should be freed from bad habits - sucking fingers, biting nails, putting various things in the mouth.
- Babies should have clean, short nails.
- To prevent re -infection with pinworms, babies should wear tight underwear at night, which prevents the spread of parasites and eggs in bed.
- It is important to rub baby clothes after washing.
- In the morning you need to change underwear and wash the child thoroughly.