Throughout life, a person is exposed to the risk of infection with various parasites. The most common are helminths (worms in humans). These parasites in the human body lead to many complications, including: disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, physical damage to internal organs and helminthiasis. Helminthiasis is not a disease, but a group of diseases caused by parasites that live inside a person. All helminths are divided into 3 main types:
- roundworms (belong to the order nematodes), prominent representatives: roundworms, pinworms, whipworms;
- tapeworms, or tapeworms (an order of flatworms), are represented by tapeworms, bovine tapeworms;
- the trematodes, or trematodes (order flatworms), are represented by the liver fluke.
Since helminths leave the host's body during the reproductive period to preserve the species, transferring to another host or the environment, they are also divided according to the type of transfer:
- Mechanical transfer involves movement over long distances, while the development of the worm does not occur in the body of the bearer. These include most arthropods (crustaceans, arachnids and millipedes), often carried on the legs of common flies.
- An intermediate host is a specific mode of transmission in which one of the developmental stages occurs in the body of the vector. For example, for bovine tapeworms, the carrier (intermediate host) is cattle, while humans are the final carrier.
Helminths also differ in the mode of transmission:
- active (contact);
- passive (food).
Contact helminths are able to enter the human body through the mucous membranes and skin (schistosomes, hookworms). Foodborne illnesses are more common; they develop in a person after eating unwashed foods, during contact with sick people or after failure to comply with personal hygiene rules.
In total, there are more than 250 species of lower worms in the world that parasitize humans. Since the symptoms of the presence of worms in humans have different manifestations, at the slightest suspicion you should contact a specialist and get tested.
Life cycle of worms, their reproduction and development
An example of the development of helminths is the classic nematode life cycle diagram. The eggs of the parasite are extremely resistant to adverse external influences and can remain in the soil for up to six months. The development of the actual larva requires from 2 weeks to 2 months, depending on the environmental conditions: temperature, humidity, availability of oxygen. A mature egg enters the stomach with food, where gastric juice eats away the egg shell, releasing the larva.
Subsequently, the roundworm enters the bloodstream through the intestinal wall and begins to move through the entire vascular system until it enters the pulmonary alveoli. The nematode larva is aerobic, only here it becomes active and continues to develop. Feeding on blood, it grows up to 3-4 mm in length. Having reached primary maturity 4-5 days after invasion, the nematode begins to move towards the bronchi. Its movement causes a cough in a person, as a result of which the larva, together with mucus, enters the oral cavity and again into the intestine. Here the final stage of the formation of the larva into an adult occurs.
The life cycle of an adult nematode lasts about a year, during which it lays up to 250, 000 eggs. Human health, and sometimes even life, directly depends on the presence of worms in the body and their quantity, which is why it is important to start treatment as soon as possible. Ascariasis is accompanied by intoxication, and a complication will be intestinal obstruction, which in some cases requires urgent surgical intervention.
Reproduction of helminths occurs in 2 ways, according to which worms are divided into biohelminths and geohelminths. Typically, parasite eggs end up in the outside environment, where they mature. Then the egg must enter the host, where it develops fully (geohelminths) or goes through the stage of transformation into a larva (biohelminths).
For biohelminths, the development process is more complex; the stages of development into an adult and reaching maturity are separated by the emergence stage of the larva. That is, from the external environment the egg first enters an intermediate carrier, where the larva hatches. It must then be ingested by its final host to reach its adult form. Sometimes biohelminths change up to 4 intermediate carriers before reaching their final host.
Symptoms
How to determine the presence of worms? Polymorphic symptoms and the absence of painful sensations in the early stages of the disease complicate the diagnosis. Often the reasons for the appearance of worms in humans are associated with the consumption of stale or contaminated food, and the parasites themselves live directly in the gastrointestinal tract, so the signs of their presence in the human body in most cases concern the functioning of the gastrointestinal system . intestines:
- loose (unstable) stools;
- pain and swelling;
- allergic skin rashes;
- flatulence;
- nausea;
- vomit;
- lack or excess of appetite;
- at night - sleep disturbances, lushness, grinding of teeth, salivation;
- itching in the anus;
- the presence of mucus or blood in the stool.
These symptoms appear after infection and last a short time (about 7 days). In case of reinfestation they repeat after 2-3 weeks. In the absence of treatment or due to the appearance of an acute or chronic form of the disease, some symptoms do not disappear, and to them are added the consequences of a long stay of parasites in the body:
- Intoxication appears almost simultaneously with infection, but in the initial stages it is not so noticeable. The greater the number of worms in the human body, the stronger the symptoms of poisoning increase, from morning sickness to vomiting and abdominal pain.
- Pulmonary congestion (infiltrates), bronchial spasms, pneumonia. The main culprits are parasites that develop in the alveoli of the lungs and damage them, causing inflammatory processes.
- Inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis). An infectious disease, the result of vital activity of helminths and subsequent intoxication.
- Meningoencephalitis is a dangerous inflammation of the brain and its membranes caused by bacteria and protozoa.
Different pathogens have their own manifestations and consequences, but most of the symptoms are common to all helminths.
Diagnostics
The diagnosis is made under laboratory conditions. Only in this case, in the presence of worm eggs and their signs in the blood or feces, it is possible to confidently diagnose helminthiasis. However, stool analysis is not always sufficient: some types of parasites do not manifest themselves in them. A special method for determining the presence of worms is a serological blood test for antibodies. For the diagnosis of helminthiasis the following is used:
- bile studies;
- macroscopy (to identify roundworms and pinworms);
- biopsy of muscle tissue to check for trichinosis;
- X-rays and ultrasounds.
Trichinosis is a parasitic disease in which the larvae of the pathogen spread throughout the host's body, causing much destruction to the organs and central nervous system, after which they settle in the muscle tissue. Parasites in human muscles gradually create a capsule of infiltrates around themselves, and the symptoms of their presence in the body are reduced, but by this time serious harm has already been caused to the health of the host.
One of the main symptoms can be considered eosinophilia, in which the number of eosinophils in the patient's blood increases significantly. Eosinophils are a subtype of leukocytes that respond to the presence of the smallest foreign bodies in the circulatory system. In places where the larvae of parasites accumulate, internal swelling and spots on the skin quickly appear: traces of infiltration. They also remain in the sputum and lung fluid.
Since the symptoms of helminthic diseases are extensive and largely overlap with the signs of other diseases, self-diagnosis cannot be completely reliable. There are cases when, after eating bananas, people have noticed dark threads in the feces, which were mistaken for worms. Before starting treatment it is necessary to undergo all tests to determine the presence and type of parasites.
Treatment of helminthiasis
When treating parasitic diseases, several general rules should be followed:
- Thorough disinfection of the patient's linen and the room in which he is located. Minimize contact, separate plates.
- Strict diet excluding alcohol. It is recommended to drink carrot juice and birch bud infusion.
- Maintain personal hygiene, frequent hand and laundry washing, cleanliness of accommodation.
- Monitoring the progress of the treatment and its effectiveness.
Modern treatment methods exclude the use of a separate drug, as this does not guarantee complete coverage of all types of helminths. Most often, the doctor prescribes an initial-acting drug that weakens the parasites. After 3 days, depending on the age of the patient and the severity of the infection, anthelmintic drugs are prescribed. Pregnant women or people with contraindications to drugs are prescribed a non-toxic drug from the tetrahydropyrimidine group.
If it is not possible to consult a doctor, use folk remedies. They have a good anthelmintic effect:
- enema of garlic infusion, taking garlic on an empty stomach;
- tansy infusion on an empty stomach 4 times a day before meals;
- tincture of wormwood in alcohol, taken 3 times daily, 20 mg.
Nowadays, helminth infections are diagnosed and treated in a short time. If you do not neglect the disease and start treatment on time, this will help avoid complications and reinvasions. The greatest danger for children is parasitic diseases: there is a delay in mental development, complications occur in the form of chronic diseases and inflammatory processes. It is extremely important to promptly explain to the child the need to wash hands and follow the rules of personal hygiene. Adults are also required to follow other preventive measures.
Prevention of helminthiasis
In addition to personal hygiene, there are a number of factors that influence the elimination of the cause of worms:
- wash fruit and vegetables in hot water;
- keep the house clean, regular cleaning with water;
- a balanced diet that provides the body with a sufficient amount of vitamins from all groups;
- monitoring the condition of pets, annual visits to the veterinarian;
- adequate heat treatment of fish and meat;
- fight against insects living in the house;
- refrain from swimming and rest in areas where cattle graze.
Compliance with preventive measures and timely consultation with a doctor in case of infection will help avoid complications. The correct dosage of drugs prescribed by a specialist doctor will quickly eliminate parasites, and folk remedies can be used in combination with prescribed drugs.