People are used to associating the word "parasites" with the common worms common in the human colon. But their localization can be so varied that the patient does not even know about the presence of subcutaneous parasites for several years. Yes, uninvited guests can sit comfortably under a person's skin, and their size can rarely be called microscopic.
Types of parasites and their symptoms
Is your body itchy? Purulent acne on the face? Occasional opacity in the eye? All of these are subcutaneous parasites that move quickly in the body and can affect internal organs. This movement occurs independently or with the flow of blood. The patient may not know about such a "phenomenon" for many years until a worm is under the epidermal layer and "greets" it.
To scare the reader even more, it is necessary to give the characteristics of the possible varieties of parasites, the habitat of which is found only under the skin.
Filariasis
If you go to tropical countries, be prepared for a fight with insects, which through their bite can not only cause problems in the form of itching or pain, but can also infect you with parasites of the nematode species - filariasis. The danger of the disease lies in the long incubation period - about 5-7 years. All this time, the parasites will multiply in the human body without giving themselves any signs.
With a large amount of waste products thrown into the body, intoxication gradually begins to develop in a person, which manifests itself, first of all, with a characteristic urticaria on the skin. Provides itching only in the initial stage. In the future, the patient will groped for different movable seals, cope with vision loss, cope with acute fever.
As for diagnostics, here the patient is examined by a specialist when contacting the clinic. With the naked eye, you can see the worms crawling under the skin, they are also perfectly visible when examining the eyes. Clarifies the course of the disease and the events that precede it, the specialist diagnoses and prescribes the appropriate treatment.
Important!When traveling to hot countries, do not neglect vaccination, even if it is not required by visa control or health services.
dracuncoliasis
Helminths of the presented group enter the body through ingested contaminated water. It contains larvae, the detection of which is, in principle, impossible. But the infection itself can be fatal for a person, as the larvae grow up to one meter in size. One of these helminths can lodge in the stomach or enter the lungs, completely blocking the person's breathing. But this rarely happens, as in most cases this type of parasite will choose a person's lower limbs.
Symptoms include:
- itching of the lower limbs;
- the formation of a characteristic roller on the legs or feet;
- various purulent lesions of the skin;
- peculiar bubbles, reaching at least 8 cm in diameter, which simply burst under the influence of water.
Pay close attention to the type of water you drink, as it is easier to protect yourself and your loved ones from such an infection than to resort to treatment.
Scabies
All unpleasant scabies is manifested only by itching, rarely on the skin it is possible to find changes in the form of spots and redness. This is due to skin mites, the infection of which occurs only when interacting with another carrier of the disease or in case of contact with clothing.
Ticks are small in size, they are not visible to the naked eye, but their activity in the body is quite extensive. In case of penetration into the skin, parasites gnaw their passages in the deep layers of the epidermis - this causes itching. With long walks of parasites, passages begin to appear on the skin, and if the surfaces are treated with iodine, a characteristic cobweb of such passages can be noted.
Related signs include:
- bubbles are formed in the places of scratches;
- the hands and joint surfaces are most affected.
Important!Despite the quick diagnosis through examination by a specialist, treatment can take a long time, so it's best to listen to the precautions against infection.
demodecosis
Among the numerous varieties of parasites, tick lesions of the genus Demodex are worth mentioning separately. Their distribution is mainly localized in the sebaceous glands of the face, which occurs in the form of a characteristic acne. Outwardly, such a reproduction looks very unattractive. Loss of eyelashes is also referred to as injuries and symptoms.
Diagnosis of this injury takes only a few minutes. The doctor simply examines the skin. But the treatment can take several years, even if all the prescriptions of the specialist are followed exactly.
Diagnosis of subcutaneous parasites
In most cases, the diagnosis of the affected skin is carried out directly in the office of a specialist, who, on visual examination, can already determine the disease. But in order to accurately identify the cause and concomitant injuries of the internal organs, the patient is prescribed a full medical examination. Firstly, it is necessary to clarify all lesions, and secondly, in this way it is possible to find foci of accumulations of parasites (if any) and approximately determine their number.
If you find unpleasant symptoms in the form of a rash, itching and other changes, you should contact specialists such as:
- dermatologist;
- allergist;
- neuropathologist;
- medical psychologist;
- infectious disease specialist.
A full examination includes a visit to a neurologist and a medical psychologist, as itching and rash are often a simple psychological disorder. But such visits are only due to the lack of an accurate diagnosis, which was not made after examination by the local doctor.
In identifying the type of disease, laboratory diagnostics of the patient is especially important, which will accurately show the presence of parasites under the skin or in internal organs. This investigation includes two phases:
- Direct diagnosis of parasites: A mucosal scraping or stain is used to study the changes. The direct method is used in case of clear manifestation of the presence of parasites: redness of the skin, blisters, purulent acne.
- The second stage involves the study of blood for the presence of antigen-antibody complexes, which accurately determines the immune response to the fight against parasites in the human body. As a rule, the discarded elements of the vital activity of parasites almost completely kill protective antibodies, as a result of which the weakened immunity of the body is unable to overcome the invasion and activity of uninvited guests.
To prescribe treatment, it is necessary to accurately identify the type of parasite that has entered the human body. Here, along with a skin scraping or mucosal stain, hair, blood, nails, feces, the contents of blisters on the skin and other important biological materials are often taken for analysis.
Treatment
It is impossible to say exactly about the treatment of parasites under the skin. Here, their location, area and stage of the lesion play an important role.
Only the following techniques can be cited as general information:
- Subcutaneous mites must be removed using drugs based on the elimination of all types of parasites in the body. Here, specialists often prescribe acaricidal and antihistamine agents. As an external application, antibiotic ointments and gels, as well as vasoconstrictive drugs, for example, an aqueous solution of adrenaline-resorcinol, act as an effective remedy. The instructions for use and the treatment regimen will be explained by the doctor depending on the stage of the injury.
- Dracunculosis is subject to surgery. Including all types of worms that have spread under a person's skin or have already affected internal organs. The danger of such injuries lies in the spread of parasites in internal organs, which often causes pain to the brain. That is why the patient must undergo a comprehensive comprehensive examination to find out the location of the worms.
The general principle of removing parasites from the body occurs in two ways: a conservative method and surgical intervention. It is not recommended to use alternative methods in the case of the treatment of subcutaneous parasites, as it will take a long time, and the damage to the body can already be severe and have consequences for the patient's later life.
Prophylaxis
Parasite infection occurs through direct contact with a sick person or an infected area, in the case of consuming poor quality food or water. The leading positions among the causes of parasitic infestation are attributed to violations of hygiene rules.
To protect yourself from the problems presented, you should:
- Wash your hands before eating food, each time after contact with objects located in public places, as well as after using money.
- Do not try another person's things, because he can become infected with parasites, the larvae of which are found on the skin and therefore are easily transmitted.
- Don't use other people's cosmetics. Lipsticks, mascara, someone else's soap and other items can become the same carriers of parasite larvae.
- When eating fruits and vegetables, be sure to expose them to washing and other cleaning procedures from dirt and dust - these may also include parasite larvae.
- In case of an injury or abrasion, it is necessary to treat them immediately to prevent infection.
Take care of your health and undergo mandatory vaccinations in case of an upcoming trip to tropical countries. Do not refuse there the help and treatment of wounds, bites and other mechanical injuries of the skin. So you can protect yourself from visiting uninvited guests.