The presence of parasitic organisms in the body leads not only to discomfort and the appearance of unpleasant symptoms, various diseases develop and the state of health worsens dramatically. Some types of parasites threaten not only health but also life. A dangerous neighborhood causes a decrease in immunity, damage to the integrity of internal organs. Doctors are sounding the alarm, over eighty percent of all diseases are caused by parasites or are the result of their life in the body. The statistics are alarming: one in four adults and one in two children are infected with helminths. Most often, a person is unaware of the presence of worms until the condition becomes critical. Where do human worms come from? After all, infection also occurs in those people who strictly follow the recommendations and try to exclude all contact with the pathogenic environment. Let's try to figure out how to avoid infection, which becomes the cause of the development of the helminthic invasion.
The main routes of infection: where the worms come from
There are several ways to get infected with parasites. Worms are a problem for a person of any age, although children are the most vulnerable category. They know the world by actively exploring objects based on taste and have no persistent hygiene habits. Children become infected mainly due to the use of plant products without preliminary washing, violations of hygiene rules after contact with pets, licking dirty fingers. Worms in babies are a very common occurrence.
The mechanism of parasitic infection by adults is practically the same. Most helminthiases develop due to ignorance of the rules of personal hygiene. Often, infection occurs as a result of contact with sick people or animals, the use of contaminated household items and objects. With insufficient heat treatment of meat and fish, there is also a high risk of getting sick. Biohelminthiases enter the human body in this way. To minimize the likelihood of the development of pathology, it is necessary to carefully cook, stew or fry fish and meat. Drinking contaminated water, swimming in an unfamiliar body of water, or working in the garden with unprotected hands can cause worms to appear in an adult's body.
The main routes of infection are:
- Oral-fecal. The pathogen enters the body through contaminated food or water. This group of helminths lives predominantly in the intestine. The pathogenic organism goes through a complete development cycle and secretes eggs, which come out with the host's feces. After entering the external environment, the parasite is introduced into the body of another host.
- Across the land. The transmission of parasites in this way occurs due to human contact with contaminated soil. The method of transmission is similar to the previous version of the infection, but the eggs enter the soil not only with feces, but also with other secretions of the host's body.
- hematogenous. Parasites enter the host organism through insect bites. Infected leeches carry helminth eggs.
- Biohelminthiasis. A complex system of infection in which there are several intermediate and permanent hosts.
Life cycle of parasites
Different types of helminths have their own development cycle, but their general pattern is identical: a larva develops from an egg, which eventually transforms into a sexually mature adult individual.
Taking into account the peculiarities of development, there are three groups of parasites:
- contact;
- geohelminths;
- biohelminths.
Contact parasite infection occurs mainly through dirty hands. Geohelminths develop without an intermediate host. The eggs mature in the soil. This group of parasites enters the human body through the oral cavity or the skin. Biohelminths have the most complex development cycle with several intermediate hosts.
Symptoms of helminthiasis
After the penetration of parasites into the human body, the first symptoms may appear immediately or after a while, when the number of worms increases significantly or the only representative of the species grows to a large size. The first shot is taken by the immune system.
The signs of a general deterioration in health gradually appear:
- fatigue;
- poor sleep;
- apathy;
- lethargy;
- dizziness.
These symptoms are due to an increasing lack of nutrients and components that are absorbed by parasites, impoverishing the human body. People with helminthiasis become weak and irritable. Gradually appear specific symptoms, which depend on the type of helminth, localization in a particular organ.
Worms in the liver
Parasites enter the organ through the blood or orally. As the disease progresses, the following symptoms are observed:
- Body temperature rises by several degrees. With the mass of parasites in the organ, necrosis, abscess can begin, in which case the temperature rises to critical figures.
- Mucous membranes and skin become yellowish as the gland produces large amounts of bilirubin.
- On palpation, an enlarged liver is felt. The patient feels a burst in the organ, presses on adjacent tissues. Begin to disturb pain in the abdomen on the right, breathing becomes difficult.
- A clinical blood test shows an increase in the eosinophil content.
- Often worried about nausea, an unpleasant taste in the mouth. Some patients complain of dizziness.
Intestinal worms
Most parasites prefer to live in the intestines. It is an ideal place to feed, develop and reproduce. In the intestine, sexually mature individuals secrete eggs, which enter the environment with the patient's feces.
Symptoms of localization of helminths in this organ are as follows:
- Indigestion in the form of a predominance of constipation or diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
- Aversion to food, complete loss of appetite.
- Change your eating habits. The patient refuses his favorite dishes, preferring an unusual taste.
- The presence of blood in the stool.
- Very severe cramping abdominal pain.
- The presence of parasites or their fragments in the feces, vomiting.
- Bowel obstruction.
Worms in the lungs
The worms enter the lungs with the bloodstream. Localization of helminths in the respiratory system causes severe damage to the body. Symptoms of lung damage are as follows:
- Chest pain.
- Exhausting cough with expectoration.
- Increased body temperature.
- Hearing wheezing in the chest.
- Difficulty in breathing, development of an asthmatic component.
With mass seeding of the lungs, there is a high probability of developing complications in the form of pneumonia, blockage of the airways, necrosis or abscess.
Worms in the eyes
Localization of helminth larvae in the eye leads to serious vision problems. Symptoms of the presence of parasites in the eye are as follows:
- Visible seals under the eyelids.
- Pain and movement in the eye.
- A sharp decrease in visual acuity.
- Changing the position of the eyeball.
- Progressive squint.
- Constant discharge from the eye.
Worms in the brain
The presence of parasites in the brain is one of the most serious conditions, as helminths irrevocably damage nerve fibers. Most often, the disease ends in the death of the patient.
Symptoms of brain parasites are:
- Violent migraine.
- Dizziness.
- Nausea.
- Adhesion of neuropsychiatric disorders.
Helminth invasion therapy
Parasites are often detected in the body of adults and children. Awareness of the presence of pathogenic individuals in one's body is rather unpleasant. It is necessary to start the correct treatment in a timely manner. Only a qualified specialist can prescribe anthelmintic drugs.
To confirm or deny your suspicions, you need to be examined and tested.
The doctor recommends any method for detecting helminths: a complete blood count, stool, urine, ultrasound or X-ray, endoscopy or CT. Based on the type of parasite identified, treatment is prescribed. The pharmaceutical industry is ready to offer many drugs that are effective against worms. Treatment can be carried out with the use of a drug once or a course. It all depends on the type of parasite, the place of localization, the quantity and general condition of the patient.
When detecting the fact of helminthiasis in the family, it is recommended to undergo the treatment of parasites in the body for all who live together. Human helminths are not only an unpleasant, but also a very dangerous disease that threatens the development of many complications. You cannot ignore the situation or use drugs alone. Only a doctor can prescribe a remedy that will be as effective as possible and will not harm.
There are folk recipes that can become a powerful support for the body against helminthiasis. Drugs can be used in addition to drug therapy or for prophylaxis. It should be understood that you cannot take traditional medicine on your own. Initially, it is necessary to find out information about the parasite, find out the place of its localization. If possible, your doctor will advise you to add alternative medicine prescriptions to your treatment regimen.
The following herbal ingredients are considered the best folk remedies: pumpkin seeds, wormwood, ginger, herbal preparations, tansy, sea buckthorn.
Preventive actions
Worm infestations are not as harmless as they may seem at first glance. The disease undermines health, adversely affects the general condition. For children, helminthiasis is much more dangerous: the child is seriously lagging behind in development, he is often sick.
Preventive measures are simple and easy to do, you just need to form a few good habits:
- Wash your hands before eating, after walking, visiting public places.
- Deworming of pets.
- Eat only washed plant foods.
- Do not drink unboiled water, refuse to swim in unknown water bodies.
- Working in the garden or in the vegetable garden with gloves.
- Carefully prepare meat and fish dishes.
- Refuse to buy food in spontaneous markets.
And although it is impossible to fully protect yourself from helminth invasion, it is really possible to minimize the risks by following the recommendations of specialists. Don't be sick!