According to WHO, almost the entire population is infected with worms. Many people are unaware of the presence of helminths and protozoa and have linked the disorder to colds or poisoning. However, sometimes a person can see a whole worm or a part of it in his stool. It is better to have regular examinations for foreign bodies in the body.
The main types of worms
Different types of helminths can live in the human body, they affect not only the stomach, but also other internal organs.
Depending on the place of residence, they are divided into several main classes:
- geohelminths - larvae live in feces, human infection occurs orally, flies can be carriers;
- biohelminths - the body of a fish or animal is selected as an intermediate host, enters the human body in the form of larvae, where they begin to actively grow;
- contact helminths - a small species transmitted by contact through objects of common use.
The greatest damage can be caused by 3 types of parasites - rifles, tapeworms and roundworms. Worms are divided into intestinal and extraintestinal forms according to their habitat. Intestinal helminths have a complex structure, mainly propagated outside the human body - roundworms, pinworms, tapeworms. They live only in the large and small intestines, feeding on the mucous membranes of the body.
The simplest organisms - giardia, cryptosporidium - can also be located in the intestines. Despite their primitive structure, they are difficult to get rid of - they multiply very quickly, quickly gaining immunity to drugs. Against the background of infection, various infectious diseases develop.
Extraintestinal forms can move throughout the body through the bloodstream. Often these helminths affect the cells of the liver, pancreas and spleen. Less - brain, respiratory and visual organs, lymph nodes, soft tissues. This form of infection is difficult to diagnose because it is not always possible to detect these worms in a person's feces.
Cestodes and trematodes enter the body with poorly fried meat and fish, dirty water. The remaining parasites can be transmitted if hygiene rules are not followed.
80% of helminth infections are caused by dirty hands and poorly washed plant-based foods.
What does a human worm look like? These are worm-shaped, mostly light-colored parasites. Their length varies from a few millimeters to 2-3 m.
round worms
Roundworms often occur in children.
Main types:
- roundworm - has a spindle-shaped structure, females reach 40 cm in length, leave the body with feces;
- pinworms - small grayish-white worms, their length is not more than 10 mm, can be found in the feces of adults and eggs;
- fork worms - parasites similar in appearance, length - not more than 15 mm, have sharp teeth;
- Vlasoglav - a completely white worm, about 5 cm long.
More:
- Enterobiasis - infection by parasites in contact with pinworms. Helminthiasis is an epidemiological disease - when a person becomes infected, all people who come in contact with him become infected quickly. Pinworms enter the body through the mouth. Enterobiasis is often accompanied by severe itching in the anus, which causes re-infection.
- Trichuriasis is an infection of the whipworm. Lives in the primary part of the small intestine, feeds on mucous tissue and blood. With a large accumulation begins severe diarrhea, prolapse of the rectum is possible.
- Cornworms affect the duodenum. After contact with the soil, the larvae enter through the skin and are carried by the bloodstream to all internal organs and lungs. A person begins to cough strongly, along with sputum, the larvae penetrate the organs of the digestive system. After the defeat of the blood vessels, the worm is a special enzyme that prevents the blood from clotting.
- Roundworms can move freely in the body, and humans swallow the eggs of parasites along with dirty vegetables and untreated water. Flies can be carriers of eggs.
Symptoms of helminthiasis
The main danger of helminthic infestations is the absence of signs of infection for a long time. And when the symptoms appear, they are similar to other common diseases. A person begins to take pills for cough, fever, intestinal disorders or constipation on their own, but self-medication does not give a positive result.
Externally, infection with parasites can manifest itself in the form of acne, seborrhea, cracked heels, convulsions in the corners of the mouth, papillomas. In women, they can cause the release of leukorrhea, inflammation of the ovaries, painful and irregular menstruation. With prolonged infection, fibroids, fibroids, and mastopathy appear. In men, helminthiasis causes impotence, prostatitis, prostate adenoma. Worms cause the formation of sand and stones in the kidneys and bladder.
Symptoms of invasion in humans:
- frequent colds, respiratory diseases;
- chronic inflammation of the respiratory organs and paranasal sinuses;
- constipation, diarrhea, flatulence;
- joint and muscle pain;
- sharp fluctuations in weight;
- manifestation of anemia.
Granulomas are a clear sign of infection. In these tumors, destroyed eggs accumulate and form in the walls of the intestines, lungs, liver and uterus. Oncological diseases develop against the background of constant parasite poisoning. Severe intoxication causes allergic reactions, hives, eczema. The mental state of a person also changes - aggression is replaced by apathy, chronic fatigue occurs, insomnia is disturbed.
The main symptom is worms in the stool. They can be detected visually or using special analysis.
Children and parasites
Worms are diagnosed more often in children than in adults. The child puts dirty hands, toys in his mouth, likes to come in contact with animals, plays in the sand and soil. According to statistics, every third child attending preschool has helminths. Pinworms, ascaris, Giardia and Toxocara are common in children.
Giardia are small parasites that affect even newborns. When infected, severe diarrhea begins, high fever, abdominal pain. Many parents associate the symptoms with the manifestation of intestinal infection, treatment does not give the desired result, helminthiasis becomes chronic.
Toxocara lives in the bodies of cats and dogs, and comes out with feces. The child becomes infected after contact with stray animals while playing in a sandbox or on the ground. These worms look like white threads of different thickness and length. A large photo depicting the parasite can be used as a visual aid when communicating with a child about the need to wash their hands thoroughly.
The result of the infection is increased aggression, constant whimsy, apathy. The child quickly becomes tired, the quality of sleep deteriorates. The main symptom that allows you to reliably study the infection is itching in the anus, the presence of parasites in the feces.
Grinding at night is not a sign of a parasite infection in a child.
Worm infestations are dangerous for children - they develop chronic diseases, the immune system is damaged, there are problems with appetite and weight. When infected with a whipworm, the child begins to develop retardation, severe anemia.
Treatment
There is no single treatment for more than 200 different helminths in the human body. Modern types of diagnostics help to accurately identify which worms are present in the body, which allows you to prescribe adequate therapy. Different types of parasites are often found in humans.
The drugs affect only adults and are weak against larvae and eggs. Therefore, it is necessary to undergo several courses of antiparasitic therapy to fully recover.
Worms in the body can cause many serious diseases - chronic diseases of the digestive and respiratory organs, nervous disorders, glaucoma, tumors of various origins. It is easy not to be infected with helminths - wash your hands often, use antibacterial agents on the street, subject meat and fish to high-quality heat treatment, do not drink raw water, pour boiling water over all vegetables and fruits without exception.