The real danger: worms in humans

People are at risk of becoming infected with various parasites throughout their lives. The most common are worms (human worms). These parasites in the human body can cause many complications, including: gastrointestinal tract disruption, physical damage to internal organs, and helminthiasis. Helminthiasis is not a disease, but a group of diseases caused by parasites that live in the human body. All worms are divided into 3 main types:

• Nematodes (belonging to the order Ascaridae), prominent representatives - roundworms, pinworms, and whipworms;
• Tapeworms or tapeworms (order Flatworms), represented by Tapeworm and Bovis;
• Flukes or trematodes (order Flatworms) are represented by liver flukes.

Since worms leave the host's body and transfer to another host or into the environment during reproduction in order to preserve the species, they are also classified according to the type of transfer:

1. Mechanical transfer involves movement over long distances, and worm development does not occur within the carrier. These include most arthropods (crustaceans, arachnids, and millipedes) and are usually carried on the legs of common flies.
2. An intermediate host is a specific mode of transmission in which a developmental stage occurs within the body of the vector. For example, for the bovine tapeworm, the vector (intermediate host) is cattle, and humans are the final vector.

Worms also spread differently:

• Active (contact);
• Passive (food).

Contact worms can enter the body through mucous membranes and skin (schistosomiasis, hookworms). Foodborne illnesses are more common; these illnesses occur after eating unwashed food, coming into contact with sick people, or failing to follow personal hygiene rules.There are more than 250 species of lower worms that parasitize humans in the world. Since the symptoms of worms appear differently in humans, at the slightest suspicion you should contact a specialist and get checked out.

Worm life cycle, reproduction and development

An example of helminth development is the classic diagram of the roundworm life cycle. The eggs of the parasite are extremely resistant to adverse external influences and can remain underground for up to six months. The development of the larva itself takes from 2 weeks to 2 months, depending on environmental conditions: temperature, humidity, oxygen supply. Mature eggs enter the stomach with food, and gastric juice erodes the egg shell and releases the larvae.Thereafter, the roundworm enters the bloodstream through the intestinal wall and begins to move throughout the vascular system until it enters the alveoli. The roundworm larvae is aerobic, only here does it become active and continue to develop. It feeds on blood and can reach a length of 3-4 mm. Primary maturity is reached 4-5 days after invasion and the roundworms begin to move towards the bronchi. Its movement causes a person to cough, so the larvae enter the mouth along with mucus and then again into the intestines. Here the final stages of larvae's transformation into adults occur.The life cycle of an adult roundworm lasts about a year, during which time up to 250, 000 eggs are laid. Human health, and sometimes life, directly depends on the presence and number of worms in the body, which is why it is important to start treatment as early as possible. Ascariasis is accompanied by poisoning, and a complication is intestinal obstruction, which in some cases requires emergency surgical intervention.There are two ways of worm reproduction. According to these two ways, worms are divided into biological worms and soil worms. Typically, the parasite eggs eventually mature in the external environment. The egg must then enter a host where it either fully develops (earth worms) or undergoes the stage of transformation into a larvae (biological worms).For biological worms, the development process is more complex; the stages of development into adults and reaching maturity are separate from the emergence stage of larvae. That is, the eggs first pass from the external environment into an intermediate carrier, where the larvae hatch. It then needs to be ingested by a final host to reach its adult form. Sometimes biological worms will replace up to 4 intermediate vectors before reaching their final host.

symptom

How to tell if there are worms? Diagnosis is complicated by polymorphic symptoms and lack of pain in the first stages of the disease. Usually, the causes of worms in humans are related to the consumption of stale or contaminated food, and the parasites themselves live directly in the gastrointestinal tract, so in most cases the signs of their presence in the human body are related to the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. intestinal:

• loose (unsteady) stool;
• pain and bloating;
• allergic rash;
• flatulence;
• nausea;
• Vomit;
• Lack of or excessive appetite;
• At night - sleep disturbance, tossing and turning, teeth grinding, drooling;
• Itching of the anus;
• Mucus or blood in the stool.

These symptoms appear after infection and last for a short period of time (about 7 days). If reinfection occurs, it will need to be repeated after 2-3 weeks. Without treatment or due to the development of an acute or chronic illness, some symptoms do not go away, and the consequences of long-term residence of parasites in the body increase:

1. Intoxication appears almost simultaneously with infection but is not so obvious in the early stages. The higher the number of worms in a person's body, the more severe the symptoms of poisoning - from morning sickness to vomiting and abdominal pain.
2. Pulmonary congestion (infiltration), bronchospasm, pneumonia. The culprit is a parasite that grows in and damages the alveoli of the lungs, triggering the inflammatory process.
3. Inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis). An infectious disease that results from the life activities of worms and subsequent intoxication.
4. 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 symptoms are common to all worms.

diagnosis

Diagnosis is made under laboratory conditions. Only in this case, the presence of eggs and their signs in the blood or stool can confidently diagnose helminthiasis. However, fecal analysis is not always sufficient - certain types of parasites do not show up in them. One specific way to determine the presence of worms is to perform a serological blood test for antibodies. Helminthiasis is diagnosed using the following methods:

• bile research;
• Visual inspection (identifying roundworms and pinworms);
• Muscle tissue biopsy to check for trichinellosis;
• X-rays and ultrasound.

Trichinellosis is a parasitic disease in which the larvae of the pathogen spread throughout the host's body, causing massive damage to organs and the central nervous system, and then settle in muscle tissue. Parasites in human muscles gradually form an osmotic sac around themselves, and the symptoms of their presence in the body are alleviated, but by this time they have already caused serious damage to the health of the host.One of the main symptoms can be considered eosinophilia, a sharp increase in the number of eosinophils in the patient's blood. Eosinophils are a subtype of white blood cells that respond to the presence of the smallest foreign matter in the circulation. Where parasite larvae accumulate, internal swelling and spots on the skin soon appear - signs of penetration. They also remain in phlegm and lung fluid.Because the symptoms of helminthiasis are widespread and largely overlap with the signs of other diseases, self-diagnosis cannot be completely reliable. In some cases, people have found black threads in their stool after eating bananas, which have been mistaken for bugs. All tests must be performed to determine the presence and type of parasites before starting treatment.

Treatment of helminthiasis

When treating parasitic diseases, a few general rules should be followed:

1. Thoroughly disinfect the patient's sheets and the room in which he or she is located. Minimize contact and separate utensils.
2. Eat a strict diet that excludes alcohol. It is recommended to drink carrot juice and birch bud infusion.
3. Maintain personal hygiene, wash hands frequently, do laundry, and clean living areas.
4. Monitor treatment progress and effectiveness.

Modern treatments do not include the use of individual medications, as this does not guarantee complete coverage of all types of worms. In most cases, doctors will prescribe a primary medication to weaken the parasite. After 3 days, anthelmintics are prescribed depending on the age of the patient and the severity of the infection. Pregnant women or people with drug contraindications can take non-toxic drugs from the ectoine group.If you cannot see a doctor, use folk remedies. The following drugs have a good anthelmintic effect:

• Garlic infusion enema, take garlic on an empty stomach;
• Tansy infusion, taken on an empty stomach, 4 times a day, before meals;
• Mugwort alcohol tincture, 20 mg 3 times a day.

Today, helminth infections can be diagnosed and treated within a short period of time. If the disease is not ignored and treatment is started on time, this will help avoid complications and recurrences. Parasitic diseases pose the greatest danger to children: retardation of mental development, complications in the form of chronic diseases and inflammatory processes. It is important to promptly explain to your child the need to wash hands and follow personal hygiene rules. Adults must also take other precautions.

Prevent helminthiasis

In addition to personal hygiene, there are many factors that influence the removal of worms:

• Wash vegetables and fruits in hot water;
• Keep the house clean and wet-clean regularly;
• Eat a balanced diet to provide your body with adequate amounts of vitamins of all types;
• Monitor your pet's condition and visit your veterinarian annually;
• Proper heat treatment of fish and meat;
• Fighting Insects in the House;
• Avoid swimming and resting where cattle graze.

Following precautions and consulting your doctor promptly in case of infection will help avoid complications. The correct dosage of medicines prescribed by medical experts can quickly eliminate parasites, and folk remedies can be used in combination with prescribed medications.