Numerous studies of modern medicine prove that helminths are the cause of many diseases in humans. The penetration of parasites into the body is not immediately felt, and often the symptoms are disguised as other diseases. Many people have been treated for diseases of the liver, kidneys and gallbladder for years, looking for the causes of allergic diseases. However, they do not think about checking the body for helminthic infestation.
Methods of infection
There are about 250 species of helminths in nature. In addition, each parasite causes a specific disease with characteristic symptoms. The problem is widespread in both children and adults.
There are several reasons for the defeat:
- Contact method - some types of parasites, including pinworms, pass from person to person by shaking hands.
- Nutrition - eating raw or semi-raw meat causes poor quality helminth-infected fish to enter the body.
- Through soil and water - if the soil and water are infected with helminths excreted in the feces of helminthic humans or animals.
- Contact with animals infected with helminthic infestation.
- Insect transfer of worm eggs to food.
- Insect bites can carry some types of parasites into the body.
Doctors note that the main mechanism of transmission is oral feces. In other words, human helminths are affected by eating contaminated food and water.
Also, the reason for the frequent spread is the lack of basic hygiene. You should wash your hands thoroughly after being outdoors and especially when working with soil.
Children are especially susceptible to helminthic invasion. Walking on the street, contact with pets causes the problem to spread rapidly. Infection with pinworms is very simple. Because the female pinworm can come out of the intestines at night to lay eggs near the anus, which causes severe itching in the child. Children involuntarily scratch this place, which causes contamination of hands and feet, clothes and bedding. Unwashed baby's hands, door handles and children's items that can be handled by plumbing fixtures, contact with furniture, are the cause of infection for everyone living in the apartment.
How to identify the problem?
In humans, helminths can cause different symptoms, so different treatments are prescribed.
However, there are also typical symptoms that are most common in people infected with parasites:
- noticeable weight loss;
- anemia;
- severe itching in the anus;
- anorexia;
- constant fatigue.
For these symptoms, most people immediately begin to suspect a worm infection.
However, in humans, helminths often cause other symptoms that are more reminiscent of the symptoms of other diseases.
- Gastrointestinal problems - recurrent nausea, diarrhea or vomiting, bloating and abdominal pain may be due to worm infections, not stomach problems. This often happens if the parasites are located in the intestines. Symptoms can be severe or mild. But in any case, they cause great discomfort.
- General disorders and adverse effects on the nervous system. This condition is triggered by toxins that are able to release parasites in the human body. Gradual intoxication often causes headaches, dizziness, and mild nausea. With a severe infection, there is a possibility of fever and joint pain. Due to worms in the human body, the amount of vitamins and nutrients is sharply reduced. As a result, it causes drowsiness, constant fatigue and irritability. Children are especially sensitive - they are capricious and irritable, sleep restlessly at night, are inattentive.
- Allergic reactions on the skin - waste products of parasites desensitize the body, and therefore, when ingested, proteins similar to them are considered allergens. Thus, different options for allergies - skin rash, hives, constant itching. Symptoms of helminths include allergic rhinitis and cough.
- Weak immunity, which often leads to the manifestation of infectious diseases. The problem arises against the background of a decrease in the amount of vitamins and nutrients in the body.
According to popular belief, worms can be detected in the body even by snoring or gnashing teeth during sleep. Such methods of determination still exist, but medicine claims that they are mere speculations. There are many other causes of snoring and tooth decay.
Where do parasites live?
Human helminths can live in different places in the body.
Depending on it, there are:
- Cavity - colonizes the small and large intestines. There are about a hundred species of such worms.
- Tissue - occupies tissues and organs. They can be found in the liver, muscles, lungs, brain and lymphatic vessels.
Some types of worms, such as roundworms, are both hollow and tissue. They can infect organs in the form of larvae, and worms can infect the intestines.
Diagnosis of helminths
Modern medicine uses several methods to diagnose helminthiasis:
- check a person's feces for ovarian follicles;
- to scratch the anus;
- vaginal discharge in girls;
- immunological tests for antibodies.
In addition, your doctor may refer you for urine and blood tests, bile and sputum tests. In case of severe infection, ultrasound, biopsy, computed tomography are used. These research methods help to determine the location of parasitic colonies in the human body.
How to get rid of helminthiasis?
In the arsenal of doctors today there are many drugs that can quickly and successfully cope with the problem of parasites harm the human body. But it is important to make the right diagnosis to find the optimal drug. Only then will the treatment be successful.
Depending on the type of parasite, they are identified:
- Mebendazole-based drugs are the best choice for infection with enterobiosis, trichocephalus.
- Diethylcarbamazine is recommended for the treatment of filariasis.
- Levamisole tablets are often prescribed by doctors to patients with trichocephalosis, ascariasis, toxoplasmosis.
- Drugs with albendazole have been shown to be effective in cysticercosis and echinococcosis.
- Pills with praziquantel - will help fight cestodosis, schistosomiasis, trimodosis.
It is often possible to fight helminthiasis by prescribing pills. However, in case of re-infection or exacerbation, doctors recommend injections of ascorbic acid, vitamin B6 or calcium gluconate, as well as more serious treatment, including medications for high blood pressure and antipyretics.
Prevention measures
It is very easy to get infected with worms. And it takes a long time to get rid of parasites. It is better to avoid the appearance of the problem so as not to go through numerous studies and poison the body with medicinal parts to remove helminths.
Moreover, prevention is not difficult:
- Follow the basic rules of personal hygiene - wash your hands after a walk, use personal hygiene products.
- Manage meat and fish properly.
- Wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly before eating.
- Pet owners should treat their pets against worms several times a year. Animals also require timely vaccination.
- Frequent travel to nature does not hurt to come into contact with the ground once a year to carry out drug prevention of parasites.
- Children are advised to take medication twice a year.
In the true sense of the word, each of us has been a worm carrier at least once in our lives. Indeed, no one, regardless of status or position, is insured against infection. This problem does not result in death, but it is a great concern. Therefore, the sooner the parasites are detected, the sooner the patient will receive competent treatment and forget about the unpleasant problem.