Symptoms of intestinal worms in adults: signs of infection

8 March 2024

Helminthiasis is the most common parasitic infection that affects people of all ages. Doctors cannot provide accurate statistics on the number of cases, because many do not consult a specialist when they discover alarming symptoms, but prefer to treat themselves. This approach can cause serious complications, becauseeven broad-spectrum drugs may be ineffective against certain types of helminthic infectionsfor example, filariasis - infection with filamentous nematodes.

In general, more than 400 types of helminths that can parasitize the human body are known, and it is possible to accurately determine which of them is the cause of the disease only after laboratory examination of feces. When symptoms of helminthic infection are detected, it is necessary to consult a doctor (general practitioner, proctologist or infectious disease specialist). In almost half of the cases, the difficulty of timely diagnosis is due to the absence of characteristic symptoms for helminthosis, so it is important to know what signs of indirect manifestations of helminthosis can be. It is recommended that adults undergo a preventive stool test at least once a year, as well as a scraping for enterobiosis.

How can you get infected?

Most patients believe that helminthic infection is a "disease of dirty hands". This statement is only half true. Some types of worms, such as cestodes and other flatworms, can actually live in soil and sand, so if adequate hand hygiene is not observed, a person can become infected with helminthiasis, but this transmission route is mainly characteristic of children. small age group (from 1 to 6 years). The main source of infection in adults is poor-quality food (expired dairy products, poorly processed meat, stale eggs) and tap water.

How does a worm infection occur?

You can get infected with worms in open rivers and reservoirs. In rare cases, while swimming, a person can become infected with leeches - representatives of the class of annelids that cause hirudinosis. Pathology is quite severe, because the main food for leeches is blood and its components, which causes damage to blood vessels, rapidly developing anemia and blood poisoning against the background of systemic intoxication of the body. To avoid this, you should not swim in areas that are not equipped with "Swimming is allowed" signs. Soil/water samples are taken periodically in specially designated places during the summer months, and the risk of infection in such places is several times lower.

Other sources of infection for humans may include:

street and domestic animals (the bowl of the pet should be cleaned only with gloves, and the animal itself should be bathed regularly and treated with anthelmintic drugs 2 times a year);
polluted air;
blood-sucking insects (mosquitoes, ticks);
dust (including house dust that accumulates on soft toys and soft furniture).

Note!Some types of worms can enter the human body through the skin, so body contact with a person diagnosed with helminthiasis should be limited as much as possible.

Helminths quickly spread throughout the body.

Acute infection in adults: symptoms and signs

It is possible to independently diagnose or suspect helminthic infestation at home only in the acute and subacute period of the disease. Depending on the type of worms, their number and the state of the immune system, it can be from 1 week to 4 months. During this period, the symptoms of the pathology are most expressed, so the chance of timely treatment and reducing the risk of complications in acute form is maximum.

The main symptoms of acute helminthiasis are intestinal dysfunction. The patient develops functional intestinal disorders in the form of diarrhea or long-term absence of feces (constipation is 4 times less than diarrhea syndrome). When infected with worms, the consistency of feces is thin, watery, sometimes foam is added. The smell is unpleasant, sharp. The color may vary, but in most patients the color of the stool is lighter and pale yellow. If there is a strong infection of worms, the feces may be brown or green. Sometimes they contain mucus and streaks of blood released as a result of damage by worms to the blood vessels and capillaries located in the intestinal mucosa.

Among other symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract, the patient may have abdominal pain against the background of constant nausea, sudden vomiting, loss of appetite. During this period, many patients lose weight: weight loss can be up to 10% within 2-4 months from the onset of the disease. The skin turns pale, and polymorphic rashes appear on it in the form of vesicles or nodules filled with exudate. The same rash can occur on the mucous membranes of the genitals, oral cavity and internal organs. About 10-20% of acne, boils and comedones develop during this period. A definite red rash may appear on the skin of the abdomen and elbows.

Other symptoms of an acute infection in adults include:

inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eye (parasitic conjunctivitis);
swelling of the face, limbs, neck (may be accompanied by dropsy of internal organs);
febrile condition;
fever and chills against the background of periodic increase in temperature up to 38°C and above.

It is important!Anal itching, which is considered the main symptom of helminthosis, is mainly characteristic of enterobiosis - infection with pinworms. It occurs as a result of irritation of the skin in the anorectal area by the secretions secreted by female pinworms at night. Such a clinical picture is not considered typical for other acute forms of helminthic infestation.

Chronic infestation: what symptoms to look out for?

The chronic form of helminthiasis is a very common pathology that develops in the absence of timely treatment in the acute period. Most clinical symptoms decrease and lose intensity during this period, but do not disappear completely. A person may experience mild abdominal pain, nausea, and possible vomiting immediately after eating or 1-2 hours after eating. A skin rash usually persists. If the reaction is severe, it can be sickangioedema is a fatal condition accompanied by laryngeal spasm and bronchospasm..

One of the main symptoms of chronic helminthic infection (as well as its complication) is anemia. It manifests itself as unnatural pallor, asthenia (chronic fatigue syndrome) and weakness. Human activity decreases, becomes sluggish, emotional lability can be observed.

If the hepatobiliary system is affected

The hepatobiliary system, which includes the liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts, is the primary target of parasite attacks. Worms can feed on liver parenchyma cells, components of blood, bile and bile acids. This form of pathology is manifested by severe pain localized under the right rib in the upper abdomen. The pain can be stabbing, cutting or stabbing, so many people mistake it for an attack of biliary colic (this condition is especially characteristic of patients with chronic diseases of the gallbladder and ducts).

Obstructive jaundice is another symptom that requires immediate diagnosis. Yellowing of the skin and sclera of the eyes can be a manifestation of dangerous liver diseases (hepatitis, cirrhosis) or organ tissue damage by parasites.

It is important!Hepatobiliary helminthosis is one of the most severe types of pathology. In the absence of adequate and timely therapy, the patient may die from acute intoxication and necrosis of liver tissue.

Clinical indicators - signs of helminthic infestation

If the results of three blood tests confirm that the patient has anemia - a low level of hemoglobin - the doctor may suspect parasitic infections. The hemoglobin norm for adults is between 120 and 140 g/l. In some cases, for example, during pregnancy, this figure may be slightly lower - up to 110 g/l. However, the amount of hemoglobin should not fall below these values. Anemia develops rapidly in patients with helminthiasis, because almost 90% of parasites feed on human blood and damage small blood vessels.

It is another permanent clinical sign of long-term helminthosiseosinophilia - an absolute or relative increase in the level of eosinophils in the blood. This is a type of granulocytic leukocyte mass, which is the main indicator of the allergic preparation of the body. When infected with parasites, it is always combined with skin itching and polymorphic rash.

How to protect yourself from worm infection?

The main rule that helps protect the body from the penetration of worms is to strictly observe hygiene - first of all, hand hygiene. For washing, it is better to use soap with antibacterial components or natural laundry soap with at least 72% fatty acid concentration. Laundry soap has a clear disinfectant and antimicrobial effect and provides excellent prevention of infectious diseases. If you cannot tolerate the smell of laundry soap, you can use a product with added aromatic additives.

Food must be prepared according to hygienic and thermal treatment standards. Vegetables and fruits should be rinsed with hot water or washed with soap, and meat should be fried or boiled at a high temperature for at least 30-40 minutes. The minimum time to boil eggs is 20 minutes. It is important to control the quality and freshness of the products and carefully check the expiration dates. If the product does not have the necessary information and label, it is better to refuse to buy it.

If there are pets in the house, even if the pet does not go outside, it is necessary to carry out a course of deworming twice a year, because worm eggs can be brought into the apartment on open shoes and clothes. The safest dewormer for cats and dogs is chicken flavored tablets.

What to take for helminthiasis?

Treatment of helminthiasis should be prescribed only by a doctor, because all anthelmintic drugs are very toxic and have a negative effect on the condition of the liver. The table lists commonly prescribed drugs with a wide spectrum of action, as well as their dosages, but they can be used only after laboratory diagnosis and consultation with a specialist.

Signs, treatment and symptoms of intestinal worms in adults

There are about 250 types of worms living in the body of an adult. They cause various diseases as a result of parasitic worms entering the human body.

The presence of helminths in the intestines of people is disguised under the name of other diseases.

A person can be treated for years without realizing that there are worms in the body. And only after a course of treatment with helminths, he will feel better.

Classification of helminths

Parasites are divided into 3 groups:

roundworms;
flatworms;
flakes.

Groups of helminths also differ according to their biological characteristics:

Biohelminths- tapeworms, pork and cattle. During the development of adulthood, they change hosts, starting with insects and finally migrating to humans.
Geohelminths— roundworms, whipworms and many other parasites immediately penetrate the body of an adult and begin to develop from the initial stage.
Contact- pinworms, dwarf tapeworms. Entry occurs from an infected person.

Where can helminths live?

Parasites primarily infect the intestines of adults. But not everyone knows that there are species that can live in other organs:

Tapeworms, nematodes and whipwormslives in the large intestine.
Termatodes- enter the liver and gall bladder.
He built porklives in any organ of an adult.

Types of microorganisms living in the body of adults

In the body of an adult, helminths such as roundworms, pinworms and tapeworms prevail. They actively absorb nutrients from the body of an adult, after which metabolic disorders, anemia, severe weight loss and other types of diseases occur.

Helminths in humans:

Roundworms:infection occurs after eating unwashed vegetables and fruits.
Broadband:When eating raw fish.
Pinworms:coming into contact with other people already infected with parasites and using the same utensils and linens.

Helminths develop over a period of time, usually lasting from 15 to 60 days, after which the chronic stage of the disease occurs.

After passing to the chronic stage, the immunity of a person decreases. Against the background of weakening of the body, inflammation begins immediately.

Causes of worms

In humans, helminth worms cause severe poisoning of the body. If worms appear in adults, the symptoms depend on the type of parasite, the place of residence and the number of parasites, multiplying several times, even several thousand times every day.

How long does it take for the first symptoms to appear?

For example, two to three days are enough to see a bad situation for roundworms. Most often, infection with other types of parasites occurs in adults, the first symptoms appear after 2-3 weeks, but the first symptoms of filariasis can be expected from 6 to 18 months.

The danger is that in some cases, the disease with worms occurs without visible symptoms. Symptoms may appear after the parasite reaches a large size.

Pinworms— The main symptoms of the presence of these parasites in the body of an adult are itching that intensifies at night. The frequency can last from one to two days, and then it will not bother you for several weeks. And if the infection is severe, itching can occur quite often.
Trichocephalosis— the sign of infection with this type of helminths is the development of anemia. Nausea, dizziness, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea and severe weight loss may occur.
Roundworms- a rash appears all over the body, but it can be in different parts of the body, nausea, abdominal pain, weight loss. If this parasite is not treated in time, the integrity of the intestine can be damaged. If the roundworm enters the appendix, serious inflammation of this organ can develop.

If the number of helminths has increased several times, a high temperature may appear. However, in rare cases, the parasite infection is asymptomatic. But mostly, helminth infection occurs with symptoms that are not difficult to notice.

At the initial stage of the appearance of worms, it is necessary to start the correct comprehensive treatment so that this disease does not become chronic.

How parasites enter the human body. Infection

There are four ways in which a parasite infection occurs.

Through soil and water with egg worms. When communicating with animals and eating food and products on which a fly with helminth eggs has fallen. You should wash your hands thoroughly every time you touch the soil. Vegetables and fruits collected from the field should be washed with water using a special scraper or sponge. You should not drink water from springs, because parasite eggs often live in water. When swimming in pools, rivers or other bodies of water, you should not swallow the water.
From a person suffering from parasites such as pinworms. Reproduction occurs at night. A woman crawls from the intestine and lays an egg or several eggs in the folds of the anal passage, after which itching naturally occurs, the person scratches and the helminth eggs remain in underwear, hands and surrounding objects. Infection occurs when pinworm eggs enter your mouth without washing your hands properly. This is the most common method of infection by parasites.
When eating undercooked and raw meat and through raw fish.
Mosquito bites, flies, etc.

When helminths enter the body, two stages of development can occur: acute and chronic.

The acute stage begins from the moment helminths enter the human body and can last from two weeks to 2 months.

The second stage begins after a person does not get rid of worms and continues throughout his life. When worms enter the body, poor absorption of nutrients occurs.

Where can helminths live?

Parasites primarily infect the intestines of adults. But not everyone knows that there are species that can live in other organs:

Tapeworms, nematodes and whipwormslives in the large intestine.
Termatodes- enter the liver and gall bladder.
He built porklives in any organ of an adult.

Types of microorganisms living in the body of adults

Helminths in humans:

Roundworms: infection occurs after eating unwashed vegetables and fruits.
Broadband:When eating raw fish.
Pinworms:coming into contact with other people already infected with parasites and using the same utensils and linens.

Helminths develop over a period of time, usually lasting from 15 to 60 days, after which the chronic stage of the disease occurs.

After passing to the chronic stage, the immunity of a person decreases. Against the background of weakening of the body, inflammation begins immediately.

Causes of worms

How long does it take for the first symptoms to appear?

The danger is that in some cases, the disease with worms occurs without visible symptoms. Symptoms may appear after the parasite reaches a large size.

Pinworms— The main symptoms of the presence of these parasites in the body of an adult are itching that intensifies at night. The frequency can last from one to two days, and then it will not bother you for several weeks. And if the infection is severe, itching can occur quite often.
Trichocephalosis— the sign of infection with this type of helminths is the development of anemia. Nausea, dizziness, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea and severe weight loss may occur.
Roundworms- a rash appears all over the body, but it can be in different parts of the body, nausea, abdominal pain, weight loss. If this parasite is not treated in time, the integrity of the intestine can be damaged. If the roundworm enters the appendix, serious inflammation of this organ can develop.

The first symptoms of worms in humans appear as follows:

skin rash that causes constant itching;
swelling both in the whole body and in places;
cough, choking;
inflammation of the lymph nodes;
weakness, fatigue;
pain in the joints, lower abdomen;
serious diseases;
diarrhea, constipation, bloating, intestinal pain;
damage to the central nervous system.

At the initial stage of the appearance of worms, it is necessary to start the correct comprehensive treatment so that this disease does not become chronic.

Tests to detect parasites in adults

To diagnose the presence of worms in the body of an adult, a stool sample is collected for research. For some types of helminths, additional tests are collected:

scraps of the anal canal are collected for the presence of egg worms in adults;
in women, scraps are collected from the vagina, navel region and inguinal folds;
conduct an immunological test;
urine and blood tests are collected.

If there are single individuals of helminths in the body, symptoms occur unnoticed by an adult. If there are a large number of parasites in the body, the symptoms occur in a rather complex manner. Especially with a certain type of worm, people suffer in the evening and at night.

To remove parasites from the human body, the doctor prescribes individual treatment.

Treatment of helminthic infections

In the modern world, there are many preventive measures and treatment methods that have their own specialty for the treatment of different types of parasites.

There are about 70 types of helminths in our country. Only after examining the analysis, since the drugs are highly toxic, accurate treatment and drugs are prescribed. In addition, appropriate treatment is prescribed for all types of parasites.

Since there is a risk of re-infection, the course of treatment may be repeated.

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Treatment can also be carried out by traditional methods. Time-tested methods are considered effective. These include eating pumpkin seeds and the tansy plant.

In the modern world, it is believed that pumpkin seeds are eaten in the morning on an empty stomach. You need to eat 300 grams of seeds per hour. It is recommended to grind and add honey. Do not eat anything for four hours and clean your stomach with laxatives and enemas.

A second treatment is recommended after two weeks. Carrot or carrot juice is also believed to help against parasites. A decoction of wormwood will help get rid of the problem, it should be used orally or as an enema.

Prevention of worms. What is this for?

It is necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle, drink purified or boiled water, use personal hygiene products and own dishes, linen and other personal items.

All vaccinations should be done on time. Before consumption, vegetables and fruits should be thoroughly washed, and meat and fish should be heated. Take antiparasitic medication for prevention. You should not eat raw, dried or dried fish from freshwater bodies. In order not to get infected with helminths, it is only necessary to follow the rules of prevention.