People are used to associating the word "parasites" with common worms common in the human colon. But their localization can be so varied that the patient does not even know the presence of subcutaneous parasites for several years. Yes, uninvited guests can sit comfortably under a person's skin, and their size can rarely be called microscopic.
Types of parasites and their symptoms
Is your body itchy? Purulent acne on the face? Occasional disturbances in the eyes? These are all subcutaneous parasites that move quickly around the body and can affect internal organs. Such movement occurs independently or with blood flow. The patient may not be aware of such a "phenomenon" for many years until a worm is found under the epidermis layer and "greets" it.
To further frighten the reader, it is necessary to provide characteristics of possible varieties of parasites, the habitat of which is only under the skin.
Filariasis
If you are going to tropical countries, be prepared to fight with insects which, through their bite, can not only cause problems in the form of itching or pain, but can also infect you with parasites of the species ofnematode - filariasis. The danger of the disease lies in the long incubation period - about 5-7 years. All the while, the parasites will multiply in the human body without showing any signs.
With a large amount of waste products thrown into the body, poisoning gradually begins to develop in a person, which first of all manifests itself as a characteristic urticaria on the skin. It does not itch until the initial stage. In the future, the patient will grope for several mobile seals, face vision loss, face acute fever.
As for the diagnosis, here the patient is examined by a specialist when he contacts the clinic. With the naked eye you can see crawling worms under the skin, they are also perfectly visible during eye examination. By clarifying the course of the disease and the events that preceded it, the specialist diagnoses and prescribes the appropriate treatment.
Important!When traveling to hot countries, do not neglect vaccination, even if it is not required by visa control or health services.
Dracunculiasis
Helminths of the presented group enter the body through the ingested contaminated water. It contains larvae whose detection is, in principle, impossible. But the infection itself can be fatal for a person, as the larvae grow to a size of one meter. Any of these helminths can settle in the stomach or enter the lungs, completely blocking the person's breathing. But this rarely happens, because in most cases this type of parasite will choose a person's lower limbs.
Symptoms include:
- itching of the lower limbs;
- the formation of a characteristic roll on the legs or feet;
- various purulent lesions of the skin;
- peculiar bubbles, reaching at least 8 cm in diameter, which simply burst under the influence of water.
Be very careful about the type of water you drink, as it is easier to protect yourself and loved ones from such an infection than it is to resort to treatment.
Scabies
All unpleasant scabies are manifested only by itching, rarely on the skin, you can find changes in the form of spots and redness. This is due to skin mites, the infection of which occurs only in interaction with another carrier of the disease or in contact with elements of his clothing.
Ticks are small in size, they are not visible to the naked eye, but their activity in the body is quite extensive. When penetrating the skin, the parasites eat away at their passages in the deep layers of the epidermis - this causes itching. With long walks of parasites, passages begin to appear on the skin and if the surfaces are treated with iodine, you may notice a characteristic spider web of these passages.
Associated signs include:
- bubbles form where it is scratched;
- the hands and joint surfaces are more affected.
Important!Despite the prompt diagnosis through examination by a specialist, treatment can take a long time, so it is better to listen to the precautions against infection.
Demodecosis
Among the many varieties of parasites, it is worth mentioning separately the lesions by ticks of the genus Demodex. Their distribution is localized mainly in the sebaceous glands of the face, which occurs in the form of characteristic acne. Externally, such a reproduction looks very unattractive. Loss of eyelashes is also called lesions and symptoms.
Diagnosis of such a lesion takes only a few minutes. The doctor simply examines the skin. But the treatment can take several years, even if all the prescriptions of the specialist are followed to the letter.
Diagnosis of subcutaneous pests
In most cases, the diagnosis of the affected skin is carried out directly in the office of a specialist, who on visual examination can already determine the disease. But in order to accurately identify the cause and the concomitant damage to internal organs, the patient is prescribed a comprehensive medical examination. First, it is necessary to clarify all the lesions, and secondly, in this way it is possible to find foci of accumulations of parasites (if any) and approximately determine their number.
If you notice unpleasant symptoms in the form of a rash, itching and other changes, you should contact specialists such as:
- dermatologist;
- allergist;
- neuropathologist;
- medical psychologist;
- specialist in infectious diseases.
A full examination includes a visit to a neurologist and a medical psychologist, as itching and rashes are often just a psychological disorder. But such visits are only due to the lack of an accurate diagnosis, which was not made after examination by the local doctor.
To identify the type of disease, the patient's laboratory diagnosis is especially important, as it will accurately show the presence of parasites under the skin or in internal organs. Such an investigation consists of two stages:
- Direct diagnosis of parasites - a scraping or smear of the mucous membranes is used to study the changes. The direct method is used in case of obvious manifestation of the presence of parasites: skin redness, blisters, purulent acne.
- The second stage is the study of the blood for the presence of antigen-antibody complexes, which precisely determine the immune response to the fight against parasites in the human body. As a rule, the rejected elements of the vital activity of parasites almost completely kill protective antibodies, so the weakened immunity of the body is unable to overcome the invasion and activity of uninvited guests.
To prescribe treatment, it is necessary to accurately identify the type of parasite that has entered the human body. Here, with a skin scraping or mucous membrane smear, hair, blood, nails, feces, blister content on the skin, and other important biological materials are often taken for analysis.
Processing
It is impossible to say exactly about the treatment of parasites under the skin. Here, their location, area and stage of the lesion play an important role.
Only the following techniques can be cited for general information:
- Subcutaneous mites should be eliminated with the help of drugs based on the elimination of all types of parasites in the body. Here, specialists often prescribe acaricidal agents, as well as antihistamines. When applied externally, antibiotic ointments and gels, as well as vasoconstrictor drugs, for example, an aqueous solution of epinephrine-resorcinol, work as an effective remedy. The instructions for use and the treatment regimen will be explained by the doctor depending on the stage of the lesion.
- Dracunculiasis requires surgery. Including all kinds of worms that have spread under a person's skin or have already struck internal organs. The danger of such lesions lies in the spread of parasites in internal organs, which often causes pain in the brain. That is why the patient must undergo a comprehensive comprehensive examination to find out the localization of the worms.
The general principle of removing parasites from the body occurs in two ways: a conservative method and surgical intervention. It is not recommended to use alternative methods in the case of the treatment of subcutaneous parasites, since it will take a long time, and the damage to the body can already be severe and affect the future life of the patient.
Prophylaxis
Infection with parasites occurs through direct contact with a sick person or an infected area, if poor quality food or water is consumed. The first causes of parasite infestation are attributed to violations of hygiene rules.
To protect yourself from the issues presented, you should:
- Wash your hands before eating, after each contact with objects in public places, as well as after using money.
- Do not try another person's things, as they can be infected with parasites whose larvae are located on the skin and are therefore easily transmitted.
- Do not use other people's cosmetics. Lipsticks, mascaras, someone else's soap, and other items can all become the same carriers of parasite larvae.
- When eating fruits and vegetables, be sure to expose them to washing and other cleaning procedures from dirt and dust - among them there may also be pest larvae.
- In the event of a wound or abrasion, it is necessary to treat them immediately in order to prevent infection.
Take care of your health and get vaccinated before you travel to tropical countries. Do not refuse the help and treatment of wounds, bites and other mechanical injuries of the skin. So you can protect yourself from the visit of unwanted guests.