Worm infestations usually cause significant discomfort and health problems in a person. Symptoms of worms can be very diverse: fever, weakness, stomach pain, headache, etc.
Worms - what are they?
As we said above, adult worms traditionally have a stable localization in the body and their developing forms often migrate to different organs and tissues, and often the path of their movement is quite complex. For example, with ascariasis, a person becomes infected by eating food contaminated with worm eggs (roundworm eggs ripen in the soil).
In the cavity of the intestinal tract, roundworm eggs hatch into larvae, which within a few hours penetrate through the wall of the intestinal tract into the blood vessels and are carried to the lungs by the bloodstream. In the lungs, roundworm larvae grow and mature. The growing larva slowly eats away at the adjacent bronchi and crawls along them, first into the trachea, then into the oral cavity, where it is again swallowed and transported through the intestinal tract.
The roundworm larva that enters the intestinal tract transforms into an adult worm. Pulmonary migration of roundworm larvae is manifested by an abundance of symptoms (cough, asthma attacks, increased body temperature, allergic skin rash), and the presence of a small number of adult worms in the intestinal tract cannot manifest itself in any way.
What are helminthiasis (helminthic diseases) - Symptoms of worms
The term "helminthiasis" usually refers to a number of human diseases, the cause of which is various parasitic worms - helminths (another collective name for these parasites - worms).
Unlike diseases caused by bacteria, protozoa or fungi, with helminthiasis the number of adult helminths (worms) in the body of an infected person does not increase at any one time (except in casesreinfection). This is because worms only reproduce outside the human body.
What are they?
Medicine knows more than a hundred varieties of helminths. Here are the most common types of worms:
- Pinworms are small worms in the human body that reach a length of 12 mm. This type of worm is diagnosed in the intestinal mucosa. Parasites enter the body with dust through the respiratory tract and can be easily transmitted from person to person.
- Roundworms are large roundworms most commonly found in the small intestine. Infection of the body occurs through unwashed hands and food. Most often, roundworms are found in the body of children.
- Trichinella - these parasites have a round body no more than 5 mm in length and cause trichinosis in the body. Larvae and eggs prefer to be in poorly fried meat (wild boar, pork, bear). In the human body, Trichinella takes up to 4 days to become an adult and its life cycle is 40 days. The main goal of this type of worm is to enter the bloodstream through the intestinal walls and settle in the muscles. Additionally, the muscles of the respiratory and musculoskeletal systems are often affected.
- Pork/beef tapeworm. The body length of the parasite is 5-6 meters, and its larvae hide in the meat of large animals (pig, cattle). The disease caused by these helminths is called taeniasis and taeniarinhoz. The larvae of both types of tapeworms are whitish vesicles attached to the walls of the small intestine. It takes 3 months for the parasite to reach and form an adult, and the worm grows every day. The total number of segments reaches 2000, the last of which "travel" freely through the large intestine. Then the worms leave the body with feces through the anus. The most common and obvious symptom of helminthiasis is a disturbed digestive tract, as well as food consumption in large quantities, and the patient does not visually gain weight.
- Necator/hookworm. The link between these parasites is direct, due to the diseases and biological characteristics they cause. They live in the duodenum and, due to their small size (10-15 mm), they move freely in its environment. The larvae can only enter the body through the skin if a person has been in contact with contaminated soil. The other target of the worms is the lungs as well as the digestive tract. They only feed on the blood that comes out of the bitten blood vessels. Due to the vigorous activity of these parasites, blood clotting is disrupted. Adults consume blood between 0. 1 and 0. 35 ml per day.
- Echinococcus. In this case, a person acts as an intermediate host, since the final host is wolves, cats and dogs. Animals can become infected through direct contact with contaminated objects or people. As soon as the eggs of the parasite enter the intestine, larvae with six hooks immediately develop, which in medicine are called oncospheres.
- Whipworms are diagnosed in a person's stomach. These are thin and quite large worms.
You can determine the type of helminths by seeing what color the worms are in the stool when they emerge. Infection occurs through vegetables and meat that have undergone insufficient heat treatment. You can avoid infection by following the rules of food preparation.
How common and dangerous are worms?
Worm symptoms. Data from modern epidemiological studies have revealed that 4 people in the world are infected with worms. The incidence of worm infections is significantly higher in children than in adults. In children and adults, worms can become a prerequisite for various acquired diseases of internal organs (gastritis, pancreatitis, enterocolitis, cholecystitis) and from time to time lead to the development of dangerous complications and death.
According to the World Health Organization and the Global Disease Bank, helminthic diseases rank fourth in economic damage among all other diseases and injuries.
In our region there are more than 15 types of worms, the most common of which are enterobiasis (about 90% in the group of patients with helminthic diseases), ascariasis (70%), opisthorchiasis, diphyllobothriasis, trichocephalosis (60%). toxocariasis (60%) and hymenolepiasis. As statistics show, almost all sick people (especially children) are simultaneously infected with several forms of worms.
Where do worms spread in humans?
Many people think that worms definitely live in the intestines, and this is true for some types of helminths. In general, worms can be found in various organs and systems of the human body:
- all types of tapeworms, whipworms and nematodes "settle" in the large intestine;
- trematodes attack the liver and gallbladder;
- Pork tapeworm larvae can spread through the bloodstream to all organs - subcutaneous fatty tissue, the eye chamber and muscle blood vessels can be affected.
How can you get infected with worms?
How do worms enter the human body? There are 4 main sources of helminth eggs entering the body:
Geohelminthiasis- through soil (and then water) in which mature eggs of many helminths are found which enter the soil with human or animal excrement, as well as through direct contact with animals and through the transfer of eggs by flies toFood. Contact - from man to man The best known and most common worms such as pinworms are transmitted: this is the highest risk of infection.
Biohelminths- when eating raw, semi-raw or slightly heat-treated meat (pork, beef) or fish infected with helminths (sushi, kebab, dried fish, lard with meat streaks, etc. ) Some parasites penetrate intothe body through insect bites
The main mechanism of any infection is most often oral-fecal, that is, a person simply swallows worm eggs with food, water, and less often some helminthic infestations occurfollowing bites from infected insects. Undercooked meat and raw fish are understandable, but how can you become infected with worms through contact, household contact and soil?
Through the ground
After any contact with earth or sand, you should not only wash your hands, but also clean your nails; it is better to have short nails, especially for children. Food products that grow in the ground - vegetables, herbs, fruits, berries, mushrooms, everything that touches the ground requires careful washing under running water and scalding with boiling water. Domestic animals, mainly dogs and cats, walking on the street, bring a lot of sewage into the house, and children playing with them are at maximum risk of infection; the animal can easily infect it with any type of helminths. Flies are also the main carriers of helminths, being in public toilets, places where agricultural livestock live, the flies then calmly land on the food, spreading eggs on their wings and legs.
From person to person
With pinworms, infection of others occurs very easily. When a female pinworm exits the intestines at night, she lays about 5, 000 eggs near the anus, which causes severe itching; the child, by scratching the itchy area, infests his hands, nails, pants and bed linen. Without washing your hands right away, hundreds of eggs remain on everything you touch: door handles, clothes, food, toys. In addition, the infection process is clear: the eggs also get on the hands of another child or adult using these objects, and without washing their hands before eating, they end up in the mouth of a person ingood health.
Through the water
Large numbers of worm eggs end up in open bodies of water and well water. Therefore, those who live in rural areas or in the countryside should use a bactericidal filter and be sure to boil the water; it is also dangerous to swallow water while swimming in open water.
Everyone knows that worms are mainly a problem in children. Firstly, because they are the most susceptible to the development of helminthiasis, since the protective barriers of the child's body are not properly formed, and the acidity of the stomach is lower than that of an adult. Secondly, preschoolers, mastering the world, try all surrounding objects not only with their hands, but also by taste. And parents, with all their desire, can teach their child to strictly follow the rules of personal hygiene, without reminders, only around the age of 3-6 years, which exposes not only the baby himself, butalso all members of the family, at risk. infection (pinworms).
It should be remembered that no worms can reproduce and multiply in the human body, each species has its own period of time after which it dies, for example, for pinworms it is only a few weeks, forroundworms, it's about a year. Eggs laid by adults should leave the body either with feces, or (in the case of pinworms) on the skin near the anus, into the external environment, into the soil, and only then, having maturedoutside the human body and re-enter it. , they begin to become active and parasitic.
Symptoms of worms
The development of helminthiasis usually occurs in two stages: acute - from two, three weeks to two months and chronic - from several months to several years.
The acute stage coincides with the time of introduction and development of the parasite and is mainly manifested by an immune response to foreign antigens and allergic reactions. The symptoms of this stage of helminthiasis are similar when different types of parasites are introduced.
The chronic stage is distinguished by great diversity: depending on the location of the worms, their number and lifestyle, disturbances appear in the functioning of various organs and systems. By integrating into the metabolic system, by consuming the substances necessary for it, the parasite causes disturbances, manifested by disorders of digestion and absorption of vitamins, proteins, fats, carbohydrates andminerals. Worm waste not only leads to the suppression of normal intestinal microflora, but also reduces immunity, promoting the development of chronic bacterial infections and reducing the effectiveness of preventive vaccinations.
An increased risk of malignant tumors is associated with a negative effect on the immune system and an increase in cell division (regeneration) processes in damaged tissues.
The first signs of the development of helminthiasis can appear between 2-3 days (with ascariasis) and 1. 5 years (with filariasis). Most often, this period is 2-3 weeks. At the beginning of the disease, skin rashes, enlargement of lymph nodes, enlargement of the liver and spleen, pain in muscles and joints appear. Some helminthiases are characterized by specific signs, such as jaundice for opisthorchiasis (liver fluke) or fever, muscle pain, swelling of the face and eyelids for trichinosis.
In the chronic phase, the presence of single specimens of worms occurs practically without any symptoms, except for the presence of large specimens, for example, tapeworms and roundworms. In the case of a more widespread infection, the symptoms of helminthiasis consist of digestive disorders (nausea, bloating, abdominal pain, loose stools) and some specific signs. With enterobiasis, for example, it involves itching in the anus, which intensifies in the evening and at night.
With trichocephalosis, it is hemorrhagic colitis (with bleeding). With hookworm - iron deficiency anemia. With ascariasis, mechanical obstruction of the intestines and bile ducts may occur. With helminthiasis with liver damage, chronic hepatitis and inflammation of the bile ducts (cholecystitis, cholangitis) develop.
A special place is occupied by helminthiases with the development of cysts (liquid formations in the membrane): echinococcosis, alveococcosis, cysticercosis. Even large cysts may not manifest themselves in any way, but their suppuration or rupture leads to serious consequences such as: anaphylactic shock, peritonitis, purulent pleurisy. Helminthiasis can be accompanied by symptoms of vegetative-vascular asthenia and neurotic disorders. Let's consider in more detail the specific cases of the most common helminthiasis.
Diagnosis of worms. Worm treatment
With enterobiasis, the main condition for successful treatment is simultaneous deworming of all members of the family (or children's team), strict hygiene measures and repeated administration of drugs 10 - 14days after the first.
Folk remedies for treating worms
Traditional treatment methods include medicinal plants that have anthelmintic and laxative effects. Even in ancient times, healers recommended using elecampane and celandine juice to expel worms. Carrots and carrot juice also have anthelmintic effects. Often in traditional medicine recipes you can find nuts, pomegranates, mint, and even more often garlic in the form of a nutritional component or enemas. A decoction of wormwood is used in the form of enemas or orally. Pumpkin seeds are a remedy recognized by official medicine against worms. In traditional medicine, the use of medicinal plants is often combined with saline laxatives. Although the effect of medicinal plants is not so high, they may well serve as prophylaxis or addition to traditional treatment of helminthiasis.
Complications of helminthiasis
Complications of helminthiasis are mainly associated with the mechanical effect of the parasite on the organ; tissue destruction sometimes leads to fatal dysfunction of the affected organ. The addition of bacterial infections to places subject to mechanical damage is a common complication that masks the presence of the parasite in the body. For impressionable people, the sight of a parasite (for example, when it is expelled) can cause serious psychological trauma requiring long-term rehabilitation treatment.
Worm prevention
Contains the timely identification and treatment of sick people and animals, compliance with personal hygiene measures (washing hands before eating, thoroughly washing food products, careful heat treatment of food, especially ofmeat and fish).
FAQs
What symptoms can indicate the presence of worms in a person?
Symptoms of worms may include constant fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, abdominal pain, itching in the anal area, and digestive problems such as diarrhea or constipation.
How to determine if a person has worms?
To determine the presence of worms in a person, you can perform a stool test to detect worm eggs or do a blood test to detect the presence of antibodies to worms. The doctor may also order an ultrasound or other diagnostic procedures to confirm the diagnosis.
What precautions can be taken to prevent worm infections?
To prevent worm infection, it is recommended to wash your hands regularly with soap and water, especially before eating and after using the toilet. You should also avoid contact with contaminated soil or water, drink only clean water, and cook food properly to destroy any worm eggs.
Useful tips
Tip #1
Pay attention to changes in appetite and weight. If you or your child feels constant hunger or, conversely, loss of appetite, this may be a sign of a helminthic infection.
Tip #2
Pay attention to the condition of your skin and hair. If you or your child develops rash, itching, or changes in hair texture (such as brittleness or hair loss), it may be due to worms.
Tip #3
Pay attention to the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. If you or your child frequently suffers from abdominal pain, constipation, or diarrhea, it may be due to a worm infection.