To get rid of parasites, you must first understand what parasites have settled inside the patient and if they exist. To do this, there is a simple fingerprint test. If the eosinophils it contains do not exceed 5, you can rest easy: there are no parasites in the body. If this indicator is higher than 5, an analysis of the feces is carried out for worm eggs and, based on the results of the analysis, the treatment will be prescribed. Medicines for parasites have many unpleasant side effects: hair loss, seizures, kidney failure, drug hepatitis up to liver cirrhosis, so only a doctor should prescribe them.
Popular symptoms that are commonly attributed to the presence of parasites include nausea, fatigue, lethargy, paleness, irregular bowel movements, and constipation. These symptoms are more likely to indicate anemia or thyroid malfunction. If they have appeared or have lasted some time, the most sensible thing is to go to the doctor. And as a preventive measure, wash your hands more often.
Fear of parasites
Many people are completely sincere and are very afraid of parasites that are supposedly struggling to penetrate their bodies. And therefore they are willing to spend a lot of money on scammers who not only search for, but also "find" parasites, and then "prescribe" all kinds of dietary supplements and other remedies for imaginary helminths to naive victims. Some try to eliminate the parasites themselves with the help of garlic, onion and horseradish; the drugs they contain are at least safe. But what will be in the jar that prospective doctors will receive is still unknown.
The problem of parasitosis really exists, it only exists in the countries of Asia, Africa and South America. So, in some Asian countries, the infection of people with opisthorchiasis reaches 80%. There, special measures are taken to disinfect food and water. But all this does not accompany us, tropical parasites do not survive in the domestic climate, although opisthorchiasis is common in holon regions. It is transmitted through fish, as well as through cats and dogs that eat this fish. But today we will talk about other parasites, which are very likely to become infected in our middle lane. These parasites are roundworms and pinworms.
Ascaris and ascariasis
Ascaris parasitizes only in humans. The parasite is a fairly long roundworm of a reddish yellowish color. The length of an adult male is 15-25 cm, the female is longer - up to 20-40 cm. If roundworms penetrate the human body, the disease develops ascariasis. At the same time, the gastrointestinal tract suffers to a greater extent, but it is also possible to damage other organs, as well as allergic reactions. Ascariasis is quite widespread, 60-85 people out of 100, 000 get sick.
Pinworm life cycle: through the blood to the intestines.
A sick person is not dangerous in terms of infection, since infection occurs when eggs enter the body. And the eggs come out with the feces and mature in the ground first. The eggs have a dense shell, so they can remain in the ground for up to seven years. You can become infected by eating vegetables, fruits, or berries that have been exposed to Ascaris eggs. In the body, the parasite goes through a long cycle of movement. First, the larvae hatch from ingested eggs and enter the bloodstream through the intestinal walls. With the bloodstream, they migrate to the liver, the heart, then the lungs and from them to the pharynx. When the patient ingests them, the larvae in the intestines mature into adult worms, which are capable of laying eggs.
Symptoms: abdominal pain, nausea, weight loss.
As the larvae travel through the body, allergic manifestations come to the fore. Mechanical damage is also possible to the organs through which the larvae pass: the liver, blood vessels, lungs, intestines. The patient may have a high fever, rash and pain in the liver area, and at the end of the migratory stage - cough and shortness of breath. When roundworms settle in the intestines, their waste products are poisoned. Also, the pointed ends of the worms can damage or even puncture the intestine. Manifestations include abdominal pain, morning sickness, loss of appetite, and changes in stool. In addition, there are problems with well-being, lack of sleep, headaches, increased fatigue, and weight loss. The presence of ascaris in the intestine causes a lack of vitamins B6, A and C.
Diagnosis of ascariasis
For diagnosis, blood is drawn for a general analysis (increased eosinophils, increased ESR, sometimes anemia) and an antibody test. Under a microscope, larvae can be found in the sputum of patients. In the intestinal stage, roundworm eggs, and sometimes the worms themselves, are detected in the feces.
Medications for ascariasis.
Therapy for ascariasis does not require hospitalization, except in complicated cases. Patients are assigned a diet rich in vitamins, low in fat and carbohydrates. Food intake: four to five times a day. Medications with antiparasitic action, antihistamines, probiotics and enzyme preparations are shown.
Complications of ascariasis
A complication of ascariasis can be intestinal obstruction due to blockage by a ball of worms. When the ascaris crawls into the biliary tract, vomiting, jaundice, and severe abdominal pain occur on the right. By the same principle, ascariasis pancreatitis is possible, as well as respiratory failure when the respiratory tract is blocked by parasites.
Pinworms and enterobiasis
Pinworms are translucent white worms only 0. 5 to 1 cm long, one end of their body is pointed, which explains the name. They are mainly parasitized in the large intestine and can disappear over time without medication, if autoinfection does not occur. The fact is that to lay eggs, the females descend into the anus and do so in the perianal folds, after which they die. In the patient, this process causes intense itching. If, after scratching the itchy area, the patient does not wash his hands, the eggs will fall on the bedding, surrounding objects, in the food and may remain under the nails. The patient can swallow pinworm eggs on his own. This is how self-infection occurs.
Symptoms: anal itching
The main symptom is intense itching in the anus at night, since this is when the parasite lays eggs. With enterobiasis, symptoms of the gastrointestinal tract are possible: abdominal pain, nausea, increased gas production, and the nervous system - fatigue, sleep disturbances, or insomnia (intense anal itching interferes with normal sleep). Pinworms can get into the female genital tract and cause irritation, pain, and discharge. And even cause coughing, if it penetrates the lower respiratory tract.
Diagnosis and treatment of enterobiasis.
Primarily, scraping of the perianal folds (or the application of adhesive tape) is used, after which the resulting material is examined under a microscope. So you can find helminth eggs. In a blood test, as in ascariasis, there will be an increase in eosinophils, with the development of complications - signs of inflammation (increased leukocytes, increased ESR). For treatment, antiparasitic drugs are used. Some of them are contraindicated for pregnant and lactating women. To reduce itching, the anus is lubricated with anesthetic ointment. The most popular folk remedy is garlic.
Complications: dysbiosis, appendicitis
Complications will depend on the body's response and the number of parasitic worms. Possible dysbiosis, appendicitis, vaginitis, salpingitis, endometritis (inflammation of the appendages).
Prevention of ascariasis and enterobiasis.
Ascariasis:
- identify and treat patients early;
- loosen litter boxes (eggs cannot stand direct sunlight);
- wash your hands after using the bathroom and before eating;
- wash vegetables, fruits, berries.
Enterobiasis:
- iron clothes well, especially folds;
- clean the apartment with disinfectants;
- provide the patient with personal bedding and a place to sleep;
- It is important for children to cut their nails.