Deterioration of health can be observed not only by infections penetrating the body.
Parasites and worms can also cause malaise, weakness, and decomposition. They can lead to many of the consequences that people usually assume due to the manifestation of a normal inflammatory process.
What is helminthiasis? And what symptoms does it show in the human body?
The answers are quite simple.
Helminths are parasitic, round and tapeworms, as well as their bright representatives, such as roundworms, pinworms, bovine tapeworm, tapeworm and many others. Surely many have come across them in childhood or already in adulthood.
The disease, which received the corresponding name, as helminthiasis, is the result of the influence and activity of helminths in the body.
worm infection
Parasites can enter the body of a person, both unnecessarily clean and not obsessed with her health, in various ways. There are enough of them.
Consider how helminths appear in a healthy body:
- regular handshake. The easiest way to get to a new host for a parasite. Through the upper layers of the epidermis, they first enter the skin, and then the blood. This method of transmission also works when in contact with homeless stray animals and when touching other people's objects. Thanks to the good blood circulation of a healthy person, it is not difficult for him to reach the goal and find himself in the chosen place of his future habitat;
- through waterMany helminths are perfectly preserved as larvae in fresh and even sea water. Don't forget about the village wells and water pipes. They are not too sensitive. Caution should also be exercised when visiting swimming pools, baths and saunas. Perhaps they are poorly processed;
- wet earth and sand. The eggs of many types of worms come out with feces and fall on these surfaces. In suburban suburban areas and even in a children's sandbox, it is easy to get infected;
- low quality products. These often include seafood, fruits and vegetables, eggs and milk, cottage cheese;
- places of public mass congestion of people. Supermarkets, shops, pharmacies and hospitals. It is here that every day many people grab onto door handles, shelves, packaged goods and handrails. And not the fact that everyone is healthy. Don't forget about the dirt that gets into these rooms during periods of rain and humidity;
- In the summer and fall seasons, insects are a danger. Mosquitoes and flies, even with their legs, can carry tiny microscopic eggs.
To this list of appearance of helminthic invasion in adults and children, one can also add the non-observance of the usual elementary rules of personal hygiene.
What helminths can be infected?
There are a large number of parasitic representatives. And they all enter the body in different ways, migrating inside and affecting specific organs. Some of them choose a single host, while others spend their entire life cycle with different carriers.
People can observe several main isolated parasites in their body:
- the most common roundworms are nematodes. Little whitish individuals. 40mm range. Everyone knows roundworms, pinworms, whipworms, and tropical Guinea worms. They live in the intestines, the eggs are laid in the anus, they are often excreted with feces. Determining the infestation of helminths by nematodes is very simple and without analysis;
- parasitic tapeworms are larger and more dangerous. Reaching 10 meters, they migrate and enter almost all vital organs and systems. There have been cases of suffocation following movements of the parasite through the respiratory system. It is manifested by bovine tapeworm, tapeworm;
- flukes, flukesThey are unpretentious to the habitat, therefore they penetrate the body both through the soil and through water. They travel throughout the human body and under the sebum they are easy to see. This is mainly the eye area and eyelids. They destroy not only the intestinal microflora, but also the tissues of other organs. Toxic effects lead to exhaustion of the body.
Of course, it is impossible to independently identify which helminth is in a person. Only the worm testing method and a thorough examination determine the type and further treatment, and prophylaxis is prescribed in case of recovery.
Symptoms of parasites in the body
If the helminths have entered the body, then you cannot immediately identify them by the symptoms of infection. Some appear only after a certain time.
But all the signs of worms in an adult are quite serious and, at first glance, proceed for no reason:
- a sharp increase in temperature to the level of the inflammatory process. Typically 37. 6°C to 38°C;
- manifestation of nausea, vomiting;
- aching pain in the abdomen and navel;
- possible skin redness;
- weakness, drowsiness, fatigue;
- occasional involuntary grinding of the teeth at night;
- persistent dry cough and shortness of breath;
- violation of normal stool. diarrhea or constipation;
- itching in the anus;
- the acquisition of a yellowish or too pale skin tone;
- discomfort in the muscles and joints.
It is not immediately possible to make an accurate diagnosis based on such signs. But helminths in humans show only those symptoms that correspond to damaged organs. And this is usually the intestines, the bronchi and the liver with the kidneys.
Signs of current helminthiasis
Late detection of parasites can have much more complex consequences:
- a sharp decrease in immunity. As a result, the ability of any infections and viruses to enter the body;
- hives, bronchial asthma, as a result of the constant poisonous action of parasites. The discharge of worms causes a serious allergy in the organism;
- severe loss of hair, eyelashes;
- unexplained brittle nails;
- dental caries, the enamel gradually disappears;
- profuse bleeding from the gums;
- nervousness, mental disorders.
Worms in humans not only show symptoms of infection, but also provoke many diseases, exacerbate the course of existing diseases, and therefore treatment of parasites is mandatory.
It is better to conduct an examination in time and begin a complete and complex elimination of helminths from the body.
Diseases caused by parasites
Ruthless signs characteristic of helminthic invasion indicate that the body is subject to severe toxic effects or is already damaged in many organs and systems:
- disruption of the gastrointestinal tract. Due to the fact that most helminths choose this place for further growth and development. It is expressed in intestinal obstruction, dysbacteriosis, diarrhea, pancreatitis;
- respiratory problems. Each migration of the parasite invariably carries it to the bronchi and lungs. This often leads to spasms, pneumonia;
- the central nervous system suffers. Migraines, dizziness, loss of orientation in space, irritability and depression;
- an increase in the spleen, liver, a decrease in the level of bile outflow;
- improper functioning of the urinary system. Urethritis, cystitis;
- problems with the reproductive organs. Vaginitis, inflammatory processes in the uterus, vagina, ovaries. Possible sexual infection.
These are serious symptoms that appear with helminths. If you care about your health, you should definitely see a doctor. Any of the signs presented forces the specialist to prescribe a special examination.
The most common blood test will show that parasites have appeared in the body. With hemoglobin values less than 100 g/l, an increase in the number of eosinophils greater than 6%, an increase in leukocytes of 9% and a decrease in erythrocytes of 3 g/l or less.
In addition, a specialist should note a sharp decrease in protein and an increase in immunoglobulins characteristic of allergies.
Parasitic diseases and their symptoms.
Depending on the type and class of worms, the signs of infection with helminths received their individual names, which distinguish them from each other. For specialists, this classification facilitates subsequent treatment, recovery and prevention.
Ascariasis. It naturally indicates the symptoms presented by the ascaris parasite, and possible concomitant diseases. In most cases, it is not observed immediately, but only after 2 weeks after the ingestion of helminths into the body.
Symptoms resemble a common cough, acute bronchitis, mild allergies. It is confused with a common infection, since it is accompanied by all the above characteristics and fever. There may be changes in the lymph nodes.
With advanced chronic ascariasis, all symptoms are complicated. Jumps in blood pressure begin, anorexia may appear along with lack of appetite, constant pain in the abdomen. Regular vomiting, stool disorders. The face becomes pale, the color of healthy skin disappears, dark circles and puffiness appear. At night, bad sleep or its complete absence becomes habitual. Small whitish worms are seen in fecal secretions.
Penetration of pinworms or enterobiasis. A frequent occurrence in young children due to non-compliance with the rules of personal hygiene. The infection is caused by frequent itching in the anus. Pinworms appear periodically. For 1-2 days with breaks. When the parasites enter, the body's reaction will be involuntary gnashing of teeth at night, intermittent poor sleep. It is not particularly dangerous, pain does not cause.
Worms, like trematodes, bring opisthorchiasis with them. The acute course of the disease lasts up to 8 weeks. During this period, there is an increase in body temperature, heaviness and swelling, diarrhea and a feeling of inflammation. With chronic exposure to trematodes, symptoms also pass to the respiratory organs, causing severe allergies to the central nervous system.
Tapeworm parasites lead to many consequences of their presence in the human body. A wide tapeworm can upset the pancreas, causing intestinal obstruction, vitamin B12 deficiency, decreased hemoglobin, and anemia. Similarly, all representatives of tapeworms cause pain syndromes in the abdominal cavity, bloating and nausea.
Giardiasis. There are a small number of these parasites in the human body. But they are safe within the normal range. With exacerbation, its level increases. Which leads to vomiting, bitterness due to liver and stomach disorders, characteristic pain in the abdomen, bloating and poor stool.
Naturally, such symptoms of helminthiasis must be treated and must be prevented by comprehensive prevention.