Helminthiases are a common problem among certain categories of the population. In children, as a rule, pinworms parasitize, in people who often consume fish, diphyllobothriasis is diagnosed, and trichinosis is common among hunters.
The fact that human worms provoke the development of many diseases that, it would seem, has nothing to do with helminthiasis, is currently confirmed by a wide variety of studies. In particular, there is a theory that helminthic diseases are associated with the development of oncological processes.
In addition, you should be aware that if there are helminths in the body, this does not mean that the patient will show symptoms of such an infection. Signs of their presence can be disguised as other ailments of the liver, gallbladder, gastrointestinal tract. As a result, a person can use different means for a long time and not detect infection. And after the correct scheme of anthelmintic treatment has been selected for the patient, the disease can be cured. Therefore, asking yourself questions: "What should I do if I have helminths, how to check for the presence of parasites, and will I infect loved ones? ", You should not be afraid to contact the doctor and get all the answers, and also find out what to do ifyou are wormed.
Answers to questions about what worms are, how dangerous such parasites are and how not to get infected with different types of parasites, read the article below. We will also talk about what are the signs of infection with worms, both general and specific.
How can you get helminths?
Helminth eggs can enter the human body in different ways. There are four main ways of infection:
Biohelminthiases. Worms can be found in raw or poorly thermally processed meat, as well as in fish. You can become infected by consuming lard, barbecue, dried fish, sushi, etc.
Geohelminthiases. Mature eggs of helminths, which are in the soil and in the water, enter the body. In this environment they find themselves, and since human feces, as well as animal feces, get there. Also, infestations occur when a person comes into contact with animals, for example, constantly removing cat or dog feces, as well as when food is contaminated with fly eggs.
Contact. The most common worms, pinworms, are transmitted from person to person. In this case, the risk of getting this disease is the highest.
A number of parasites can enter the body when insects bite a person.
Trying to find an answer to the question of what causes worms and how they are transmitted, it should be taken into account that the main way of infection with parasites is oral-fecal. That is, a person simply swallows the eggs of worms when he eats food, drinks water. In more rare cases, worms in a person are found after the bites of insects that have been infected.
Infection with worms through the soil
After contact with soil, sand, etc. , you need to not only wash your hands very well, but also clean your nails. It is better for children to cut their nails very short. All vegetables that grow in the ground must be washed very carefully, and, if possible, scalded with boiling water.
Animals and flies
Wikipedia shows that worm eggs can appear in the house and from pets - cats, dogs that walk on the street. There is a high risk of infection if children play with such animals. Therefore, you need to immediately take action if there is a suspicion that worms have started in cats. Symptoms and treatment of infection in animals can be obtained from a veterinarian or watch the corresponding video on the network. In this way, any kind of worms can appear in the body. Therefore, the answer to the question of whether they are transmitted from a dog to a person and whether it is possible to get infected from a dog is unambiguous: yes, it is possible.
Another carrier of helminths is flies. They can initially sit on feces, livestock waste, and then fly in and sit on food. As a result, they spread helminth eggs, and people develop helminthic diseases after infection.
How are worms transmitted from person to person?
How can you get pinworms, and are these parasites transmitted from person to person? The answer to this question is simple: if at night a female pinworm crawls out of the intestines along the rectum in the baby's pope, she can lay a large number of eggs near the anus - up to 5000 pieces. As a result, severe itching occurs, the baby itches, and the eggs fall on his hands. Further, from the hands of the baby, the eggs fall on clothes, bedding, and other objects that the child touches. It is clear how the worms are transmitted further: other children and adults become infected with eggs, after which small white pinworms multiply in the body. That is why it is very important to wash your hands before eating, after coming home from public places.
Infection through water
A lot of parasite eggs are found in open water bodies, as well as in well water. That is why people who use such water should use a special bactericidal filter. It is also very important to boil water, which is drunk and eaten by dishes prepared from it. It is very dangerous to swallow water from reservoirs.
It should be taken into account, speaking about what a helminthic invasion is, that this is a disease that mainly affects children, since they are very susceptible to helminthiases. The fact is that in children protective barriers are not yet developed to the same extent as in an adult, their stomach acidity is lower.
Also, signs of the presence of worms in a child appear very often due to the fact that young children, in the process of mastering the world, taste everything that comes to hand. Therefore, parents very often notice the symptoms of helminthic invasion in children, in particular, itching of the anus, poor appetite, coughing in children during infection, etc. But still, it is impossible to accustom the baby to strictly follow the rules of hygiene in the first years of his life. Therefore, at this time, the risk of infection is high for all family members.
Speaking about eggworm - what is it and how to treat this disease, it should be remembered that worms do not multiply in the human body. Worms in the human body die over a certain period of time. For example, pinworms live for several weeks, roundworms - about one year. Eggs that adult parasites lay in the body are sure to leave the intestines - either when feces or baby poop come out, or get on the skin near the anus, as happens with pinworms. When the eggs are outside the human body, they mature in the external environment, after which they enter the human body again and parasitize in it again.
Since the reproduction of worms does not occur in the body, large numbers of helminths are observed only if re-infection occurs, if the eggs again enter the body through the mouth.
Therefore, if re-infection does not occur, the pinworms living in the body die in about 4 weeks. And if you follow all preventive measures very carefully, then you can get rid of the presence of worms without treatment. However, in the case of children, the observance of all these rules is a very difficult task.
Signs of helminths
When infected with parasites, certain first symptoms of worms in humans appear. You can find out in detail from a specialist about what symptoms with worms appear if you have an infection. But some signs of worms in humans can be seen on their own.
So, the most striking sign that a parasite infection has occurred is the presence of a sharp weight loss. Also, the patient's skin turns pale - this is how anemia manifests itself. On appearance, signs of the presence of helminthic invasion are also displayed - a person looks exhausted, his level of fatigue may increase.
Helminths cause itching in the anus if the intestines are infected. However, they can also parasitize in other organs - in the lungs, liver, bladder, and even in the arm or leg, etc.
However, all the symptoms of parasites in the human body listed above are only the first general signs of infection that develop when the body is massively damaged by worms and make it possible to recognize that something is wrong with health. There are other, more specific symptoms of helminthic invasion in adults. The patient may perceive them as a manifestation of other diseases. At the same time, he can treat such diseases for a long time, of course, unsuccessfully. This lasts until the exact cause of such symptoms is determined - helminthiasis. More details about this can be found in the corresponding videos on the network.
What are the symptoms of worms in an adult and a child can occur?
Digestive disorders
If the parasites are localized in the intestines, and not in other organs, then the main signs in an adult and in a child are a violation of the digestive function. A person may be disturbed by constant diarrhea or constipation, periodically manifested by nausea, vomiting, pain in the stomach, pain in the right hypochondrium, near the navel, intestinal disorders. If intestinal parasites are wound up, flatulence often worries.
All of these signs can be both strong and weak, both long-term and periodic. It all depends on the severity of the infection. There are types of helminths that produce hormone-like substances, under the influence of which permanent diarrhea develops. If large worms grow large (such as a tapeworm), they block the intestines and cause constipation.
General malaise, disorders of the nervous system
Worms live and secrete very large amounts of toxic substances, regardless of whether parasites live in the blood, in the liver, in the lungs of a person. The more massive the infection, the more pronounced the signs of intoxication of the body, which negatively affects the nervous system.
As a result, headache, dizziness and nausea develop. Some people mistake such signs for the development of a migraine, and, as a result, they drink painkillers.
Sometimes when infected with parasites, the temperature rises, pains in the joints are disturbing. In addition, helminthic lesions provoke a deficiency of vitamins and nutrients in the body. This phenomenon, as well as depression of the nervous system, lead to the manifestation of chronic fatigue syndrome. The patient feels tired, he is worried about drowsiness, a feeling of weakness in the body. If we are talking about a child, he is naughty, constantly nervous. Young children have disturbed sleep, they cry or scream at night. School-age children, due to inattention and fatigue, can study poorly.
Allergies and skin manifestations
Signs of helminths Worms cause deterioration of the skin. The toxins with which the worms infect the body negatively affect its general condition and can provoke the manifestation of various reactions on the skin. Eruptions appear as a result of the release of histamine from mast cells and the accumulation of the liquid part of the blood in the tissue with the elevation of the epidermis.
These same reasons lead to the development of allergic reactions. In particular, itching, red spots, acne, urticaria, as well as dry cough, allergic rhinitis, manifestations of bronchial asthma may appear. Also, when infected, nails can exfoliate, brittle hair is noted, and cracks on the heels appear.
Deterioration of immunity and infectious diseases
Since the worms feed in the body, they secrete toxic waste products. The toxic effect, a decrease in vitamins and minerals in the body leads to the fact that the immunity of the infected person deteriorates significantly. As a result, the state of health in chronic diseases also worsens, inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx begin to disturb - sinusitis, stomatitis. In women and girls, vulvovaginitis, bacterial vaginosis are possible. There is evidence that with prolonged infection with pinworms, the development of inflammation of the appendages is possible. In this case, it is very important to detect their presence in a timely manner. Parasites in the liver also cause bad breath, a persistent bad taste.
There is also an opinion that worms in a person provoke the appearance of snoring and nightly grinding of teeth. However, this relationship has not yet been proven.
Where do parasites live in the human body?
The types of parasites in the human body are determined depending on where exactly in the body they live. How to determine the presence and how to remove parasites from the body depends on their type.
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These worms inhabit mainly the intestines, living in its various departments. Hookworms, roundworms, wide tapeworm, and other tapeworms are localized in the small intestine. In the small intestine live pygmy tapeworm, pinworms, in the large intestine - whipworm. In total, there are about a hundred types of cavity parasites. Pictures and images can be found online.
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These types of worms in humans do not live in the intestines, but in organs and tissues. There are varieties that live in the brain (cysticercosis), liver (echinococcosis), lungs (paragonimiasis), muscles, lymphatics (filariasis), and other helminths.
What are the worms in a person yet, you can find out from a specialist.
Roundworm is a species that belongs to both luminal and tissue parasites, since in the first phase of their development they can move through the blood and infect any organ. How to get rid of ascaris, the doctor who prescribes the treatment regimen for infection with such parasites will tell.
What worms look like in humans can be found by looking at the image of the corresponding type of parasites. Special literature shows what the eggs of worms look like.
Signs of infection depending on the type
How worms manifest themselves and how dangerous they are depends on the type of parasites, where exactly in the body they live, and also on the intensity of infection. Signs of invasion in humans can be detected after a few days. For example, if roundworms appear, then health deteriorates after 2-3 days. When infected with other types of helminths, the first signs are noted in the patient after 2-3 weeks. The incubation period for filariasis is 6 to 18 months.
Intestinal worms are dangerous from the point of view that if there is a single individual in the intestine, then it is impossible to understand that a person is infected, since there are no signs. Certain symptoms can be disturbing only if the worms are long (ascaris, wide tapeworm, etc. ), or a massive infection has occurred. Almost all helminthiases are accompanied by headache, fatigue, dizziness, irritability.
What are worms, what are they called and look like?
Pinworms (enterobiasis) - you can determine the presence of this type of helminth by the manifestation of the main signs, as well as by the manifestation of itching in the anus, which becomes more intense at night. If there are only a small number of pinworms in the body, itching may occur for several days, then pass and appear again after a few weeks. With a strong invasion, itching can be felt constantly.
Ascaris - what are the signs of ascariasis, depends on the phase of development of these parasites. In the phase when the larvae migrate to the heart, lungs and other organs, there is weakness, subfebrile temperature, cough, in which sputum is released, sometimes with pus and blood. If an x-ray of the lungs is taken at this time, volatile infiltrates are noticeable on it, which later disappear. Allergic reactions develop, a blood test shows a large percentage of eosinophils. If the invasion is strong, the development of bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma attacks is likely. Often people are interested in whether there can be a cough when infected? Indeed, it is possible. You may also feel a sore throat. Signs of the second phase are associated with digestive disorders. Roundworms produce substances that neutralize pepsin and trypsin, human digestive enzymes. As a result, proteins are not digested, and the patient loses weight very much. With ascariasis, complications are sometimes manifested - pancreatitis, obstructive jaundice, intestinal obstruction, appendicitis.
Ankylostomiasis, schistosomiasis, diphyllobothriasis, trichuriasis - with such lesions, anemia and beriberi develop. After all, the toxins that the helminths of these varieties secrete significantly worsen the intestinal microflora, provoking the development of dysbacteriosis.
Opisthorchiasis, fascioliasis, clonorchiasis are liver parasites. The consequences of invasion are icteric syndrome, enlarged liver, spleen, pancreatitis, cholecystocholangitis, neurological disorders, pathologies of the digestive system.
Trichinosis - with such a lesion, the most common symptoms are muscle pain, swelling of the eyelids, swelling of the face, and fever.
Strongyloidiasis - cause roundworms, the symptoms are very diverse. There may be signs of dyspepsia, allergies, dysfunction of the biliary tract, etc.
Genitourinary schistosomiasis - caused by flatworms, manifested by diuretic disorders. At the end of urination, blood is found in the urine. In men, it can lead to pathological lesions of the prostate, pathology of the seminal vesicles. In women, it causes consequences in the form of vaginal bleeding, genital lesions. Fibrosis may appear in the bladder.
Cestodosis - caused by tapeworms. These are bovine tapeworm, sheep's brain, echinococcus, wide tapeworm, etc. Signs of the disease are severe weight loss, weakness, and dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract.
How to determine the presence of worms in a person?
If certain symptoms that indicate infection are concerned, a person is naturally worried about how to understand if you have helminths. Of course, it is possible to say for sure whether or not there is an infection only after visiting a doctor and conducting all the necessary tests. But there are other ways that are suitable for those who are interested in how to find out that you have worms. To do this, you need to carefully monitor the state of health and pay attention to changes occurring in the body. After all, the presence of some pronounced symptoms gives an answer to the question of how to understand that you have worms.
Prevention of infection with worms
In order to prevent infection, you need to clearly understand what the causes of invasion are, what helminthiasis is, what worms are. It is important to take all preventive measures, which significantly reduces the likelihood of infection.
- It is necessary to thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables, pour boiling water over them.
- It is important to fight flies, cockroaches, mosquitoes - to track where they come from, to destroy them.
- Cooking meat and fish should be at least 40-60 minutes.
- You need to use only your own hygiene items - a towel, a comb (so that lice are not transmitted), etc.
- It is important to teach the baby before eating, as well as after each contact with animals, immediately go and wash their hands with soap and water.
- If there are animals, large and small, in the house, you need to constantly give them funds for the prevention of worms. To find out which ones, you should contact your veterinarian.
- It is important that the youngest children play only with clean toys, and a dropped pacifier or pacifier should be washed immediately.
- Children should be weaned from bad habits - sucking their fingers, biting their nails, taking various things into their mouths.
- The baby should have clean and short nails.
- To prevent re-infection with pinworms, the baby needs to wear tight panties at night, which prevents the spread of parasites and eggs on the bed.
- It is important to iron baby clothes after washing.
- In the morning you need to change panties and thoroughly wash the child.