Worms are representatives of lower worms living in the human body. The disease associated with human infection caused by various types of worms is called helminthiasis. This disease is not rare and occurs in certain segments of the population. Children are susceptible to fungal infection, hunters - trichinella, fishermen and lovers of Japanese cuisine (raw fish in the form of sushi) suffer from diphyllobothriasis.
Paradoxically, many diseases can occur in the human body due to helminthiasis. Nowadays, the theory about the relationship between cancer and parasitic infections is one of the most relevant. In the presence of helminthiasis, symptoms do not always appear, and if, despite this, patients with the disease experience discomfort and discomfort, they are perceived as signs of other diseases. The patient has been treated for years with inflammation of the pancreas, stomach or colon, without suspecting that the cause of his illness is helminthiasis.
How does infection occur?
Infection with helminths occurs as follows:
- Through unwashed hands
- In contact with the ground
- After an insect bite
- Because of dirty hands
- When eating raw meat and fish
- After eating unwashed fruits and vegetables
- After contact with animals
- After contact with infected people
Mature parasite eggs can be found in soil, water and food (raw and lightly cooked meat or fish). Rare cases of the disease occur due to insect bites. The mechanism of infection caused by helminthiasis is oral-fecal. A person ingests the eggs of the parasite with food and water. Contact and household methods of infection also occur. They occur when hands have not been thoroughly washed after contact with soil or sand.
Inadequately washed vegetables and berries grown in the ground are also a source of worm infection. Children playing in the yard and with pets are at risk of worm infection. Pets roaming freely on the street can bring helminth eggs into the house. Flies and other insects can easily transfer helminth eggs to food after contact with animal excrement. Surprisingly, human-to-human transmission is also possible. This is how it happens: a female ball crawls out of the intestines and lays eggs directly on the underwear, causing severe itching. A person, after scratching the itchy area, can come into contact with other toilet and household items. These objects end up in the hands of other family members and then become infected.
Waterborne infection is also possible. Many parasite eggs easily fall into open reservoirs and wells. Drinking unboiled well water is extremely dangerous.
Types of helminthiasis
Helminthiasis differ in the way they enter the human body:
- Biohelminths
- Geohelminths
- Infectious
Biohelminth samples are transmitted to humans through contact with animals. The geohelminth can be infected through the soil. Infectious diseases develop as a result of contact with an infected person. The disease manifests itself differently depending on the method of infection, the number of worms and the extent of their adaptation in any human organ.
Stages of helminthiasis
The most destructive effect on the organism is not caused by the adults, but by their larvae. The adult individuals have already chosen a homely place for themselves in the human body, and the larva passes through the organs and leaves their lesions. The most common habitat of parasites is the gastrointestinal tract. Different types of parasites prefer different habitats. So roundworms settle in the small intestine, and pinworms settle in the large intestine and the lower parts of the small intestine. Depending on the habitat of the parasites, helminth infections are:
- Translucent
- Fabric
The luminal ones are located in the lumen of the genital organs, and the tissue ones are located in the tissues. Depending on their growth, parasites can change their habitat, moving from the luminal form to the tissue form. Helminthiasis develops in two stages:
- Spicy
- Chronic
The acute stage lasts from a week to a month, the chronic stage lasts until recovery. The acute stage begins with the introduction of the egg and continues with the maturation and growth of the parasite. The disease manifests itself in the form of allergic reactions to a foreign organism. In the chronic stage of the disease, various reactions of the body occur. During this period, the parasite moves throughout the body in search of shelter. The disease is accompanied by disturbances in the functioning of the organs and systems of the human body. Integrating into the immune system of the human body, parasites consume the substances necessary for their growth and development. This leads to metabolic disorders, digestive disorders, and difficulties in the absorption of vitamins and minerals.
In addition to this damage, parasites push their waste materials into the human body, poisoning the body, which leads to intestinal disorders, reduced immunity and the development of bacterial infections. Parasites contribute to the risk of developing cancer. This is due to the negative effect on the immune system and the stimulation of cell division. The patient is often examined by a number of specialists who find a number of diseases in him. And in this case, all specialists can be replaced by a single doctor - a parasitologist.
Classification of helminths
Types of worms found in humans:
- Flatworms
- Roundworms
Flatworms include:
- Trematodes (opisthorchiasis, schistosomes, paragonimus)
- Cestodes (broad tapeworm, pig tapeworm, echinococcus, alveococcus)
- Roundworms or nematodes:
- Pinworm
- Ascaris
- Hookworm
- Trichinella
This classification of helminths is described in the medical literature. To successfully solve a problem such as helminthiasis, it is necessary to find out the fundamental characteristics of the structure and life cycle of parasites.
Trematodes
Another name for trematodes is fluke. These parasites are flat leaf-shaped or lance-shaped with two suction heads. One suction is in the mouth, the second, which is used for fixation, is located in the peritoneum. All representatives of flukes enter the organism through an intermediate host. Most of these parasites are hermaphrodites.
Opisthorchiasis
This is a weevil - a worm up to 1. 3 cm long with two balls. Opisthorchiasis is a hermaphrodite that parasitizes the liver, gall bladder, and pancreas of humans and some carnivorous animals (foxes, dogs, cats). Opisthorchiasis eggs are passed out of the human or animal body with faeces. When these eggs enter the water, they are ingested by freshwater molluscs, within which the larvae hatch and develop. The process of larval development and maturation takes two months. The larvae then crawl out of the mollusk and penetrate the skin of the carp. After six weeks, the larvae become full-fledged, adult parasites. Opisthorchiasis enters the body of an animal or a person after eating contaminated fish. This worm can live in a living organism for up to 20 years. Symptoms of opisthorchiasis:
- Allergy
- Weakness
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Depression
- Black out
Damage caused by opisthorchiasis in the body:
- Poisoning by waste products of parasites
- Damage to liver tissue
- Gallbladder damage
- Violation of the outflow of bile
- Inflammation of the pancreas
- Secretory dysfunction
- Decreased gastric motility
- Thickening of the walls of some organs, resulting in the formation of tumors.
The chronic course of the disease is characterized by:
- Difficulty after eating
- Pain
- Vomit
- Nausea
Prevention of infection: In order to avoid opisthorchiasis infection, raw fish should not be consumed. The larvae are killed during the heat treatment of the products. Dried fish can only be eaten if it has been salted beforehand. Also, the larvae die if the fish is frozen for a long time.
Schistosomes
These parasites are of different sexes, similar to needles 0. 4-2. 6 cm long. Females are longer than males and larger, producing 3, 000 eggs per day. The method of reproduction is the same as the previous type of parasite, through freshwater molluscs. The larva enters the human body through the skin and mucous membrane while swimming in a fresh water body. It can also enter the body of a person who accidentally swallows water while swimming. After a day of penetration, the larva becomes an adult and enters the peripheral veins, through which it enters the lungs and venous vessels. There, the schistosoma reaches sexual maturity.
Schistosoma lays its eggs in the intestines, mucous membranes and bladder. The eggs are then passed out of the human body in urine or faeces and begin their development all over again. Schistosoma lives in the human body for decades, causing damage and infecting new individuals. The problems that arise during schistosome infection are not caused by the adults, but by their eggs in the human body. Only half of the eggs are excreted from the body, the rest accumulates in the organs. The eggs of this parasite have spines that damage a person's internal organs and often cause ulcers in the infected person. Patients with schistosomiasis experience the following symptoms:
- Appetite disorder
- Anemia
- Enlarged liver
- Changed spleen
- Decreased bowel movements
- Abdominal pain
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Intestinal bleeding
- Pain during urination
- Allergies
- Weakness
When the urogenital system is infected, patients experience:
- Menstrual disorders and miscarriages in women
- Impotence and incomplete ejaculation in men
If the egg enters the central nervous system:
- Acute cerebral schistosomiasis
- Chronic brain damage
- Death
Infected children experience delayed growth and development and reduced performance in school. Prevention of the disease includes avoiding swimming and walking barefoot in tropical waters.
Paragonim
Paragonim is a 1 cm long lung fluke with an ovoid body and a red spine. This parasite reproduces in the lungs of animals and enters the human body by eating crayfish and freshwater crayfish. The parasite affects the respiratory system. Patients suffering from paragonimiasis are characterized by allergic reactions and reduced immunity. Symptoms:
- Temperature rise
- Cough
- Production of sputum from the lungs when coughing
- Shortness of breath
- In severe cases, blood and parasite eggs can be found in the sputum
- Wheezing can be clearly heard in the patient's lungs
Prevention: Avoid eating raw crabs and crayfish.
Cestodes
Representatives of cestodes are tapeworms of various lengths. Some parasites reach enormous sizes. These parasites have suckers, hooks or suction slits on their heads. Parasites need these tools to attach to the intestinal wall. Cestodes affect the entire human body, and are the most dangerous for children, who quickly develop anemia.
Echinococcus
These parasites reach a length of 5 cm and are the causative agents of Echinococcus disease. A multichambered representative of this type of worms is the causative agent of such a disease as alveococcosis. The disease is spread by cattle and domestic animals. During the care of these animals, parasite eggs fall from their fur onto people's hands. When parasites enter the human intestine, they bite into the mucous membrane. As the parasite matures, it develops 4 stages, the last of which is filled with eggs. These parts break off and scatter throughout the body, infecting it. The fourth stage disperses the eggs throughout the body.
The patient's infected organ becomes enlarged, such as the liver. Suppuration may develop. The enlarged organ can even tear open the abdominal cavity. This can lead to severe sepsis of the body and even death. Symptoms:
- Weakness
- Dizziness
- Allergic reactions to waste products of parasites.
Echinococcus affects:
- Brain
- Spinal cord
- Eyes
- Thyroid
- Liver
- Lungs
- Bee
This parasite can trigger the development of tumors, including malignant ones. The most unpleasant thing is that the treatment of this disease is possible only with surgery. Prevention: personal hygiene when in contact with animals.
Nematodes
These long-bodied, round or cylindrical worms most often parasitize the bodies of children. These roundworms include roundworms, roundworms, and hookworms.
Pinworms
These are little white worms. The length of the female is 1 cm, the male is 0. 5 cm. These parasites have a pointed tail, which is why they were called scoops. The habitat of pinworms is the human intestine. At the front end of the parasite there is a suction disk, with the help of which the fungus burrows into the intestines, and the sharp end hangs into the lumen and damages the walls. This disease is called enterobiasis. You can get infected from a person with contaminated hands. The disease is observed in preschool children attending kindergarten. One of the symptoms of a yeast infection is itching near the anus. More often, itching is felt at night, when the female lays eggs and secretes a special substance. Symptoms:
- Itchy
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Headache
- Loss of appetite
Prevention: hand washing.
Roundworms
These worms are the largest. The length of the female is up to 0. 5 m. The female lays 200, 000 eggs per year, regardless of the male. The mechanism of infection is fecal-oral. Ascaris eggs, together with unwashed vegetables and fruits, enter the human body with dirty hands. Entering the intestine, the larva is secreted from the shell and penetrates the intestinal wall while migrating through the intestinal veins to the liver, through the hepatic veins to the heart, through the pulmonary arteries to the bronchi, then to the trachea, and then to the heart. the mouth. Some of the larvae die in the open, the rest are swallowed. Symptoms:
- Nausea
- Vomit
- Jaundice
- Pancreatitis
- Common acute respiratory infections
- Bronchitis
- Pneumonia
Prevention:
- Hand washing
- Washing vegetables and fruits
- Compliance with personal hygiene
- Protect food from flies, cockroaches and other carriers.
In summary, we can say that the cause of the disease is not always bacteria and viruses that have entered the body. Parasites can cause enormous damage to human health. In case of unclear symptoms, the possibility of a parasite entering the body should not be ruled out, the patient should visit a parasitologist.