Unfortunately, even in modern advanced times there is a risk of helminth infection. In order to treat and prevent this phenomenon, you should at least familiarize yourself with the main types of worms.
Types of worms
In the medical sources in which you can find the answer to the question of what types of worms a person has, they provide information on a very wide variety of types. Of course, certain types are the most common. According to classification, they can be divided into 3 main types. These are: roundworms, tapeworms, and flukes.
roundworms
In the list of types of worms found in humans, the indication of roundworms is on the first place. Also known as nematodes. They got their name because of the structure of the body, because if you make a cross-section of an individual, you can see the resulting roundness. Despite the fact that there are more than 20 thousand species of them in the world, usually only a few of them are found in humans.
The most common roundworms are:
- Roundworm. These worms are quite large in size. Their length can reach half a meter. Its width varies between 4-5 cm. Its color is usually pink, but in different cases it can be more white or redder. These helminths are mainly localized in the small intestine, but in rare cases they can also occur in the bile ducts. At the same time, the larvae move quite easily in the body, through the bloodstream. Their final destination is the lungs. Here are the most comfortable conditions for maturation, since this type of parasite belongs to anaerobes. When they become viable, they move into the intestines. The lifespan of roundworms is long, up to 12-14 months. Outside of the human body, these worms live in soil conditions, where they lay thousands of eggs daily;
- Pinworms. It occurs most often in children, as the infection can be caused by poorly washed hands or products. A little less often, they enter the body with dust particles. Their size is much smaller than that of roundworms. Males reach 3 mm and females 13-14 mm. Its color is completely white. Their favorite habitat is the initial part of the large intestine. The eggs are laid in the anus, closer to the anus. Their life expectancy is also much shorter than that of roundworms and is only a few months.
- Trichinella. These modest-sized worms, measuring only 4 mm, most often enter the living human body as part of infected meat. The larvae live in muscle tissue, mainly in the oculomotor and masticatory tissue, but the adults are more likely to be located in the intestines. Trichinella is a danger to humans, as it can be fatal without proper treatment.
Tapeworms
Tapeworms are characterized by a flat body structure and the complete absence of a gastrointestinal tract. The length of individuals can reach several meters, which makes them look like a long ribbon. They prefer to live in the intestines or stomach canals. Among them are the following types:
- Bull tapeworm. This is one of the largest species of tapeworm. The length of the individual can reach 15-20 meters. The worm attaches itself to the surface of the small intestine and begins to absorb substances necessary for humans. Without proper diagnosis and treatment, you can live up to 10 years. Infection usually occurs by eating contaminated, undercooked meat;
- Dwarf tapeworm. It got its name from its small size, which is 4-5 mm on average. Such a tapeworm can become infected with poorly washed vegetables and even with dirty hands;
- Wide band. Another great view. Its length can be up to 10 meters, and its width is usually greater than that of other worms. The larvae enter the body together with the infected fish and grow into adults in just 3. 5 weeks. It lives mainly in the small intestine. Life expectancy can reach tens of years;
- Echinococcus. Small worms, usually no more than 5 mm in length. The infection comes from infected animals: cats and dogs. This species differs in that individuals are not localized in the intestines, but in the lungs or liver. They are dangerous because they can trigger the formation of cysts, which later require surgical removal.
These worms can be very harmful to the body, so the sooner they are detected, the better.
they are unfortunate
Like tapeworms, flukes are flat parasites due to their body structure. They are also called liver worms because their main habitat is the liver and bile ducts. Their main types are:
- Luck. Also known as cat fluke. It lives mainly in rivers and lakes, which means that it enters the human body together with infected fish that has undergone poor processing. Pets can act as carriers. Individuals are quite small and rarely reach 12-13 mm. They can live in absolutely any organ inside a person;
- Chinese or oriental fluke. It is characterized by the transparent red shade of the body and its small size, up to 2. 5 cm. It enters the human body, it is the same as the common fluke. It can lay more than 3. 5 thousand eggs per day;
- Fasciola. This is a larger flatworm, its length can be 5-7 cm, it is only viable in freshwater conditions. It dies in salty springs. People can become infected with fasciola by drinking raw contaminated water, such as while bathing, or by eating plants. The risk is particularly high when it comes to aquatic or wild species.
Liver flukes, although small in size, can be dangerous to humans. In addition to the usual symptoms, the patient may also have a fever.
The simplest living things
The simplest living things have existed on Earth for millions of years. To date, science reads more than 14. 5 thousand species. Like other parasites, their favorite habitat is soil, water in reservoirs and, of course, the human body. They can remain on the surface of vegetables and fruits for a while, and their use often causes infection.
In the vast majority of cases, when it comes to infecting a person with protozoa, they think of Giardia. Their vitality is to be envied. They withstand even the most unfavorable environmental conditions.
In their structure, they are distinguished by the presence of four pairs of flagella and a special disk, which performs a suction function. Thanks to these, Giardia reliably adheres to the inner surface of the intestine and begins to parasitize.
Manifestation symptoms
The fact that worms appeared in the human body can be understood by a number of signs. But most of them are of a general nature, which indicates the presence of an inflammatory process. This can confuse the patient and force him to look for the cause in other diseases.
So the patient can note to himself during this period:
- Fatigue, malaise, tiredness;
- Pallor of the skin;
- Dizziness and sometimes headache;
- Increased anxiety, irritability. Expressed aggression is observed in children;
- Impairment of sleep. You are usually worried about insomnia;
- Pain in the joints, pulling sensation in the muscles;
- Increased saliva flow.
Fatigue is one sign of the presence of worms.
The following signs, reminiscent of an allergic reaction or gastrointestinal diseases, may mislead the patient:
- Yellowness of the skin;
- Rashes on the body;
- Attacks of bronchial asthma;
- Stool disorders: constipation or diarrhea;
- Bloating;
- Feeling of nausea and vomiting;
- Pain in the abdomen and hypochondrium;
- Slightly elevated body temperature.
But the more typical symptoms of this condition, which most often make people suspect that they have parasites, are:
- Weight loss for no apparent reason. At the same time, it becomes very difficult to return the abandoned kilograms;
- Itching in the anus;
- Bruxism. This phenomenon is expressed in teeth grinding during sleep.
Despite the fact that there are many signs of the presence of parasites in the body, this phenomenon is sometimes completely asymptomatic, so people do not know about it for months.
Diagnostics
Identifying helminths in the body is not at all easy. The usual procedure in this case is to examine the stool for eggworm detection. I must say that sometimes it may be necessary to analyze 3-5 times in order to detect worms in the feces.
How to identify certain types of worms, only a doctor knows. This cannot be done independently without test results. Depending on the symptoms, the doctor may prescribe the following examination procedures:
- Blood analysis. In this case, indicators such as the number of proteins and eosinophils are analyzed;
- Analysis of scrapings from the anus;
- Vaginal scraping analysis.
In addition, additional measures may be necessary in some cases. As:
- Examination of sputum;
- Examination of the composition of urine and bile;
- endoscopy;
- CT scan;
- Ultrasonic procedure.
Once the parasites are identified, the doctor creates a treatment plan.
Treatment
Self-treatment of parasites is not allowed. This is due to the following factors:
- The preparations contain different active ingredients, which means that they have a harmful effect on different types of intestinal worms;
- Some drugs can only kill the larvae of the worms, but not the adults;
- All drugs have side effects.
In this regard, drugs should be selected based on the results of diagnostic procedures.
The preparations may contain the following active ingredients:
- mebendazole. Affects only worms belonging to the genus pinworms;
- Diethylcarbamazine. Medicines based on this are prescribed if there are filaria in the patient's body;
- Levamisole. It has a wide spectrum of effects. Kills both roundworms and roundworms, as well as other worms;
- Bephenia hydroxysynaphthoate. Effectively fights against roundworms;
- Albendazole. It is necessary in the treatment of diseases caused by echinococcus;
- Piperazine adipate. It is used to remove roundworms and ringworms from the body.
Traditional medicine did not stand aside in this matter either. It offers various methods that are not always able to completely cleanse the body of parasites, but at least slow down their reproduction and development.
Examples of such methods:
- Pumpkin seeds. They are taken in their pure form or made into a decoction based on them;
- Watermelon seeds. Apply in the same way as pumpkins;
- wormwood tincture;
- Alcohol and wormwood tincture;
- Garlic;
- Tansy;
- Sandy is immortal.
It is important to pay attention to the fact that you should ask your doctor for permission before using folk methods, and of course, rule out an allergic reaction to the ingredients used.
What are dangerous worms for humans
Worms not only live in the human body, but are literally parasites, taking away useful substances and sucking blood. The body experiences a state of intoxication. The result of a long stay of helminths inside a person can have negative consequences such as:
- Weakening of the immune system;
- Violation of the gastrointestinal tract. Poor digestibility of food, appearance of ulcers;
- The development of allergies;
- formation of cysts;
- Damage to the organs in which they live.
And let's not forget that certain types of parasites are very, very dangerous. Ignoring their presence can lead to the worst outcome.
Prevention
The vast majority of people have encountered worms at least once in their lives. Children are particularly affected by this. And this is completely justified, in addition to the fact that they have weaker immunity compared to adults, they also often ignore hygiene rules.
In general, the methods that help reduce the risk of infection are not complicated at all. By themselves they mean:
- Compliance with personal hygiene rules. Hands should not only be rinsed, but thoroughly washed with soap;
- Vegetables, fruits and berries must be washed with plenty of water;
- Any meat: livestock, poultry or fish, must be thoroughly washed before cooking. The heat treatment must also be thorough. It is not worth taking a risk and cooking meat with blood if there is no confidence in its quality and safety;
- Intermittent anthelmintic prophylaxis in children. It is best to consult a doctor;
- In addition, animals and pets must undergo drug prophylaxis. At the same time, there is no difference in whether they live in the courtyard of a private house or in the room itself. If a dog or cat eats raw meat, it is absolutely necessary to prevent worms.
Such procedures help to avoid contact with parasites for as long as possible.