Worm infections usually cause a person significant discomfort and health problems. The symptoms of worms can be very diverse: fever, weakness, stomach problems, headache, etc.
Worms - what are they?
As mentioned above, adult worms are traditionally stably localized in the body, their developing forms often migrate to different organs and tissues, and the path of their movement is often quite complex. For example, in the case of ascariasis, a person becomes infected by eating food contaminated with worm eggs (ascaris eggs mature in the ground).
In the cavity of the intestinal tract, the eggs of the roundworm hatch into larvae, which within a few hours enter the blood vessels through the wall of the intestinal tract and are carried to the lungs via the bloodstream. In the lungs, roundworm larvae grow and mature. The growing larva slowly eats into the adjacent bronchi and crawls through them, first into the trachea, then into the oral cavity, where it is swallowed again and enters the intestinal tract.
The roundworm larva re-enters the intestinal tract and transforms into an adult worm. The migration of roundworm larvae to the lungs manifests itself in a set of symptoms (cough, asthma attack, elevated body temperature, allergic skin rash), and it may happen that the presence of a small number of adult worms in the intestinal tract is not manifested in any way.
What are helminthiasis (helminthic diseases) - Symptoms of worms
The term "helminthiasis" usually means a number of human diseases, the prerequisite of which are various parasitic worms - worms (another collective name for these parasites - worms).
Unlike diseases caused by bacteria, protozoa or fungi, helminthiasis, the number of adult worms (worms) in the body of an infected person does not increase at one point (except in cases of re-infection). This is due to the fact that worms reproduce only outside the human body.
Who are they?
Medical science knows more than a hundred types of helminths. The most common types of worms are:
- Pinworms are small worms in the human body, reaching a length of 12 mm. This type of worm is diagnosed in the intestinal mucosa. Parasites enter the body with dust through the respiratory tract and can easily spread from person to person.
- Roundworms are large roundworms that are most commonly found in the small intestine. Infection of the body occurs through unwashed hands and food. More often, roundworms are found in the body of children.
- Trichinella - these parasites have a round body no larger than 5 mm and cause trichinosis in the body. Larvae and eggs prefer to be in poorly cooked meat (pig, pork, bear). In the human body, Trichinella takes 4 days to become an adult, and its life cycle is 40 days. The main purpose of these types of worms is to enter the bloodstream through the intestinal wall and settle in the muscles. In addition, the muscles of the respiratory system and the musculoskeletal system are often affected.
- Pig/ox tapeworm. The length of the parasite's body is 5-6 meters, its larvae hide in the flesh of large animals (pigs, cattle). The disease caused by these helminths is called taeniasis and taeniarrhizosis. Both types of tapeworm larvae are whitish vesicles that attach to the wall of the small intestine. The parasite needs 3 months to reach and develop into an adult, and the worm develops every day. The total number of segments reaches 2000, the last of which freely "groove" the large intestine. Then the worms leave the body together with the feces through the anus. The most common and obvious symptom of helminthiasis is the disturbance of the digestive system, as well as the consumption of large amounts of food, and the patient does not visually gain weight.
- Necator/hookworm. The relationship between parasites is direct, due to the diseases and biological characteristics they cause. They live in the duodenum, and due to their small size (10-15 mm) they move freely in its environment. The larvae can only enter the body through the skin if someone has been in contact with contaminated soil. Another target for worms is the lungs and digestive system. They only feed on the blood that comes out of the blood vessels they have bitten. As a result of the vigorous activity of these parasites, blood coagulation is disturbed. Adults consume 0. 1-0. 35 ml of blood per day.
- Echinococcus. In this case, a person acts as an intermediate host, because the final hosts are wolves, cats and dogs. Animals can become infected through direct contact with infected objects or people. As soon as the parasite's eggs enter the intestine, they immediately develop into larvae with six hooks, which in medicine are called oncospheres.
- Whipworms are diagnosed in a person's stomach. These are thin and rather large worms.
You can determine the type of helminths by looking at the color of the worms in the stool when they appear. The infection occurs through vegetables and meat that have undergone improper heat treatment. You can avoid infection by following food preparation rules.
How common and dangerous are worms?
Symptoms of worms. Data from modern epidemiological studies show that every fourth person in the world is infected with worms. The incidence of worm infection is significantly higher in children than in adults. In children and adults, worms can become a prerequisite for various acquired diseases of internal organs (gastritis, pancreatitis, enterocolitis, cholecystitis) and from time to time lead to the development of unsafe complications and death.
According to the Global Health Organization and the Global Disease Bank, helminthic diseases rank 4th in terms of economic damage among all other diseases and injuries.
More than 15 types of worms occur in our region, the most common of which are enterobiasis (about 90% of patients with helminthosis), ascariasis (70%), opisthorchiasis, diphyllobothriasis, trichocephalosis (60%), toxocariasis (60%) and hymenolepiasis. Statistics show that almost all sick people (especially children) are infected with several worms at the same time.
Where do worms spread in humans?
Many people believe that worms must live in the intestines, and in the case of certain types of helminths, this is true. In general, worms are found in many organs and systems of the human body:
- all types of tapeworms, whipworms and nematodes "settle" in the large intestine;
- trematodes attack the liver and gall bladder;
- Larvae of the pig tapeworm can spread through the bloodstream to all organs - the subcutaneous fat tissue, the eye chamber and the blood vessels of the muscles can be affected.
How can you get infected with worms?
How do worms get into the human body? There are four main sources of helminth eggs into the body:
Geohelminthiasis- through soil (and then water), which contains mature eggs of many worms, which enter the soil with human or animal feces, as well as through direct contact with animals and the transfer of eggs to food by flies. per person Such well-known and common worms as pinworm are spread, this is the greatest risk of infection.
Biohelminthoses- when eating raw, semi-raw or slightly heat-treated meat (pork, beef) or fish infected with helminths (sushi, kebab, dried fish, lard, etc. ), some parasites enter the body through insect bites
The main mechanism of all infections is most often oral-fecal, that is, a person simply swallows the worm eggs with food and water, and less often helminthic infections from the bites of infected insects also occur. Undercooked meat and raw fish are understandable, but how can you get infected through contact with worms, household contact and soil?
Through the ground
After any contact with soil or sand, do not just wash your hands, but clean your nails thoroughly, it is better to cut your nails short, especially for children. Foods that grow in the ground - vegetables, herbs, fruits, berries, mushrooms, everything that is connected to the soil, need to be thoroughly washed under running water and scalded with boiling water. Pets, especially dogs and cats, bring a lot of sewage into the house when they walk on the street, and children who play with them are at maximum risk of infection, the animal can easily infect them with any type of helminth. Flies are also the main carriers of worms, staying in public toilets and places where agricultural animals are kept, flies calmly land on food, spreading eggs on their wings and paws.
Person to person
Pinworms are very easy to infect others. When a female worm crawls out of the intestines at night, she lays about 5, 000 eggs near the anus, which causes severe itching, the child scratches the itchy area, infecting his hands, nails, panties and bedding. Without washing your hands immediately, hundreds of eggs remain on everything you touch - doorknobs, clothes, food, toys. In addition, the process of infection is clear: the eggs settle on the hands of another child or adult, if these tools are used, and without washing their hands before eating, they get into the mouth of a healthy person.
Through the water
Many worm eggs end up in open bodies of water and well water. Therefore, if you live in the country or rural areas, use a bactericidal filter and boil water, it is dangerous to swallow water even when swimming in open water.
Everyone knows that worms mainly cause problems for children. First of all, because they are the most susceptible to the development of helminthiasis, since the protective barriers in children's bodies are not properly formed and the acidity of the stomach is lower than in an adult. Secondly, children of preschool age who master the world try all the surrounding objects not only with their hands, but also with taste. And despite all their wishes, parents can only teach their children to strictly follow personal hygiene rules at the age of 3-6, without reminders, which puts not only the baby itself, but also all family members at risk. infection (pinworms).
It should be remembered that no worm can reproduce and reproduce in the human body, each species has its own period after which it dies, for example, for pinworms it is only a few weeks, for roundworms it is about a year. Eggs laid by adults must leave the body either with faeces or (in the case of worms) on the skin near the anus, into the external environment, into the soil, and only then, outside of the human body, must they be re-entered. , they start to become active and parasitize.
Symptoms of worms
The development of helminthiasis usually occurs in two stages: acute - from two, three weeks to two months, and chronic - from several months to many years.
The acute stage coincides with the introduction and development of the parasite, and is mainly manifested in the immune response to foreign antigens and allergic reactions. The symptoms of this stage of helminthiasis are similar when different types of parasites are introduced.
The chronic stage is characterized by great diversity: depending on the location, number and lifestyle of the worms, disturbances in the functioning of various organs and systems occur. Once integrated into the metabolic system and consuming the substances it needs, the parasite leads to disorders, which are manifested in disorders of digestion and the absorption of vitamins, proteins, fats, carbohydrates and minerals. Worm waste not only suppresses the normal intestinal microflora, but also reduces immunity, promotes the development of chronic bacterial infections, and reduces the effectiveness of preventive vaccinations.
The increased risk of malignant tumors is associated with a negative effect on the immune system and increased cell division (regeneration) processes in damaged tissues.
The first signs of the development of helminthiasis can appear from 2-3 days (in the case of ascariasis) to 1. 5 years (in the case of filariasis). Most often, this period is 2-3 weeks. At the beginning of the disease, skin rashes, enlarged lymph nodes, enlarged liver and spleen, and muscle and joint pain appear. Some helminthiasis are characterized by specific symptoms, such as jaundice in opisthorchiasis (liver flurryosis) or fever, muscle pain, swelling of the face and eyelids in trichinellosis.
In the chronic phase, the presence of a single specimen of worms is practically asymptomatic, the exception being the presence of large specimens, such as tapeworms and roundworms. In the case of a more widespread infection, the symptoms of intestinal worm infections consist of indigestion (nausea, bloating, abdominal pain, loose stools) and some specific symptoms. For example, in case of enterobiasis, it is itching of the anus, which increases in the evening and at night.
Hemorrhagic colitis (with bleeding) in case of trichocephalosis. With hookworm - iron deficiency anemia. Mechanical obstruction of the intestines and bile ducts may occur in the case of ascariasis. In case of helminthiasis with liver damage, chronic hepatitis and inflammation of the bile ducts (cholecystitis, cholangitis) develop.
A special place is occupied by helminthiasis, which are associated with the formation of cysts (liquid formations in the membrane): echinococcosis, alveococcosis, cysticercosis. Even large cysts may not manifest in any way, but their suppuration or rupture has serious consequences, such as: anaphylactic shock, peritonitis, purulent pleurisy. Helminthiasis can be accompanied by symptoms of vegetative-vascular asthenia and neurotic conditions. Let's take a closer look at the most common special cases of helminthiasis.
Diagnosis of worms. Treatment of worms
In the case of enterobiasis, the main condition for successful treatment is the simultaneous deworming of all family members (or a group of children), strict hygiene measures and repeated administration of drugs 10-14 days after the first.
Folk remedies for the treatment of worms
Traditional treatment methods include anthelmintic and laxative herbs. Already in ancient times, healers recommended the juice of elecampane and celandine to expel worms. Carrots and carrot juice are also anthelmintic. Walnuts, pomegranates, mint and even more often garlic are often found in recipes of traditional medicine as a nutritional ingredient or in the form of enemas. Wormwood decoction is used as an enema or orally. Pumpkin seeds are an officially recognized medicine against worms. In folk medicine, the use of herbs is often combined with saline solution. Although the effect of herbs is not so high, they can be used as prophylaxis or as a supplement to the traditional treatment of helminthiasis.
Complications of helminthiasis
Complications of helminthiasis are primarily related to the mechanical effect of the parasite on the organ, tissue destruction sometimes leads to fatal dysfunction of the affected organ. The appearance of bacterial infections at the site of mechanical injury is a common complication that masks the presence of the parasite in the body. For impressionable people, the sight of a parasite (for example, during expulsion) can cause severe psychological trauma that requires long-term rehabilitation treatment.
Prevention of worms
It includes timely identification and treatment of sick people and animals, compliance with personal hygiene measures (hand washing before eating, thorough washing of food, careful heat treatment of food, especially meat and fish).
F. A. Q
What symptoms can indicate the presence of worms in a person?
Symptoms of worms can include constant fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, abdominal pain, itching in the anal area, and digestive problems such as diarrhea or constipation.
How can you tell if a person has worms?
To determine the presence of worms, a person can have a stool test for worm eggs or a blood test for the presence of antibodies against worms. The doctor may also order an ultrasound or other diagnostic procedure to confirm the diagnosis.
What precautions can be taken to prevent worm infections?
In order to prevent infection by worms, it is recommended to regularly wash your hands with soap and water, especially before eating and after using the toilet. Avoid contact with contaminated soil or water, drink only clean drinking water and cook food properly to kill any worm eggs.
Useful tips
Tip #1
Pay attention to changes in appetite and weight. If you or your child experiences constant hunger or, on the contrary, loss of appetite, this may be a sign of helminthic infection.
Tip #2
Pay attention to the condition of the skin and hair. If you or your child develop rashes, itching or changes in the structure of the hair (such as brittleness or hair loss), this may be due to the presence of worms.
Tip #3
Pay attention to the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. If you or your child frequently experience abdominal pain, constipation, or diarrhea, it may be due to a worm infection.