The presence of parasitic organisms in the body not only leads to discomfort and the appearance of unpleasant symptoms, various diseases develop, and the state of health suddenly deteriorates. Some types of parasites not only endanger health, but also life. Dangerous neighborhood causes a decrease in immunity, damage to the integrity of internal organs. Doctors are alarmed, more than eighty percent of all diseases are caused by parasites or are a consequence of their life in the body. The statistics are alarming: every fourth adult and every second child is infected with helminths. Very often a person is unaware of the presence of worms until the condition becomes critical. Where do human worms come from? After all, the infection occurs even in those people who strictly follow the recommendations and try to exclude all contact with the pathogenic environment. Let's try to understand how to avoid infection, which becomes the cause of the development of helminthic invasion.
Main routes of infection: where worms come from
There are different ways to infect with parasites. Worms are a problem for people of any age, although children are the most vulnerable category. They get to know the world by actively researching objects to taste and do not have persistent hygienic habits. Babies become infected mainly due to the use of herbal products without prior washing, violation of hygiene rules after contact with pets, licking dirty fingers. Worms in children are very common.
The mechanism of infection with adult parasites is practically the same. Most helminthiasis occurs as a result of neglecting the rules of personal hygiene. Infection often occurs as a result of contact with sick people or animals, the use of contaminated household items and things. In addition to insufficient heat treatment of meat and fish, there is a high risk of disease. Biohelminthiasis penetrates the human body in this way. In order to reduce the likelihood of developing pathology, it is necessary to carefully cook, stew or fry fish and meat. Drinking polluted water, swimming in an unknown body of water, or working in the garden with unprotected hands can cause worms to appear in an adult’s body.
The main routes of infection are:
- Oral-fecal. The pathogen enters the body through contaminated food or water. This group of helminths predominantly lives in the intestines. The pathogenic organism goes through the entire developmental cycle and secretes eggs that come out with the feces of the host. After entering the external environment, the parasite enters the body of another host.
- Through the country. The transmission of parasites in this way occurs due to human contact with contaminated soil. The mode of transmission is similar to the previous version of the infection, but the eggs enter the soil not only with feces but also with other secretions from the host’s body.
- Hematogenous. Parasites enter the host organism by insect bites. Infected bloodsuckers lay helminth eggs.
- Biohelminthiasis. A complex system of infection in which several indirect and permanent hosts are present.
Life cycle of parasites
Different species of helminths have their own developmental cycle, but their general scheme is identical: from eggs, a larva develops that eventually transforms into an adult sexually mature individual.
Taking into account the specifics of development, there are three groups of parasites:
- contact;
- geohelminths;
- biohelminths.
Infection with contact parasites usually occurs with dirty hands. Geohelminths develop without an intermediate host. Eggs mature in the ground. This group of parasites enters the human body through the oral cavity or skin. Biohelminths have the most complex developmental cycle with several intermediate hosts.
Symptoms of helminthiasis
After the parasite enters the human body, the first symptoms may appear immediately or after some time, when the number of worms increases significantly or the only representative of the species grows to a large size. The first blow is dealt by the immune system.
Gradually, signs of general deterioration of health appear:
- fatigue;
- bad sleep;
- apathy;
- lethargy;
- dizziness.
Such symptoms are due to a growing lack of nutrients and components absorbed by parasites, impoverishing the human body. People with helminthiasis become weak and irritable. Gradually, specific symptoms appear that depend on the type of helminth, the localization in a particular organ.
Worms in the liver
Parasites enter the organ through the blood or orally. As the disease progresses, the following symptoms appear:
- Body temperature rises by several degrees. With the mass of parasites in the organ can begin necrosis, abscess, in which case the temperature rises to critical figures.
- The mucous membranes and skin become yellowish because the gland produces large amounts of bilirubin.
- On palpation, an enlargement of the liver is felt. The patient feels a crack in the organ, presses on the adjacent tissues. It begins to interfere with abdominal pain on the right side, breathing becomes difficult.
- A clinical blood test shows an increased eosinophil content.
- Often worried about nausea, unpleasant taste in the mouth. Some patients complain of dizziness.
Intestinal worms
Most parasites prefer to live in the gut. It is an ideal place for feeding, developing and breeding. In the intestines, sexually mature individuals secrete eggs, which enter the environment with the patient's feces.
The symptoms of helminth localization in this organ are as follows:
- Digestion in the form of overcoming constipation or diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
- Aversion to food, complete loss of appetite.
- Changing eating habits. The patient refuses his favorite dishes, preferring an unusual taste.
- The presence of blood in the feces.
- Very severe cramping abdominal pain.
- Presence of parasites or their fragments in feces, vomiting.
- Bowel obstruction.
Worms in the lungs
Worms enter the lungs through the bloodstream. The localization of helminths in the respiratory system causes great damage to the body. Symptoms of lung damage are as follows:
- Chest pain.
- Exhausting cough with coughing.
- Increased body temperature.
- A whistling sound is heard in the chest.
- Breathing difficulties, development of the asthmatic component.
Mass seeding of the lungs is highly likely to develop complications in the form of pneumonia, airway obstruction, necrosis, or abscess.
Worms in the eyes
Localization of helminth larvae in the eyes leads to serious vision problems. The symptoms of the presence of parasites in the eyes are as follows:
- Visible seals under the lid.
- Pain and eye movements.
- Sudden decrease in visual acuity.
- Changing the position of the eyeball.
- Progressive blink.
- Constant discharge from the eye.
Worms in the brain
The presence of parasites in the brain is one of the most serious conditions, because helminths irreversibly damage nerve fibers. Very often the disease ends in the death of the patient.
The symptoms of brain parasites are:
- Violent migraine headache.
- Dizziness.
- Nausea, vomiting.
- Approach to neuropsychiatric disorders.
Helminthic invasion therapy
Parasites are often found in the bodies of adults and children. Awareness of the presence of pathogenic individuals in one’s own body is quite uncomfortable. It is necessary to start proper treatment in a timely manner. Only a qualified professional can prescribe anthelmintic medications.
To confirm or deny your suspicions, you must be reviewed and tested.
The doctor recommends any method to detect helminths: a complete blood count, feces, urine, ultrasound or X-ray, endoscopy or CT. Depending on the type of parasite identified, treatment is prescribed. The pharmaceutical industry is ready to offer many effective remedies against worms. Treatment can be carried out by taking the drug once or during the course. It all depends on the type of parasite, the location, the amount, as well as the general condition of the patient.
When discovering the fact of helminthiasis in the family, it is recommended to undergo treatment for parasites in the body for everyone who lives together. Human helminths are not only an unpleasant but also a very dangerous disease that threatens the development of many complications. You cannot ignore the situation or use drugs on your own. Only a doctor can prescribe a drug that will be as effective as possible and will not harm.
There are folk recipes that can become a strong support to the body against helminthiasis. Medications can be used as an adjunct to drug therapy or for prophylaxis. It should be borne in mind that you cannot take traditional medicine on your own. In the beginning, you need to find out information about the parasite, find out the place of its localization. If possible, your doctor will recommend adding alternative medicine prescriptions to your treatment regimen.
The following herbal ingredients are considered the best folk remedies: pumpkin seeds, wormwood, ginger, herbal preparations, garden, bokvica.
Preventive actions
Worm infestations are not as harmless as they may seem at first glance. The disease undermines health, negatively affects the general condition. For babies, helminthiasis is much more dangerous: the child is seriously retarded, he is often ill.
Preventive measures are simple and easy to perform, you just need to create some good habits:
- Wash your hands before eating, after walking, visiting public places.
- Perform deworming of pets.
- Eat only washed plant foods.
- Do not drink boiling water, do not swim in unfamiliar water surfaces.
- Work in the garden or vegetable garden with gloves.
- Thoroughly prepare meat and fish dishes.
- Refuse to buy food in spontaneous markets.
Although it is impossible to completely protect against helminthic invasion, it is indeed possible to minimize the risks by following expert recommendations. Don't be sick!