Many people are interested in the question of what the eggs of worms look like, because cases of infection with parasites are not rare. Infestation usually occurs when worm eggs enter the human body. This can happen through dirty hands, food, and contact with pet feces and hair. If an infection with parasites is suspected, the person tries to independently detect worm eggs in the stool. But the eggs are impossible to see with the naked eye, they are microscopic in size and can only be detected during stool analysis.
Roundworm infestation
Infection with roundworms occurs when eating unwashed vegetables and fruits, poorly fried meat and fish. Infection is possible through dirty hands, especially in children. The habitat of worms is the human intestine
Ascaris eggs can only be seen under a microscope. They are very small in size (about 0. 07 mm). Adult worms are also very difficult to see in feces. Only after taking the anthelmintic, the particles of dead worms come out of the intestine. They look like transparent elongated inclusions.
Only a microscopic examination of the stool will help determine the presence of roundworm eggs. Eggs are yellow formations with a shell covered with tubercles. Sometimes the embryo is visible in the fertilized eggs. They are very resistant to environmental influences and can exist outside the human body for many years.
Ascaris eggs
Since it is very difficult to detect traces of the presence of roundworms in the body, you must be aware of the symptoms of invasion: sudden increase in body temperature;
- skin rash;
- choking and coughing (sometimes with blood);
- muscle spasms;
- joint pain.
These manifestations are associated with the effect of roundworm allergens on the body. If such symptoms are detected, it is necessary to do a stool test for worm eggs.
Where to go if you suspect worms?
If you suspect a helminthic infestation, you must make an appointment with an infectious disease specialist. In the early stages of helminthiasis, there are no specific symptoms, so it is quite difficult to suspect that you or a loved one has worms. As a rule, the patient complains of mild weakness: indigestion, headache, apathy.
If the symptoms do not disappear within a week or the condition returns occasionally (for example, once every 3-4 months you do not feel well), you should consult a doctor. Bouts of ill health may be associated with parasite migration.
Pinworm infection
Pinworms can be infected by occasional contact with a sick person (through shared objects, shaking hands). People often get infestations from cats and dogs; worm eggs live on pets' fur. Children are especially susceptible to this disease. A child can become infected with these parasites in kindergarten or from animals. Pinworm eggs can be found on all objects with which the patient has come into contact. They can be found under fingernails, on toys, bedding and underwear. Because of this, it is very easy to get infected with pinworms.
Pinworm eggs
Pinworms lead to the development of a disease called enterobiasis. Signs of infection are as follows:
- itching in the area of the rectal exit;
- diarrhea;
- nausea;
- sudden weight loss;
- flatulence.
Pinworm eggs are not excreted in the feces. Parasites multiply in the anal area, where they lay eggs, which causes itching. In order to detect the presence of these worms in the body, the skin of the anus is scraped and the material taken is examined microscopically. Such an analysis is usually required when the child is enrolled in kindergarten. The scraping is taken in the morning before washing the child, so as not to wash away parasite eggs. Do a triplicate analysis over several days. Pinworm eggs look like oblong white cereal particles under a microscope.
Adult pinworms can be found in the stool of children and adults. They are small white worms about 0. 5-1 cm long, one end of their body is pointed.
Folk remedies for helminths
For diphyllobothriasis, folk remedies should be used only after consulting a doctor. They should not replace drug treatment, but can only complement it. The most commonly used recipe is with pumpkin seeds.
Pumpkin seeds are harmful to many helminths, including tapeworms. They contain cucurbitin, a substance that destroys parasites. The seeds are ground with a coffee grinder or blender and then diluted with water into a paste. For adults you will need 300 g of seeds, and for children - from 50 to 100 g. The prepared product is consumed in the morning on an empty stomach for 1 hour. You should not eat breakfast after this. After 3 hours it is necessary to take a laxative, and after another 30 minutes to make an enema.
When the parasite comes out in the feces, it needs to be examined. You should pay attention to whether there is a head at one end of the body. If it is not there, it means that only the segments have come out, and the parasite will be able to regrow its body and release eggs. In this case, the course of treatment must be repeated.
Whipworms
This type of parasite is quite rare in the central zone of our country. Whipworms often live in southern regions, because the eggs of this worm love warmth. Most infections are seen in rural areas.
Whiplash eggs live in the soil. Infestation occurs through hands, contaminated soil particles and poorly washed vegetables and fruits.
As a result of the infection, a disease occurs - trichocephalosis. The whipworm parasitizes the intestines. This worm causes anemia, because it feeds on human blood, and severe abdominal pain.
Whipworm Egg
Parasite eggs are excreted in feces, but they are very small and cannot always be seen even under a microscope. Only in very severe infestations is it possible to detect eggs in a stool test. They are shaped like a barrel and brown-yellow in color. There are holes on both sides of the egg.
What do worms look like in feces? It is very difficult to detect them alive in feces, because whipworms cannot live for long outside the human body. Only with anthelmintic therapy can you see dead white worms in the feces.
To diagnose trichuriasis, the rectum and sigmoid colon are examined with a special device (sigmoidoscopy). In this way, accumulations of parasites in the intestines are detected. Treating the infestation takes a long time, because the whip eggs are protected by a thick shell.
Diagnosis of helminthiasis
When diagnosing many helminth infections, the first step is to examine the stool. If you find black spots in your stool or white worms in your stool, this test should be done as soon as possible.
However, it is not only feces with black dots that indicate a co-program. Often, even eggs that are invisible to the eye can be easily recognized under a microscope. A more accurate diagnosis of feces by detecting DNA particles of helminths is done using the PCR technique.
If a person has a lot of black spots in their stool, other diagnostic methods include the following:
- Scraping from area near anus;
- Blood testing by ELISA, PCR, RNGA and other methods;
- Be sure to do blood biochemistry and CBC;
- In order to identify the localization of the parasite, in some cases ultrasound, MRI and CT are performed;
- X-ray examination is indicated for diagnosing the migratory stage of helminths.
For certain forms of helminthiasis, an examination of sputum, rectal mucus, urine and gallbladder contents can be performed. An endoscopy is also sometimes used for diagnosis.
Trichinella
This is one of the most dangerous types of roundworms. Trichinella parasitizes human muscles. Severe infestation sometimes leads to death.
Trichinella enters the body by consuming poorly processed meat of wild and domestic animals. Worms are destroyed only at very high temperatures (around 80°C). Worms can be found in salted or smoked meats; such treatment does not kill their larvae.
Possible infection from undercooked meat
Parasite eggs cannot be detected in the human body. The female trichinella carries the eggs inside her body, and then the larva is born. These are worms that reproduce ovoviviparously. Trichinella cannot be detected in feces. Newborn larvae immediately enter the blood and lymph, bypassing the intestines. Larvae die quickly in feces.
Usually, the disease is diagnosed when the parasite has managed to enter the muscles. In this case, the person suffers from the following symptoms: muscle pain;
- swelling;
- febrile condition (high temperature, pain, weakness);
- irregular bowel movements with constipation or diarrhea.
To detect invasion, a blood test with a serological test is performed. This is the only method to detect trichinella in the body.
Article for patients with a medical diagnosis of the disease. It does not replace a doctor's examination and cannot be used for self-diagnosis.
Broad tapeworm
The human body contains only immature tapeworm eggs. They are excreted in feces and enter the external environment. With untreated wastewater, the eggs end up in water bodies and begin their development there. They first end up in the body of freshwater crustaceans. Tank fish become infected with tapeworms when they eat small crustaceans. And a person gets a helminthic infestation when he eats badly fried, infected fish from freshwater bodies or raw pike caviar.
Broad tapeworm eggs
The disease diphyllobothriasis occurs, which is manifested by the following symptoms: pain in the abdominal cavity;
- nausea and vomiting;
- bowel problems (constipation or diarrhea);
- loss of appetite or excessive hunger.
What do helminths from the tapeworm class look like? This is a large parasite that can reach 10 m in length. Only individual living parts (segments) of worms can be found in feces, which look like long (from 30 cm to 3 m) white strips. They should be removed from the stool with tweezers, transferred to a clean container and taken to a parasitologist or infectious disease specialist for analysis.
Microscopic examination of the stool can reveal tapeworm eggs. Their size is about 0. 07 mm. Eggs look like oval-shaped yellowish formations covered with a thick shell. One end of the egg is covered with a cap, and the other ends with a bulge.
Worm larvae can be passed in the feces, but are not dangerous. Diphyllobothriasis cannot be contracted from an infected person or animal. The infection occurs exclusively through the consumption of fish.
Damage to the body
When a broad tapeworm enters the intestines, the disease diphyllobothriasis develops. Helminths primarily affect the gastrointestinal tract. Inflammation and ulcers form on the walls of the intestine where the worm attaches. If there is not one, but several parasites in the body, they can clog the lumen of the intestine, resulting in obstruction. The helminth constantly irritates the walls of the gastrointestinal tract, which leads to disturbances in digestive processes. In addition, it poisons the human body with waste products, which causes allergies. When the parasite remains in the body for a long time, severe anemia and vitamin B12 deficiency develop.
Beef and pork tapeworm
Humans become infected with these types of parasites by consuming poorly processed meat from domestic animals. Worm segments are excreted in the patient's feces. In the outdoor environment, the segments move through the soil and lay eggs with larvae inside. These eggs are then ingested by pets. When a person eats contaminated beef or pork, they become infected with beef or pork tapeworm. To kill the tapeworms, you must boil or fry the meat for at least 30 minutes.
Bull tapeworm
Bovine tapeworm causes taeniarhynchiasis, and pork tapeworm causes taenia. The symptoms of these diseases are similar: abdominal pain;
- constant feeling of hunger;
- nausea and vomiting;
- weakness;
- weight loss;
- diarrhea;
- itching in the anal area when the segments come out.
The worms in the patient's stool are in the form of segments. They look like bright stripes about 1-2 cm long. The segments of the pork tapeworm are longer and consist of 3 segments.
During stool analysis, tapeworm eggs (oncospheres) are detected. These are round formations with a thick shell, inside which there is an embryo.
Infection with pork tapeworm is possible through dirty hands, without intermediate hosts. Segments that are excreted in the patient's feces are dangerous. They can enter the human body from contaminated soil. In this case, the larvae of the pig tapeworm multiply in the human body and cause a serious disease - cysticercosis. This is a very dangerous invasion. Larvae enter the brain, spinal cord, eyes, heart and lungs, causing severe damage. In cysticercosis, the segments and eggs are not excreted in the feces. The disease can only be detected by serological blood test and analysis of cerebrospinal fluid.
Classification
Modern medicine classifies worms that parasitize the human body as follows: Luminal. Such worms live in the lumen of the intestine. These include broad tapeworm, dwarf and bull tapeworm, hookworm, pinworm, whipworm, roundworm, etc.
Factory. Such worms choose for their habitat muscle and lung tissues, as well as organs such as the pancreas, liver, brain, etc.
Depending on where the tissue helminths are located, the invasion may have the following names:
- Filariasis. Parasites live in the lymph nodes
- cysticercosis. The area of the brain affected by helminths
- Echinococcosis. A helminthic infestation is diagnosed in the liver
- Paragonimiasis. Parasites live in the lungs
Flukes
Of the fluke worms, cat fluke (liver fluke) is most often found in humans. The habitat of worm eggs is fresh water. From there, the parasite enters the body of the shellfish and then into the fish. Cats and humans become infected with fluke by consuming poorly processed freshwater fish, as well as through contaminated water. A sick cat does not pose a danger to humans.
Burbot liver with parasites
The most frequently infected are fish from the carp family. Salting or smoking does not kill the parasite. A fairly long heat treatment of the product is required. You can become infected with fluke if you accidentally swallow water from a lake or river. There are known cases of invasion after watering the beds with contaminated water.
Cat fluke attacks the liver. There is pain in the abdominal cavity on the right side, nausea, vomiting, elevated temperature. During the medical examination, organ enlargement is revealed.
Adult worms are not excreted in feces. What do fluke worm eggs look like under a microscope? When examining the chair, you can see transparent ovals with a golden shell. On one side of the egg is a plug that opens when the larva hatches. For diagnostic purposes, a blood analysis for antibodies or an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay is additionally performed.
How to find out if there are worms?
It is impossible to independently determine the presence of helminthic infestation. In the initial stages, the disease can be almost asymptomatic. The patient does not feel pain, the immune system can suppress the pathogenic effects of toxins and allergens for a while. As a rule, exacerbation begins during the period of larval migration or with an increase in the number of worms. The stronger the infestation (i. e. the more parasites), the more symptoms appear.
However, the asymptomatic course of the invasion is dangerous - the patient infects others, and his health gradually deteriorates. In order to detect the disease, it is necessary to periodically undergo a preventive examination in the hospital. As part of prevention, the therapist prescribes worm tests at least once a year. If you live in an endemic region - once every six months.
What can be seen with the naked eye?
Since some parasites are very small in size, it is not possible in all cases to detect their presence in the body only by the presence of eggs in the stool. Some parasites are microscopic in size and live hidden in the body, not revealing their presence. In addition, they are not always localized in the intestines and can migrate throughout the body. Therefore, serological tests are used to diagnose parasitic infections, which are based on the antigen-antibody immune reaction.
All parasites look different, have their own specific development cycles, different symptoms of infestation and differences in treatment regimens. However, there are a number of symptoms that may indicate a parasitic infection in a person:
- rapid weight loss;
- bowel disorder: diarrhea replaces constipation;
- intense itching in the anus;
- skin rash of unknown etiology;
- stomach pain;
- flatulence;
- loss of appetite;
- inexplicable cravings for sweets;
- sometimes uncontrollable appetite in adults;
- frequent colds due to a decrease in the body's defenses.