Worm infestations usually cause significant discomfort and health problems to a person. Symptoms of worms can be very diverse: fever, weakness, stomach, headache, etc.
Worms - what are they?
As we have already said, adult worms traditionally have a stable localization in the body, and their developing forms often migrate to different organs and tissues, and the path of their movement is often quite complex. For example, with ascariasis, a person becomes infected by eating food contaminated with worm eggs (ascaris eggs mature in the soil).
In the cavity of the intestinal tract, the larvae hatch from the eggs of the roundworm, which within a few hours enter the blood vessels through the wall of the intestinal tract and are transported by the bloodstream to the lungs. Roundworm larvae grow and mature in the lungs. The growing larva slowly bites the neighboring bronchi and crawls along them, first into the trachea, and then into the oral cavity, where it is swallowed again and transferred to the intestinal tract.
A roundworm larva that re-enters the intestinal tract turns into an adult worm. Pulmonary migration of roundworm larvae is manifested by an abundance of symptoms (cough, asthma attacks, elevated body temperature, allergic rash on the skin), and the presence of a small number of adult worms in the intestinal tract may not be manifested at all.
What are helminthiasis (helmintic diseases) - Symptoms of worms
The term "helminthiasis" usually refers to a number of human diseases, the premise of which are various parasitic worms - helminths (another common name for these parasites - worms).
Unlike diseases caused by bacteria, protozoa or fungi, in helminthiasis, the number of adult helminths (worms) in the body of an infected person does not increase at one time (except in cases of re-infection). This is due to the fact that worms reproduce only outside the human body.
What are they?
Medicine knows more than a hundred types of helminths. The following are the most common types of worms:
- Pinworms are small worms in the human body that reach 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 be transmitted from person to person.
- Roundworms are large round worms that are most often 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 round bodies no more than 5 mm long and cause trichinosis in the body. Larvae and eggs prefer to be in lightly fried meat (boar, pork, bear). In the human body, trichinella takes up to 4 days to become an adult, and its life cycle is 40 days. The main goal of this type of worm is to enter the bloodstream through the intestinal walls and settle in the muscles. Moreover, the muscles of the respiratory and musculoskeletal system are often affected.
- Pork/beef tapeworm. The length of the parasite's body is 5-6 meters, and its larvae hide in the meat of large animals (pork, cattle). The disease caused by these helminths is called taeniasis and taeniarhynchosis. The larvae of both types of tapeworm are whitish vesicles attached to the walls of the small intestine. It takes 3 months for the parasite to reach and form an adult, and the worm develops every day. The total number of segments reaches 2000, the last of which freely "grooves" the large intestine. Then the worms leave the body together with feces through the anus. The most common and obvious symptom of helminthosis is a disturbed digestive tract, as well as consuming food in large quantities, and the patient does not visually gain weight.
- Necator/hookworm. The connection between these 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. Larvae can enter the body only through the skin if the person has been in contact with contaminated soil. Further targets of worms are the lungs and digestive tract. They feed only on the blood that comes out of the blood vessels of the bite. As a result of the strong activity of these parasites, blood clotting is disturbed. Adults consume blood in the range of 0. 1-0. 35 ml per day.
- Echinococcus. In this case, the person acts as an intermediate host, because the final host is wolves, cats and dogs. Animals can become infected through direct contact with contaminated objects or people. As soon as the eggs of the parasite enter the intestine, larvae with six hooks, which in medicine are called oncospheres, immediately develop.
- Whipworms are diagnosed in a person's stomach. They are thin and rather large worms.
You can determine the type of helminth by seeing what color the worms are in the stool when they appear. Infection occurs through vegetables and meat that has not been sufficiently thermally processed. You can avoid infection by following food preparation rules.
How common and dangerous are worms?
Symptoms of worms. Data from modern epidemiological studies revealed that every 4 people in the world are 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.
In our region, there are more than 15 types of worms, the most common of which are enterobiosis (about 90% in the group of helminthic diseases), ascariasis (70%), opisthorchiasis, diphyllobothriasis, trichocephalosis (60%), toxocariasis (60%) and hymenolepiiasis. As it becomes clear from statistics, almost all sick people (especially children) are simultaneously infected with several forms of worms.
Where are worms spread in humans?
Many people believe that worms must live in the intestines, and for some types of helminths this is true. In general, worms can be found in various 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 fatty tissue, eye chamber, blood vessels in the muscles can be affected.
How can you get worms?
How do worms enter the human body? There are 4 main sources of helminth eggs entering the body:
Geohelminthiasis- through the soil (and then water) in which there are mature eggs of many helminths that enter the soil with human or animal feces, as well as direct contact with animals and through the transfer of eggs to food by flies Contact - from person to person They are transmitted as they are knownand the most common worms such as pinworms; it is the greatest risk of infection.
Biohelminthosis- when you eat raw, semi-raw or slightly thermally processed meat (pork, beef) or fish infected with helminths (sushi, kebab, dried fish, fat with meat stains, etc. ) Some parasites enter the body through insect bites
The main mechanism of any infection is usually oral-fecal, i. e. a person simply swallows worm eggs together with food and water, and less often some helminthic infestations occur through the bite of infected insects. Undercooked meat and raw fish are understandable, but how can you get infected with worms through contact and household contact and through soil?
Across the country
After any contact with soil or sand, you should not only wash your hands, but also clean your nails well, it is better to have short cut nails, especially for children. Food products that grow in the ground - vegetables, herbs, fruits, berries, mushrooms, everything connected to the ground should be thoroughly washed under running water and scalded with boiling water. Pets, primarily dogs and cats, walking down the street bring a lot of sewage into the house, 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 transmitters of helminths, being found in public toilets, places where agricultural livestock live, the flies then calmly land on food, spreading their eggs on their wings and paws.
From person to person
With pinworms, infection of others comes very easily. When the female pinworm crawls out of the intestine at night, she lays about 5, 000 eggs near the anus, which causes severe itching; the child, scratching the itchy spot, infects their hands, nails, panties and bedding. Without immediately washing his hands, hundreds of eggs remain on all objects he touches - doorknobs, clothes, food, toys. Furthermore, the process of infection is clear; eggs are also deposited on the hands of another child or adult who uses these items and without washing their hands before eating they end up in the mouth of a healthy person.
Through the water
A huge number of worm eggs end up in open bodies of water and well water. Therefore, those who live in rural areas or in the countryside should use a bactericidal filter and be sure to boil the water; it is also dangerous to swallow water when swimming in open water.
Everyone knows that worms are mostly a problem for children. First, because they are most sensitive to the development of helminthiasis, because the protective barriers in the child's body are not properly formed, and the acidity of the stomach is lower than in an adult. Secondly, children of preschool age, mastering the world, try all surrounding objects not only with their hands, but also with taste. And parents, with all their desire, can teach their child to strictly adhere to the rules of personal hygiene, without reminders, only up to 3-6 years of age, which puts not only the baby at risk, but also all family members. infections (pinworms).
It should be remembered that no worms can reproduce and reproduce in the human body, each species has its own period of time after which they die, 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 feces, or (in the case of pinworms) on the skin near the anus, into the external environment, into the soil, and only then, maturing outside the human body and entering it again. , begin to activate and parasitize.
Symptoms of worms
The development of helminthiasis usually occurs in two phases: acute - from two, three weeks to two months, and chronic - from several months to several years.
The acute phase coincides with the time of introduction and development of the parasite and is manifested mainly by an immune response to foreign antigens and allergic reactions. The symptoms of this stage of helminthosis are similar when different types of parasites are introduced.
The chronic stage is characterized by great diversity: depending on the location of the worms, their number and way of life, disturbances in the work of various organs and systems occur. By integrating into the metabolic system, consuming the necessary substances, the parasite leads to disorders that are manifested by disorders of digestion and absorption of vitamins, proteins, fats, carbohydrates and minerals. Waste products of worms lead not only to the suppression of normal intestinal microflora, but also reduce immunity, promoting the development of chronic bacterial infections, reducing the effectiveness of preventive vaccinations.
The increased risk of malignant tumors is associated with a negative effect on the immune system and enhanced processes of cell division (regeneration) in damaged tissues.
The first signs of the development of helminthiasis can appear from 2-3 days (with ascariasis) to 1. 5 years (with filariasis). Most often, this period is 2-3 weeks. At the beginning of the disease, skin rashes, enlarged lymph nodes, enlarged liver and spleen, pain in muscles and joints appear. Some helminth infections are characterized by specific signs, such as jaundice for opisthorchiasis (liver fluke) or fever, muscle pain, swelling of the face and eyelids for trichinosis.
In the chronic phase, the presence of single specimens of worms occurs practically without any symptoms, the exception may be the presence of large specimens, for example, tapeworms and roundworms. In the case of a wider infection, the symptoms of helminth infection consist of digestive disturbances (nausea, flatulence, abdominal pain, loose stools) and some specific signs. With enterobiasis, for example, it is itching in the anus, which intensifies in the evening and at night.
Trichocephalosis is hemorrhagic (with bleeding) colitis. In hookworm - anemia caused by iron deficiency. Ascariasis can cause mechanical obstruction of the intestines and bile ducts. In helminthosis with liver damage, chronic hepatitis and inflammation of the biliary tract (cholecystitis, cholangitis) develop.
A special place is occupied by helminthiasis with the development of cysts (liquid formations in the membrane): echinococcosis, alveococcosis, cysticercosis. Even large cysts cannot be manifested in any way, but their suppuration or rupture leads to severe consequences such as: anaphylactic shock, peritonitis, purulent pleurisy. Helminthiasis can be accompanied by symptoms of vegetative-vascular asthenia and neurotic conditions. Let's consider in more detail 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 simultaneous deworming of all family members (or children's team), strict hygiene measures and repeated application of drugs 10-14 days after the first one.
Folk remedies for the treatment of worms
Traditional treatment methods include medicinal plants that have anthelmintic and laxative effects. Even in ancient times, healers recommended the use of elecampane juice and celandine to expel worms. Carrots and carrot juice also have an anthelmintic effect. Often in the recipes of traditional medicine you can find walnuts, pomegranate, mint, and even more often - garlic in the form of a nutritional component or an enema. Wormwood decoction is used as an enema or orally. Pumpkin seeds are an officially recognized remedy for worms. In folk medicine, the use of medicinal plants is often combined with saline laxatives. Although the effect of medicinal plants is not so great, they can serve as a prophylaxis or 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 addition of bacterial infections at the sites of mechanical damage is a common complication that hides the presence of parasites in the body. For impressionable people, the sight of a parasite (for example, when it is expelled) can cause serious psychological trauma, which requires long-term rehabilitation treatment.
Prevention of worms
It includes timely recognition and treatment of sick people and animals, adherence to personal hygiene measures (hand washing before eating, thorough washing of food products, painstaking thermal processing of food, especially meat and fish).
FAQ
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 in a person, you can do a stool test for worm eggs or do a blood test for the presence of antibodies to worms. The doctor may also prescribe an ultrasound or other diagnostic procedures to confirm the diagnosis.
What precautions can be taken to prevent worm infections?
In order to prevent hookworm infection, it is recommended to wash your hands regularly with soap and water, especially before eating and after using the toilet. You should also avoid contact with contaminated soil or water, drink only clean drinking water, and cook food properly to destroy any possible worm eggs.
Useful tips
Tip #1
Note changes in appetite and weight. If you or your child feels constant hunger or, conversely, loss of appetite, this may be a sign of a helminthic infection.
Tip #2
Pay attention to the condition of your skin and hair. If you or your child develop a rash, itching or changes in hair texture (such as brittleness or hair loss), it may be due to the presence of worms.
Tip #3
Pay attention to the work of the gastrointestinal tract. If you or your child often experience abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhea, it may be due to a worm infection.