Parasites in the human body lead to the development of serious diseases.Their harmful effects significantly affect life expectancy.
According to research, almost all people are carriers of certain parasites (from the smallest, which are visible only under a microscope, to 10-meter tapeworms).Unfortunately, parasites do not only live in the intestines.Their habitat includes: the intestinal tract, muscle tissue, heart, blood, and even the brain, as well as other vital human organs.
No one, not a single person in the world is immune from parasites that enter his body.In addition, the person's age (whether a child or an adult) and status (rich, poor, famous, unknown, etc.) do not matter.
Types of parasites
For example, there are parasites such as hookworms.During its life cycle, it will certainly visit almost all the organs of our body.Why is that so?Because hookworm larvae, once they enter the soil from feces, remain viable for several weeks.And, if they manage to reach the human skin during that time, they will gnaw it and thus enter the blood vessels.And with the blood flow it will be carried to the lungs.Once these larvae are in the alveolar capillaries, they enter the lung alveoli to ascend into the respiratory tract.It will then enter the pharynx and be swallowed.At the same time, during their entire journey, they literally bite through each other.In order to bite through our lungs, intestines and blood vessels, nature endowed them with four protruding hook-shaped teeth.After entering the intestines, the hookworm, feeding on blood, can stay there for up to 14 years thanks to the bite of the intestinal mucosa.According to research, today more than 650 million people worldwide are affected by hookworm disease.
Another parasite, alveococcus (a class of helminths) creates specific formations in the body - fins.This is a capsule consisting of a collection of small bubbles, called alveococcus finna.In this case, the bubbles do not contain liquid.They grow into human tissue through external budding and are similar to a malignant tumor.This disease occurs as a malignant formation. Alveococcosis is rare, but primarily affects the liver and brain.Alveococcus nodules reach 15 cm in diameter.This type of helminthiasis is difficult to diagnose.Therefore, in most cases, the diagnosis is made at a late stage, when surgical intervention is no longer possible.
All parasites are merciless and ungrateful.In order to stay as long as possible in the "master's house", they resort to the use of sharpened hooks, clothespins, plates - teeth made of chitin (the density resembles a nail) or wire hair (whip).These unique devices constantly damage the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, burden the liver with waste, take away food from a person, which reduces immunity, inhibiting beneficial microorganisms.The vital activity of bacteria that synthesize B vitamins, as well as lactic acid bacteria and interferon donor bacteria, is inhibited.And all of that is intestinal immunity, that is, almost half of all human immune mechanisms.
Thanks to our unique camouflage, we can be unnoticed by two or more types of parasites at the same time.In the liver - lamblia, in the intestines - roundworms.Namely, a large number of patients with anemia, chronic fatigue, pancreatitis, asthma, allergies, dysbacteriosis, cholelithiasis and others turn out to be infected with parasites.
If we talk about the symptoms of parasite infection, they may not appear at all.Despite the invasion, a person can feel completely healthy if they have good immunity.He will really be healthy for some strictly individual time.After that, as the immune system weakens (due to stress, illness, surgery), the parasite will continue to send weak signals.They are characterized by pimples on the skin, foul-smelling urine, persistent cough with clear lungs, loose stools with a strong odor or constipation, gas formation and bad breath.Nighttime teeth grinding (bruxism) is considered the most striking manifestation.Symptoms may include drooling, perverted appetite (night or insatiable hunger), food cravings (sour and sweet foods), and belching air.Sometimes you can meet people with increased appetite while losing weight.Unfortunately, the number of possible symptoms is almost endless.Parasites are so "cunning" that they mask their presence with symptoms of the most common diseases.
Parasites that can be acquired from pets
Pets can give us not only their love and affection, but also other, much less pleasant "gifts".In order for doctors not to study practical parasitology about our body, it is necessary to know what exactly threatens us and how to deal with it.
Ascariasis
Who is transmitting?Pig, cat, dog, man.Along with excrement, the pathogen enters the soil, and from it through unwashed hands and vegetables to humans.There are also frequent cases of ascariasis transmission through strawberries, which are tasted unwashed at the market.Ascaris lives in the small intestine of a person for up to 2 years, eating useful substances and poisoning it with the products of its vital activity.Ascaris eggs live in the soil for up to 10 years.
Symptoms: weakness, allergies, rash, poor appetite, weight loss, nervousness, poor sleep.With a healthy lifestyle, there may be no symptoms.If the worms have multiplied and entered the respiratory tract, coughing is possible.
What to do: Pumpkin seeds are useful as a preventative against roundworms - a handful a day.If you suspect ascariasis, have your stools examined at the clinic.This disease is treated with antiparasitic pills.
Giardiasis
Who is transmitting?The natural carrier of Giardia is the cat.Soil or well water may also be contaminated.It can be transmitted from people through dirty hands.It often happens in children.
Symptoms: Giardia settles in the duodenum, clogs the ducts from the gallbladder and pancreas (visible on ultrasound), these organs bother the patient, food is poorly digested and absorbed, poor appetite.
What to do: Take the stool to the clinic.If the diagnosis is confirmed, the doctor will prescribe pills.Do not try to get rid of Giardia with "wormil" - it has no effect on them.The cat should also be treated: buy Drontal or Droncid in a veterinary pharmacy, give according to weight, according to the instructions, once every 3 months.
Toxocarosis
Who transmits: dog, occasionally cat.This is a canine roundworm that does not take root in the human intestines, but penetrates the blood, feeds on its proteins and releases toxins there.It often affects children.
Symptoms: same as other parasites, but nothing in the stool;the blood should be examined.Sometimes toxocara enters the eyes through the bloodstream and a person can go blind.An ophthalmologist can see the pathogen in the fundus.
What to do: if in doubt, go to the clinic for an examination.Toxocariasis is easy to cure, it's just hard to find and suspect it.
Toxoplasmosis
Who transfers: cat.The pathogen lives in the blood.
Symptoms: sometimes - mild fever, weakness, enlarged liver, fatigue, muscle pain, headache.Often there are no symptoms, only the weakest organ suffers.You won't suspect anything from the cat's behavior either, but you can bring the cat's excrement to the veterinary hospital for analysis.
What to do: go to the clinic.
Dirofilariasis
Who transmits: dogs, mosquitoes.After biting a sick dog, the mosquito bites a person and transmits the pathogen.The larva grows, travels throughout the body and stops under the skin or in the eye.There was a case when a 23 centimeter heartworm was pulled out of a woman's eye.A maximum of 3 heartworms can live in one person at the same time.
Symptoms: migrating subcutaneous tumor, feeling of movement in it.
What to do: go to the clinic in the infectious department or to the surgeon to remove it.Keep an eye on the dog: if it walks weakly, drowsily or drags its legs, this is already grounds for suspicion.60-80% of stray dogs have heartworm larvae.Treatment of such sick animals is usually not undertaken, as two out of three dogs die from the toxic drugs, and the one that survives is not completely cured.Prevention method: window nets and mosquito repellents.
Against roundworms and giardia, take a small head of garlic or 2 large cloves, chop it, pour half a liter of hot milk in a thermos overnight.You can already drink half a glass in the morning before meals three times a day for 10 days.The recipe is suitable for pregnant women for whom antiparasitic tablets are contraindicated.Garlic has no effect on dog worms because it lives in the blood and not in the digestive tract.
Self-defense
- Before eating, wash your hands with soap, soaping twice.
- Wash the vegetables and strawberries under running cold water, peel them, put them in 1-2 layers in a colander, pour boiling water over them and immediately rinse them with cold water so that the vitamin C is not destroyed.
- Periodically treat pets for parasites.Wash your hands afterwards.
- If you have an animal at home, sometimes check yourself for parasites and check your children, especially if you have been weak, allergic or have no appetite lately
Well, if you still get sick, see a medical professional as soon as possible.An experienced specialist will prescribe a treatment that will help you recover as soon as possible.