Worms remain one of the most controversial topics in medicine.Some doctors still consider nighttime teeth grinding and indigestion to be the first symptoms of worms in humans.
Other experts believe that helminthic infections are not dangerous and advise not to take any measures if parasitosis is detected.
Types of worms in humans
Medical science knows more than 300 different types of parasites that can live in the human body.A worm is a worm belonging to the genus Helmintha that lives in the body of mammals (humans and animals).It cannot cause visible damage to the host.But in some cases, it leads to the development of serious pathologies.
What does a worm look like?It depends on the type of intestinal worm, of which humans have two:
- Wheel.These are the roundworm, the roundworm and the whipworm.Large roundworms can reach a length of 10-40 cm and often accumulate in the small intestine, clogging it.Pinworms are small roundworms up to 1 cm long.Whipworms live in the large intestine and reach a length of 4-5 cm.The eggs of worms look different, but almost all of them are round in shape.
- Tape.These worms include roundworms and tapeworms.They are characterized by a long (up to several meters) body with a small head.In humans, long and flat worms can settle in the intestines, liver and other organs.Flatworms with long bodies and heads belong to this subspecies.They also have suction grooves or suction grooves.
In addition to these species, Giardia and protozoa parasitize the body, which affect the liver and small intestine.All types of parasites are characterized by their inability to fully exist outside the host's body, high reproductive function, and the ability to spread throughout the body.
where do they live
To understand why worms are harmful, you need to know their type and location in the body.When worms initially localize in the intestines, they easily pass through the bloodstream, reaching the lungs, liver, brain, and organs of vision.
Most often, helminths settle in the intestines.There, they damage the mucous membrane, because in order to obtain food, the parasites absorb or chew through the inner mucous membrane of the intestines.
They need constantly digested food or blood for nutrition.The more parasites there are in the intestines, the more nutrients are removed from the host.Toxin poisoning occurs.The waste materials of the worms get into the lumen of the intestine and then into the human blood, which causes general poisoning.
Classification
Depending on the habitat of the parasites in nature, the following types of worms can be distinguished in humans:
- Geohelminths.Part of the life cycle takes place in the soil.Parasite eggs are usually dropped in the soil along with feces, which enter the new host along with the soil, vegetables, and fruits.Geohelminths include roundworms, whipworms, hookworms, and necators.
- Biohelminths.In order for such parasites to grow and mature, they must remain permanently in the mammal's body.The eggs begin to develop when they enter the body of an intermediate host - animal, bird or fish.In order for worms to mature and reproduce, they must enter a new organism, usually a warm-blooded animal or person.Such helminths include tapeworms, nematodes and echinococcus.
- Contact with helminths.The smallest group.Infection with these helminths occurs through direct contact with the owner or his personal items and clothing.Infectious parasites include pinworms and dwarf tapeworms.
Why are worms harmful?
Doctors often debate whether and how dangerous worms are.There is an opinion that no parasite can survive in a healthy human body.If they remain, their numbers will be very limited and they won't do much damage.
Supporters of this theory confirm that every day a person encounters many pathogenic bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms, which the body successfully copes with.
Thanks to natural defense mechanisms, a person can defeat helminths that have entered the gastrointestinal tract or the skin.But if the infection was massive and the parasites found themselves in a favorable environment, then the worms in the intestines or liver can cause the development of many diseases.
The degree of damage to the body depends on how long the worms live in the person.The residence time of parasites depends on their type.Some of them leave the body after a reproductive cycle when a person is infected by an intermediate host, such as cattle tapeworm or cat distemper.But most often parasites exist in the human body for years.
The consequences of infection with worms are a weakening of the immune system, deterioration of digestion and a general weakening of the body, which can no longer cope with normal stress and other diseases.Worm infection is especially dangerous for children and women.Parasites interfere with the full growth and development of the child, and in pregnant women cause miscarriage or delayed development of the fetus.
Symptoms of worms
There are manifestations of parasitic infection that are characteristic of each type of infection and are characteristic of each species.
Common symptoms of worms in adults:
- an increase in body temperature to subfebrile for no apparent reason;
- pain in the abdomen, in the right hypochondrium;
- stool instability;
- change in appetite;
- weight loss;
- weakness, impaired performance, headache.
The following symptoms are characteristic of ascariasis:
- nausea, pain in the abdomen and right hypochondrium;
- a rash that periodically appears all over the body;
- decreased appetite and weight loss.
In case of enterobiasis (pinworm), the following can be observed:
- abdominal pain;
- itching in the anal area;
- change in appetite.
Diphyllobothriasis (long tapeworms in humans) is manifested by:
- nausea, vomiting;
- pain in the abdominal area;
- indigestion;
- weakness, headache, fainting.
If the worms enter the liver, lungs or other internal organs, no symptoms of infection can be detected for a long time.Then the signs of dysfunction of a specific organ appear: cough, skin yellowness, tachycardia.
Which doctor should I consult in case of helminthic infections?
If you suspect worms in your stomach, contact your pediatrician or therapist, who will issue a referral for examination and prescribe treatment.In addition, worms in the stomach require consultation with an infectious disease specialist or parasitologist.
Diagnostics
Helminth samples are detected in several ways:
- Stool analysis and worm egg scraping.Most worms live in the intestines, so eggs or body parts of the parasites can be found in feces or scrapings.The disadvantage of this method is low reliability, since helminths in feces can only be detected with massive infection.
- ELISA for helminthic infection.The enzyme immunoassay method enables the detection of antibodies against parasites.In the acute form of the infection, IgM is determined, and if someone has already had parasitosis or the infection has become chronic, then IgG.
- Blood test.It detects antibodies against certain types of worms.This is considered the most accurate diagnostic method.
There are less common diagnostic methods: determination of helminthic infection with a thermal camera or electromagnetic vibrations produced by parasites.But these methods are not widely used.To confirm the diagnosis, ultrasound of the abdomen, heart, CT of internal organs and MRI of blood vessels are prescribed.
Treatment of helminthic infections
The diagnosis of parasitosis often causes a negative reaction in patients, so they even refuse treatment.So what should you do if you or your family members have found worms?
Today, the treatment of helminthic infections in adults and children is not difficult.There are a large number of drugs against parasites - broad-spectrum or very specific.
In no case should you self-medicate, much less try to remove worms from an adult or child on your own.Each drug has its own level of toxicity and can cause poisoning of the body.Only a doctor can prescribe the right medicine and regimen for its use.
Drug treatment
To get rid of worms, we recommend the following:
- Universal preparations against all types of parasites.
- The drugs are active against roundworms and hookworms.
- Broad spectrum drugs.
All types of anthelmintic drugs only help to get rid of adult worms.Therefore, to completely destroy all larvae and eggs, it is necessary to undergo several courses of therapy.
Traditional methods
There are the following recipes for getting rid of worms:
- Empty powder.Take 0.5 tsp.once a day for 3 days.
- Green walnut shells.It is infused in alcohol for 10-14 days, and 1 tsp.once a day.
- Clove seeds.Chopped cloves are taken on the tip of a knife.The duration of the treatment is 7-10 days.
Diet
When treating helminthic infections, in order to enhance the effect of the therapy, it is not recommended to eat heavy meals or temporarily refuse to eat.And in order to speed up the removal of toxins from the body, it is necessary to drink as much liquid as possible.
Ways of infection and prevention
There are three main ways of infection with helminthiasis:
- Foodstuffs.The most common way of infection.Worm eggs can be transported in water or soil;they can easily become infected by eating unwashed fruits, vegetables and berries.There are many parasites in river fish and seafood, raw meat and dairy products that have not undergone heat treatment.
- Non-observance of personal hygiene rules.You can catch helminths everywhere: in public places, in traffic, in shops, on the street, through contact with street and domestic animals.The only way to prevent it is to check personal hygiene and the condition of pets.
- Contact and housekeeping.This is how helminthic infections spread in groups of children.Members of the same family can also become infected by sharing towels, bedding or clothing.
Do worms spread directly from person to person?This is rare, but in case of close contact with an infected patient, the risk of infecting others increases several times.The only way to prevent helminthiasis is to observe the rules of personal hygiene and careful food processing.
We recommend that you attend annual examinations and tests with your doctor.If worms are not treated, a person's health can be seriously damaged.And the invasion of certain types of parasites is life-threatening.