Helminthiasis is the most common parasitic infection that affects people of all ages. Doctors cannot give exact statistics on the number of cases, because many do not turn to a specialist when they detect alarming symptoms, but prefer to self-medicate. This approach can lead to serious complications becauseeven broad-spectrum medications may be ineffective against certain types of helminthic infestations, for example, filariasis - infection with filamentous nematodes.
In total, more than 400 varieties of helminths are known that can parasitize the human body, and it is possible to accurately determine which of them caused the disease only after a laboratory examination of stools. It is necessary to consult a doctor (general practitioner, proctologist or infectious disease specialist) if signs of helminthic infestation are detected. The difficulty of rapid diagnosis in almost half of cases lies in the absence of typical symptoms of helminthiasis. It is therefore important to know which signs can be indirect manifestations of helminthiasis. It is recommended that adults undergo a preventive stool test, as well as a scraping for enterobiosis, at least once a year.
How can you get infected?
Most patients think of helminthic infestation as "dirty hands disease. "This statement is only half true. Some varieties of worms, for example cestodes and other flatworms, can actually live in soil and sand. So, in the absence of sufficient hand hygiene, a person can become infected with helminthiasis, but this route of transmission is typical mainly for children of the younger age group (from 1 to 6 years old). In adults, the main source of infection is poor quality diet (expired dairy products, poorly processed meat, stale eggs) and tap water.
How does worm infection occur?
You can become infected with worms in open rivers and reservoirs. In rare cases, while swimming, a person can become infected with leeches, representatives of the annelid class that cause hirudinosis. The pathology is quite serious, since the main food of leeches is blood and its components, which leads to damage to blood vessels, rapidly progressing anemia and blood poisoning against the background of systemic intoxication of the body. To avoid this, you should not swim in places that are not equipped with "Swimming is allowed" signs. Soil and water samples are taken periodically in summer at specially designated sites and the risk of infection in these places is several times lower.
Other sources of infection for humans may include:
- street and domestic animals (it is necessary to clean the animal's tank only with gloves, and the animal itself must be bathed regularly and treated with anthelmintic drugs 2 times a year);
- contaminated air;
- blood-sucking insects (mosquitoes, ticks);
- dust (including household dust that accumulates on soft toys and upholstered furniture).
Note!Some types of worms can enter the human body through the skin, therefore physical contact with a person diagnosed with helminthiasis should be limited as much as possible.
Helminths spread quickly throughout the body.
Acute infection in adults: symptoms and signs
It is possible to independently diagnose or suspect helminthic infestation at home only during the period of acute and subacute course of the disease. Depending on the type of worms, their number and the state of the immune system, this can range from 1 week to 4 months. Symptoms of pathology during this period are most pronounced, so the chances of timely treatment and reducing the risk of complications in the acute form are maximum.
The main symptoms of acute helminthiasis are disturbances in intestinal function. The patient develops functional intestinal disorders in the form of diarrhea or prolonged absence of stools (constipation is 4 times less common than diarrhea syndrome). The consistency of stools infected with worms is thin, watery, sometimes with the addition of foam. The smell is foul, pungent. The color may vary, but in most patients the stools become lighter and pale yellow. In cases of heavy worm infestation, the droppings may be brown or green. Sometimes they contain streaks of mucus and blood, which are released as a result of damage by worms to blood vessels and capillaries located in the intestinal mucosa.
Among other signs from the gastrointestinal tract, the patient may experience abdominal pain, sudden and causeless vomiting, loss of appetite against the background of constant nausea. Many patients lose weight during this period: weight loss can reach 10% within 2 to 4 months after the onset of the disease. The skin turns pale and a polymorphic rash appears in the form of vesicles or nodules filled with exudate. The same rash can occur on the mucous membranes of the genitals, oral cavity and internal organs. About 10-20% develop acne, boils and comedones during this period. A spotty red rash may appear on the skin of the abdomen and elbows.
Other signs of acute infection in an adult include:
- inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eye (parasitic conjunctivitis);
- swelling of the face, limbs, neck (may be accompanied by dropsy of internal organs);
- feverish condition;
- fever and chills against the background of periodic increases in temperature up to 38°C and above.
Important!Anal itching, considered the main symptom of helminthiasis, is characteristic mainly of enterobiosis - infection with pinworms. This occurs as a result of skin irritation in the anorectal area due to the secretion secreted by female pinworms at night. For other acute forms of helminthic infestation, such a clinical picture is not considered typical.
Chronic infestation: what symptoms to watch out for?
The chronic form of helminthiasis is a very common pathology that develops in the absence of timely treatment during the acute period. Most clinical symptoms ease and lose their intensity during this period, but do not disappear completely. A person may periodically feel mild pain in the abdominal area, nausea, and possibly vomiting immediately after eating or 1 to 2 hours after eating. Rashes usually persist. If the reaction is severe, the patient may feelQuincke's edema is a fatal disease accompanied by laryngeal spasms and bronchospasms.
Anemia is one of the main signs of chronic helminthic infestation (as well as its complication). It manifests itself as abnormal pallor, asthenia (chronic fatigue syndrome) and weakness. A person's performance declines, he or she becomes lethargic, and emotional lability may be observed.
If the hepatobiliary system is affected
The hepatobiliary system, which includes the liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts, is the primary target for parasitic attacks. Worms can feed on liver parenchyma cells, blood, bile components, and bile acids. This form of pathology is manifested by severe pain localized under the right rib in the upper part of the abdomen. The pain can be of a stabbing, cutting or dagger-shaped nature, which is why many people confuse it with an attack of biliary colic (this situation is especially typical in patients with chronic diseases of the gallbladder and ducts).
Obstructive jaundice is another sign that requires immediate diagnosis. Yellowing of the skin and sclera of the eyes can be a manifestation of dangerous liver diseases (hepatitis, cirrhosis) or symptoms of damage to organ tissues by parasites.
Important!Hepatobiliary helminthiasis is one of the most serious types of pathology. In the absence of adequate and timely treatment, the patient may die from acute poisoning and necrosis of liver tissue.
Clinical indicators - signs of helminthic infestation
A doctor may suspect a parasitic infection if the results of three blood tests confirm that the patient has anemia, which is low hemoglobin. For an adult, the hemoglobin level is 120 to 140 g/l. In some cases, for example during pregnancy, this figure may be slightly lower, up to 110 g/l. But the amount of hemoglobin should not fall below these values. Anemia in patients with helminthiasis develops rapidly, since almost 90% of parasites feed on human blood and damage small blood vessels.
Another constant clinical sign of long-term helminthiasis iseosinophilia - absolute or relative increase in the level of eosinophils in the blood. This is a type of granulocytic leukocyte mass, which is the main indicator of the body's allergic readiness. When infected with parasites, it is always accompanied by itchy skin and a polymorphous rash.
How to protect yourself from worm infections?
The basic rule that helps protect the body from the penetration of worms is strict adherence to hygiene - first of all hand hygiene. For washing, it is better to use soap with antibacterial components or natural laundry soap with a fatty acid concentration of at least 72%. Laundry soap has a pronounced disinfectant and antimicrobial effect and provides excellent prevention of infectious diseases. If you are intolerant to the smell of laundry soap, you can use a product with aromatic additives.
Food must be prepared in compliance with hygiene and heat treatment standards. It is recommended to rinse vegetables and fruits with boiling water or wash them with soap, and fry or boil meat at high temperatures for at least 30-40 minutes. The minimum time for boiling eggs is 20 minutes. It is important to monitor the quality and freshness of products and carefully check expiration dates. If the product does not have the necessary information and labeling, it is better to refuse the purchase.
If there are pets in the house, it is necessary to carry out deworming treatment 2 times a year, even if the animal does not go out, because worm eggs can be brought into the apartment with shoesand outerwear. The safest deworming agent for cats and dogs is chicken-flavored tablets.
What to take for helminthiasis?
Treatment of helminthiasis should be prescribed only by a doctor, since all anthelmintic drugs are highly toxic and negatively affect the condition of the liver. The table lists frequently prescribed drugs with a wide spectrum of action, as well as their dosage, but they can be used only after laboratory diagnosis and consultation with a specialist.
Signs, treatment and symptoms of worms in an adult in the intestine
There are about 250 types of worms that live in the body of an adult and which result from the penetration of parasitic worms into the human body, causing various diseases.
The presence of helminths in the intestines of humans is masked under the guise of other diseases.
A person can be treated for an illness for years without realizing there are worms in their body. And only after treatment for helminths will she feel much better.
Classification of helminths
Parasites are divided into 3 groups:
- roundworms;
- flatworms;
- strokes of luck.
Helminth groups are also distinguished according to biological characteristics:
- Biohelminths- tapeworms, pigs and cattle. During adult development, they change hosts from insects to migrating to humans.
- Geohelminths— roundworms, whipworms and many other parasites immediately enter the body of an adult and begin their development from the initial stage.
- Contact- pinworms, dwarf tapeworms. Entry occurs from an infected person.
Where can helminths live?
The parasites mainly infect the intestines of adults. But not everyone knows that there are types that can live in other organs:
- Tapeworms, nematodes and whipwormslive in the large intestine.
- Thermodes- enters the liver and gallbladder.
- pork tapewormlives in any organ of an adult.
Types of microorganisms living in the adult body
In the body of an adult, mainly helminths such as roundworms, pinworms and tapeworms are found. They actively absorb nutrients from the body of an adult, after which metabolic disorders, anemia, significant weight loss and other types of diseases occur.
Helminths in humans:
- Roundworms:infection occurs after eating unwashed vegetables and fruits.
- Broadband:By eating raw fish.
- Pinworms:through contact with other people already infected with parasites and through the use of the same dishes and linen.
Helminths develop over a certain period of time, which usually lasts from 15 to 60 days, after which the chronic stage of the disease appears.
After moving to the chronic stage, a person's immunity decreases. Inflammation begins immediately against the background of weakening of the body.
Causes of worms
Helminth worms in humans cause serious body poisoning. If worms appear in an adult, the symptoms depend on the type of parasite, the habitat and the number of parasites, which multiply several times, even several thousand times, every day.
How long does it take for the first signs to start appearing?
For example, for roundworms, two to three days are enough to notice a poor condition. Most often, infection with other types of parasites occurs in an adult; the first signs appear after 2-3 weeks, but the first symptoms of filariasis can be expected between 6 and 18 months.
The danger is that in some cases the disease caused by worms occurs without visible symptoms. Signs may appear when the parasite grows to enormous size.
- Pinworms— The main signs of the presence of these parasites in the body of an adult are itching, which intensifies at night. The frequency may last one to two days and then not bother you for several weeks. And if the infection is severe, itching can occur quite often.
- Trichocephalosis— a sign of infection with this type of helminths is the development of anemia. Nausea, dizziness, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, and significant weight loss may occur.
- Roundworms- a rash appears all over the body, but can also be located in different parts of the body, nausea, pain in the stomach, weight loss. If this parasite is not detected in time, the integrity of the intestine can be compromised. If the roundworm gets into the appendix, serious inflammation of this organ may develop.
If the number of helminths has increased several times, a high temperature may appear. But in rare cases, the parasitic infection is asymptomatic. But basically helminth infection manifests itself by signs that are not difficult to notice.
At the initial stage of the appearance of worms, it is necessary to start appropriate comprehensive treatment so that this disease does not become chronic.
How parasites enter the human body. Infection
Parasitic infection occurs in four ways.
- Through land and water with egg worms. By communicating with animals and eating food and products on which a fly carrying helminth eggs has landed. Every time you touch the ground, you should wash your hands thoroughly. Vegetables and fruits collected from the site must be washed with water using a scraper or a special sponge. You should not drink water from springs, because parasite eggs most often live in the water. You should not swallow water when swimming in ponds, rivers or other bodies of water.
- From a person suffering from parasites, such as pinworms. Reproduction takes place at night. A female crawls out of the intestines and lays one or more eggs on the folds of the anal passage, after which itching naturally occurs, the person scratches, and helminth eggs remain on underwear, hands and surrounding objects. If you don't wash your hands properly, infection occurs when pinworm eggs get into your mouth. This is the most common method of parasitic infection.
- By eating undercooked and raw meat, as well as raw fish.
- By mosquito bites, flies, etc.
When helminths enter the body, two stages of development can occur: acute and chronic.
The acute phase begins as soon as helminths enter the human body and can last from two weeks to 2 months.
The second stage begins after a person does not get rid of worms and lasts throughout his life. When worms enter the body, nutrients are poorly absorbed.
Where can helminths live?
The parasites mainly infect the intestines of adults. But not everyone knows that there are types that can live in other organs:
- Tapeworms, nematodes and whipwormslive in the large intestine.
- Thermodes- enters the liver and gallbladder.
- pork tapewormlives in any organ of an adult.
Types of microorganisms living in the adult body
In the body of an adult, mainly helminths such as roundworms, pinworms and tapeworms are found. They actively absorb nutrients from the body of an adult, after which metabolic disorders, anemia, significant weight loss and other types of diseases occur.
Helminths in humans:
- Roundworms:infection occurs after eating unwashed vegetables and fruits.
- Broadband:By eating raw fish.
- Pinworms:through contact with other people already infected with parasites and through the use of the same dishes and linen.
Helminths develop over a certain period of time, which usually lasts from 15 to 60 days, after which the chronic stage of the disease appears.
After moving to the chronic stage, a person's immunity decreases. Inflammation begins immediately against the background of weakening of the body.
Causes of worms
Helminth worms in humans cause serious body poisoning. If worms appear in an adult, the symptoms depend on the type of parasite, the habitat and the number of parasites, which multiply several times, even several thousand times, every day.
How long does it take for the first signs to start appearing?
For example, for roundworms, two to three days are enough to notice a poor condition. Most often, infection with other types of parasites occurs in an adult; the first signs appear after 2-3 weeks, but the first symptoms of filariasis can be expected between 6 and 18 months.
The danger is that in some cases the disease caused by worms occurs without visible symptoms. Signs may appear when the parasite grows to enormous size.
- Pinworms— The main signs of the presence of these parasites in the body of an adult are itching, which intensifies at night. The frequency may last one to two days and then not bother you for several weeks. And if the infection is severe, itching can occur quite often.
- Trichocephalosis— a sign of infection with this type of helminths is the development of anemia. Nausea, dizziness, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, and significant weight loss may occur.
- Roundworms- a rash appears all over the body, but can also be located in different parts of the body, nausea, pain in the stomach, weight loss. If this parasite is not detected in time, the integrity of the intestine can be compromised. If the roundworm gets into the appendix, serious inflammation of this organ may develop.
The first symptoms of worms in humans appear as follows:
- constant itchy rash;
- swelling, both over the whole body and in places;
- cough, choking;
- inflammation of the lymph nodes;
- weakness, fatigue;
- pain in the joints, lower abdomen;
- serious diseases;
- diarrhea, constipation, bloating, intestinal pain;
- damage to the central nervous system.
If the number of helminths has increased several times, a high temperature may appear. But in rare cases, the parasitic infection is asymptomatic. But basically helminth infection manifests itself by signs that are not difficult to notice.
At the initial stage of the appearance of worms, it is necessary to start appropriate comprehensive treatment so that this disease does not become chronic.
Tests to detect parasites in adults
To diagnose the presence of worms in the body of an adult, a stool sample is collected for research purposes. For certain types of helminths, additional tests are carried out:
- scrapings from the anal canal are collected for the presence of egg worms in an adult;
- in women, scrapings are collected from the vagina, navel region, and inguinal folds;
- perform an immunological test;
- urine and blood tests are performed.
If there are isolated individuals of helminths in the body, the symptoms appear unnoticed by an adult. If there are a large number of parasites in the body, the symptoms appear quite complex. Especially with a certain type of worms, people suffer in the evening and night.
To eliminate parasites from the human body, the doctor prescribes individual treatment.
Treatment of helminthic infestations
In the modern world, there are many preventive measures and treatment methods, which have their own specialization for treating various types of parasites.
There are about 70 types of helminths in our country. Only after examining the tests are precise treatment and medications prescribed, since these drugs are very toxic. In addition, for all kinds of parasites, appropriate treatment is prescribed.
The treatment may be repeated as there is a risk of reinfection.
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Treatment can also be carried out using traditional methods. Proven methods are considered effective. These include eating pumpkin seeds and tansy.
In the modern world, it is believed that it is best to eat pumpkin seeds in the morning on an empty stomach. You should eat 300 grams of seeds per hour. It is advisable to grind and add honey. Do not eat anything for four hours and cleanse your stomach using a laxative and an enema.
Repeat treatment is recommended after two weeks. It is also believed that carrots or carrot juice will help fight parasites. A decoction of wormwood herb will help eliminate the problem, it should be used orally or as an enema.
Worm prevention. Why is it?
You should lead a healthy lifestyle, drink purified or boiled water, use personal hygiene items as well as your own dishes, linens and other personal items.
All animal vaccinations must be carried out on time. Before consumption, you must carefully wash vegetables and fruits and reheat meat and fish. For prevention, take medication against parasites. You should not eat raw, dried or dried fish from fresh water bodies. To avoid infection with helminths, it is enough to follow the rules of prevention.