Worms in humans: treatment

Helminthic infestation is a group of diseases that reveal the presence of parasitic worms in the body.

Worms in humans, the treatment of which requires an integrated approach, cause many unpleasant sensations in their owners.Parasitic diseases caused by various helminths (worms) and/or parasitic worms are incredibly widespread among various population groups. So, trichinosis is often detected in people whose activities are related to hunting or livestock breeding, and diphyllobothriasis is a common disease among amateur and professional fishermen.

Attention!Sometimes it is very difficult to identify the symptoms and signs of worms in humans, and treatment can go in the wrong direction, since helminthic infestation is very similar to the symptomatic pathology of some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. intestinal, with diseases of the liver, gallbladder. and other infectious diseases.

Infection methods

How do parasitic arthropods enter the human body? There are several known methods of infection with helminths:

• through the surface layer, that is to say the earthy soil in which the parasitic worms have laid their mature eggs;
• by contact with infected domestic or wild animals, birds or aquatic fauna;
• by contaminated foods that have not undergone sufficient heat treatment;
• a large number of helminth eggs are found in open water bodies, which is also a source of infection;
• in some cases, the bite of stinging or blood-sucking insects is a source of infection.

However, the most common method of infection is human-to-human infection.

Parasitic diversity

Today there are more than 250 different parasitic worms harmful to human health. The frequency of infection depends on social conditions and climatic zones. Let's determine the degree of danger that certain types of worms pose to humans and the treatment of which requires immediate therapeutic intervention. Let's look at the most common and dangerous types of parasitic worms in the human body:

1. The pinworm is a type of free-living, parasitic nematode whose preferred habitat is the human intestine. Parasitizing the small intestine or cecum, these worms reach the ileum, where they mate. After fertilization of the female, the male ceases his vital activity, and the pregnant female, filled to capacity with eggs, continues its journey through the rectum, crawling out through the lower opening of the digestive tract. After laying eggs on the perianal folds of the anus, the pinworm dies. This movement throughout the body lasts about a month. Traveling through the gastrointestinal tract has its consequences. The appearance of worms in humans, the symptoms and treatment of which are determined by a disease called enterobiasis, is the most common type of helminthic infection.

2. Roundworms are round dioecious helminths with a total length of up to 40 cm. A sexually mature female produces more than 200, 000 eggs whose preferred location is the gastrointestinal tract, particularly the small intestine. Roundworms cause signs of worms in humans, the symptoms and treatment of which are defined as ascariasis - one of the types of helminthic infestation. The free movement of the parasitic worm causes irritation of the small intestine, which affects its permeability. By parasitizing internal organs, roundworms not only affect the gastrointestinal tract, but are also unexpected visitors to the respiratory and/or genitourinary system. Cases of roundworm penetration into the frontal sinus, nasolacrimal duct and external passage of the hearing aid have been recorded.
3. Trichinella is one of the varieties of protostome round parasitic worms, the larval stage of which begins in the elastic tissues of the muscular system, after which mature individuals are sent to the small intestine. Infection with this type of roundworm leads to a fatal disease - trichinosis. Worms in human muscles, symptoms, treatment and diagnosis are determined by facial swelling, rashes, myalgia and blood eosinophilia. A more serious degree of clinical pathology is characterized by damage to internal organs and the central nervous system. It is very difficult to identify Trichinella in the human body. All symptoms occur without any complications. Only after penetration into the central nervous system is it possible to determine the symptoms of worms in an adult. In this case, treatment is aimed at restoring a neurological disorder, for example, ataxia or paralysis of the airways.

4. Intestinal Giardia is a genus of flagellate protozoan parasites that cause protozoan invasion into the human body with primary damage to the small intestine and are the causative agent of giardiasis. By sticking to the walls of the digestive organ, the parasites feed on degradation products. The mature lamblia's favorite food is flour and sweet foods. Coming out with feces in the form of spores, the parasites enter the external environment. Often, during a biochemical laboratory examination during treatment for worms in an adult, Giardia cysts are discovered that enter the body through chlorinated tap water.

5. The provocateur of another type of helminthic infestation is whipworm, which affects the organs of the gastrointestinal system, causing trichocephalosis. A fertilized female parasitic worm releases up to 10, 000 eggs per day. Whipworm larval development occurs without an intermediate host. Worms that enter the body damage the mucous membrane of the colon, thereby causing an acute disorder. In some cases, whipworm is an agent provoking inflammation of the appendix of the cecum, that is, appendicitis. The prolonged presence of a parasitic worm can lead to anemia.

Identify the signs and symptoms of an infection

When worms and parasites are identified in humans, treatment is determined by symptomatic signs and biochemical laboratory test data. Symptomatic signs characteristic of helminthic infestation:

• pale skin;
• general weakness of the body;
• dizziness;
• itching in the anus;
• functional bowel disorder;
• allergic reaction;
• phase change in body temperature.

Toxic effects on the body lead to a decrease in immunity, which aggravates inflammatory processes associated with chronic diseases.

Attention!A characteristic feature of the long stay of parasitic worms is a sharp decrease in the body weight of the helminth carrier.

Home test for helminth detection

Using simple tests, which should be carried out by an infectious disease specialist or parasitologist, you can look for signs of a possible helminthic infestation. Count the number of questions to which you answered yes.

The risk of infection exists with 10 "yes" answers, and more than 15 is already the probability of developing helminthiasis:

• are there any rashes on the body that were not there before;
• if you are bothered by frequent bloating, flatulence, diarrhea or constipation;
• is there constant itching in the anal passage?
• Do you often have headaches or dizziness during the day?
• if there are sudden impulses of nausea or gag reflex;
• Is there intermittent sleep for no apparent reason?
• if the lymph nodes are enlarged;
• if swelling appeared in the legs;
• Are you worried about constant tiredness and tiredness?
• does the mucous membrane of the eyes have a yellowish tint?
• Do you feel constant bitterness in your mouth?
• Are there any allergic manifestations – cough, rhinitis, asthma?
• Do you feel constant pain or heaviness in your stomach?
• is there an unmotivated temperature change;
• if there are children of preschool age in the family;
• Are there any pets or birds?
• if pain occurs in muscles and joints without the influence of physical activity;
• Do people around you complain about your snoring or grinding your teeth at night?
• is there complete indifference to food?
• Do you often forget to process raw fruits and vegetables?

If, based on the results of home tests, there is a risk of infection, you should contact a specialist.

Lung damage

Attention!Worms in the lungs of humans are considered a very dangerous and rare disease. In such cases, symptoms, treatment and signs need to be determined at an early stage of infection, which is quite difficult to do.

The clinical symptoms of the disease are very similar to bronchopulmonary pathology, which is manifested by general symptoms:

• attacks of nausea and/or vomiting;
• difficult breathing;
• wheezing in the lungs;
• dyspnea;
• increased body temperature;
• productive cough and so on.

The causative agents of lung damage are various types of tapeworms, pork tapeworms and roundworms.

Helminthic infestation in the organs of vision

Itching, irritation, increased sensitivity and allergic-type burning of the sensory organ can be caused by worms in a person's eyes; treatment of such a helminthic infestation is a very laborious process. This requires certain skills from a specialist, since the parasitic worm constantly migrates throughout the visual organ. Symptoms can be determined by constant irritation of the eyelids, which resembles chronic inflammation of blepharitis. The photo shows how worms appear in a person after treatment for helminthic infestation of the eye.

How to get rid of helminths: treatment methods

Today, infectious disease specialists and parasitologists have more than 20 drugs and anthelmintic agents, the treatment of which can eliminate worms from humans. Treatment with broad- or narrow-spectrum anthelmintic drugs can effectively combat parasites, provided that the diagnosis is correctly established and laboratory tests for the helminthic agent are carried out. When choosing a treatment regimen, it is necessary to take into account the criteria of age, gender and weight of the patient, since antihelminthic pharmacological treatments are highly toxic. Synthetic dosage forms have replaced traditional folk remedies - garlic, lamb's-quarters oil, fern, etc. After identifying the symptoms, treatment of worms in humans with tablets involves complete cleansing of the body from helminthic infection.

The most effective dosage forms are broad-spectrum drugs capable of resisting most intestinal and extraintestinal helminths. Treatment of worms in humans with tablets is conventionally divided into pharmacological combinations of antitrematodosis, anticestodosis and antinematodosis effects. Here is a list of the most popular drugs that help get rid of various types of helminthic infections:

1. A synthetic broad-spectrum anthelmintic drug from the benzimidazole group, widely used in the treatment of trichuriasis, enterobiasis and other manifestations of intestinal infections caused by nematodes. Active absorption of the drug into the systemic circulation allows depletion of glycogen stores in the tissue structure of parasitic worms. The duration of treatment and dosage are determined by a consultant infectious disease specialist or parasitologist.
2. A drug from the group of imidazothiazoles is a dosage form with anthelmintic properties that has an active immunostimulating effect. Pharmacological treatment paralyzes the muscular structure of the parasite, inhibits its fumarate reductase and weakens the bioenergetic activity of helminths. The drug is prescribed as a dewormer when the following diagnoses are established: trichostrongyloidiasis, ascariasis, toxocariasis, necatorosis, etc. The dosage and duration of treatment are determined based on individual characteristics.
3. Pharmacological drug from the anthelmintic group of benzimidazoles. The action of the drug is aimed at blocking and paralyzing the nerve endings of helminthic parasites. Muscle paralysis does not allow worms to attach to the intestinal walls and feed on decay products. The emergence of parasitic worms occurs in a natural physiological way. The dosage form is available free of charge in pharmacies. However, it is advisable to consult a doctor before use.

Help of traditional medicine

A helminthic infestation is also a psychological blow that an adult tries to hide from others for various reasons. Alternative medicine will help get rid of worms from humans using folk remedies. To combat helminthic parasites, various herbs are used, which are no less effective than medications:

• onion;
• dandelion;
• burdock;
• nettle;
• eyelet;
• tansy;
• garlic;
• absinthe, etc.

An equally common way to treat helminthic infestations is to consume raw pumpkin seeds. However, for complete treatment, it is necessary to consume 150-200 g of pumpkin seeds per day, provided that the duration of treatment at home is 3-4 weeks.

The most effective traditional medicine recipes for removing worms from the body:

1. A half-liter jar is filled to the middle with chopped onions and filled with vodka or alcohol solution. After a day of exposure, the medicine is filtered and used for its intended purpose. Take 2 tablespoons 4 times a day for a week.
2. Crushed pomegranate peel is poured into a glass of vodka or diluted alcohol. The medicine is taken daily, one tablespoon every 3-4 hours.
3. A decoction of green walnut shells is very useful. The product, crushed in a mortar, is poured with alcohol and infused for 2-3 days until a pronounced brown color is formed. Take one spoon one hour before meals.
4. Boil two chopped garlic cloves in 200 ml of milk until completely dissolved. The medicine is taken in a single dose before meals.
5. A teaspoon of wormwood is brewed in 250 ml of boiling water and after cooling, the healing remedy is ready for use. Filtered liquid should be taken one hour before meals 3 times a day.

A very effective preventive remedy is freshly squeezed carrot juice, which is recommended to drink 200 ml on an empty stomach for two weeks.

Prevention of helminthic infestations

Antiparasitic prevention of worms consists of complying with sanitary and hygienic standards, which not only adults, but also children must scrupulously respect:

• You should wash your hands with soap before eating, after walking and being in contact with animals;
• food must undergo heat treatment before consumption;
• Street kebab shops and seafood vendors should be avoided.

In addition, be sure to ventilate the living space daily and do not forget about wet cleaning.

Take care of yourself and always be healthy!