When it comes to parasites in the body, most people think of worms in the gut. However, other parasites are also common, which are quite difficult to diagnose and affect other organs, not the gut.
These are the simplest microscopic (most often parasites), which may not appear in any way for a long time. However, the simplest parasites can cause significant damage to the body.
Giardia
Giardia is a microscopic flagellated parasite that has two nuclei and two sets of organelles.
Giardiasis in humans is caused by the most common type of parasite: intestinal lamblia. In addition to humans, other mammals and birds can also be infected. The parasite can form a cyst in the localization organ.
Giardia is present in poorly treated tap water, as well as in natural sources: springs, wells. They can be found in the meat of an infected animal or bird, in small quantities in the feces of an infected animal, sometimes they survive in the soil, so they are present on vegetables and berries.
Usually, infection occurs via the fecal-oral route, that is, for the development of the invasion it is necessary to swallow a significant number of parasitic cysts. Usually, children from the age of three months and adults are sick.
Most often, the disease is asymptomatic, and the patient becomes acquainted with it by chance. But sometimes there is some symptomatology (constantly or intermittent). Symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract are revealed:
- Stomach ache;
- swelling;
- Nausea, sometimes vomiting;
- Rumbling in the stomach
- Constipation and diarrhea alternate;
- Dyskinesia of the biliary tract;
- Skin allergies;
- General weakness.
Like intracellular parasites, lamblia is treated primarily with metronidazole. However, at the first stage of therapy, it is necessary to remove intoxication and normalize the work of the bile ducts. Only then is antiparasitic therapy prescribed. Thereafter, therapy is carried out aimed at restoring the body's defenses and increasing immunity.
Amoeba
Amoebas are the simplest human parasites that cause amoebic dysentery or amoebiasis.
There are also varieties of amoebas that can affect the eyes. They cause amoebic encephalitis, but are less common. Invasion is not the most common, only 10% of people are sick with it, according to the WHO (while for giardiasis, this figure, according to some sources, is 50%).
The amoebas are transmitted exclusively by the fecal-oral route, that is, as in the previous case, the amoebas form cysts that must be ingested for the infection to develop.
The likelihood of getting the infection is higher in countries with hot climates and poor sanitary conditions. Cysts can retain the ability to infect for a long time while in soil, water, vegetables and berries grown on contaminated soil. Cockroaches and flies carry these cysts to some extent.
Like intracellular parasites, amoebas cause symptoms only 7-10 days after infection. Symptoms of colitis appear: abdominal pain (in the lower part), general weakness, slight increase in body temperature. Most often, the liver is affected, because after two to three weeks pains appear, the organ grows and thickens.
Toxoplasma
Toxoplasmosis is a disease that causes Toxoplasma gondi. This is the simplest organism, mainly distributed by the representatives of the feline family who are its carriers. Even an infected person is able to spread it.
It is transmitted by the fecal-oral route. You can get infected by eating poorly processed meat from infected animals and birds, as well as eggs. To a lesser extent, but still susceptible to being transmitted through blood, in the presence of wounds (for example, when working with contaminated soil in the garden), as well as in contact with mucous membranes.
It is mostly asymptomatic and is diagnosed by chance, like many viruses, for example, during an enzyme-linked immunosorbent test. In the acute form, treatment often occurs independently. Pregnant women require treatment with pyrimethamine drugs (used to treat intracellular parasites).
Plasmodium
Plasmodia are intracellular parasites that cause malaria. Five types of pathogens are capable of parasitizing in humans. In addition, they are localized in the blood, being on the membranes of its cells.
The disease is transmitted through the blood (for example, through a transfusion). It is also tolerated by some types of mosquitoes when bitten, as it is the mosquitoes that are the intermediate hosts of the plasmodium. As a result, the person becomes infected with malaria.
These mosquitoes (and, consequently, the disease) are common in hot countries, mainly in Africa.
Malaria has severe symptoms that begin 5-7 days after infection. The first symptoms are joint pain, fever, severe chills. Then headache, enlarged spleen join.
The treatment is carried out with quinine preparations strictly under the supervision of a doctor.
Trichomonas
These are the simplest human parasites that cause trichomoniasis. It affects the human genitourinary system. It is the most common sexually transmitted disease and also the most common disease of the genitourinary system.
Transmitted exclusively through sexual contact. In women they live in the vagina, Trichomonas in men - in the urethra, seminal vesicles, prostate gland.
In women, the symptoms are as follows: vaginal discharge, itching and redness of the skin of the genitals, pain during urination and sexual intercourse, inflammation of the vaginal mucosa. In men: discharge from the urethra (rarely, with blood), pain when urinating, symptoms of prostatitis with damage to the prostate gland.
It is necessary to treat the disease in both partners. It is treated with anti-trichomonas drugs strictly individually and under the supervision of a doctor. In some cases, immune or symptomatic therapy is required.