Symptoms of worms in humans can not always be noticed in time. Worm infestation often has symptoms similar to other illnesses, such as allergies or indigestion. Helminths parasitize in different parts of the human body. An infected person can cure liver failure, chronic cold or dermatosis without knowing the real cause of ill health.
What are helminths
Worms in humans are parasitic worms that can vary in size. They can enter the human body through the mouth, nasal passages, eyes, urethra, or anus. Very often, parasites live in the intestine, attached to its walls using suckers, tentacles or special teeth. Parasites can live in the tissues of the lungs and brain, on the mucosa of the respiratory tract, in muscles, in the liver and in the gallbladder.
Worms feed on substances that enter the blood from the intestine, red blood cells and tissue juices.
Classification of helminthiasis: types of worms in humans
Several types of helminths can parasitize the human body. Medical helminthology divides them into groups taking into account the specificity of the body shape:
- Round (roundworms)- have a holistic shape in the shape of a lemon, thread, barrel or spindle. The head and tail of roundworms are slightly pointed. The oral apparatus is characterized as three-layered. Parasites move freely in soil, freshwater and seawater. The human body contains pinworms (which cause enterobiasis), roundworms, hookworms and trichinella, which are considered intestinal parasites. Guinea worms: These roundworms spread through the subcutaneous tissue.
- Tape (tapeworms). This includes the following types of parasites: bovine, pork, dwarf tapeworm, broad tapeworm. Their body resembles a finely segmented ribbon, the length of which can reach 10 meters or more. The front part of parasitic worms is equipped with suckers and hooks with which they attach themselves to the intestinal walls. Echinococci have a complex fixation system: 4 suckers surrounded by two rows of hooks.
- Trematodes (flukes)— this type of worm is characterized by specific habitats in the body: gallbladder, bile ducts. Representatives of the trematode class are the Siberian trematode (4-13 mm), the fluke (3-7 cm long).
The vital activity of helminths interferes with the normal functioning of the human body. The parasites poison the blood with toxins, causing dizziness, itchy skin, coughing and poor sleep at night.
How do you get infected by helminths?
Everyone should know why worms appear in humans and where they live in the body:
- Roundworms and dwarf flatworm tapeworms enter the body through dirty hands, eating unwashed vegetables and drinking dirty water. Habitat: intestine.
- Trichinella, bovine tapeworm, swine - infection occurs when eating poorly thermally processed meat (beef, pork). Location: intestine.
- Opisthorchis, broad tapeworm (class of trematodes or tapeworms). A person can contract the infection by eating raw, undersalted, or undercooked fish. In fish, parasite larvae live in the fat layer and muscles. In humans they are deposited in the liver and gallbladder.
- Echinococci, Siberian fluke and fluke are transmitted through contact with an infected dog; less commonly, the source of the infection is cats. Helminths can parasitize the human liver, lungs, kidneys, and heart. They develop inside echinococcal cysts.
What do worms in human feces look like?
A person may see dead roundworms in the stool 3-4 days after taking anthelminthic tablets. The length of these parasites living in the human body can reach 40 cm, their edges are sharp, and their body is white.
Pinworms usually leave the body alive a few hours after consuming milk with garlic, too salty or spicy foods. Small white worms (up to 12 mm long) with sharp edges are clearly visible in the feces and around the anus.
Large flatworms or tapeworms are almost impossible to see entirely (3 to 10 m long). After the bait, the worms come out of the body in rotten fragments.
Signs of the presence of worms in humans
With helminth infestation, symptoms in adults and children usually resemble the manifestations of other diseases. This is due to the location (respiratory tract, liver, gall) and the life process of the worms.
During the acute period
The acute phase is believed to be asymptomatic. But in most cases, the first signs of worms are mild and the person ignores the parasitic disease. Less commonly, in an infected person, signs of helminthiasis occur in the body with fever, nausea and vomiting. The person feels weak and loses appetite.
In the chronic phase
Symptoms of chronic helminthiasis depend on the type of worms, their number and habitat.
Intestinal helminthiasis
Symptoms of worms in an adult in the intestine:
- deterioration of digestion;
- urgent pain in the navel area;
- intestinal dysfunction;
- lack of appetite;
- weight loss;
- pale skin;
- bruises under the eyes;
- anal itching.
Against the background of gastrointestinal diseases, intestinal obstruction may develop. The pathological condition manifests itself with paroxysmal pain in the abdomen, nausea, vomiting with the presence of fecal odor.
Extraintestinal helminthiasis
The main signs of helminth infection of the liver, gallstones and lungs:
- constant tiredness;
- nervous breakdown;
- paroxysmal pain in the epigastric region;
- decreased performance;
- greasy, smelly stools (steatorrhea);
- urticaria, skin itching;
- chest pain;
- chronic dry cough;
- change in skin color.
Extraintestinal parasites (giardia, opisthorchis, fasciola) can cause not only headaches or skin diseases, but also depression. Typically, a pathological condition occurs if the symptoms of a skin allergy do not disappear for a long time (itching, dry skin, rash) or reappear after treatment.
How to detect worms: diagnosis of helminth infestations
To diagnose helminths, feces are collected on the worm eggs. But the analyzes do not always give a positive result in the presence of parasites. First, not all types of worms are determined this way. Secondly, the time of submission of feces for analysis may not coincide with the time of parasite reproduction. A repeat test for worm eggs is performed after 2-3 days. If the result in the presence of symptoms is negative, the following examination methods may be prescribed:
- Blood analysis- an increased level of eosinophilic leukocytes and a low level of hemoglobin indicate a worm infection.
- Duodenal sound- helps identify opisthorchiasis, giardiasis and other extraintestinal worms in humans by examining duodenal secretions.
- Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity and other parts of the human body— the gastrointestinal tract, liver, gallbladder, its ducts, pancreas, muscles, brain, lungs are examined for the presence of pathological changes characteristic of the life of worms (seals, cysts, nodes, blockages).
- Chest x-ray- carried out if the presence of pulmonary parasites is suspected (nematodes, echinococci, tapeworm larvae are detected).
- CT scan- to detect worms in the human brain, eyes and lungs.
- Capsule endoscopy— to identify tape parasites.
- ELISA— detects antibodies in the blood against the most known parasites.
To assess the severity of damage to the body caused by worms, an immunological study is prescribed. Helps identify weaknesses in the human immune system. Subsequently, complex therapy for the pathological condition is prescribed.
How to quickly and effectively get rid of worms
It is best to learn how to remove helminths from the human body by meeting with a parasitologist. Treatment of worms without doctor's advice can lead to intoxication and liver dysfunction.
Dietetic and hygienic characteristics
Treatment of helminthiasis in adults and children should be accompanied by a diet that will help quickly remove worms and cleanse the body of toxins. It is necessary to exclude from the menu products that contribute to the vital activity of parasites or intoxication of the body:
- meat, lard;
- all kinds of sweets;
- fresh milk;
- bakery products;
- wheat porridge, pasta;
- coffee, alcohol.
The daily diet should include a salad of fresh carrots, fermented dairy products with probiotics, eggs, freshly prepared vegetable juices, dishes from potatoes, greens and mushrooms. The duration of the diet during the treatment of worms is determined by the doctor.
Hygiene procedures for helminth infestation include frequent and thorough hand washing with soap. The procedure should be carried out before eating, after visiting the toilet and when returning from the street. Bed linen is changed 2-3 times during the week. Be sure to iron after washing. After bathing, take a clean towel every time.
Medicines
Treatment of worms in adults and children is carried out with the following drugs:
- A broad-spectrum anthelmintic drug of the benzimidazole type, effective against nematode worms and trematodes. Contraindicated in children under 2 years of age, prescribed with caution to pregnant and breastfeeding women. The dosage and frequency of taking the drug depend on the type of worms. For roundworms and mixed infestations 1 tablet is prescribed. Twice a day for three days. Enterobiasis is treated for three consecutive days, taking 1 tablet per day. The course is repeated after 21 days. Echinococci in an adult are eliminated by increasing the dosage of the drug: the first 3 days - 500 mg in the morning and evening, the next three days - 500 mg three times a day until complete recovery from parasites. The duration of treatment for echinococcosis is determined by the doctor (from 4 to 6 weeks).
- A broad-spectrum anthelmintic drug from the pyrazinisoquinoline group. Contraindicated for children under 4 years of age and pregnant women (1st trimester). Effective against muscle/tissue worms. Urogenital (worms live in the blood vessels near the bladder), intestinal and abdominal schistosomiasis are treated with a single dose of the drug (40 mg/10 kg). In severe forms of parasitic vascular pathology, the tablets are taken 3 times a day (every 6 hours) at a dose of 20-25 mg/10 kg.
- A broad-spectrum drug from the benzimidazole group. Not prescribed to children under 2 years of age, pregnant or breastfeeding women. Adults are prescribed 400 mg/day once, children a dose of 60 mg/10 kg for intestinal helminthiasis. For parasites in the brain, adults are prescribed 800 mg/day, children - 15 mg/kg, the course of treatment lasts 8-30 days.
Anthelminthic drugs are toxic. They are not prescribed to people with liver failure, ulcerative colitis, or Crohn's disease.
Traditional methods
How to cure worms with home remedies:
- Grind flax seeds (1 tablespoon). Pour the powder into 0. 5 liters of cold water. Bring the mixture to the boil, cook over low heat, covered, for 20 minutes. Drink 100 ml in the morning and evening on an empty stomach for 10 consecutive days. The recipe helps against almost all parasites that can live in the human body: pinworms, tapeworms, Giardia.
- Grind 300 g of dried, but not fried, pumpkin seeds. Add enough warm boiled water to the powder to form a paste. Add a generous spoonful of honey. Consume the entire mixture on an empty stomach. After 4 hours, take a laxative. The recipe is effective against intestinal worms in humans.
Pumpkin seeds are an allergenic product, so itchy skin may occur during treatment against worms. An anti-allergy tablet will help to cope.
Which parasites can only be removed surgically?
Surgical treatment of helminthiasis requires the following conditions:
- Obstruction of the intestinal tract: a pathological condition is caused by roundworms, tapeworms, flukes and other worms.
- Perforation of the intestinal wall: the bovine tapeworm makes a hole and exits into the human abdominal cavity.
- Parasitic cholecystitis with subsequent necrosis of the pancreas is blockage of the bile duct by a ribbon parasite.
Most often, surgery is used for echinococcosis. Parasitic cysts in an infected person in the lungs, kidneys, liver, spleen are removed by laparotomy or laparoscopy.
How dangerous is helminth infestation for the body?
If left untreated, the disease takes on a chronic form. The most dangerous thing that can happen in the body during a severe form of the disease is the destruction of the tissues of internal organs, suffocation and the onset of blindness.
How to protect yourself from infections
Prevention of helminth infestation in the body requires that a person:
- Carefully observe the rules of personal hygiene.
- Treat parasites in pets promptly.
- Heat treat fish for 60 minutes, meat for 2-3 hours.
In people with strong immunity, the worm eggs are neutralized, so the immune system must be constantly strengthened. To do this, it is enough to lead a healthy lifestyle and periodically take vitamin and mineral complexes.