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Parasitic infections: causes, symptoms.

Parasitic infections represent a wide range of symptoms and diseases caused by the entry of eggs or adult parasites into the human body.Often the first signs of the disease cannot be detected for several days, and in some cases, several months or even years.This is due to the life cycle of parasites and their main functions: good mimicry and maintenance of their own life by receiving nutrients from the host's body.

Types of parasites and their characteristics

Parasitic infections, depending on some properties of their manifestation, are divided into three groups:

  1. Ectoparasites.
    The main location is the surface of the human body.These include lice, fleas, ticks and bedbugs.They feed mainly on human blood, although in some cases, as in the case of the mites that cause demodicosis, the main food is the secretion of sebaceous glands or dead epithelial (skin) cells.EctoparasitesThe first signs of a parasitic infection are quite easy to recognize, as they cause itching and burning in their habitat.Some ectoparasites carry serious diseases: typhus, anthrax, encephalitis and trypanosomiasis.They cause enormous harm to human health, including death.
  2. Endoparasites (protozoa).
    It mainly affects the internal organs.They have a unicellular structure, hence the name protozoa.Despite this, they can lead to serious forms of disease.The main diseases of this group are parasitic blood infections caused by toxoplasma and intestinal infections caused by amoeba or giardia.
  3. Helminths.
    They are the causative agents of the most common forms of parasitic infections.In the human body their development cycles take place mainly in the intestine and tissues, where the manifestation of disease symptoms begins.

Nematodes (roundworms)

These are parasites whose body is round in cross section.The sexual characteristics are easily distinguishable.Females are generally larger than males.But representatives of this class also have hermaphrodites.All nematodes go through developmental stages: egg, larva and adult.This class includes:

  1. Pinworms.The disease is caused by enterobiasis.It mainly affects preschool and primary school children.
  2. Whipworms.Causes the disease trichuriasis.It has a distinctive body shape.2/3 of the body length has a thin diameter, resembling a human hair or thread.The other end of the body has a larger diameter and contains the intestine.
  3. Ascaris.The disease is caused by ascariasis.Adults reach sizes of 25 cm (males) and 40 cm (females).After the larva enters the human body, it passes through the stomach and enters the small intestine.From there, through the pores with blood flow, it enters the liver, then the heart and then the lungs, where it develops within 7-10 days.Then the larvae begin to move up towards the larynx.Once they reach the oral cavity, they are swallowed again.Once in the small intestine, the larvae cannot re-enter the bloodstream through the pores due to their large size.There they become adults within 2-3 months.Then playback begins and the cycle repeats.The female can lay more than 200 thousand eggs per day.
Nematodes

Tapeworms (tapeworms)

These are parasites whose body resembles the shape of a ribbon.A distinctive feature of this class is the absence of a digestive system.These include:

  1. Echinococcus.The disease is caused by echinococcosis.This parasite is small (2-9 mm) and consists of several segments and suckers.The uterus of a sexually mature individual contains a large number of eggs, inside which larvae are located.The main places of localization of echinococcus are the liver and lungs.There it causes a chronic disease called a hydatid cyst.
  2. Bull tapeworm.Causes the disease teniarrhiasis.In the larval stage it has an intermediate host: livestock.Once in the human body, it develops in the small intestine to the ribbon stage.The body of an adult parasite has up to 1000 segments and can reach 4-10 meters in length.
  3. Pork tapeworm.Causes the disease taeniasis.Externally, it is very similar to the bull tapeworm.It also has intermediate hosts: pigs, dogs, camels, hares and rabbits.In humans it is a parasite in the intestine.The size of an adult individual does not exceed 4 meters in length.
  4. The tapeworm is large.The disease is caused by diphyllobothriasis.It lives in freshwater bodies of water.Uses crustaceans and fish as intermediate hosts.In the human body, it parasitizes the small intestine.An adult can reach several meters in length.

Flatworms (flukes)

During their life cycle, these parasites can change several intermediate hosts.In humans they can be parasitized in any organ.This group includes:

  1. Schistosomes.The disease is caused by schistosomiasis.They can enter the human body through contact with contaminated fresh water.The parasite penetrates the skin and enters the circulatory system, where it begins to actively multiply.Females can produce 300 to 3000 eggs per day.Furthermore, with blood flow, the ovules spread throughout the body and continue their development in any organ.Their body length does not exceed 0.1-0.2 cm.
  2. Liver flukes.The disease is caused by opisthorchiasis.The length of an adult varies from 3 to 5 cm.When it enters the human body, it parasitizes the bile ducts, gallbladder, liver and pancreas.It is fixed in these organs using suction cups located on the body.
Liver flukes

Ways of penetration of parasites into the human body

  1. The nutritional route of infection is considered the most common.A person becomes infected with the parasite by eating poorly washed fruits and vegetables.Meat that has not undergone sufficient heat treatment is especially dangerous.Also, a person becomes infected with a parasitic infection if personal hygiene rules are not followed.For example, don't wash your hands before eating.
  2. Transplacental route.The parasitic infection is transmitted from the pregnant woman to the baby through the placenta.For example, these are diseases such as toxoplasmosis, malaria or hookworm.
  3. Percutaneous route.The parasite enters the human body through the skin.These are mainly schistosomes and hookworms.
  4. Contact path.The parasite is transmitted through dirty hands, contaminated personal items and underwear.This is how lice, scabies and pinworms are most often transmitted.
  5. Transmission path.Infection occurs after the bite of insects carrying parasites.For example, malaria.

Symptoms

Many parasitic diseases have no symptoms in the early stages.This is due to the developmental stages of the pathogen.Each individual type of parasite manifests itself differently as it grows.Common general symptoms of parasitic infection include:

  1. Itching.
  2. Redness of the skin like hives.
  3. Diarrhea.
  4. Constipation.
  5. Flatulence.
  6. Nausea, vomiting.
  7. Spasms and pain in the gastrointestinal tract.
  8. Lose body weight without dieting or increasing physical activity.
  9. Feverish condition.
  10. High body temperature (38-40 ˚C) for a long period.
  11. Prolonged attacks of dry cough.
  12. Swollen lymph nodes.
  13. Painful sensations in the muscles.
  14. Psycho-emotional disorders.

Diagnostics

Diagnostics

If the presence of parasitic diseases is suspected, it is necessary to undergo a series of tests.Diagnosis of parasitic infections allows you to determine the presence or absence of a parasite, its type and location in the body.The data obtained will help the doctor make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment.

Diagnostic methods include:

  1. Stool examination.It allows you to determine the presence of most types of parasites living in the intestine.Their eggs, larvae and body segments are excreted in the feces.There are two types of analysis:
    1. A stool sample is examined for helminth eggs and larvae.The analysis is delivered to the laboratory, where the doctor takes smears and examines them under the microscope.This method is often used, but it is not accurate enough.In order to make a definitive diagnosis, the patient must undergo this test up to three times with short intervals of time.This is due to the life cycle of parasites and egg laying, which are detected with this research method.
    2. Scraping (washing) from the folds of the anus.This test is used to detect only one type of helminths - pinworms.Parasitic infections are more common in children than in adults.For this reason the analysis is carried out mainly for children.The laboratory technician moistens a cotton or glass eye swab in water or glycerin and rinses it from the perianal folds.Next, the resulting material is applied to a glass slide and examined under a microscope.This analysis is also performed by a different method: a laboratory assistant attaches a piece of tape to the anal passage, presses it and peels it off.The adhesive tape is then glued to a glass slide and also observed under a microscope.The parasite is diagnosed quite accurately.Using these methods, the laboratory assistant is able to examine not only helminth eggs, but sometimes also adult individuals.
  2. Examination of cerebrospinal fluid, sputum, duodenal contents (bile), urine.Prescribed based on the results of a patient survey to determine the presence of the parasite and determine its location.These biological fluids are analyzed using microscopy and macroscopy.First, the resulting sample is examined for the presence of adult individuals, and then microscopy is performed to detect parasite eggs and larvae.
  3. Blood tests.Modern methods of blood testing for parasitic infections allow you to determine the presence and type of pathogen with high accuracy.Three types of such diagnostics are used:
    1. Serological reactions.It allows you to determine the presence of antiparasitic antibodies in the patient's serum.This method is considered highly specific, but inferior to PCR diagnostics.
    2. PCR diagnostics.This method is based on the identification of parasite DNA in any biological fluid taken for analysis.
    3. Genetic research.It involves detecting the parasite's genome in a patient's blood sample.This method is used much less frequently than all others, but has high accuracy.
  4. Examination of biopsy material and lymph nodes.For this analysis, the doctor removes a small section of an organ, tissue or an entire lymph node and sends it for histological examination.In this way the presence or absence of parasites is diagnosed.

Recommendations for test preparation

Before getting tested for parasitic infections, you need to prepare properly.If you follow the recommendations, the accuracy of the diagnosis increases, since the material does not contain interfering factors that affect the effectiveness of research methods.

Preparing for a stool test:

  1. Antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and antacids should be discontinued.The use of drugs and other drugs containing bismuth and iron is also unacceptable.
  2. If a barium x-ray examination or a colonoscopy was performed, during which an enema was performed to clean the intestines, a stool examination can be performed only after 2-3 days.
  3. It is not advisable to donate stool if menstrual bleeding begins or if the hemorrhoids worsen.

Preparing for a blood test:

  1. It is necessary to stop taking pharmacological drugs that affect the blood count.
  2. Three days before the test, you should follow a light diet, not eat fatty foods and give up alcohol.
  3. A blood test for parasitic infections is performed on an empty stomach.It is allowed to drink a small amount of clean drinking water.

For other tests, most often no special preparation is required.You will only have to follow the doctor's recommendations.

Treatment

Unfortunately, the symptoms of parasitic infections cannot always be detected in the initial stages of the disease.In these cases, treatment starts late.It is important to understand: the longer the parasite stays in the body, the more difficult it will be to get rid of it.

The treatment of infectious and parasitic infections is divided into two areas:

  1. Symptomatic treatment.Aimed at eliminating the clinical manifestations of the disease.These include lowering body temperature, eliminating redness and itching, and normalizing the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
  2. Etiological treatment of parasitic infections is aimed at eliminating the causative agent of the disease.

In some cases, surgery may be necessary.It is applicable to alveococcosis, echinococcosis and some types of trematode infection.

When the body is dehydrated, salt-containing solutions are prescribed.

Only a doctor can prescribe treatment for parasitic infections based on laboratory tests and patient interviews.

Prevention

It is very important to observe the prevention of parasitic infections.In most cases, this will help prevent pathogens from entering the body.

Prevention

Preventive measures include:

  1. Compliance with personal hygiene rules: you need to wash your hands before eating, after going to the toilet and returning home from the street.
  2. Fruits and vegetables must be washed well.
  3. It is imperative to carry out sufficient heat treatment of meat, fish and seafood.
  4. Tap water should not be used as drinking water, as it may not always be free of parasites.Using household filters as additional cleaning does not help.The best option would be to drink boiled or bottled water.
  5. If pets live indoors, they must be dewormed once every six months.You should also limit contact with your pet if it shows signs of parasitic diseases and contact a veterinary clinic.
  6. You should iron your underwear (especially children's) after washing.
  7. After visiting exotic countries, when working with the land, as well as employees of children's institutions, it is recommended to undergo an examination once a year for the presence of parasitic infections and, if necessary, carry out prophylaxis with drugs.