Worms in humans are the cause of the development of diseases, united by the common name of helminthiases. Worms are parasitic worms that can be found in almost all organs of our body: intestines, muscles, lungs, liver, heart and even eyes.
In the presence of worms in humans, the symptoms do not always manifest, if they arise, then masquerading as other diseases of the liver, gastrointestinal tract, gallbladder, etc. Sometimes these symptoms are so blurred that it is very problematic to establish the cause of this or that problem, especially if it concerns children.
To date, a lot of parasites are known that can infect the human body. In total there are about 150 species of helminthiases. All worms in shape and structure of the body are divided into two large groups: roundworms or nematodes, and flatworms.
Most often, children are infected with worms, and ascariasis and enterobiasis are the most common forms of helminthiases (caused by parasitic worm diseases). The most dangerous worms that can live in the human body are echinococcus and alveococcus. For each group of parasites, special means have been developed, the treatment of which will allow the withdrawal of worms from the body of an adult, or a child.
Types of worms in humans
There are more than two hundred species of glistens that infect humans. Most of them are not found in the middle belt, therefore about sixty species are distributed in Russia. Parasites are subdivided into contact (worms transmitted from one person to another), geogelmintoses (the larva lives in the soil, and the invasion occurs when soil particles enter the food) and biohelminthoses (parasites pass into the human body through the meat of infected animals or fish).
.Let's name some of the most common groups of worms in humans:
- Ringworms - pinworms, roundworms, whipworm, trichinella;
- Tape worms - different types of chain, echinococcus, ribbons;
- Flat worms - all sorts of trematodes, flukes.
Let us consider in more detail each of the types of worms that can live in the body of an adult.
- Roundworms - large round worms, red-yellow color, in the adult state reaching a length of up to 40 cm.
- Vlasoglav is a round worm 30-50 mm long, named after the shape of the body: the front part is long and narrow, like a hair, and the back is short and wide.
- A wide ribbon is a large tapeworm, reaching a length of about 10 meters, there may be individuals over 20 meters long.
- Ankylostomy is the combined name of two types of worms: hookworms of the duodenum, and a non-cavernous, roundworm 10-15 mm in length.
- Trichinella - small round worms 2-5 mm long, causing a serious disease - trichinosis.
- Hepatic fluke (cat's fluke) is a flat worm from the flukes class 7-20 mm in length. The disease caused by this parasite is called "opisthorchiasis"
- Pork and bovine tapeworm are similar in structure to tapeworms up to 6 meters in length.
- Echinococcus parasitizes in the human body not in its adult form, but in the form of an intermediate form - the Finns. The echinococcus itself is a ribbon worm 3-5 mm in length
- Alveococcus is a similar echinococcus worm, with a similar structure and mechanism of development.
Symptoms and signs of infection with worms depend on the type of parasite, its location in the body, and also on the stage of its development.
How can I get infected?
The causes of infection with human worms are very diverse, the path of infection directly depends on the type of worms and their life cycle, it can be:
- eating dirty vegetables;
- non-observance of hygiene rules when cooking food;
- weak heat treatment of certain foods, especially meat and fish;
- communication with domestic pets - cats, dogs, some species of rodents;
- non-observance of hygiene rules before eating, after visiting the bathroom, after returning from a walk;
- bathing in infected water.
In the process of their vital activity worms produce poisonous substances that are absorbed into the blood and carried throughout the body, causing damage to the most important organs and systems.
Symptoms of worms in humans
Sometimes worms can for a long time without significant symptoms parasitize in the body of an adult, in some cases, they cause the development of various chronic diseases, cause dangerous complications and even lethal Exodus.
With the onset of an acute period of helminthiosis, worms are eaten intensively in the intestine of the patient human, causing various signs of digestive system disorders: dysbacteriosis, abdominal pain, diarrhea.
Let's see what signs of helminths can be noted? We list the most common, common symptoms of worms in humans.
- Disorders of the function of the gastrointestinal tract - diarrhea, constipation, as well as abdominal pain;
- Pain in joints and muscles - parasites can move around the human body in order to settle in the most convenient places for their life, for example, in the joint fluid and muscles. When this happens, a person experiences painful sensations;
- Violations of the nervous system and general malaise - manifests itself in the form of rapid fatigue, irritability, sleep disorders and memory problems;
- Allergic reactions and skin manifestations - the appearance of acne, acne and other rashes - are also signs of the presence of worms in humans;
- Decreased immunity and, as a consequence, the development of infectious diseases;
- Sharp decrease in body weight;
- Anemia - some worms suck blood from the walls of the intestine like leeches;
- Grinding of teeth in a dream, and sleep disturbance;
- Itching in the anus, especially at night. At this time, the female actively lays eggs, thereby causing itching in the anus;
- Enlargement of lymph nodes, subfebrile body temperature;
- Inflammation of the airways - cough, fever, sputum, runny nose - that's how the presence of worms can manifest.
The specific first signs will directly depend on the pathogen, and the location of the worm localization in the human body. For example, large worms, trematodes and chains like to parasitize in the liver, this can lead to - dystrophy of the hepatic cells, blockage of the bile ducts, thrombi, cirrhosis. Ascarids and pinworms live in the intestines, so they will go along with the feces. To find out how to remove these worms from a person, you should consult a doctor, he will appoint a suitable remedy.
Symptoms of infection with worms can appear at various times from the moment of infection with worms. So, the first symptoms of ascariasis appear after 2-3 days. For most of all other helminthic invasions, the symptoms appear after 2-3 weeks.
Most often, the main signs of infection with worms in an adult are allergic manifestations in the form of itching and rash, edema, weakness, muscle pain, headache, fever, muscle and joint pain, increased eosinophilia in the blood and etc.
Being parasites, worms feed at the expense of the organism of their host. In doing so, they absorb a significant amount of proteins and carbohydrates, mineral elements, vitamins and other nutrients. Helminthiasis can be acute and chronic. The first last 2-3 weeks and often manifest allergies, the chronic stage can last for months, years and even decades.
Self test
A test for the definition of a possible helminthic invasion
To determine the worms in the body, you need to answer the following questions and count the number of positive answers:
- There is bitterness in the mouth;
- Rapid fatigue, constant fatigue;
- Work in a children's institution or in a family is a child of preschool age;
- There is an unmotivated rise in body temperature;
- Skin and mucous membranes yellow;
- Periodically or constantly there is an itch in the anus;
- There are rashes on the skin;
- Often there is a headache, dizziness;
- There is nausea, or nausea, vomiting;
- Often there is swelling, flatulence, constipation, diarrhea;
- Restless sleep, insomnia, crying in a dream;
- Swollen legs (causes);
- Allergic reactions - urticaria, bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis, allergic cough;
- Enlarged lymph nodes;
- There are pains in the abdomen, self-stopping;
- Work related to animals, or the presence of pets;
- There are muscle and joint pains without exercise;
- You snore or creak with your teeth at night;
- Like to eat meat with blood, dried fish, fat with streaks of meat, sushi;
- Decreased your weight against the background of a decrease or the opposite increase in appetite;
- You often eat raw fruits, vegetables, herbs, berries, not washed or scalded with boiling water before consumption.
If positive answers are seven, then there is a probability of the presence of worms in the body. If positive answers are more than 15, the probability of invasion is high. This is an unambiguous reason to call a specialist and conduct a qualitative diagnosis.
Diagnosis of worms is aimed at detecting the parasite itself or its eggs and larvae in feces, antibodies to them in the blood or other biological substances.
Analysis of feces and scraping of eggs in the worm
Worms are mainly intestinal parasites. It is through the intestines that their eggs are allocated. Therefore, for their diagnosis, feces are taken for analysis. In the pharmacy for collecting feces you can buy a special container, although you can also use a matchbox or jar.
So, for the analysis, you need a container for collecting material and a spatula. If a person sees fragments of worms or a whole helminth, then he should also be sent to the laboratory.
It is not necessary to bring feces to the laboratory immediately after collection. It should be delivered to the study within 24 hours. Until then, the collected biomaterial should be stored in the refrigerator. An exception is the collection of feces for the analysis of Giardiasis. It must be taken warm, as the cysts of parasites are destroyed during cooling. At the time of delivery of feces to the laboratory, the container should be wrapped with a warm cloth.
To diagnose enterobiosis, scraping is taken from the perianal folds, since the females of the pinworm lay eggs in this region. Before the analysis, do not wash for about 12 hours or go to the toilet. Therefore, the optimal time for performing the analysis is the morning hours.
Scraping is performed with a cotton swab, which is placed in a clean container and delivered to the laboratory. You can also use a sticky tape that is peeled off the glass, fixed to the anal region for a while, then torn off and again returned with a sticky side to the glass.
The biological material delivered to the laboratory is studied using a microscope. If a person is infected, the laboratory assistant will see the eggs of the worms, their larvae or segments. Each parasite lays eggs, characteristic only for its species. Therefore, having studied the structure of the egg, you can determine which worm parasitizes in the human body.
If the feces have a worm, then most often it looks like a white strip of different lengths. Worms can retain mobility. Identify the type of worm in the laboratory.
However, with the help of the analysis of feces, it is not always possible to detect worms. For example, the analysis will be uninformative if only the males of ascaris parasitize in the human body, which can not produce eggs.
Blood test for worms
To identify worms by blood, an immunological study is used, determining in it antibodies to the main types of helminths. The reliability and accuracy of the ELISA is equivalent to 95%. With its help, it is possible to detect extraintestinal forms of helminthiases.
Deciphering the results of ELISA in a simplified form:
- Helminths parasitize the body if immunoglobulins of class M (lgM) are elevated in the blood.
- Worms in the human body either were present earlier, or helminthic invasion took a chronic course and caused a weakening of human immunity. Such a conclusion can be made if the level of immunoglobulins IgG is increased, and IgM in the blood is not detected.
In both cases, more in-depth diagnosis and specific treatment will be required.
Worm treatment in humans
The basis for the treatment of worms in humans are specific anthelmintic drugs, adults appoint the time-tested best tablets, such as - pyrantel, mebendazole, albendazole, carbendacim.
The choice of the drug for treatment depends on the presence of specific worms in the human body. In the acute period of the disease, the doctor can prescribe to the patient antiallergic drugs, such as suprastin or claritine.
The most popular pills on the market that are able to remove worms in humans:
- Vermox (the best remedy for trichocephalosis and enterobiosis);
- Nemozol (most active against larvae of echinococcus and nematodes);
- Wormmin and other broad-spectrum drugs containing Mebendazole;
- Decaris and other broad-spectrum drugs containing Levamisole;
- Praziquantel (the best tablets for cestodiasis and trematodes).
Only on the basis of tests, diagnosis, the doctor prescribes the treatment of worms in humans, since anthelmintic drugs are quite toxic. If in the analysis the worms are found repeatedly, the expert determines how to withdraw the worms, offering a new A treatment regimen based on the use of other pills from worms that will better cope with the delivered task.
How to treat worms with folk remedies
Folk methods of treatment include medicinal plants that have a helminthic, laxative effect. Although the effectiveness of these drugs has not been scientifically tested, many of them have been used since ancient times to treat worms in humans at home.
- The best folk remedy is pumpkin seeds from worms. Take and clean the pumpkin seeds (80-100 grams), try not to damage the green peel. Pound them, add 2 tablespoons of honey and 100 g of water, mix. Take this drug must be strictly in the morning, on an empty stomach. One dining boat every hour for 3 hours. After you need to take a laxative, and after 1-2 hours put an enema.
- Garnet. The pomegranate bark contains Punicin, which is highly toxic to worms. Broth of bark on fresh water should be taken three times a day for adults and children suffering from parasites.
- Onion broth (1 onion pour 200 ml boiling water, insist 2 days, eat before eating for 4 days)
With regard to prevention, then to prevent helminthic invasion it is necessary to wash hands with soap after return from the street, meat and fish to be heat treated, do not drink raw water and do not swim in contaminated water bodies.
Prevention is the best treatment
Because of the toxicity of anthelminthic drugs, preventive medication is not prescribed without a serious reason. An adequate basis for treatment may be the detection of worms in domestic animals or one of the family members. Also strict adherence to hygiene rules is mandatory:
- Change underwear 2 times a day.
- Boil and iron hot iron and bed linen.
- After toilet and intimate hygiene, thoroughly wash and disinfect hands.
- Daily do wet cleaning in the house, use disinfectants (especially in the bathroom and in the kitchen).
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