Symptoms of worms in humans cannot always be noticed in time. A worm infestation most often has symptoms similar to other illnesses, such as allergies or indigestion. Helminths parasitize in various parts of the human body. An infected person can treat liver failure, chronic cold or dermatosis without knowing the real cause of ill health.
What are helminths?
Pinworms 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. Most often, parasites live in the intestine, attached to its walls with the help of suction cups, tentacles or special teeth. Parasites can live in the tissues of the lungs and brain, on the lining of the respiratory tract, in the muscles, liver and gall bladder.
Classification of helminthiasis: types of worms in humans
Different types of helminths can parasitize the human body. Medical helminthology divides them into groups, taking into account the specifics of the body shape:
- Roundworms (nematodes)- have a holistic shape in the form of a lemon, thread, barrel or spindle. The head and tail of nematodes are slightly pointed. The oral apparatus is characterized as three-layered. Parasites move freely in soil, fresh and sea water. The human body contains pinworms (which cause enterobiosis), roundworms, hookworms and trichinella, which are considered intestinal parasites. Guinea worms - these round worms spread through the subcutaneous tissue.
- tape (cestodes). This includes the following types of parasites: bovine, porcine, 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 the parasitic worms is equipped with suction cups and hooks, with which they attach to the walls of the intestine. 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: the gall bladder, the bile ducts. Representatives of the class of flukes are the Siberian fluke (4-13 mm), fasciola (length 3-7 cm).
How do you get infected with helminths?
Everyone should know why worms appear in people and where they live in the body:
- Nematodes and the dwarf tapeworm enter the body through dirty hands, eating unwashed vegetables and drinking dirty water. Habitat: intestine.
- Trichinella, beef, pork tapeworm - infection occurs when eating thermally poorly processed meat (beef, pork). Location: intestine.
- Opisthorchis, broad tapeworm (class of trematodes or tapeworms). A person can become infected by eating raw, poorly salted or insufficiently processed fish. In fish, the parasite larvae live in the fat layer and muscles. In humans, they settle in the liver and gall bladder.
- Echinococci, Siberian fluke, fasciola are transmitted by contact with an infected dog, less often cats are a source of infection. Helminths can parasitize the liver, lungs, kidneys and heart of a person. They develop inside echinococcal cysts.
What do worms look like in human feces?
One can see dead roundworms in the stool 3-4 days after taking anthelmintic 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 food. 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 in their entirety (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 helminthic infestation, the symptoms in adults and children usually resemble manifestations of other diseases. This is due to the location (respiratory tract, liver, bile) and life process of the worms.
During the acute period
It is believed that the acute stage is asymptomatic. But in most cases the first signs of worms are mild and one ignores the parasitic disease. Less often, in an infected person, signs of helminthiasis appear in the body with high fever, nausea and vomiting. One feels weak and loses appetite.
In chronic phase
Symptoms of chronic helminthiasis depend on the type of worms, their number and habitat.
Intestinal helminthiasis
Symptoms of intestinal worms in adults:
- deterioration of digestion;
- pressing pain in the region of the navel;
- bowel dysfunction;
- Lack of appetite;
- weight loss;
- pale skin;
- bruises under the eyes;
- anal itching.
Extraintestinal helminthiasis
The main signs of infection with helminths of the liver, gallstones and lungs:
- constant fatigue;
- nervous disorder;
- paroxysmal pain in the epigastric region;
- reduced productivity;
- foul-smelling, greasy stools (steatorrhea);
- urticaria, itching of the skin;
- 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. Usually, a pathological condition occurs if the symptoms of skin allergy do not disappear for a long time (itching, dry skin, rash) or reappear after treatment.
How to find worms: diagnosis of helminth infestations
To diagnose helminths, feces are collected on the eggs of the worm. But the analysis does not always show a positive result in the presence of parasites. First, not all types of worms are defined in this way. Second, the time of transmission of feces for analysis may not coincide with the time of parasite reproduction. After 2-3 days, a repeat test for worm eggs is done. If the result in the presence of symptoms is negative, then the following research methods may be prescribed:
- Blood analysis- an increased level of eosinophilic leukocytes and low hemoglobin indicate a worm infection.
- Duodenal probing- helps to 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, gall bladder, its ducts, pancreas, muscles, brain, lungs are examined for the presence of pathological changes characteristic of the life of worms (seals, cysts, nodules, blockages).
- X-ray of the chest- performed in case of suspicion of lung parasites (detection of roundworms, echinococci, tapeworm larvae).
- CT- to detect worms in the human brain, eyes and lungs.
- Capsule endoscopy- to identify tapeworms.
- ELISA— detects antibodies in the blood against most known parasites.
To assess the severity of damage to the body by worms, an immunological test is prescribed. It helps identify weaknesses in the human immune system. After that, complex therapy of the pathological condition is prescribed.
How to quickly and effectively get rid of worms
It is better to learn how to remove helminths from the human body at a meeting with a parasitologist. Treatment of worms without consulting a doctor can lead to intoxication and dysfunction of the liver.
Diet and hygiene 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, bacon;
- all kinds of sweets;
- milk;
- baked goods;
- wheat porridge, pasta;
- coffee, alcohol.
Hygienic 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 after returning from the street. Bed linen is changed 2-3 times a week. Don't forget to iron after washing. After bathing, take a clean towel each 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 lactating women. The dosage and frequency of taking the drug depend on the type of worms. For roundworms and mixed infestations, 1 tablet is prescribed. 2 times a day for three days. Enterobiosis is treated for three days in a row by taking 1 tablet per day. The course is repeated after 21 days. Echinococci in an adult are eliminated by increasing the dose 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 and pregnant women (1st trimester). Effective on muscle/tissue worms. Urogenital schistosomiasis (the 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 20-25 mg/10 kg.
- A broad-spectrum drug from the group of benzimidazoles. It is not prescribed for children under 2 years of age, pregnant and lactating women. Adults are prescribed 400 mg / day once, children at a rate of 60 mg / 10 kg for intestinal helminthiases. For parasites in the brain, adults are prescribed 800 mg / day, children - 15 mg / kg, the course of treatment is 8-30 days.
Anthelmintic drugs are toxic. They are not prescribed for people with liver failure, ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.
Traditional methods
How to cure worms with home remedies:
- Grind flaxseed (1 tablespoon). Pour the powder into 0. 5 liters of cold water. Bring the mixture to a boil, cook over low heat with a lid on 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 make a paste. Add a spoonful of honey. Eat the entire mixture on an empty stomach. After 4 hours, take a laxative. The recipe is effective against intestinal worms in humans.
Which parasites can only be removed surgically?
Surgical treatment of helminthiasis requires the following conditions:
- Obstruction of the intestinal tract - a pathological condition is provoked by roundworms, tapeworms, flukes and other worms.
- Perforation of the intestinal wall - the bovine tapeworm makes a hole and exits into the abdominal cavity of the person.
- Parasitic cholecystitis with subsequent pancreatic necrosis is an obstruction of the bile duct by a tapeworm.
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 the helminth invasion for the body?
If not treated, the pathology turns into 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 the internal organs, suffocation and the appearance of blindness.
How to protect yourself from infection
Prevention of helminthic invasions in the body requires a person to:
- Carefully observe the rules of personal hygiene.
- Treat parasites in pets promptly.
- Thermally process fish for 60 minutes, meat for 2-3 hours.
In people with strong immunity, 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.