A rather serious problem can be a helminth infection on the human body. Invasion can manifest in anyone, regardless of a person's sex, age, and social status.
Worms can settle in the small or large intestine, entering it in different ways.
They have a serious toxic effect on entire organ systems, producing products of their vital activity.
All this negatively affects a person's resistance to all kinds of infections that attack the body.
Divide worms into types
Today, more than 300 different helminthic diseases are known. They are stimulated by nematodes and cestodes.
The first are roundworms, while the latter are flatworms. They parasitize various organs and their tissues.
It is for this reason that experts have carried out the work of classifying parasites. Two groups of worms are known for their ability to parasitize the human body:
- intestine;
- gastrointestinal.
Representatives of the intestinal group settle in the area of the small intestine or large intestine, while the second group of intestines lives in the heart, liver, lungs, and even muscles.
They travel throughout the body through the outflow of blood. As a rule, a person with a good immune system has a number of protective barriers that prevent worms from entering the body.
There is a special enzyme in the mouth that negatively affects them. If this barrier has been crossed by the worms, they enter the stomach, where the acidic environment kills their eggs.
It is also customary to divide the worms according to the disease they cause. For example, liver flukes cause liver fluke, beef tapeworm - teniarinhoz, pinworm - intestinal fluke, roundworm - roundworm, etc. v.
Thanks to the immunity of the intestine, a number of antibodies are formed that are resistant to helminths.
These barriers alone are of no particular importance in the case of a person already seriously ill, i. e. a weakened immune system.
The appearance of human worms
To date, a large number of species of helminths are presented, they differ in appearance and have distinctive features. All will not be described in this article, but the main features are still worth identifying.
Roundworms in adults can manifest as roundworms, commonly known as pinworms, roundworms, and roundworms.
The next variety are elongated individuals with pointed edges, but the flukes have a flattened body.
They are so named for a reason, as they stick to the area of the excretory tracts in the human body.
This is a special type of worm, which does not have its own circulatory and respiratory systems. The fluke feeds on feces and mucous membranes and blood.
A special group should include tapeworms, which have a flattened body shape, similar to a ribbon.
Their habitat is the gut. Intermediate habitats can be fish and animals for ice individuals.
They have special suction cups that allow them to attach to the intestinal wall. There, the worms settle and lead their lives, feeding and multiplying.
The appearance of human worm eggs
For a long time, helminths can live in people, the symptoms will not be noticeable.
Many people only accidentally learn of their illness when they start having a stool test or feel much worse.
In feces, you can't always see them with the naked eye, and even without a microscope at hand.
The presence of worm eggs in humans, the initial symptoms of which are also not easily noticeable, cannot be seen without the use of special laboratory equipment.
If you pass the stool analysis, the laboratory assistant will be able to determine if there are worms in the body and identify this type of parasite.
The data will be based on the type and type of worm eggs look different.
The other things. If the question arises: "How to determine if a person has worms? ", the answer to this question will come down to the fact that in the first place you should go to the hospital and practicePerform tests prescribed by your doctor.
The body's way of infection
Worms are present in the human body in some form of infection. Most importantly, orally.
In this case, worms enter the human body through dirty hands, unwashed fruits and vegetables. The eggs of the parasites are inside people, because they live underground. It is for this reason that after gardening, you should wash your hands, and only then sit down to eat. Otherwise, only a few will be able to avoid the question of how to treat the infestation of helminths.
It is also important not to eat meat and fish that have not been heat-processed and have not been authorized by hygiene controls.
It is worth noting here that some helminth eggs are still alive even after the meat has been cooked.
Another way to infect worms into the body is by contact. The other things. Infection occurs through feces.
The feces of an infected person or animal may contain helminth eggs. They enter the human body and begin to multiply as they become sexually mature individuals.
Experts identify other ways of infection. One of them is related to the skin. Helminths from the aquatic environment enter the human body using the epidermis.
Invasion of worms can also occur through the bite of an insect vector. This method is widespread in tropical states.
But even in the South of our country or foreign countries, this parasite is very easy to catch, which leads to a person having to pay attention to how to treat helminths.
The transmission routes of worms are really countless, there are also routes from infected people to healthy people.
But this does not mean that living with someone who is sick, you will get helminth infections from that person.
The disease is not capable of being transmitted by droplets in the air, only by contact method to transmit the worms. Here it is necessary to define other nuances.
The peculiarity of the routes of infection with worms is that the eggs of the parasite can enter the human body. They will lose the ability to grow and become adults.
They will be able to grow if they are in the environment. If together with the larvae the necessary nutrients are found, then the eggs will begin to develop and grow.
Inactive helminth eggs will be excreted with feces from the body, a person will begin to infect himself and harm others, if the principles of the hygiene regime are not followed.
Clinical picture of the presence of helminths in the human body
Many are interested in the question of how to understand that you are infected with worms. The answer to it can be achieved if you pay attention to your health.
Symptoms of worms in adults will vary depending on the type of parasite present in the body.
Many of them live in the gastrointestinal tract, and therefore the signs of the presence of worms in humans will be as follows:
- somnolence;
- loss of previous performance;
- weak;
- intoxication of the body with helminths;
- increased appetite or, conversely, its pronounced absence;
- weight loss with normal nutrition;
- constipation;
- diarrhea;
- stools with little blood;
- feces containing worms;
- itching sensation in the anus;
- headache with migraine attacks;
- violation of healthy sleep;
- allergic reactions to some products, this is due to the fact that some types of worms secrete special substances.
Signs of worm infection in adults can be accompanied by symptoms that closely resemble hepatitis.
The problem is that the parasites affect the liver and gallbladder area. There are flukes that can be confused with pancreatitis.
In case of presenting with muscle aches, profuse sweating and fever, it should be suspected that trichinella may be present in the body.
Very rare, but cases are still reported when signs of the presence of worms in a person are accompanied by a decline in the function of the brain, eyes and lungs.
After all, these parasites are able to settle even in these places, which is not at all their characteristic. Therefore, the signs of worms in humans are accompanied by such painful sensations only in the area of their settlement.
The symptoms of worms in adults vary widely, and it is for this reason that there are many different methods of understanding that you have worms, but in reality, they are not effective.
Symptoms in adults appear only in cases where severe infection is observed. Patients may lose a lot of weight, pale skin, anal itching that does not stop.
As you can see, the symptoms in adults of pinworm infestation are very similar to other signs of pathology.
Below will be considered cases of deviations of some systems of the human body, if worms settle in several organs.
Malfunctions of the immune system
Worms cause a strong weakening of the body's immune forces, depriving them of all useful elements and vitamins.
A person can begin to get very sick from a cold, although until recently he was not prone to such illnesses.
It is susceptible to many infectious or viral diseases, and therefore there are no minerals and vitamins that can help restore immunity.
First of all, you need to find out if a person has a worm infection, and then start getting treatment for the parasites.
Respiratory disease
If the worms find themselves in the respiratory system, they will deal a merciless blow to it. It is possible that asthma, pneumonia, chronic bronchitis and other pathologies of the pulmonary organs will begin to appear.
One of the ways to determine if a person has a worm infection is to pay attention to the presence of a persistent runny nose.
Violation of the functions of the gastrointestinal tract
The worms can colonize the intestinal tract. Symptoms in adults will manifest in this case as problems with stool disorders or constipation.
Nausea and vomiting are not excluded. In addition, there is a lot of intestinal pain and bloating.
A person may eat more than usual and not recover for a long time, or conversely, suddenly refuse to eat.
There are cases when the symptoms are mild and the treatment of pathologies of other types does not bring the desired results.
But there are cases when new signs of helminth infection are discovered. Severe diarrhea can occur if helminths have settled in the body, when large worms block the intestinal tract, causing complete constipation.
Disruption of the CNS
A large number of helminths in the body requires worm treatment as soon as possible, as the central nervous system can be severely affected.
The products secreted by the parasites have the ability to deal a heavy blow to the nervous system, which they send out to the body and cause malfunctions.
A person may experience memory loss, frequent headaches with migraine attacks, depression, and fatigue.
He will not easily interact with others, and frequent communication can lead to disputes.
Proper treatment of worms in adults is an important measure, since there can be serious complications in the work of the central nervous system.
They will be accompanied by a state of fever and an increase in body temperature up to 39 degrees.
The lack of useful factors due to a parasitic infection can cause fatigue syndrome of a chronic level, start the process of anemia and make a person constantly irritable.
Skin diseases
If the worm enters the human body, the skin becomes worse. In many cases, acne and pimples will be observed.
No matter how hard the patient tries, it is simply impossible to cure these diseases.
Helminths cause pathologies such as dermatitis, seborrhea, and papillomas. They can be manifested by cracks in the heels, itchy skin, and flaky nail patches.
A person begins to experience severe allergic skin reactions that cannot be treated, so it is important to begin a course of treatment for worms in adults. Otherwise, the skin will quickly age and turn pale.
It is important to note that the brightness of the clinical picture will largely depend on the number of individuals in the human body, their localization and their immunogenicity.
Certain species of helminths, for example, roundworms, can cause a general disruption of normal well-being as the filariasis goes through an incubation period throughout the year.
The danger of worms to humans
We have found out what helminths are, now we still have to understand the harm they can cause to a person.
In this case, it should be pointed out that helminths secrete active substances that are toxic to the human body.
Worms feed on digested nutrients, blood, and they also like different types of tissues. All this leads to loss of iron, protein and other vitamins important for the body's growth.
Worms can cause problems in the digestive tract, breaking down stool, it turns out that at best only a person will feel much worse.
Adults have every chance to get rid of worms if you seek medical help promptly. Today, many means are known to help cleanse the body of parasites without violating its integrity.
Diagnostic measures
During the week, the doctor will assign the patient to do 3 tests that can detect eggs. This measure is necessary to obtain a reliable result.
It is also very important to find an effective deworming pill, for this purpose a person needs to undergo a comprehensive medical examination, which includes:
- general blood and biochemical tests;
- purulent removal;
- urine and stool analysis.
The specialist has the serious duty of interviewing the patient and performing a physical examination to identify the characteristic signs of worm infection.
Symptoms may include anal itching, bitter mouth, swollen lymph nodes, and joint and muscle pain.
The greater their number, the higher the risk of having worms in the human body.
Medical therapy
After performing the above tests, it is necessary to select a special dewormer. What is an anthelmintic and how it works, the attending physician will be able to tell.
If chosen incorrectly, there is a chance that even more damage is done to the body, but the parasite cannot be eliminated.
Each patient will be required to take the drug according to an individual treatment regimen. The doctor will make a result based on the patient's weight, the form of the parasite, the patient's age, and the extent of the disease.
To avoid self-infection, you should take the dewormer again a few weeks after the treatment. This method allows you to remove the remains of the larvae and eggs of the parasite from the body.
Traditional medicine for deworming
Pumpkin seeds are famous for their great effectiveness in eliminating parasites from the body. It should be clarified that such a remedy must be eaten with a thin film necessarily raw.
Should be taken in the morning on an empty stomach. If necessary, you can mix them with honey or jam.
The next stage of treatment will be an enema. Only 2 hours after this remedy, you can start eating. Pumpkin seed treatment should be repeated in another 14 days.