The symptoms of worm infection are different. For example, dyspeptic disorders often develop - nausea, vomiting, pain and swelling in the abdomen. Some patients do not pay attention to the signs until they develop a rash that cannot be eliminated by conventional medications. Often, helminthic invasion is accompanied by symptoms similar to other diseases and allergies. Therefore, timely diagnosis is necessary.
Worm infection in humans
Most helminths spread in the human body by eating unwashed fruits and vegetables. After spreading throughout the body, organ damage occurs, which causes serious illness. Pathologies of the liver, kidneys, heart, digestive tract, gallbladder and even oncology can develop.
A frequent characteristic symptom is skin irritation, a rash. But a person may not pay attention to this for years while the pathology develops, although it is enough to take anthelmintic drugs in one course to fully recover.
infection methods
There are 4 methods by which worms spread in the human body:
- Geohelminthiasis. The parasite enters through soil that remains on unwashed fruits and vegetables and spreads in water. In addition, infection is possible with poor hand washing after working with the soil. Contact with the ground is often observed in animals that enter the house with dirty paws. Eggs, larvae, adults can enter the human body.
- Contact. In the body of the host, the female lays 4-5 thousand eggs in 1 day. They can spread from an infected person to others after contact, especially at home. Eggs or adults are spread across bedding, towels, toiletries. It is enough for an infected person not to wash their hands. Most often, this path is characteristic of worms, worms.
- Biohelminthiases. Parasites are stored in the body of living and dead animals, fish. Afterwards, a person can eat them. Preservation of parasites is observed with insufficient heat treatment.
- insect bites. In this way, helminth eggs with the smallest sizes are transmitted.
Of all forms of helminths, infection most often occurs through ingestion of eggs and larvae. They can be found in soil, in water, in an infected person, in raw meat. It is important not only to wash food and hands, but also to always use heat treatment for food.
Symptoms of Helminthiasis
Symptoms of infestation differ depending on the stage of the disease.Most often, the following symptoms appear:
- weight loss, slimming;
- skin pallor;
- itching in the anus.
Symptoms are similar to other pathologies, therefore, the patient may use the wrong methods of therapy. Symptoms can vary depending on the area of the body affected. For example, with liver damage, yellowing of the skin occurs.
gastrointestinal dysfunction
With the penetration of pathogens into the digestive tract, the following symptoms develop:
- violation of the formation of fecal masses (constipation, diarrhea);
- itching in the anus;
- dyspeptic disorders - nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, heartburn;
- cramps in the intestine;
- flatulence, accompanied by bloating;
- periodic change in body weight from a greater to a lesser degree.
In the early stages, symptoms are almost invisible. The more the worms damage the internal organs, the more actively the signs develop. Some parasites are able to secrete waste that is foreign to the body. This leads to severe poisoning and diarrhea. Large worms spread through the intestine, preventing the passage of stool. This causes constipation.
Due to the release of waste products from worms, a person is subjected to severe intoxication. That is why weakness, malaise and dyspeptic disorders develop.
immune suppression
When a person consumes food, nutrients enter the body and are distributed throughout the tissues.Helminths eat them, so the patient develops the following deviations:
- hypovitaminosis;
- metabolic disease;
- immune system suppression.
A person often starts to get sick with viral, active and fungal diseases. Even with the use of multivitamin preparations, hypovitaminosis will not be eliminated until the anthelmintic treatment is completed.
neurological problems
Some types of helminths are capable of damaging peripheral tissues of the nervous system, crossing the blood-brain barrier. These properties are possessed by the products of their intoxication.Nervous system damage causes the following symptoms:
- constant forgetfulness, poor memory;
- headache to migraine;
- dizziness;
- stress, neurosis, depression;
- increased fatigue.
The patient's behavior changes. He conflicts with people around him, forgets his acquaintances. Gradually, the symptoms are supplemented, the body temperature rises more than 39 degrees.
Chronic hypovitaminosis leads to chronic fatigue syndrome. Gradually, the level of red blood cells decreases, causing anemia. The person becomes irritable and aggressive.
respiratory disorders
Even in the early stages, damage to the deeper parts of the respiratory tract can occur.The following pathologies develop:
- tracheitis, bronchitis;
- emphysema, bronchial asthma, pneumonia.
A sign of helminthic invasion can even be frequent rhinitis and pharyngitis.
skin problems
In order for the epidermis to develop normally, a sufficient amount of vitamins, trace elements and minerals is required. Worm infestation leads to hypovitaminosis, so the quality of the skin suffers.The following deviations appear:
- acne, acne, rash;
- itching, peeling, redness of the epidermis;
- exfoliation of the nail plate.
Even the most serious skin pathologies can develop:
- urticaria, dermatitis;
- papilloma, seborrhea;
- allergic reaction.
The doctor and patient may not immediately understand why medications do not help with these conditions. The quality of the skin significantly deteriorates, it becomes pale, wrinkles appear. The turgor decreases, that is, the surface tension.
Signs of infection depending on the type of helminths
The severity of symptoms depends on the following factors:
- the number of parasites in the body;
- degree of immune activity;
- localization of parasites;
- type of parasite.
Some helminths can remain in the host for a long time without causing negative symptoms. Other individuals are able to instantly deteriorate health by damaging the liver. For example, roundworm.
worm
Ascaris damages many internal organs, causes certain symptoms, similar to other diseases.The following symptoms may appear:
- hyperthermia;
- prolonged cough;
- severe fatigue;
- bronchitis, pneumonia.
First, the digestive tract is damaged, therefore, hypovitaminosis and metabolic disorders are formed. The human body is exhausted.Gradually, signs of damage to the gastrointestinal tract are formed:
- yellowing of the skin;
- bowel obstruction.
With the spread of worms across the blood-brain barrier, a severe headache, migraines and a depressive state appear.
Schistosomiasis, trichuriasis, ankylostomiasis, diphyllobothriasis
Parasites cause the following deviations:
- lack of nutrients and vitamins;
- reduced metabolism, causing a change in body weight;
- intestinal dysbiosis.
Gradually, hypovitaminosis turns into beriberi, which leads to a significant depletion of the body. A person's skin becomes pale, they can often faint, which is typical of anemia.
earthworms
Pinworms are characterized by the deposition of eggs in the anus, usually this process takes place at night. Therefore, a person is worried about severe itching in the anus. The disease is characterized by periodic remission, so sometimes the itching stops. If there is no treatment, the helminthic invasion becomes extensive, so the itching worries the patient at any time of the day.
Trichinosis
The parasite penetrates any part of the body, produces a large amount of toxins. This leads to constant spasms, cramps, muscle pain. Due to damage to the cardiovascular system, edema is formed. With severe intoxication, the body temperature rises.
Fascioliasis, opisthorchiasis, clonorchiasis
This is one of the most dangerous helminths, leading to the following injuries:
- difficulty in the liver with the development of jaundice;
- intestinal obstruction, dyspeptic disorders when spreading along the gastrointestinal tract.
Gradually, the patient develops hepatosplenomegaly.
Urogenital Schistosomiasis
The parasites actively spread through the genitourinary system. Due to the chronic inflammatory process, damage to the mucous membranes occurs. Therefore, when urinating, a person detects red urine, indicating the development of bleeding foci.
worm habitats
In the human body, helminths can damage different types of organs:
- vlasoglav - large intestine;
- ascaris, tapeworm, hookworms - small intestine;
- roundworm - liver.
Depending on the damaged organs, different symptoms are formed:
- liver - jaundice, pain in the right hypochondrium, hepatitis;
- respiratory tract - trachea, bronchitis, pneumonia;
- brain - convulsions, paresthesia, fainting.
Simultaneous treatment of the disease (hepatitis, colitis), elimination of helminths is necessary.
common helminths
Scientists count a large number of parasites found in the human body. There are more than 100 in total.But more often, doctors distinguish infection with the following parasites:
- pinworm;
- dwarf tapeworm;
- tapeworm;
- hookworms;
- tricurium;
- paragonimiasis;
- cysticercosis.
In order to determine the exact type of pathogen and prescribe the correct treatment, it is necessary to carry out laboratory and instrumental diagnoses. First, the patient is examined by a therapist, then he gives feces to a co-program, the detection of worm eggs. Typically, therapists and infectious disease specialists recommend carrying out a study twice, as even in the presence of infection, eggs and larvae may not be detected.
A laboratory blood test is recommended for patients at risk:
- the presence of pets;
- work related to animals;
- medical workers;
- employees of children's educational institutions;
- food workers.
Attention! To accurately identify the helminth and its intoxication products, an enzyme immunoassay is recommended. It is carried out in municipal clinics and hospitals, as well as in private laboratories.
therapy methods
It is forbidden to independently select drugs against helminths, as they strongly affect the state of the liver and kidneys. It is recommended to undergo an initial examination, after which specific drugs are prescribed. Dosage is selected depending on a person's health status, age, body weight.
The following methods of drug administration are selected:
- tablets - mild or moderate degree of helminthiasis;
- injections, infusions - a severe degree of the disease, the formation of an excessively large number of parasites, severe damage to the digestive tract.
Many drugs can only act on adults. If there is a risk of eggs and larvae, it is better to undergo a second course of therapy or choose a more potent remedy.
The table shows the ideal drugs for treatment.
| Substance | Influence |
| mebendazole | Completely kills pinworms, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms and other parasites |
| Pyrantela Pamoate | The substance destroys roundworm, effective in enterobiasis and necatorosis |
| Levamisole Hydrochloride | Destroys roundworms and hookworms |
| pyrvinia embonate | Helps to completely cure enterobiasis |
| albendazole | It helps to destroy most elements in the adult or larval stage. |
Initially, it is recommended to identify the exact pathogen, only then apply the drug. This will increase the chances of recovery without a negative effect on the body.
prevention methods
To prevent the introduction of parasites into the body, use the rules of prevention:
- wash hands when returning home, throughout the day, after contact with animals;
- the use of personal hygiene items, crockery only by one person;
- taking multivitamins, giving up bad habits to strengthen the immune system;
- thorough washing of fruits and vegetables, heat treatment of meat and fish;
- the use of high quality drinking water from proven sources.
Helminths can be found in many products, so it is impossible to exclude the risk of their spread in the body. Anyone can be infected with the parasite without even knowing it. It can spread from one family member to another through household contact. Therefore, it is necessary to use preventive measures daily.
It is important to take good care of animals. It is necessary to periodically wash them, give parasite medicines to reduce the risk of helminth infection.
If a person suspects that they have been accused of helminths, it is best to have a laboratory test done in a timely manner. It is repeated twice to avoid a false negative test. Self-administration of medication is prohibited. All of them are potent, negatively affect the liver. Only a doctor will be able to choose the ideal anthelmintic agent with the right dosage. If timely treatment is carried out, it is possible to prevent the development of serious diseases, immunodeficiency.