A worm infestation usually causes significant discomfort and health problems to a person. The symptoms of worms can be very different: fever, weakness, stomach discomfort, headache, etc.
Worms – what are they?
As already mentioned, adult worms traditionally have a stable localization in the body and their developing forms often migrate to various organs and tissues, and often the path of their movement is quite complex. For example, with ascariasis, a person becomes infected by eating food contaminated with worm eggs (ascariasis eggs ripen in the soil).
In the cavity of the intestinal tract, roundworm eggs hatch into larvae, which within a few hours penetrate through the wall of the intestinal tract into the blood vessels and are transported via the bloodstream to the lungs. Roundworm larvae grow and mature in the lungs. The growing larva slowly gnaws on the adjacent bronchi and crawls along them, first into the trachea and then into the oral cavity, where it is swallowed again and transported into the intestinal tract.
The roundworm larva, re-entering the intestinal tract, turns into an adult worm. Pulmonary migration of roundworm larvae is manifested by a variety of symptoms (cough, asthma attacks, increased body temperature, allergic rash), and the presence of a small number of adult worms in the intestinal tract may not be noticeable at all.
What are helminthiasis (helminthic diseases) - symptoms of worms
The term "helminthiases" usually means a number of human diseases, the cause of which are various parasitic worms - helminths (another collective term for these parasites - worms).
Unlike diseases caused by bacteria, protozoa or fungi, with helminthiases the number of adult helminths (worms) in the body of an infected person does not increase at a certain point (except in cases of reinfection). This is because worms only reproduce outside the human body.
What are you?
Medicine knows more than a hundred species of helminths. The following are the most common types of worms:
- Pinworms are small worms in the human body that reach 12 mm in length. This type of worm is diagnosed in the intestinal lining. Parasites enter the body through the respiratory tract with dust and can easily be transmitted from person to person.
- Roundworms are large roundworms most commonly found in the small intestine. Infection of the body occurs through unwashed hands and food. Roundworms are more common in children's bodies.
- Trichinella – these parasites have round bodies no more than 5 mm long and cause trichinosis in the body. Larvae and eggs prefer to be found in poorly fried meat (boar, pig, bear). In the human body, Trichinella takes up to 4 days to become an adult and its life cycle is 40 days. The main goal of this type of worm is to enter the bloodstream through the intestinal walls and colonize in the muscles. In addition, the muscles of the respiratory and musculoskeletal systems are often affected.
- Pork/ox tapeworm. The body length of the parasite is 5-6 meters, and its larvae hide in the flesh of large animals (pig, cattle). The disease caused by these helminths is called taeniasis and taeniarinhoz. The larvae of both types of tapeworms are whitish sacs that adhere to the walls of the small intestine. It takes three months for the parasite to reach and develop into an adult, and the worm continues to develop every day. The total number of segments is 2000, with the last segments freely "furrowing" the large intestine. Then the worms leave the body along with the feces through the anus. The most common and obvious symptom of helminthiasis is disruption of the digestive tract, as well as consumption of large amounts of food, and the patient does not visually gain weight.
- Necator/hookworm. The connection between these parasites is direct due to the diseases and biological characteristics they cause. They live in the duodenum and move freely in its environment due to their small size (10-15 mm). The larvae can only enter the body through the skin if a person has been in contact with contaminated soil. In addition to the digestive tract, the other target of worms is the lungs. They feed exclusively on the blood that comes out of the bitten blood vessels. The strong activity of these parasites disrupts blood clotting. Adults consume blood in the range of 0. 1–0. 35 ml per day.
- Echinococci. In this case, humans act as an intermediate host because the final hosts are wolves, cats and dogs. Animals can become infected through direct contact with contaminated objects or people. As soon as the eggs of the parasite enter the intestine, larvae with six hooks, which in medicine are called oncospheres, immediately develop.
- Whipworms are diagnosed in a person's stomach. These are thin and fairly large worms.
You can determine the type of helminth by seeing what color the worms are in the stool when they hatch. Infection occurs through vegetables and meat that have undergone insufficient heat treatment. You can avoid infection by following food preparation rules.
How common and dangerous are worms?
Symptoms of wormsData from modern epidemiological studies have shown that one in four people worldwide is infected with worms. The frequency of worm infections is significantly higher in children than in adults. In children and adults, worms can become a prerequisite for various acquired diseases of internal organs (gastritis, pancreatitis, enterocolitis, cholecystitis) and from time to time lead to the development of unsafe complications and death.
According to the Global Health Organization and the Global Disease Bank, helminthic diseases rank fourth among all other diseases and injuries in terms of economic damage.
In our region there are more than 15 types of worms, the most common of which are enterobiasis (about 90% in the group of patients with helminthic diseases), ascariasis (70%), opisthorchiasis, diphyllobothriasis, trichocephalosis (60%). Toxocariosis (60%) and hymenolepiasis. As statistics show, almost all sick people (especially children) are infected with several forms of worms at the same time.
Where do worms spread in humans?
Many people believe that worms certainly live in the intestines, and for some types of helminths this is true. In general, worms are found in a variety of organs and systems of the human body:
- all types of tapeworms, whipworms and nematodes "settle" in the large intestine;
- Trematodes affect the liver and gallbladder;
- Pork tapeworm larvae can spread through the bloodstream to all organs - the subcutaneous fatty tissue, the eye chamber and blood vessels in the muscles can be affected.
How can you become infected with worms?
How do worms get into the human body? There are 4 main sources of worm eggs entering the body:
Geohelminthiasis- through the soil (and then through water), in which there are mature eggs of many helminths, which enter the soil with human or animal feces, as well as through direct contact with animals and through the transmission of eggs by flies to food contact - from humansThe best known and most common worms such as pinworms are transmitted to humans; This is where the highest risk of infection exists.
Biohelminths- when eating raw, semi-raw or slightly heat-treated meat (pork, beef) or fish infected with helminths (sushi, kebab, dried fish, lard with meat strips, etc. ) Some parasites enter the body through insect bites
The main mechanism of any infection is most often oral-fecal, that is, a person simply swallows worm eggs along with food and water, and less often helminthic infestation occurs as a result of bites of infected insects. Undercooked meat and raw fish are understandable, but how can you become infected with worms through contact, household contact and the soil?
Through the floor
After every contact with earth or sand, you should not only wash your hands, but also clean your nails thoroughly; It is better to cut the nails short, especially for children. Food that grows in the ground - vegetables, herbs, fruits, berries, mushrooms, anything that comes into contact with the soil - must be thoroughly washed under running water and scalded with boiling water. Pets, especially dogs and cats, walking on the street bring a lot of wastewater into the house, and children playing with them are at maximum risk of infection; the animal can easily infect it with all types of helminths. Flies are also the main vectors of helminths. In public toilets where farm animals live, the flies then calmly land on the food and spread their eggs on their wings and paws.
From human to human
Pinworms make it very easy to infect others. When a female pinworm crawls out of the intestines at night, she lays about 5, 000 eggs near the anus, causing severe itching; the child scratches the itchy area and infects his hands, nails, panties and bed linen. Without washing his hands immediately, hundreds of eggs remain on everything he touches - doorknobs, clothes, food, toys. In addition, the infection process is clear: eggs also settle on the hands of another child or adult who uses these objects, and without washing their hands before eating, they end up in the mouth of a healthy person.
Through the water
A large number of worm eggs end up in open water and well water. Anyone who lives in rural areas or in the country should therefore use a bactericidal filter and definitely boil water; Swallowing water while swimming in open water is also dangerous.
Everyone knows that worms are a problem, especially for children. Firstly, because they are most susceptible to the development of helminthiasis, since the protective barriers in the body of children are not formed properly and the acidity of the stomach is lower than in adults. Secondly, preschoolers, mastering the world, try all the surrounding objects not only with their hands, but also to taste. And parents, with all their desire, can teach their child to strictly observe the rules of personal hygiene without warning only from 3 to 6 years old, which exposes not only the baby himself, but all family members to the risk of infection (pinworms).
It should be borne in mind that no worms can reproduce and multiply in the human body, each species has its own period of time after which it dies, for example, for pinworms it is only a few weeks, for roundworms it is about a year. Eggs laid by adults must leave the body into the external environment, into the soil, either in the feces or (in the case of pinworms) on the skin near the anus, and only then, after they have matured outside the human body, and return into itWhen they penetrate it, they begin to become active and parasitize.
Symptoms of worms
The development of helminthiasis usually occurs in two stages: acute - from two, three weeks to two months and chronic - from several months to many years.
The acute stage coincides with the time of introduction and development of the parasite and is mainly manifested by an immune response to foreign antigens and allergic reactions. The symptoms of this stage of helminthiasis are similar when different types of parasites are introduced.
The chronic stage is characterized by great diversity: depending on the location of the worms, their number and their lifestyle, dysfunction of different organs and systems occurs. By integrating into the metabolic system and consuming substances necessary for itself, the parasite leads to disorders, which are manifested in disorders of digestion and absorption of vitamins, proteins, fats, carbohydrates and minerals. The waste products of worms not only lead to the suppression of normal intestinal flora, but also reduce immunity, promote the development of chronic bacterial infections and reduce the effectiveness of preventive vaccinations.
An increased risk of malignant tumors is associated with a negative influence on the immune system and accelerated cell division (regeneration) processes in damaged tissue.
The first signs of helminthiasis development can appear after 2-3 days (with ascariasis) to 1. 5 years (with filariasis). Most often this period is 2-3 weeks. At the beginning of the disease, skin rashes, enlarged lymph nodes, enlarged liver and spleen, and pain in muscles and joints appear. Some helminthiasis are characterized by specific signs, such as: B. Jaundice in opisthorchiasis (liver fluke) or fever, muscle pain, swelling of the face and eyelids in trichinosis.
In the chronic phase, the presence of individual specimens of worms occurs with practically no symptoms, an exception may be the presence of large specimens, for example, tapeworms and roundworms. With a more widespread infection, the symptoms of helminth infection consist of digestive disorders (nausea, bloating, abdominal pain, loose stools) and some specific signs. Enterobiasis, for example, is an itching in the anus that gets worse in the evening and at night.
Trichocephalosis is a hemorrhagic (bleeding) colitis. With hookworm - iron deficiency anemia. With ascariasis, mechanical obstruction of the intestines and bile ducts can occur. Helminthiasis with liver damage leads to chronic hepatitis and inflammation of the bile ducts (cholecystitis, cholangitis).
A special place is occupied by helminthiases with the development of cysts (liquid formations in the membrane): echinococcosis, alveococcosis, cysticercosis. Even large cysts may not manifest themselves in any way, but their suppuration or rupture leads to serious consequences such as anaphylactic shock, peritonitis, purulent pleurisy. Helminthiasis can be accompanied by symptoms of vegetative-vascular asthenia and neurotic states. Let's consider the most common special cases of helminthiasis in more detail.
Diagnosis of worms. Treatment of worms
With enterobiasis, the main condition for successful treatment is simultaneous deworming of all family members (or the children's team), strict hygiene measures and repeated administration of drugs 10-14 days after the first.
Folk remedies for treating worms
Traditional treatment methods include medicinal plants with anthelmintic and laxative effects. Even in ancient times, healers recommended using the juice of elecampane and celandine to drive away worms. Carrots and carrot juice also have anthelmintic effects. In traditional medicine recipes, walnuts, pomegranates, mint and even more often garlic are often found in the form of a dietary component or enema. A decoction of wormwood is used in the form of enemas or orally. Pumpkin seeds are a medically recognized remedy for worms. In folk medicine, the use of medicinal plants is often combined with saline laxatives. Although the effect of medicinal plants is not so great, they can certainly serve as a prophylactic or as an adjunct to traditional treatment of helminthiasis.
Complications of helminthiasis
Complications of helminthiasis are primarily associated with the mechanical effect of the parasite on the organ; Tissue destruction sometimes leads to fatal dysfunction of the affected organ. The addition of bacterial infections to sites of mechanical damage is a common complication that masks the presence of the parasite in the body. In impressionable people, the sight of a parasite (e. g. when expelled) can cause severe psychological trauma, requiring long-term rehabilitation treatment.
Prevention of worms
Includes timely identification and treatment of sick people and animals, compliance with personal hygiene measures (washing hands before eating, thorough washing of food, careful heat treatment of food, especially meat and fish).
FAQ
What symptoms can indicate the presence of worms in a person?
Symptoms of worms can include constant fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, abdominal pain, anal itching, and digestive problems such as diarrhea or constipation.
How to determine if a person has worms?
To determine the presence of worms in a person, you can do a stool test for worm eggs or a blood test for the presence of antibodies to worms. The doctor may also prescribe an ultrasound scan or other diagnostic procedures to confirm the diagnosis.
What precautions can be taken to prevent worm infections?
To prevent infection with worms, it is recommended to wash your hands regularly with soap and water, especially before eating and after using the toilet. You should also avoid contact with contaminated soil or water, drink only clean drinking water, and cook food properly to destroy possible worm eggs.
Helpful advice
Tip #1
Watch for changes in appetite and weight. If you or your child constantly feel hungry or, conversely, lack of appetite, this may be a sign of a helminth infection.
Tip #2
Pay attention to the condition of your skin and hair. If you or your child experience skin rashes, itching, or changes in hair texture (such as brittleness or hair loss), it may be due to the presence of worms.
Tip #3
Pay attention to the function of the gastrointestinal tract. If you or your child often suffer from stomach pain, constipation or diarrhea, it may be due to a worm infection.