Helminth infection is possible even in our civilized society. These parasites penetrate the body imperceptibly and poison it with the products of its vital activity. The secretions of helminths are toxic and cause various diseases - from hives to serious health problems. There are also fatalities.
Common worm infestation symptoms
Helminths do not live only in the human intestine, some types of parasites also infect other organs, and may even be in skeletal muscles. Therefore, the course of each helminthiasis has its own characteristic signs, but there are still general symptoms:
- reduced performance;
- rapid fatigability; intoxication
- ;
- weakness;
- drowsiness;
- lack of appetite;
- weight loss;
- joint pain;
- constipation; intestinal disorder
- ;
- intolerance to any type of food.
Unfortunately, but many people are infected with parasites, some don't even know it. Eggs or cysts can be swallowed with seemingly clean food. Often, worms settle in the child's body, living with poorly washed fruits and vegetables, by dirty hands, from dogs and cats. The problem is that there is often no suspicion that another person lives in us, as there are types of parasites that do not manifest for a long time. Therefore, it is worthwhile to know more about worms, what types exist and what are the symptoms of the infection.
Human roundworms
Pinworms, roundworms, whipworms and Trichinella (less frequently) can live in the human body.
Roundworms are round worms with a fusiform body, 15-40 cm long and 4-6 mm wide. These helminths live in the small intestine, although there are cases where roundworms crawl into the bile ducts and obstruct them. Within humans, females mate with males and lay eggs, which, along with the faeces, go outside.
A person is not infected with roundworms that live in animals.
Next, the eggs need to mature in the soil. If they enter the human body with unwashed fruits or vegetables, the larvae are excreted in the intestines, quickly penetrate the blood vessels and reach the lungs with blood flow. There, the larvae mature and migrate to the intestine through the trachea and the oral cavity. And then new individuals are born and everything is repeated. Roundworms live up to 14 months.
In ascariasis, appetite decreases, nausea, diarrhea, intestinal pain, allergic symptoms appear. Sleep is also disturbed, irritability appears. When migrating from the lungs, there may be coughing. With the accumulation of ascaris and the formation of a ball by them, intestinal obstruction can occur.
Pinworms are small whitish worms 3-12 mm long. Pinworms live in the small and large intestine. It is very easy to become infected with these helminths, just do not wash your hands, or even swallow the helminth eggs by inhaling the dust. Female pinworms lay eggs in the anus, causing intense itching. Pinworm eggs are so small that they can even stay indoors with the dust raised.
You can be infected through bedding, hygiene items, food, handshake, etc. In addition, the pinworms undergo the same migration as the roundworms. Adults live a little in humans, just 1-2 months and, with proper hygiene, can be eliminated in a short time. In addition to itching, insomnia, distraction, irritability, allergic skin rash are observed.
Vlasoglavs are thin worms that live in the large intestine and reach a length of 30-35 mm. You can be infected by parasites in the same way as roundworms. Vlasoglavs stick to the intestinal walls and suck blood. The toxins released by them cause headaches, poor sleep, dizziness and nausea. The life span of helminths is 5 years.
Trichinella are small worms, only 4 mm long. A person is infected with raw pork, which contains larvae. Adults live in the intestines, mate and lay eggs, after which they die. Trichinella larvae are excreted, penetrate the intestine into muscle tissue, where they form a capsule and can remain for years.
Helminthiasis causes the following disorders in the body:
- swollen face;
- eyelid edema;
- swelling of the legs and hands; rash
- ;
- muscle pain; fever
- , temperature;
- headache;
- insomnia or, conversely, drowsiness;
- decreased mobility of knee and elbow joints;
- gastrointestinal disorders are observed.
Trichinosis is partially cured, because if adult worms can be destroyed with drugs, skeletal muscle larvae cannot be killed.
Tapeworms in humans
- The bovine tapewormcan be up to 10 m long. The infection occurs when eating undercooked meat, which contains helminth larvae. Housewives can become infected by tasting raw minced meat with salt. In the body, a tapeworm develops from the larva, which lives in the intestine, attaching itself to the wall to hold on. A person loses weight, loses appetite, dizziness, insomnia, nausea and vomiting appear.
- The pig tapewormis smaller, reaching only 2 m. The infection occurs after eating poorly processed pork. The symptoms are the same as those of bovine tapeworm.
- Broad tapewormhas a length of 6 m to 15 m. The source of infection is raw freshwater fish. Helminthiasis is manifested by weakness, nausea, vomiting, salivation, abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhea. On the tongue, there are always bright red sores and even cracks.
- The dwarf tapewormis 3 to 5 cm long. They are infected with helminths through contaminated door handles, toilet seats, if they have worm eggs. Children get sick more often. Helminthiasis causes decreased appetite, nausea and abdominal pain and sometimes diarrhea. In rare cases, children may have seizures similar to epileptic seizures.
- Echinococcusis one of the most dangerous helminths. The infection occurs in dogs and cats - carriers of adult individuals of the parasite. In the human body, larvae hatch from eggs, which are transported with blood flow to different organs, most often to the liver, and there form echinococcal cysts. In some cases, they even reach the size of a newborn baby's head. Cysts are removed only by surgery.
Human suckers
- Flukeparasites in the bile ducts and the gallbladder itself. The size of the helminths is small - 4-13 mm. The parasite enters the body through the use of lightly salted or undercooked (fried) fish. First, this helminthiasis manifests itself with high temperature (up to 40 degrees), pain in the joints and muscles, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, in rare cases, develops jaundice. Then, the acute symptoms disappear, there are paroxysmal pains in the pancreas. There may be complications.
- Fasciolais harmful to health. The worms are up to 3-7 cm long and also settle in the gallbladder and biliary tract. A person is infected by unboiled water or by eating aquatic plants. Weakness, fever, pain in the head and abdomen, hives appear.
In conclusion on human helminths
Some types of worms live for years in the human body, as they can hardly manifest themselves in any way. Helminthiasis symptoms are often similar to diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, so an incorrect diagnosis is made if special tests are not done to identify helminths. But you urgently need to get rid of any parasites, as they not only take useful substances out of the body, but they also release toxins that are dangerous to your health.