When it comes to parasites in the body, most people think of worms in the intestines. However, other parasites are also common, which are quite difficult to diagnose and affect other organs, not the intestines.
These are the simplest microscopes (most often parasites) that may not show up in any way for a long time. However, the simplest parasites can cause considerable damage to the body.
Giardia
Giardia is a microscopic parasitic parasite that has two nuclei and two groups of organelles.
Giardiasis in humans is caused by the most common type of parasite - intestinal lamblia. In addition to humans, they can infect mammals and other birds. The parasite can form a cyst in the localizing organ.
Giardia is present in poorly treated tap water, as well as in natural springs - springs, wells. They can be found in the meat of an infected animal or bird, in small amounts in the feces of an infected animal, sometimes they survive in the soil, therefore they are present in vegetables and berries.
Usually, the infection occurs by fecal-oral route, so for the development of the invasion it is necessary to swallow a considerable number of parasitic cysts. Usually, children from the age of three months and adults are sick.
Most often, the disease is asymptomatic, and the patient learns about it by chance. But sometimes there is some symptomatology (continuous or intermittent). Symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract are detected:
- Stomach ache;
- Bloating;
- Nausea, sometimes vomiting;
- Digging in the stomach;
- Constipation and diarrhea alternate;
- Dyskinesia of the biliary tract;
- Skin allergies;
- General weakness.
Like intracellular parasites, lamblia is mainly treated with metronidazole. However, in the first phase of therapy, it is necessary to remove the intoxication and normalize the work of the bile ducts. Only then is antiparasitic therapy prescribed. After that, therapy is performed that aims to restore the body's defenses and boost immunity.
Ameba
Amoebae are the simplest human parasites that cause amoebic dysentery or amoebiasis.
There are also types of amoebae that can affect the eyes. Causes amoebic encephalitis, but they are less common. Infection is no longer the most common, only 10% of people are sick with it, according to the WHO (while for giardiasis, this figure, according to some sources, is 50%).
Amoebae are transmitted exclusively by the fecal-oral route, so, as in the previous case, amoebae form cysts that must be swallowed in order for the infection to develop.
The chance of getting infected is higher in places with hot climates and poor sanitation. Cysts can retain the ability to infect for a long time while in soil, water, vegetables and berries grown in contaminated soil. Cockroaches and flies carry these cysts to some extent.
Like intercellular parasites, amoebae cause symptoms only 7-10 days after infection. Symptoms of colitis appear: abdominal pain (in the lower part), general weakness, a slight increase in body temperature. Most often, the liver is affected, because after two to three weeks in it appear pain, the organ grows and thickens.
Toxoplasma
Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii. This is the simplest organism, which is distributed mainly by the representatives of the cat family who are its carriers. An infected person is also able to spread it.
Transmitted by fecal-oral route. You can become infected by eating poorly processed meat of infected animals and birds, as well as eggs. To a lesser extent, but still able to be transmitted through the blood, in the presence of wounds (for example, when working with contaminated soil in the garden), as well as in contact with the mucosa.
It is mostly asymptomatic and is diagnosed randomly, like many viruses, for example, during an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In the acute form, healing often occurs independently. Pregnant women require treatment with pyrimethamine (which is used to treat intercellular parasites).
Plasmodium
Plasmodia are intercellular parasites that cause malaria. Five types of pathogens are capable of parasitizing humans. Moreover, they are localized in the blood, being in the membranes of his cells.
The disease is transmitted through blood (for example, through transfusion). It is also tolerated by some species of mosquitoes when bitten, as mosquitoes are the intermediate hosts of Plasmodium. As a result, the person becomes infected with malaria.
These mosquitoes (and, accordingly, the disease) are common in hot countries, mainly in Africa.
Malaria has severe symptoms that begin to appear 5-7 days after infection. The first symptoms are joint pain, fever, severe chills. Then join the headache, enlargement of the spleen.
Treatment is carried out with quinine preparations strictly under the supervision of a physician.
Trichomonas
These are the simplest human parasites that cause trichomoniasis. Affects the human genitourinary system. It is the most common sexually transmitted disease and also the most common disease of the genitourinary system.
It is transmitted exclusively through sexual contact. In women, they live in the vagina, Trichomonas in men - in the urethra, seminal vesicles, prostate gland.
In women the symptoms are as follows: vaginal discharge, itching and redness of the skin of the genitals, pain during urination and sexual intercourse, inflammation of the vaginal mucosa. In men: leakage from the urethra (rarely with blood), pain when urinating, symptoms of prostatitis with damage to the prostate gland.
It is necessary to treat the disease in both partners. Treated with anti-trichomonas drugs strictly individually and under the supervision of a physician. In some cases, immune or symptomatic therapy is required.