Symptoms of worms in humans cannot always be observed in time. Worm infestations often have symptoms similar to other illnesses, such as allergies or indigestion. Helminths parasitize in different parts of the human body. An infected person may treat liver failure, chronic colds or dermatosis without knowing the true cause of poor health.
What are helminths?
Worms in humans are parasitic worms that can vary in size. They can enter the human body through the mouth, nasal passages, eyes, urethra or anus. Most often, parasites live in the intestine, attached to its walls using suction cups, tentacles or special teeth. Parasites can live in the tissues of the lungs and brain, in the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, in the muscles, liver and gall bladder.
Classification of helminthiasis: types of worms in humans
Different types of helminths can parasitize the human body. Medical helminthology divides them into groups taking into account the specificity of the body shape:
- Roundworms (nematodes)- have an overall shape in the form of a lemon, string, barrel or finger. The head and tail of nematodes are slightly pointed. The oral apparatus is characterized as three-layered. Parasites move freely in soil, fresh and sea water. The human body contains pinworms (which cause enterobiasis), roundworms, hookworms and trichinella, which are considered intestinal parasites. Guinea worms - these round worms spread through the subcutaneous tissue.
- tapeworm (cestodes). This includes the following types of parasites: cattle, pig, dwarf tapeworm, broad tapeworm. Their body resembles a finely segmented ribbon, the length of which can reach 10 meters or more. The front part of the parasitic worms is equipped with suction and hooks with which they attach to the intestinal walls. Echinococci have a complex fixation system - 4 pinnae surrounded by two rows of hooks.
- Trematodes (flukes)— this type of worm is characterized by specific habitats in the body: gall bladder, bile ducts. Representatives of the fluke class are Siberian fluke (4-13 mm), fasciola (length 3-7 cm).
How can you get infected with helminths?
Everyone should know why worms appear in people and where they live in the body:
- Nematodes and dwarf flatworms enter the body through dirty hands, eating unwashed vegetables and drinking contaminated water. Habitat: intestines.
- Trichinella, bovine, pork tapeworm - infection occurs when eating well thermally processed meat (beef, pork). Location: intestine.
- Opisthorchis, broad tapeworm (class of trematodes or tapeworms). A person can become infected by eating raw, slightly salted or undercooked fish. In fish, parasite larvae live in the fatty layer and in the muscles. In humans, they are located in the liver and gall bladder.
- Echinococci, Siberian fluke, fasciola are transmitted by contact with an infected dog; less often, cats are the source of infection. Helminths can parasitize the liver, lungs, kidneys and heart of humans. They develop within echinococcal cysts.
What do worms look like in human feces?
A person can see dead worms in feces 3-4 days after taking anthelmintic tablets. The length of these parasites that live in the human body can reach 40 cm, their edges are sharp and their body is white.
Worms usually leave the body alive a few hours after consuming milk with garlic, very salty or spicy food. Small white worms (up to 12 mm long) with sharp edges are clearly visible in the feces and around the anus.
Large flatworms or tapeworms are almost impossible to see completely (length from 3 to 10 m). After the bait, the worms come out of the body in rotten pieces.
Signs of the presence of worms in humans
With helminthic infection, symptoms in adults and children usually resemble the manifestations of other diseases. This is due to the location (respiratory tract, liver, bile) and the life process of the worms.
During the acute period
It is believed that the acute phase is asymptomatic. But in most cases, the first signs of worms are mild and a person ignores the parasitic disease. Less often, in an infected person, signs of helminthiasis in the body appear with fever, nausea and vomiting. The person feels weak and loses appetite.
In the chronic phase
Symptoms of chronic helminthiasis depend on the type of worms, their number and habitat.
Intestinal helminthiases
Symptoms of intestinal worms in an adult:
- deterioration of digestion;
- severe pain in the navel area;
- bowel dysfunction;
- lack of appetite;
- weight loss;
- pale skin;
- bruises under the eyes;
- anal itching.
Extraintestinal helminthiases
The main signs of infection with helminths of the liver, gallstones and lungs:
- constant fatigue;
- nervous breakdown;
- paroxysmal pain in the epigastric region;
- decreased performance;
- foul-smelling and greasy stools (steatorrhea);
- urticaria, itching of the skin;
- chest pain;
- chronic dry cough;
- skin color change.
Extraintestinal parasites (giardia, opisthorchis, fasciola) can provoke not only headaches or skin diseases, but also depression. Typically, a pathological condition occurs if the symptoms of a skin allergy do not go away for a long time (itching, dry skin, rash) or reappear after treatment.
How to detect worms: diagnosis of helminthic infections
To diagnose helminths, stool is collected on worm eggs. But the analysis does not always show a positive result in the presence of parasites. First, not all types of worms are defined in this way. Second, the time of presentation of stool for analysis may not coincide with the time of parasite reproduction. A repeated test for worm eggs is done after 2-3 days. If the result in the presence of symptoms is negative, then the following examination methods can be prescribed:
- Blood analysis- an increased level of eosinophilic leukocytes and low hemoglobin indicate worm infection.
- Duodenal sound- helps identify opisthorchiasis, giardiasis and other extraintestinal worms in humans by examining secretions from the duodenum.
- Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity and other parts of the human body- the gastrointestinal tract, liver, gall bladder, its ducts, pancreas, muscles, brain, lungs are examined for the presence of pathological changes characteristic of the life of worms (seals, cysts, nodes, blockages).
- X-ray of the chest- performed if pulmonary parasites are suspected (roundworms, echinococci, tapeworm larvae are detected).
- CT scan- to detect worms in the human brain, eyes and lungs.
- Capsule endoscopy— to identify tapeworms.
- ELISA— detects antibodies in the blood against the most common parasites.
To assess the severity of damage to the body by worms, an immunological study is prescribed. It helps to identify weaknesses in the human immune system. After that, complex therapy is prescribed for the pathological condition.
How to quickly and effectively get rid of worms
It is better to learn how to remove helminths from the human body in an appointment with a parasitologist. Treating worms without a doctor's advice can lead to intoxication and liver failure.
Features of diet and hygiene
Treatment of helminthiasis in adults and children should be accompanied by a diet that will help to quickly remove worms and cleanse the body of toxins. It is necessary to exclude from the menu products that contribute to the vital activity of parasites or intoxication of the body:
- meat, lard;
- all kinds of sweets;
- fresh milk;
- baked goods;
- wheat porridge, pasta;
- coffee, alcohol.
Hygienic procedures for helminthic infestation include frequent and thorough hand washing with soap. The procedure should be performed before eating, after visiting the toilet and after returning from the road. Bed linen is changed 2-3 times throughout the week. Be sure to iron after washing. After washing, take a clean towel each time.
Drugs
Treatment of worms in adults and children is carried out with the following drugs:
- A broad-spectrum anthelmintic drug of the benzimidazole type - effective against nematode worms and trematodes. Contraindicated in children under 2 years old, prescribed with caution to pregnant and lactating women. The dose and frequency of taking the drug depends on the type of worms. For roundworms and mixed infections, 1 tablet is prescribed. 2 times a day for three days. Enterobiasis is treated for three consecutive days, taking 1 tablet per day. The course is repeated after 21 days. Echinococci in an adult are eliminated by increasing the dose of the drug: the first 3 days - 500 mg in the morning and in the evening, the next three days - 500 mg three times a day until complete recovery from the parasites. The duration of treatment for echinococcosis is determined by the doctor (from 4 to 6 weeks).
- A broad-spectrum anthelmintic drug from the pyrazinisoquinoline group. Contraindicated for children under 4 years and pregnant women (first trimester). Effective on muscle/tissue worms. Urogenital (worms live in the blood vessels near the bladder), intestinal and abdominal schistosomiasis are treated with a single dose of the drug (40 mg/10 kg). In severe forms of parasitic vascular pathology, tablets are taken 3 times a day (every 6 hours) at 20-25 mg/10 kg.
- A broad-spectrum drug from the group of benzimidazoles. Not recommended for children under 2 years old, pregnant or lactating women. Adults are prescribed 400 mg/day once, children 60 mg/10 kg for intestinal helminthiasis. For parasites in the brain, adults are prescribed 800 mg / day, children - 15 mg / kg, the course of treatment is 8-30 days.
Anthelmintic drugs are toxic. They are not prescribed to people with liver failure, ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.
Traditional methods
How to cure worms with home remedies:
- Grind flax seeds (1 tablespoon). Pour the powder into 0. 5 liters of cold water. Bring the mixture to a boil, cook over low heat, covered, for 20 minutes. Drink 100 ml in the morning and in the evening on an empty stomach for 10 consecutive days. The recipe helps against almost all parasites that can live in the human body - pinworms, tapeworms, Giardia.
- Grind 300 g of dry, but not roasted, pumpkin seeds. Add warm boiled water to the powder to make a paste. Add a large spoonful of honey. Eat the entire mixture on an empty stomach. After 4 hours, take a laxative. The recipe is effective for intestinal worms in humans.
Which parasites can only be removed by surgery?
Surgical treatment of helminthiasis requires the following conditions:
- Obstruction of the intestinal tract - a pathological condition provoked by roundworms, tapeworms, tapeworms and other worms.
- Perforation of the intestinal wall - the bovine tapeworm makes a hole and exits into the human abdominal cavity.
- Parasitic cholecystitis with subsequent necrosis of the pancreas is blockage of the bile duct by a tapeworm.
Most often, surgery is used for echinococcosis. Parasitic cysts in an infected person's lungs, kidneys, liver, spleen are removed by laparotomy or laparoscopy.
How dangerous is helminthic infection for the body?
If not treated, the pathology takes a chronic form. The most dangerous thing that can happen in the body during a severe form of the disease is the destruction of the tissues of the internal organs, suffocation and the appearance of blindness.
How to protect yourself from infection
Prevention of helminthic infection in the body requires that a person:
- Carefully observe the rules of personal hygiene.
- Treat parasites in pets immediately.
- Treat fish with heat for 60 minutes, meat for 2-3 hours.
In people with strong immunity, worm eggs are neutralized, so the immune system must be constantly strengthened. To do this, it is enough to lead a healthy lifestyle and periodically take vitamin and mineral complexes.