All types of parasites in the human body have adverse effects on its health. They infect the organs, eat nutrients necessary for human life and release harmful substances harmful to health. Therefore, it is important to get rid of them in a timely manner.
The human body is affected by many different types of parasites, some living inside the body, others on its surface. They differ in size, in how they enter the body, in the characteristics of their life.
What parasites live in the human body? How do I get rid of them? What precautions are there? These issues are discussed below.
Classification of parasites
Human parasites are very common, they are divided into groups:
- EndogenousThe parasites inside the person are called. This group in turn was divided into protozoa (consisting of a single cell) and helminths (worms). The simplest, parasitic in the human body is amoeba, lamblia, Trichomonas, toxoplasma. As for worms, there is the division into nematodes (nematodes), flat worms, and tapeworms.
- External parasitesThese are parasitic organisms on the surface of the human body - lice, ticks, fleas, ticks. In addition to eating human blood, which causes a lot of discomfort (bites, stings, skin wounds), they also carry quite dangerous diseases: typhus fever, anthrax, trypanosomiasis and others.
Protozoan parasites:
- Giardia. . . Giardia infection by the mechanism of feces - mouth. Once cysts (not yet formed, with a protective film) are removed from the patient's anus, they spread to vegetables, fruits, and other food products. Through unwashed hands, standing water, inadequate washing of fruits and vegetables, cysts enter the human oral cavity, from where they safely reach the intestines, where they turn into adults againand multiply again. The result is a vicious cycle that will continue until adequate treatment and hygiene is followed. Symptoms of the disease are weakness, fatigue, headache, diarrhea, abdominal pain and bloating. There may be itching in the anus, a skin rash, bronchial asthma. Features of the disease are weight loss, anemia, weakened immune system. Treatment with anti-protozoa. Dosage is indicated by doctor.
- Toxoplasma. . . Infection of these protozoa occurs through contact with infected livestock. In this case, a person is an intermediate host, since the sexual development cycle of the parasite occurs in the animal's body. The disease is manifested by a prolonged rise in temperature to a sub-threshold, general signs of intoxication, the patient has lymphadenopathy, the appearance of joint and muscle pain. In addition, the functions of the digestive tract and vision are disrupted, the central nervous system can be affected, there are signs of heart disease and the endocrine system. Complex treatment is prescribed - antibiotics of the group tetracycline and sulfonamide.
- Trichomonas. . . Trichomoniasis is sexually transmitted, the risk of infection on contact is minimal, but still present. Symptoms in women are itchy, red swollen genitals, burning sensation and foamy discharge. Men may have difficulty urinating and draining their discharge. Treatment - anti-trichomoniasis drugs.
Pinworms are an intestinal parasite
The most famous internal parasites are pinworms. They live in the intestines and cause a disease called intestinal helminthiasis. This parasite not only affects humans, but also monkeys. Risk group - children of preschool age, according to statistics, intestinal helminthiasis is diagnosed in half of the children aged 2 to 10 years old.
Worms are transmitted from person to person, you can become infected through anything an infected person has used, or through a handshake. The main condition for infusing pinworm eggs is not to wash your hands after contact, especially before eating. Worms, or rather their eggs, can be carried by flies and cockroaches.
Pinworms can only live in the intestine, they are especially comfortable in the thin segment, in the colon and cecum. For mating, the parasite chooses the ileum, from which the female crawls out through the anus and lays eggs in the anus. The manifestations of pinworms on the body are itching in the anus, allergies, fatigue, anemia, abdominal pain, exhaustion.
For the treatment of helminthiasis, helminthic bleach is prescribed. Pinworm prevention is based on hand hygiene. They must be washed after visiting any public place.
Roundworm - roundworm
The length of adulthood can reach 40 cm Nematodes live in human intestines, their eggs are hatched naturally, then they continue to grow in the soil, they stay on until entering the human body again. Dirty hands and unwashed vegetables are ways of infection with roundworms. Roundworm eggs are covered with a shell that does not dissolve in the human stomach and allows the roundworm to survive and enter the intestines, where mature individuals grow.
Ringworm disease may be asymptomatic for a long time. Then, symptoms appear, depending on the location and stage of the parasite's development. In the early stage of roundworm disease, the patient may be worried about fever, cough with sputum, skin rash, migraine, lymphadenopathy, liver and spleen may appear. In the late stage, when the parasite has entered the intestine, stool disorders (dysentery, cholera-like symptoms, signs of typhoid fever) are observed. There is a feeling of pain in the abdomen, a pronounced weight loss and fatigue.
Broad tapeworm
This parasitic infection occurs through fish. This is the worm's intermediate host. It is not necessary to eat to get infected, sometimes just contact with infected fish is enough. That is why it is important to handle your hands, knives and cutting boards very carefully after cutting fish.
From sick to healthy people, neither the worms nor their larvae are transmitted. Symptoms of infection are nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, increased or decreased appetite, digestive disturbances. The first signs of illness may appear a month or two after infection. As a result of the long-term presence of the parasite in the human body, pallor of the skin, headache, increased heart rate, a decrease in blood pressure, weakness, anemia occur. Treatment is aimed at destroying the worm. For this, helminth bleach is used.
Beef tapeworm
Bovine tapeworm can be up to 12 m long, is hermaphrodite, can produce over 100, 000 eggs, is excreted in the feces. The eggs fall into the soil, then on plants, which are eaten by cattle. In the animal's body, the egg becomes a larva, which is localized in the muscle. If a person eats contaminated beef, the larvae enter the intestines. The larvae are not transmitted from person to person.
Adult worms have a head with four suction senses, and a neck and body composed of many segments. The number of segments is constantly growing, the mature ones that can separate from the worms and escape from the human gut.
Symptoms of the disease are nausea, vomiting, gastrointestinal disturbances, increased salivation, dizziness, weakness, nervousness, fatigue, atopic abdominal pain, allergies, fluctuations in appetite.
To remove the bovine tapeworm from the body, there is a scheme of 3 phases: preparation (body cleansing), antiparasitic drug treatment, recovery (diet, herbal medicine).
Pig tapeworm
The sick person can be infected with the swine tapeworm through dirty hands, undercooked meat, dirty water, infected people can excrete the feces and larvae of the tapeworm into the environment with vomit and feces.
The worm can live in the human body for 15-17 years, it attaches to the intestinal mucosa, its larvae can spread throughout the body in the blood stream and attach to any organ. It is especially dangerous if the larvae enter the brain.
Pigs are an intermediate host; People who regularly come into contact with raw meat are most at risk of contracting this parasite. Pork chains can become contaminated both on contact and from inadequate heat-treated meat. To destroy all the larvae of the pork tapeworm in the meat, the meat must be cooked for a long time or frozen for 2-3 weeks.
The swine tapeworm can affect the small intestine, liver, brain, visual organs, muscles, etc. v. If the tapeworm affects vital organs, then a person can become paralyzed or even die.
Symptoms of the swine tapeworm: appearance of allergic reactions, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, weakness, dizziness, headache, weight loss, itching in the anus. Worms infiltrate the intestinal lining, so the symptoms are very similar to inflammatory bowel disease.
It is treated with drugs that paralyze the worms, so it cannot attach to the intestinal wall and escape. But at the same time, it emits a large amount of toxic substances, which can cause anaphylactic shock in humans. Therefore, the treatment should only be carried out under the supervision of a doctor.
Parasites in the mouth
Parasites in the human mouth can often be manifested by the following types:
- trichomonas;
- oral amoeba;
- Diptera larvae (oral thrush).
The clinical picture can be as follows:
- allergy;
- weakness, weight loss;
- bad smell from the mouth;
- feeling of stirring in the larynx;
- itching and sweating;
- nausea, loss of energy.
Worms that live in the mouth can destroy teeth, creating pus on the mucous membranes and tongue. Treatment is indicated only by the doctor taking into account existing symptoms, as well as types of parasites. A prerequisite for treatment is to examine all people in contact with the patient.
summary
The above, not all are considered, even the most common parasites that can live inside the human body. It is important to understand the great danger of that neighborhood: worms in humans can have very serious consequences and ultimately the death of their owner. Therefore, it is very important to promptly diagnose the parasite and eliminate them. As for precautionary measures, they mainly include hygiene and high-quality barbecue.