Helminthiasis is a group of parasitic diseases characterized by a high degree of infection.Helminth eggs are particularly hardy.they are able to remain on various surfaces of the environment for a long time, and at the same time maintain their vitality.The sad fact is that helminth eggs surround us everywhere: in soil, water, land, dust, food and pet fur.However, it is quite easy to avoid infection.to do this, you just need to follow some preventive measures: personal hygiene rules and general hygiene standards.After all, worm prevention is the best way to protect yourself from helminth infestation.
Routes of infection from helminthic infections
You can become infected with worms in the following ways:
- when you eat contaminated meat and fish.
- when you eat unwashed vegetables and herbs, fruits and berries.
- through dirty hands;
- Some parasites that live in water can penetrate the skin.
- through infected insects, which are intermediate hosts of the larvae.
- through contaminated feces;
- through pets infected with parasites.
Prevention of worms in adults
Prevention of worms in humans is not limited only to compliance with the rules of personal hygiene.Pharmacological drugs are also used for preventive purposes.Synthetic anthelmintics are only prescribed by a specialist, depending on the age, weight and general health of the patient.You should not self-medicate and take such drugs yourself, as parasites exist in various types and live not only in the intestines, but also in other organs.In addition, do not forget that with the wrong dose of the drug or its uncontrolled use, you can greatly harm the body.
First, when the wrong dose is used, the parasites do not die, but migrate from the gastrointestinal tract to other organs.
Second, anthelmintic drugs are very toxic.can cause severe body poisoning and liver damage.
Third, most anthelmintics only affect adults, while their larvae and eggs remain unharmed.
Worm prevention is a set of measures that are not limited to pills or personal hygiene rules.Simply, in some cases it is enough to observe personal hygiene, while in others these measures are not enough, they are supplemented with pharmacological agents.Only the doctor determines in which cases conventional preventive measures are sufficient and in which they must be supplemented with tablets.
Compliance with personal hygiene rules
However, everyone is familiar with the famous saying that a disease is easier to prevent than to cure.Before the disease becomes noticeable, it is better to follow basic rules of personal hygiene.In addition, preventive actions are quite simple and very effective.Measures to protect against parasitic infection:
- frequent hand washing with soap, especially after using the toilet and before eating.
- frequent change of underwear and bedding.
- high quality heat treatment of meat and fish.
- refusal to eat raw meat and fish products, as well as lightly or moderately cooked steak.
- Wash vegetables, herbs, fruits and berries thoroughly under running water.
- use smoked, salted or dried fish with extreme caution;
- After any contact with pets, you should wash your hands thoroughly and clean the cat litter box wearing protective gloves.you should also treat the cat's tray and bowls with disinfectant.
- ironing underwear and bed linen after washing.
- Do not use water from unknown sources for food and do not swim in unknown bodies of water.
- Cut your nails short, as helminth eggs can remain in the nail socket even after thorough hand washing.
- deworm your pets regularly.
- Use protective gloves when cleaning areas, as well as when working in the garden.
How to protect children from pests
Young children are potential victims of helminths, as children are not able to independently perform their personal hygiene.In addition, at this age they familiarize themselves with the world around them and taste everything.Therefore, there is a high possibility that a child will develop a parasitic infestation.In this case, preventive measures are taken by the child's parents.However, it is impossible to monitor the children.at this age they are quite active and can become infected with helminthiasis in an instant.
To prevent worms in children it is necessary:
- wash your child's hands often and teach him basic personal hygiene from an early age.
- iron the child's underwear and bedding.
- disinfect his toys and wash soft toys in hot water.
- Do not let pets sleep in the same bed as the child.
- teach your child to wash his hands after every contact with pets.
- food for the child must undergo high-quality heat treatment.
- wash vegetables and fruits well under running water.
- keep the child's room clean and tidy.
- treat the area where the child crawls with disinfectant (if under 1 year).
If an infection suddenly appears, then only a doctor should prescribe methods for the treatment of helminthiasis.You should not self-medicate, because the health and life of your child is at stake.
Anthelmintic drugs are highly toxic.A child should be treated with them with great care and under the strict supervision of the attending physician.Only the doctor prescribes the type and dosage of the drug, as each drug has different age indications.
You can give your child anthelmintic drugs only when they have been accurately diagnosed with a parasitic infestation.Otherwise, you should not expose your child to the toxic effects of anthelmintic drugs.Parents should coordinate all their actions only with the attending physician.
How to take deworming tablets
All medicines for worms are divided into:
- narrow-spectrum drugs.
- broad spectrum drugs.
The first drugs affect a specific type of helminth and destroy only them.The second type of drug affects most parasites of various types (round, flat and tape).In addition, some drugs affect the respiratory system of the helminth, others cause muscle paralysis, others stop the process of absorbing glucose, and others block the metabolic processes in the worm's body.All these actions contribute to the death of parasites and their removal from the body.
Experts believe that the prevention of helminthiasis should be carried out twice a year.Once in early spring and the second in late autumn, before the onset of the cold season.The drugs should be used at the same time that the patient shows symptoms caused by a parasite infestation.Usually this is:
- abdominal pain;
- nausea and vomiting;
- itching in the anus;
- general weakness and malaise.
- insomnia;
- weight loss.
Anthelmintic treatment is carried out for no more than 3-5 days.With a single dose of worm medicine, not all parasites may die, but the rest are able to migrate from the intestines to other organs and even lay eggs.After two weeks, it is necessary to repeat the reception of anthelmintic drugs to destroy newly appeared helminths.
The anthelmintic treatment includes three stages, which last about two weeks:
- The first week is the preparation for the elimination of parasites from the body.For these purposes, they maintain a light diet and take drugs that improve the flow of bile and the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
- The second stage is the immediate administration of anthelmintic drugs.The course of treatment is 5 days.
- The third stage is the removal of dead parasites from the body.For these purposes, laxatives and enemas are used.The last stage is very important, as the bodies of the helminths can begin to decompose, causing severe poisoning in humans.
Anthelmintics
In the pharmacological market, tablets for worms are presented very well, moreover, in different price categories.The following pharmacological agents are used to prevent worms:
Based on levamisole
Medicines help improve the body's defenses by producing the necessary antibodies in the blood.The drugs also inhibit the process of glucose oxidation (glycolysis), which causes the parasites to die.The drugs are effective against various parasitic infestations.Adverse effects such as nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain are observed.
Based on mebendazole
They are most effective in the treatment of ascariasis, enterobiasis and trichuria.The drugs disrupt the metabolic processes in the parasite's body, thereby causing its death.The products are extremely toxic as they can accumulate in the body.For this reason, you should not use them yourself without a doctor's prescription, as they can cause serious harm to the body.Contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation, as well as in the presence of chronic pathologies.
Based on albendazole
The drugs effectively destroy both helminths and protozoa and are therefore suitable for use in mixed parasitic infections.It should be used with caution in people with liver disease.The dosage and frequency of use are selected individually in each specific case, since it depends on the type of parasite and the degree of infection.The use of these drugs for preventive purposes is quite reliable protection against various types of parasites.