Infecting a person with worms is medically called helminthiasis.Several hundred species of parasites are known to cause this disease.Some of them do not cause noticeable harm, others cause discomfort, but there are also worms that pose a threat to human life.
Helminths enter the body in the form of eggs, which are covered with a protective shell and withstand harsh conditions.The worms are very prolific and lay thousands of eggs every day, increasing the chance of infection.From the carrier of the parasites, the eggs come out together with the faeces.When exposed to favorable conditions, the shell is shed and the egg develops into a full parasite in a short time.Worms feed on human food or tissues, multiply rapidly and damage the body with toxins from the products of their vital activity, causing poisoning.
Causes of worms in man
The disease can be related to lifestyle, diet or the presence of pets.You can become infected in several ways:
- swimming in ponds used for watering animals.
- non-compliance with the rules of personal hygiene;
- weak heat treatment of meat and meat dishes.
- eating unwashed vegetables and fruits.
- raw, unprocessed fish.
- contacts with infected animals (cats, dogs, cows).
- Living with people who carry helminths.
- consumption of raw water in rural areas.
Important to know: Worms lay thousands or even hundreds of thousands of eggs every day, so any infected person or animal is a great threat as a source of infection.
Most often, children are exposed to infection, as they follow minimal hygiene rules and are in constant contact with each other, transmitting parasites.Worms and roundworms, which can be found in almost every child, are particularly easily transmitted.They cause great discomfort and affect the child's well-being.
Symptoms and signs of worms
The presence of worms in a person is quite easy to determine even without the help of medical tests.Their main habitat is the intestines, where they feed on human food and are often excreted with the faeces and itching in the anus is observed as the worms excrete their waste and thus irritate the rectal mucosa.Pinworms, for example, crawl out of the anus at night, so redness and allergic symptoms are often observed around it, causing a desire to scratch in this place.
There are species of helminths that affect the liver and even the brain.For example, liver fluke (cattle tape), when it enters the human body, "travels" through the body with the bloodstream until it stops in the liver or brain.There it begins to grow, eating away at the surrounding tissue.A person begins to experience illness, and in case of contact with the brain, even mental disorders and eventually death.The parasite is transmitted by animals (cows, sheep).
Another dangerous parasite is the echinococcus.These worms are parasitic on dogs or wolves, transmitted from them to man by contact.Helminths attack the liver and lungs.In this case, headaches, dry cough and loss of appetite are observed.In addition, it is difficult to diagnose this type and during examinations it can be mistaken for a tumor.Echinococci are dangerous to health and can cause serious disorders in the body, including death.
The main symptoms of helminthic infection:
- headaches;
- nausea;
- throw up;
- weight loss;
- itching in the anus;
- bloating and flatulence;
- diarrhea and other digestive disorders.
- inflammation of the lymph nodes;
- increased body temperature;
- abdominal pain;
- cough for no reason;
- skin allergies.
Worms manifest some time after infection.At first, symptoms are absent or barely noticeable, as the amount of toxic substances released by the parasites does not cause serious problems.Then, as it grows and multiplies, the symptoms intensify and become more severe.General health deteriorates sharply, so measures must be taken to identify and destroy them.
Treatment of helminthic infestation
You should know that parasites will not go away by themselves.At the same time, health will constantly deteriorate due to poisoning by toxins.This will weaken the body and the immune system, leaving a person vulnerable to inflammatory infections and other diseases.
Killing the worms is called deworming.The procedure involves the use of drugs to kill parasites and drugs to reduce the allergic reaction.Each type of parasite is sensitive to certain substances, so to get rid of worms it is necessary to determine their type.In this case, only a doctor will help, who, after conducting tests and other studies, will make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment.
In the most severe cases, doctors prescribe surgery to remove the worms.
Interest:The bovine tapeworm sometimes reaches 10 meters in length in humans.It consists of small units that can be developed as an independent organization.Therefore, it can only be removed surgically, and if the body is torn into pieces, they will continue to grow and grow.
Prevention
Helminths enter the body in the form of tiny eggs, so to avoid this it is necessary to follow certain recommendations:
- observe the rules of personal hygiene (wash hands before eating, after contact with animals, after visiting the toilet, etc.)
- wash vegetables and fruits with clean running water, preferably boiled water.
- fry the meat and fish well.
- If you have pets, have them regularly checked for helminths by a veterinarian.
- Get tested for intestinal parasites once a year.
Tips: Do not swim in bodies of water near which animals graze.In this case, there is a risk of infection with bovine tapeworm, which is very dangerous.
Worms are a major threat to human health and interfere with the normal activities of life.It is important to recognize them as soon as possible and eliminate them with treatment, since it is easier to get rid of them in the early stages.In addition to the risk to your health, there is a possibility of infecting your loved ones with parasites, so at the first symptoms it is recommended to consult a doctor who will make a diagnosis and prescribe a course of treatment.In addition, it is important to observe preventive measures to avoid contamination.It is better to prevent the appearance of worms in the body in advance than to get rid of them later.