A common cause of poor health, sleep disorders and digestive problems are helminths.Infection of a child or an adult with parasites causes a set of different, seemingly unrelated symptoms, and to avoid this, you need to know how worms are transmitted from person to person.Parasitic diseases caused by worms can usually be treated, but such treatment involves the use of toxic drugs, so it is best to avoid infection with larvae.
What are worms?
There are many types of helminths, which are divided into two categories - nematodes (roundworms) and flatworms.Worms are parasitic organisms that live in the body of an animal or human, affecting various organs and tissues, causing specific symptoms and general health problems.Worms vary in size: from a few millimeters to tens of meters.Helminths are contagious and their presence in the body is indicated by symptoms identical to those of other diseases (intestines, liver, pancreas, etc.).
Where do parasites come from?The appearance of helminths in the body is often associated with insufficient hand hygiene, but it is not the only way they are transmitted.Different types of parasites are passed from one person to another in all manner of ways.Pathologies caused by worms that spread between people are called contact helminthiasis.
Today, several dozen causative agents of parasitic diseases are known, however, despite this fact, the process of infection with them is approximately the same.Eggs and larvae of parasites can enter the body along with food, water, sexual intercourse, etc.Another common method of infection is ingestion of mature individuals or fragments of the worm's body.After entering the body, helminths begin to develop and some of them multiply.Some types of parasites remain in the larval stage and are covered with a protective capsule.
Any type of helminthiasis is characterized by active development, and the lack of appropriate treatment will lead to a deterioration in the patient's health.In addition, without proper treatment, a person becomes a source of spread of helminthiasis.The most frequently diagnosed helminth infections are ascariasis and enterobiasis.Roundworms and worms have effective protection - a sticky shell, thanks to which they are firmly attached to the organs.
Are worms transmitted from person to person?
With the strictest observance of all hygiene rules, it is impossible to protect yourself 100% from helminth infection.However, this reduces the risk of parasites entering the body by about 60%.Are parasites transmitted from person to person?Despite popular opinion, animals do not pose the greatest risk of becoming infected with helminths.The route of parasite infection through contact between people is the most common, in addition, some types of worms are transmitted only in this way.
The risk group includes children of preschool age and children attending primary school.This is explained by the still fragile immune system, the daily presence of the child in public places, the characteristics of the child's body and the common habit of nail biting.Parents need to know how helminthiasis is transmitted - this will prevent the baby from becoming infected.
How are worms transmitted?
There are several main ways parasites are transmitted.How does helminth infection occur?Worms are transmitted in the following ways:
- With airborne droplets.In this case, a person, as a rule, ingests eggs, fragments or larvae of worms by eating dirty vegetables/fruits (it is extremely important to wash the products well before consumption), drinking, swimming in contaminated water, eating meat or fish that carried the parasite.
- For home contacts.Worms lay still immature eggs, which, leaving the host, remain harmless to others for a few weeks.However, the larvae can remain under the fingernails for a long time and can be transmitted by shaking hands, other personal contact, or sharing hygiene items and underwear.
- Through saliva.Pinworms and other types of parasites can move from one host to another in this way, but this is extremely unlikely.
- Contagious method of transmission of worms.It is possible to become infected with parasites when infected by carriers of helminth larvae such as insects (fleas, mosquitoes, mosquitoes).As a rule, such a risk exists in countries with a tropical climate.
- Transplacental tract.If the mother is a carrier, they can pass through the placenta to the baby.
Percutaneous route
With this method of infection with helminthiasis, the larvae/eggs of the pathogen penetrate the human body through mucous membranes or skin.The transdermal route involves an attack by larvae waiting on the ground in a person.At the same time, they penetrate the inside of the skin and migrate to the intestines.Another example is a person who became infected with schistosomiasis while swimming in a lake.As a rule, such dangerous pests live in places with warm weather conditions.
Are worms transmitted through kissing?
There is practically no chance of helminthiasis being infected through saliva (during a kiss).Worms do not live in the mouth and their eggs also do not remain in the initial part of the digestive tract.Saliva cannot contain parasite larvae.In addition, it acts as the first barrier against the entry of helminths into the body, therefore, through a kiss, they can enter the human body only if certain requirements are met:
- one of the partners has just bitten, but not swallowed, a product contaminated with helminths.
- The woman kissed the palm of the child who was just playing in the sand and immediately kissed her husband.
- immediately before the kiss, one of the partners touched his lips to an object containing worm eggs.
Is it possible to get bed bugs through the bed?
The eggs of worms and some other helminths live outside the animal or human body for several months and in daily life can be found on any surfaces touched by the carrier.You can get bed bugs through bed, dishes, doors, furniture etc.Thus, if one member of the family becomes infected, then after a short time the rest of the household is also infected.Everyone should be tested and start early treatment so that helminthiasis does not continue to spread among loved ones and those around them.
Worm infection of mother and child
Doctors do not exclude the possibility of infection of the fetus with worms through the tissue of the placenta.In addition, if a woman, while pregnant, was infected with any helminthiasis pathogen, the risk of the child becoming ill is very high.Parasites are unlikely to enter the baby through breast milk.The worms can enter the baby's body during delivery, when the baby comes out through the birth canal.Helminthic infestation of mother and child requires complex treatment, and many drugs are prohibited for use, so traditional medicine is often used.
Worm infection through sexual contact
There is a risk of contracting a helminthic disease during intercourse with a parasite carrier, especially if we are talking about amoeba or giardiasis.Statistics show that infection through sexual contact is more common among people with a homosexual sexual orientation.As a rule, Giardia and amoebae live in the intestines and organs of the genitourinary system, so protective measures such as contraceptives are not able to protect a healthy person from this disease.
Does worm infestation occur through dishes?
A common variant of parasite infection is through household contact.Often a person becomes ill with helminthiasis by eating from dishes containing worm larvae or eggs.The spread pattern looks like this: after visiting the toilet, a child or an adult does not wash his hands well or at all, and then, while setting the table, he touches the cutlery, plates and other objects.
Due to poor hygiene, eggs end up in food and then directly into the digestive system.Infection through dishes can be facilitated by flies that first sat on feces and then on dishes.When the first signs of helminthiasis appear, you should not self-medicate, but immediately visit a doctor to take tests and determine the type of parasite.A specialist will help you choose the right treatment and prevent complications.
Measures to prevent infection by parasitic worms
There are many varieties of parasites, which cannot be protected by vaccinations or other preventive measures.It is also impossible to ignore the possibility of helminthiasis, as over the years it becomes a widespread problem and often leads to the development of serious accompanying pathologies.Despite the fact that new powerful anti-worm drugs appear all the time, parasites adapt to toxic substances and are still transmitted from person to person.
Due to the spread of the problem, measures to prevent infection by parasitic worms are appropriate and mandatory:
- strictly observe the rules of hygiene.
- subject meat and fish to thorough processing before consumption;
- provide each family member with personal hygiene items (washcloth, toothbrush, towel, etc.)
- supporting the immune system with vitamins.
- drink only pure water.
- eliminate bad habits;
- reduce the consumption of sweets (parasites love them).
- undergo an annual examination of the body for helminthic infestation.