Unfortunately, even in the modern era of development, there is still a risk of helminth infections. To be able to treat and prevent this phenomenon, it is necessary to be familiar with the main types of worms at a minimum.
Types of Worms
In the medical resources, in which you can find the answer to the question of what types of worms a person has, they provide data on a wide variety of worms. Of course, some of the most popular types. By classification, they can be divided into 3 main categories. These are: roundworms and tapeworms, as well as flukes.
roundworm
First on the list of worms in humans is roundworm only. They are also called nematodes. They get their name due to the structure of the body, because if you make a cross section of an individual you can see the roundness of the result. Despite the fact that there are more than 20 thousand species of them in the world, only some of them are commonly found in humans.
The most common types of roundworm include:
- Roundworm. These worms are quite large in size. They can be up to half a meter long. The width ranges from 4-5 cm, usually pink, but in different cases it can be whiter or redder. These helminths are located mainly in the small intestine, but in rare cases they can also be in the biliary tract. Larvae also quite easily move around the body, through the bloodstream. Their final stop is the lungs. It is here that have the most comfortable conditions for their ripening, because this parasite belongs to the group of anaerobic bacteria. As they become more alive, they move to the intestines. Roundworms have a long lifespan, which can range from 12-14 months. Outside of the human body, these worms live in soil conditions, where they lay several thousand eggs per day;
- Pinworm. Most commonly seen in children, as the cause of infection can be poor hand washing or product. A little less often, they enter the body with dust particles. Their size is much smaller than roundworms. Males reach a length of 3 mm, and females - up to 13-14 mm. Color is completely white. Their favorite habitat is the initial part of the large intestine. Eggs are laid in the anus, closer to the anus. Their lifespan is also much shorter than that of roundworms, and is only a few months.
- Trichinella. These modestly sized worms, only 4 mm long, usually enter the body of a living person as part of infected flesh. Larvae live in muscle tissue, mainly in motor and masticatory tissues, but adults prefer to colonize the intestines. Trichinella is a danger to humans, as if not treated appropriately, it can be fatal.
Tapeworms
Tapeworms are characterized by a flat body structure and the complete absence of a digestive tract. The length of individuals can be up to several meters, so they look like a long ribbon. They prefer to live in the intestines or gastrointestinal tract. Among them are the following types:
- Beef tapeworm. This is one of the largest varieties of tapeworm. The length of an individual can reach 15-20 meters. The worm sticks to the surface of the small intestine and begins to absorb substances necessary for a person. Without proper diagnosis and treatment, he can live up to 10 years. Infection usually occurs from eating contaminated, undercooked meat;
- Dwarf tapeworm. It got its name due to its small size, averaging 4-5 mm. You can become infected with such a tapeworm by washing unclean vegetables, and even dirty hands;
- Wide ribbon. Another great perspective. Its length can be up to 10 meters, the width is usually larger than that of other worms. The larvae penetrate the infected fish and develop into adults after only 3. 5 weeks. Lives mainly in the small intestine. Lifespan can be up to tens of years;
- Echinococcus. Small worms, as a rule, do not exceed 5 mm in length. Infection occurs from infected animals: cats and dogs. This species is different in that individuals are not confined to the intestines but to the lungs or liver. They are dangerous because they can cause the formation of cysts, which later need to be surgically removed.
These worms can be very harmful to the body, so they are detected as soon as possible.
fluke
Flukes, like tapeworms, are flat parasites due to their body composition. They are also known as liverworms, because their main habitat is the liver and biliary tract. Their main types are:
- Fluke. Also called cat fluke. It lives mainly in rivers and lakes, which means it enters the human body along with ill-treated infected fish. Pets can act as a carrier. Individuals are quite small and rarely reach 12-13 mm. Inside a person, they can live in absolutely any organ;
- Chinese or oriental fluke. Features of the body are transparent red color, small size no more than 2. 5 cm, penetrate into the human body, similar to common fluke. It can lay more than 3. 5 thousand eggs per day;
- Large liver fluke. This is a larger flatworm species, can be 5-7 cm in length, can only live in fresh water conditions. It died in salt water springs. A person can become infected with fascioliasis from drinking contaminated raw water, such as when bathing, and also from eating plants. The risk is especially great if they are aquatic or wild species.
Although liver flukes are small in size, they can be dangerous to humans. In addition to the standard symptoms, the patient may have a fever.
The simplest creatures
The simplest creatures have existed on earth for millions of years. To date, science has read more than 14. 5 thousand species. Like other parasites, their preferred habitat is soil, water in tanks and, of course, the human body. They can survive on the surface of vegetables and fruits for a while, their use often causes infection.
In the vast majority of cases, when infecting a person with a protozoa, it is Giardia. Their vitality is enviable. They withstand even the most adverse environmental conditions.
In their structure, they are distinguished by the presence of four pairs of flagella and a special disc that performs a suction function. Due to them, Giardia reliably adheres to the inner surface of the intestine and begins to parasitize.
Manifestations of symptoms
The fact that worms appear in the human body can be understood by a multitude of signs. But most of them are of a general nature, indicating the presence of an inflammatory process. This can confuse patients, forcing them to look for causes in other diseases.
Therefore, the patient can take care of himself during this stage:
- Fatigue, irritability, fatigue;
- Paleness of the skin;
- Dizziness and sometimes headache;
- Increased anxiety and irritability. In children, aggression is clearly visible;
- Decreased sleep. Often worried about insomnia;
- Pain in the joints, feeling of pulling in the muscles;
- Increased salivation.
Fatigue is one of the signs indicating the presence of worms.
The following signs, reminiscent of allergic reactions or diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, may mislead patients:
- Jaundice;
- Rash on the body;
- bronchial asthma attacks;
- Stool disorders: constipation or diarrhea;
- Flatulence;
- Feelings of nausea, as well as vomiting;
- Pain in the abdomen and lower abdomen;
- Body temperature slightly increased.
But the symptoms that are more typical for this situation, so that people often start to suspect that they have a parasite, are:
- Losing weight for no apparent reason. At the same time, it becomes very difficult to return the departed kilograms;
- Itching in the anus;
- Chatter. This phenomenon manifests in the grinding of teeth while sleeping.
Despite the fact that there are many signs that indicate the presence of parasites in the body, sometimes this phenomenon is completely asymptomatic, and therefore, people may not be aware of it in the first place. many months.
Diagnose
To identify helminths in the body is not at all easy. The standard procedure in this case is to examine the stool for eggworms. I have to say that sometimes to detect worms in feces, it may take 3 to 5 analyzes.
How to identify certain types of worms, only doctors know. Can't do this alone without test results. Depending on the symptoms present, the doctor may prescribe the following examination procedures:
- Blood analysis. In this case, the number of indicators such as proteins and eosinophils are analyzed;
- Analysis of scratches from the anus;
- Analysis of vaginal curettage.
In addition, in some cases, additional measures may be required. As:
- Check sputum;
- Studies on the composition of urine and bile;
- Endoscopic;
- CT scan;
- Ultrasound procedure.
Once the parasite is identified, the doctor will come up with a treatment plan.
The treatment
Self-treatment of parasites is not allowed. This is due to the following factors:
- Preparations contain a different active substance, that is, they have a detrimental effect on different types of helminths;
- Some drugs can only kill the larvae of the worms, but not the adults;
- All drugs have some side effects.
In this regard, it is necessary to choose drugs based on the results of diagnostic procedures.
The product may contain the following active ingredients:
- mebendazole. It affects only worms of the pinworm genus;
- Diethylcarbamazine. Medicines based on it are prescribed if filariae bacteria are present in the patient's body;
- Levamisole. There are many actions. Kills both pinworms and roundworms, as well as other worms;
- Hydroxysinaphthoate bephenia. Effective against roundworm;
- Albendazole. Essential in the treatment of diseases caused by echinococci;
- Piperazine adipate. It is used to remove roundworms and pinworms from the body.
Traditional medicine also does not stand aside in this matter. It offers a variety of ways that may not always be able to completely cleanse the body of parasites, but at a minimum, can slow down their reproduction and development.
Examples of such methods are:
- Pumpkin seeds. They are taken in pure form or decoctions are made on their basis;
- Watermelon seeds. The same applies to pumpkins;
- Wormwood tincture;
- tincture and water of wormwood leaves;
- Garlic;
- Wormwood plant;
- Sand chrysanthemum.
It is important to note that before using folk remedies, you should get the consent of your doctor and, of course, exclude cases of allergy to the ingredients used.
What are dangerous worms for humans?
Worms not only live in the human body, they are literally parasitic, taking away useful substances and sucking blood. The body goes through a state of intoxication. The result of long-term residence of helminths in humans can have negative consequences such as:
- Weakened immune system;
- Violation of the gastrointestinal tract. Poor digestion of food, the appearance of ulcers;
- The development of allergies;
- cyst formation;
- Damage to the organs in which they live.
And don't forget that some parasites are very, very dangerous. Ignoring their presence can lead to the worst outcome.
Prevent
The vast majority of people have had to deal with worms at least once in their life. Children are especially affected by this. And this is quite justifiable, in addition to the fact that they have weaker immunity than adults, they also often ignore the rules of hygiene.
In general, the methods to help reduce the risk of infection are not complicated at all. By themselves they mean:
- Observe the rules of personal hygiene. Wash your hands not only, but thoroughly with soap;
- Vegetables, fruits, berries must be washed with plenty of water;
- Any meat: cattle, poultry or fish, should be thoroughly washed before cooking. Heat treatment must also be thorough. It is not worth taking the risk and cooking meat with blood without confidence in its quality and safety;
- Routine deworming prophylaxis in children. It is best to do this by consulting your doctor;
- In addition, livestock and livestock are subject to drug prophylaxis. At the same time, there is no difference in whether they live in the courtyard of a private house or in the room itself. If a dog or cat eats raw meat, then prevention of worms must be carried out without fail.
Such procedures will help to stay free of parasites for as long as possible.