Symptoms indicating the presence of parasites in the human body are non-specific.In addition, they differ in the acute and chronic stages of the disease.How to recognize them?
The penetration of parasites into the human body has always been and remains one of the most urgent problems of medicine.Although people's level of hygiene culture is constantly increasing, the number of people with parasites in their bodies has not decreased.In addition, due to the development of transportation routes and population migration, new types of parasites that were previously absent are constantly appearing.Accordingly, new symptoms appear indicating the presence of helminths in the human body.In addition, parasites living in the child's body need special attention.Try to find out when you need to pay attention to your health and consult a specialist.
Classification of parasites
There are a large number of parasite species in the world, but not all of them are adapted to life in our climate.Therefore, in this article we will consider only the classification and symptoms of the most common types of parasites.Scientists divide all species of worms that can parasitize the human body into several groups.
According to their biological characteristics, parasites are divided as follows:
- Roundworms, also known as roundworms (pinworms, roundworms, whipworms, hookworms, intestinal eels, trichinella).
- Tapeworms or cestodes (pork tapeworm, beef tapeworm, dwarf tapeworm, tapeworm, broad tapeworm, alveolus, echinococcus).
- Trematodes (liver, lung, cat, lanceolate, blood).
- Protozoan parasites (amoeba, lamblia, balantidium).
According to their life cycle characteristics, there are the following types of parasites:
- Biological helminths require the intermediate host to go through different stages of development.A sexually mature, reproductive individual that lives in the body of its definitive host.
- Earthworms - eggs mature and spread in the soil.
- Helminths are transmitted directly from person to person.
Based on the living environment in the body, it can be divided into:
- Cavity - parasites in the intestines and other cavity organs, for example, bile ducts, bladder.
- Tissue - parasites in internal organs and parenchymal muscles, that is, outside the intestines.
Clinical picture of helminth disease
What signs should you pay attention to?Conventionally, the course of helminthiasis can be divided into two stages - acute and chronic.The acute phase develops immediately after the parasite "settles" in the human body and lasts from two weeks to two months.
Acute phase
The symptoms of this stage are due to the body's general reaction to the penetration of foreign proteins, that is, the allergic mechanism.The following syndromes appear:
- poisoning;
- joint;
- dermatology;
- catarrhal;
- bronchopulmonary;
- liver;
- belly;
- brain.
Intoxication syndrome is characterized by increased body temperature, chills, sweating, general weakness and muscle pain.Children may feel anxious, cry for no reason, and sleep poorly.Enlargement of peripheral lymph nodes often occurs.
Because the symptoms are non-specific, patients do not rush to see a doctor, considering the symptom complex as the first stage of ARVI.But even if parents seek advice because their child has a high temperature, not every pediatrician suspects the presence of parasites in the body at this stage.
Joint damage occurs as a type of reactive arthritis, due to the presence in the human body of proteins structurally similar to parasite proteins.Antibodies produced in response to the invasion of a pathogen affect not only it, but also tissues with a similar structure to it.Patients complain of severe pain in the joints, swelling, redness and local increase in body temperature.
Skin damage occurs in the form of atopic dermatitis and is characterized by itching and the appearance of various rashes.In some patients, the rash is very pronounced, but there are others who do not notice its presence.
Catarrhal syndrome is accompanied by symptoms of runny nose, conjunctivitis and sore throat.Bronchopulmonary signs include persistent cough with phlegm, bronchial asthma attacks, and clinical picture of pneumonia and pleurisy.
With most helminths, the liver and spleen become enlarged.But these organs are especially noticed when Giardia, Echinococcus, liver flukes settle in the human body.The patient then complains of:
- bitter taste in the mouth;
- pain and heaviness in the right lower quadrant;
- yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes.
Abdominal syndrome can be very evident in children of preschool or elementary school age.Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain are observed.These symptoms are often the cause of misdiagnosis, when helminthiasis is considered acute intestinal intoxication.
Cerebral manifestations are moderate and characterized by headache, dizziness, and decreased performance.
The severity of the above symptoms in both adult and pediatric patients may vary.It depends on the strength of the immune system.In addition, the severity of the immune response depends on the morphological form in which the parasite is present in the body.The largest amount of antibodies is synthesized in response to larval invasion.
Over time, the strength of the immune response weakens and the disease becomes chronic.In this case, it can last for many years, since its symptoms are mild and many people simply do not pay attention to them.
Chronic phase
During this stage, symptoms, or more precisely their severity, are largely determined by the following factors:
- the type of parasite that has entered the body;
- number of parasitic individuals;
- the location of the parasite in the body of an adult or child.
If helminths are "equipped" with suction cups, hooks, spikes or cutting discs, they will mechanically damage the location, causing infection.
The volume formation formed by the vital activity of helminths can compress neighboring structures.Furthermore, if this is a vital organ, such as the brain, the consequences can be dire.
Because the parasite feeds on substances intended for the host's body, the host will suffer from anemia, vitamin deficiency, and protein deficiency.
To survive in the human body, parasites must severely suppress the immune system.As a result, the likelihood of contracting viral and bacterial diseases increases;They tend to have a severe, long-lasting course, develop complications, form chronic forms and be asymptomatic.
Characteristics of some helminth diseases
Some helminth diseases have characteristic symptoms that help distinguish them from other diseases.
- Children with intestinal worms will have itching in the anus in the evening and at night.
- Large helminth infections cause hemorrhagic colitis.
- Roundworms can cause intestinal obstruction, obstructive jaundice and pancreatitis.
- Hookworms suck the host's blood and cause severe iron deficiency anemia.
- The presence of tapeworms can be diagnosed by a very specific symptom - the movement of parasite segments independently or during defecation.
- Urinary schistosomes living in the human body are characterized by the appearance of a drop of blood at the end of urination.
- Filariasis affects the eyes.
Due to the presence of liver flukes, patients suffer from chronic hepatitis, cholecystitis and cholangitis.Such patients complain of pain and heaviness in the right lower quadrant, bitterness in the mouth, jaundice of the skin and mucous membranes.Similar complaints are characteristic of giardiasis.Even after successful treatment, phenomena such as ciliary dyskinesia often persist.
Echinococcus, alveococcus, cysticercosis do not reveal their presence in any way until a cyst forms in the affected organ.Sometimes it can reach quite large sizes and, as a rule, it is diagnosed by chance.Helminthiasis of the central nervous system is characterized by a variety of symptoms due to the location of the cysts.
Conclude
As can be seen above, the clinical picture of the presence of worms is very diverse.They are easily confused with other diseases, especially when the patient follows basic personal hygiene rules in daily life.If you notice suspicious symptoms that have no explanation, don't delay seeing your doctor.Competent advice will help you avoid many troubles in the future.