Parasites are constantly present in the human body.These can be both pathogenic worms and amoebas and protozoa that do not cause diseases and sometimes help to cope with the bacterial flora.A health threat is posed by parasites that feed on the host, damage internal organs and disrupt the functions of vital systems.
Classification of human parasites.
Human parasites can be of several types.Protozoa, arthropods and helminths live mainly inside and on the surface of the body.Some organisms are constant companions of humans, others use them as a temporary reservoir for the transition to the next stage of development.
True parasites cannot live without a host and die in a free environment.False ones can be felt the same way on the human body, on the ground, in water and on surrounding objects.There are also hyperparasites that settle inside similar creatures and live on them.Depending on location, parasites are divided into:
- Internal.These are endoparasites that feed on intestinal juices, organ tissues, blood and lymph.
- External.They are called ectoparasites, they live on the body, in the hair and in the folds of the skin.
- Fabric.Its habitat is the internal organs (liver, heart, lungs, gallbladder, brain).
- Cavity.These parasites live, feed and reproduce in the intestines and stomach.
- Intracellular or blood.They are usually microscopic in size and are found in biological fluids.
Note!
In addition to the general classification, there is an individual division of all types of parasites into species and classes.Protozoa can be represented by ciliates, sarcods and amoebas.Worms are divided into trematodes, tapeworms and roundworms.Arthropods include insects, arachnids, and bloodsuckers.
What parasites do humans have?
People are infected with protozoa and helminths with the same frequency.Insects are diagnosed mainly in socially disadvantaged people.Adults, unlike children, can be infected with all known parasites.This is due to the variety of diets and the opportunity to travel.Many are misled by the misleading belief that parasitic diseases are primarily diagnosed in childhood.In reality, they are most often detected at a young age, but adults get sick just as often as children;its clinical signs of invasion may simply be erased.
Protozoa and their location.
These single-celled parasites live in the body of adults for decades;They are studied by the science of protozoology.They can cause both specific infections and general diseases.Active individuals are called trophozoites and usually have flagella for locomotion.To continue the life cycle, protozoa have the ability to enclose themselves in capsules (cysts).These forms are immobile and persist in the external environment and unfavorable conditions for a long time.
Many species of flagellates parasitize adults.They have microscopic sizes and different locations:
- Trichomonas affects the genitourinary system, oral cavity and prostate in men;
- intestinal balantidia live in the lumen of the large intestine;
- Giardia parasitizes the liver, bile ducts, and intestines;
- malaria plasmodia destroy blood cells;
- toxoplasma spreads through the bloodstream to all organs, including the brain;
- trypanosomes attack the brain and cause “sleeping sickness”;
- Leishmania settles in the lymph nodes, spleen, liver and bone marrow;
- Dysenteric amoebas live in the large intestine.
All parasitic protozoan species have a similar life cycle, which occurs when moving from the vegetative stage to the cyst stage.Reproduction in single-celled organisms occurs both sexually and asexually.
Note!
Protozoa are true parasites and in the trophozoite stage they cannot exist without a permanent or intermediate host.
Diseases caused by parasites of the worm class.
The presence of round and flat worms is often detected in the body of adults.They differ in size, operating characteristics and degree of negative impact on organs and systems.
Nematodes
There may be several types of these parasites in humans.They belong to the class of intestinal worms and their appearance is similar to a spindle.The worms feel free in the host's body and in an open environment.Among common nematode pathogens:
- Ascaris.It lives in the small intestine, is 20 to 40 cm long and reproduces sexually.
- Intestinal worm.A small worm, no more than 12 mm in length.It affects the intestines and can lay up to 15,000 eggs a day.The male dies after mating, the female after the larvae are laid.
- Hookworm.Lives in the jejunum and duodenum.This parasite inside a person can suck up to 0.3 ml of blood per day, damaging the intestinal wall with sharp teeth.
- Worm.The worm, up to 5 cm long, lives in the intestines and, thanks to its unique body structure, sucks juices from the thickness of its walls.
- Trichinella.It is an intramuscular parasite up to 4 mm in size that causes the dangerous disease trichinosis in humans.Trichinella looks like a spiral and is a viviparous helminth.
- Guinea worm.This parasite in the human body reaches 1 meter in length and looks like a thin white thread.The location of the Guinea worm can be in the subcutaneous layer of the legs, back or lower abdomen.
- Filaria.They enter the body through the bites of infected mosquitoes, mosquitoes and horseflies.The habitat of filariae is the entire circulatory and lymphatic system.They block the blood vessels of the heart, lungs and other organs, causing blockage.
- Toxocara.The worm larvae migrate throughout the body and infect the heart, lungs, liver and brain.The size of adult helminths reaches 18 cm.
- Intestinal eel.The causative agent of strongyloidiasis lives in the intestines in the mature stage.Eel larvae can spread throughout the human body through the bloodstream.
Important!
The negative impact of intestinal worms on the body is due to their mechanical and toxic effects.
Trematodes
These are parasites that live in humans and have the second name by chance.There are several types of these flatworms.They cause different diseases, but have a similar structure.All staves have a leaf-shaped body with two suction cups.Trematodes do not have an anus;The digested food is expelled through the mouth.
Trematode parasites affect the body depending on their location.Liver, lanceolate, and cat flukes affect the liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts.Pulmonary fluke lives in the lungs, blood fluke lives in the blood vessels.
Note!
Flukes always have an intermediate host in the form of a variety of mollusks.
cestodes
This type includes helminths of the tapeworm or tapeworm class.They have a special structure and look like a chain of their individual fragments (strobili).Cestodes parasitize the intestines and release large amounts of toxins into the body.
Common worms of this class in adults include:
- Wide ribbon.The largest parasite, up to 15 meters long, absorbs nutrients throughout the body and poisons it with its toxins.
- Pork tapeworm.It is the causative agent of taeniasis, reaches 3 meters in length and is “armed” with several hooks.
- The bull tapeworm consists of more than a thousand segments and grows up to 10 meters.
- I had a dwarf.The size of the worm does not exceed 5 cm;It lives in the human body for about 2 months and then dies.
- Echinococci and alveococci.Helminths cause liver and lung diseases and can form larval blisters on internal organs.
Note!
Cestodes are particularly dangerous due to their ability to parasitize in the form of cysticerci.These are encapsulated larvae that are transported to all organs through the bloodstream, causing a massive invasion.
external parasites
The most common ectoparasite that lives on the human body is the louse.It lives on the scalp, armpits, groin, beard and even eyelashes and eyebrows.The disease caused by parasites is called pediculosis.Depending on the location, body lice, pubic and head lice are distinguished.You can get rid of insects using external means in the form of shampoos, ointments and solutions.
Important!
The danger of lice lies in their ability to transmit typhus, which is a serious infectious disease, through saliva.
Symptoms of parasites in the human body.
With external insects such as lice and fleas, everything is clear;They manifest themselves as local itching and the formation of sores at the site of the bite.Internal parasites cause a more varied clinical picture.It depends on the location of the foreign organisms, their size and the scale of the invasion.
Hundreds of worms and protozoa of the same or different species can simultaneously parasitize humans.Parasites can live in humans undetected for several years and cause no specific symptoms.Common signs of infestation typically include:
- nausea;
- vomiting;
- constipation or diarrhea;
- weakness;
- headache;
- changes in appetite towards its increase or decrease;
- anemia for no apparent reason;
- increased nervousness;
- sleep disorders;
- Stomachache;
- perversion of taste.
In case of liver damage, the clinical picture is complemented by pain in the right hypochondrium, yellowing of the skin and bitterness in the mouth.Filariasis is manifested by signs of heart and respiratory failure, toxoplasmosis is accompanied by disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system.With trichinosis, the muscles are affected.
When the genitourinary system is affected by protozoa, signs of infection in women are manifested by frequent urination, discharge from the vagina and urethra, and itching.In the case of intestinal infestations, symptoms of infection in adults may not appear for years, during which time the parasites multiply and weaken the human immune system, contributing to the development of chronic and systemic diseases.
Symptoms of protozoa in the body usually include fever, headaches, and allergic reactions.Often, one of the first signs of parasites in the body is a rash on the body and itchy skin.This is due to the human body's response to foreign proteins.
Important!
General signs of the presence of parasites in the body in the early stages may be similar to intestinal infections, dermatitis and digestive disorders.
Why are parasites dangerous?
In humans, parasite infection can cause various reactions and complications.If the invasion is caused by small helminths, the risk of complications is quite small.When infected with large species of worms or highly pathogenic protozoa, health damage can be unpredictable.
In addition to specific diseases, which sometimes have a serious course, foreign individuals cause serious dysfunctions of vital systems.The toxins that parasites release into the blood affect the central nervous system and poison the body.Large helminths have a negative mechanical effect on organs.Many doctors believe that this type of tissue damage leads to oncology and tumors.In addition, parasites cause ulcerative lesions of the intestines and stomach, bronchitis and pneumonia, cystitis and pancreatitis, cholecystitis and colitis.
Important!
Sometimes the symptoms of large worms in adults can manifest as an acute abdomen.This happens when the worms damage the intestinal lining and develop peritonitis.
Sources of possible infection and preventive measures.
There are many ways to become infected with parasites.People are exposed to infections every day.By eating undercooked meat and fish, there is a risk of contracting helminths such as flukes and trichinae.If you don't wash your hands or fruits and vegetables well, you can put pinworm eggs, roundworms, toxocara, and other worms in your mouth.When visiting exotic countries, one can become infected with rare parasites such as Guinea worm, malaria plasmodium, and trypanosomes.
Carriers of the infection are domestic and wild animals, blood-sucking animals, crustaceans and mollusks, as well as ants.Prevention consists of reducing the risk of infection by maintaining hand hygiene and adequate heat treatment of meat and fish products.
Important!
Tourism lovers should first study the ways of infection of parasites living in a given country.
Diagnosis
Sometimes it is possible to detect an invasion in the body simply by sending biological fluids and feces for analysis, as well as studying the anamnesis.But not all parasites manifest clinical symptoms and form larvae.Therefore, PCR and ELISA are recognized as the best diagnostic methods.These are immunological tests that can detect the DNA of parasites and antibodies against them in venous blood.
Computer diagnostics are also popular now, but they only help to establish the fact of infection, without identifying the specific pathogen.Now hemocanning of the blood is also necessary, which is carried out by repeatedly expanding the biological material.
Duodenal intubation helps to find out everything about parasites in the liver.During the procedure, bile is collected and then laboratory tests are performed.In case of echinococcosis in the stage of blistering in the liver and lungs, the body is diagnosed using ultrasound, MRI and X-ray. Intestinal samples can be seen during colonoscopy.
Important!
Modern techniques make it possible to detect invasion already when the first signs of infection appear, so to prevent the development of complications, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.
Therapy methods
To combat invasions they use medicinal treatments against parasites in the human body, a diet that limits flour, sweets, alcohol and patented techniques.A collection with cloves, tansy and wormwood helps against diseases.The method of drinking sweet tea with cognac (1 tablespoon per glass) on an empty stomach, followed by the use of a laxative, has also proven effective.
Pharmacy drugs for parasites are available in the form of suspensions, tablets, suppositories and injectable solutions.For protozoa, adults are prescribed antiprotozoal medications.
Parasites should be treated for up to 5 days.
To eliminate worms such as roundworms with medication, a single use of anthelmintic tablets is sometimes sufficient.They destroy the worms from the inside, paralyzing their muscular system.It is more difficult to cure a person from trematodes, echinococci and alveococci.The course of treatment for the body sometimes lasts up to 6 months.
To get rid of parasites for good, you must take the medications according to the regimen prescribed by your doctor.
Important!
Self-medication with drugs is discouraged due to the possible worsening of the condition.Sometimes the first signs of parasite death are manifested by the release of toxins into the blood, which requires additional detoxification therapy.
Treatment with home remedies.
If parasites appear in the body that cause specific infections such as malaria, toxoplasmosis or trichomoniasis, treatment with homemade recipes is out of the question.In these cases, qualified medical assistance is required.
Note!
Traditional medicine can be used for preventive purposes or as auxiliary therapy.
To get rid of infestations, natural remedies based on herbs, flowers and products with a high content of essential oils are used.
You can receive treatment against parasites:
- wormwood infusion (one tablespoon per liter of boiling water);
- tansy decoction (20 grams of herb per 500 ml of boiling water);
- garlic milk (one head of garlic per 250 ml of hot milk);
- onion porridge (chop two onions and mix with vegetable oil);
- dessert made from pumpkin seeds (mix a glass of seeds with half a glass of honey);
- pumpkin puree (steam 1 kg of pulp in the oven for an hour and puree).
Natural remedies should be consumed for at least 10 days, one tablespoon before each full meal.
Reviews on the treatment of parasites.
- "I give my whole family pumpkin seeds. I dry them at room temperature, mix them with any jam, condensed milk or honey and serve them with tea. As a result, no one suffers from parasites."
- "My husband had stomach pain near the navel for a whole year, he suffered from nausea, he took many tests and found nothing. Recently, a doctor at a paid clinic prescribed a broad-spectrum anthelmintic drug, my husband took a pill and after a week the pain disappeared."
- "To prevent it, I take an anthelmintic medication every autumn, since in the country I sometimes eat vegetables straight from the bush. The suspension is cheap, has a good taste and is well tolerated."