Parasitic diseases are a large group of diseases caused by helminths, some arthropods, and protozoa.
Despite all the achievements of modern medicine and developed hygiene, according to statistics, at least 90% of people around the world encounter these pathologies at least once in their life. How to suspect a disease and what tests to do for parasites, read this article.
Types of parasites
Parasites are organisms that survive due to the vital activity of living things. They are deposited in the human body during their growth and reproduction and lead to a deficiency in trace elements, vitamins, proteins and other nutrients. They can lead to both relapses and exacerbations of chronic pathologies, and even cause damage to internal organs.
There are the following types of parasites that can cause disease in humans:
- protozoa (amoeba, lamblia);
- pathogenic microorganisms (chlamydia, mycoplasma and others);
- helminths (roundworms, pinworms, beef and pork tapeworms, etc. );
- parasitic arthropods (scabies mite, demodex).
The main feature of the pathologies they cause is an asymptomatic long-term course or a course with minor symptoms. Parasites skilfully hide their existence and try to “squeeze everything out of the host's body” until its reserves are depleted and the organ or tissue is seriously damaged.
Symptoms of parasitic diseases
Parasitic pathologies most often mean helminthiasis - diseases caused by the presence of worms in the body. In most cases, they appear in children, but they can develop in adults if hygiene rules are not followed. For a long time after infection, they do not manifest themselves in any way or are accompanied by subtle symptoms that are often left unattended.
Every disease is characterized by certain characteristics, but there are also common symptoms:
- Headache, dizziness, increased weakness and fatigue. These manifestations are the result of poisoning from poisoning by the waste products of parasites.
- Aggravation of bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis, dermatitis, urticaria. They arise from hypersensitivity to helminth cells and their excretion products.
- Disruption of the digestive system (abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, constipation and diarrhea). Helminths that parasitize the intestinal lumen lead to inflammation and intestinal obstruction due to a blockage in the intestinal lumen.
- anemia, vitamin deficiency, weight loss. It occurs due to a lack of protein, vitamins and minerals, a decrease in the production of hormones.
- Sleep disorders, chronic fatigue, irritability, nervousness, muscle and joint pain.
Detection of most types of helminths requires a stool analysis or blood donation for the presence of specific antibodies. You can study in the clinic where you live, on admission to the hospital, or in one of the private laboratories. Some medical centers offer an advanced exam that can diagnose the presence or absence of multiple types of parasites in the body at the same time.
Parasite tests
The attending physician informs about the tests to be carried out if a parasitic disease is suspected based on complaints, anamnesis and clinical manifestations of the disease.
The diagnosis begins with a complete blood count. The most typical changes in helminthiasis are:
- Decrease in hemoglobin level and decrease in the number of red blood cells (resulting from a lack of protein and iron).
- Increase in the number of white blood cells, acceleration of ESR (these are signs of inflammation of the internal organs, especially the gastrointestinal tract).
- An increase in eosinophils (a characteristic symptom of allergy that occurs in response to the irritant effects of helminth waste).
For a more precise diagnosis, a fecal analysis for worm eggs and scratches is used. When examining feces, the causative agents of enterobiasis, ascariasis, hymenolipedose and the presence of protozoal microorganisms (lamblia) can be detected.
It is important to keep in mind that in a single study, the chance of detecting worm eggs in the feces is 30%. In order to clarify the diagnosis with the first negative result, the study is therefore carried out twice more with an interval of 2-4 days.
To improve the accuracy of the study, it is important to carefully prepare the delivery of feces for analysis. Collect biological material only in a special sterile container available from the pharmacy. A few days before the analysis, you should stop eating colored products (beets, red berries, exotic fruits, sweets and drinks with dyes), avoid using laxatives, as well as rectal suppositories.
Immunoassay
ELISA analysis in adults and children can detect antibodies that are produced by the human body in response to the presence of foreign objects. For this purpose, blood is taken from a vein in which, under laboratory conditions, specific IgG antibodies against lamblia, Trichomonas, pork and beef tapeworm, Trichinella, Echinococcus, Toxocara, roundworm and pinworm can be detected. With the help of this study, it is possible to prove the presence of almost all parasites in the human body.
Preparing for research is not difficult. The analysis must be carried out in the morning after 8-10 hours of fasting on an empty stomach. On the eve of the study, it is advisable not to take antibacterial agents and antihistamines, and not to eat food allergens (honey, seafood, exotic fruits and red berries, nuts). Experts recommend relaxing in the laboratory waiting room for 10-15 minutes immediately before donating blood.
The research results will be known after 1-2 days. These studies are performed both as a primary diagnosis and as a control over ongoing treatment.
The timely detection and modern effective treatment of parasitic diseases helps to avoid complications that are dangerous to health.