Worms cause the development of diseases in humans that are collectively known as helminthiasis. Worms are parasitic worms that are found in almost all organs of our body: intestines, muscles, lungs, liver, heart and even eyes.
When someone has worms, the symptoms don't always appear. When they occur, they are disguised as other diseases of the liver, gastrointestinal tract, gallbladder, etc. Sometimes these symptoms are so vague that it can be very problematic to determine the cause of a particular problem, especially when it comes to children.
Today there are many known parasites that can infect the human body. In total there are about 150 types of helminthiasis. All worms are divided into two large groups according to their shape and body structure: roundworms or nematodes and flatworms.
Children are most often infected with worms, and the most common forms of helminthiasis (diseases caused by parasitic worms) are ascariasis and enterobiasis. The most dangerous worms that can live in the human body are echinococci and alveococci. For each group of parasites, special means have been developed, the treatment of which removes worms from the body of an adult or child.
Types of worms in humans
There are more than two hundred species of worms that infect humans. Most of them are not found in the middle zone, so about sixty species are common in our country. Parasites are divided into contact parasites (worms that are transmitted from one person to another), geohelminthiasis (the larva lives in the soil and the invasion occurs when soil particles enter with food) and biohelminthiasis (parasites enter the human through the flesh of infected animalsbody) divided or fish).
Let's name some of the most common groups of worms in humans:
- Annelids – pinworms, roundworms, whipworms, trichinae;
- Tapeworms – various types of tapeworms, echinococci, tapeworms;
- Flatworms – all types of leeches, leeches.
Let's take a closer look at the individual types of worms that can live in the body of an adult.
- Roundworms are large roundworms with a red-yellow color that reach a length of up to 40 cm in adulthood.
- The whipworm is a 30-50 mm long roundworm that got its name because of the shape of its body: the front part is long and narrow, like a hair, and the back part is short and wide.
- The broadband worm is a large tapeworm that reaches a length of about 10 meters; there are specimens over 20 meters long.
- Hookworm is the combined name for two types of worms: duodenal hookworms and necator, roundworms 10–15 mm long.
- Trichinella are small roundworms 2 to 5 mm long that cause a serious disease – trichinosis.
- The liver fluke (cat fluke) is a 7-20 mm long flatworm from the class of flukes. The disease caused by this parasite is called opisthorchiasis.
- Pork and beef tapeworms are similar in structure to tapeworms up to 6 meters long.
- Echinococcus parasitizes the human body not in adult form, but in the form of an intermediate form - fins. Echinococcus itself is a 3-5 mm long tapeworm
- Alveococcus is a worm similar to Echinococcus with a similar structure and development mechanism.
The symptoms and signs of a worm infestation depend on the type of parasite, its location in the body and its developmental stage.
Helminths in the human body
Worms are scientifically called helminths. Helminths are all worms that parasitize the bodies of humans, animals and plants. Accordingly, helminths are not a specific type of parasite, but a whole group of different worms, of which three are the most common.
Helminths are still widespread in modern society. Helminth infestations are particularly common among children, hunters, fishermen and their families, and among rural residents.
Helminths are a large order of parasitic worms that feed on animals and plants and feed and reproduce in the donor's body. Humans are no exception. There are more than 70 species of parasites in our country alone. According to statistics, every third inhabitant of the earth is infected with parasitic worms. It is assumed that there is not a single adult person in whose body not a single worm has settled during his life.
Helminths. No matter how careful parents are about the cleanliness of their children's hands, it is almost impossible to protect them from worms (pinworms). Children explore the outside world; nature arouses a particular interest. They want to touch and taste everything with their hands. People who eat fish, meat of wild animals and birds, and homemade milk are at risk of becoming infected with trichinosis and diphyllobothriasis.
Modern medical data shows that many diseases can be traced back to helminth infestation. For example, the connection between oncology and long-term infection with parasites has been clinically proven. Signs of the presence of worms in humans are often misinterpreted by doctors and patients. They begin with the treatment of non-existent diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
How can you get infected?
The causes of a human worm infection are very diverse. The route of infection directly depends on the type of worms and their life cycle. These can be:
- eating dirty vegetables;
- Failure to comply with hygiene rules when preparing food;
- poor heat treatment of some foods, especially animal meat and fish;
- Communication with pets – cats, dogs, some species of rodents;
- Failure to comply with hygiene rules before eating, after using the toilet, after returning from a walk;
- Swimming in polluted waters.
During their life, worms produce toxic substances that are absorbed into the blood and distributed throughout the body, damaging major organs and systems.
General symptoms and signs of helminthic infestation in children
Common symptoms of helminthiasis include:
- worsening or increased appetite;
- nausea, possibly vomiting;
- excessive salivation;
- stool disorders;
- the appearance of pain in the lower abdomen;
- dizziness, headache;
- allergic reaction;
- increased frequency of colds;
- irritability, moodiness;
- sleep disorder;
- deterioration in mental and physical activity;
- dry cough.
Symptoms of worms in humans
Sometimes worms can affect the body of an adult for a long time without noticeable symptoms; in some cases they become the cause of the development of various chronic diseases that cause dangerous complications and even death.
With the onset of an acute phase of helminthiasis, worms begin to intensively feed in the intestines of a sick person, which leads to various signs of disorders in the digestive system: dysbiosis, abdominal pain, diarrhea.
Let's see what signs of helminths can be detected? Let's list the most common general symptoms of worms in humans.
- Gastrointestinal dysfunction – diarrhea, constipation and abdominal pain;
- Pain in joints and muscles – Parasites can move throughout the human body to settle in the most favorable places for their life, for example in the synovial fluid and muscles. When this happens, the person experiences painful sensations;
- Disorders of the nervous system and general malaise – manifest themselves in the form of fatigue, irritability, sleep disorders and memory problems;
- Allergic reactions and skin symptoms - the appearance of pimples, blackheads and other skin rashes - are also signs of the presence of worms in humans;
- Reduced immunity and, as a result, the development of infectious diseases;
- A sharp decrease in body weight;
- Anemia – some worms suck blood from the intestinal walls like leeches;
- Grinding teeth during sleep and sleep disorders;
- Itching in the anus, especially at night. At this time, the female is actively laying eggs, thereby causing itching in the anus;
- Enlarged lymph nodes, low body temperature;
- Inflammation of the respiratory tract - cough, fever, sputum, runny nose - this is how the presence of worms can manifest itself.
The specific first signs directly depend on the pathogen and the location of the worm in the human body. For example, large worms, leeches and tapeworms like to parasitize the liver, which can lead to degeneration of liver cells, blockage of the bile ducts, blood clots and liver cirrhosis. Roundworms and pinworms live in the intestines and are therefore excreted in the feces. To find out how to remove these worms from a person, you should consult a doctor who will prescribe an appropriate remedy.
Symptoms of a worm infection can appear at different times after the worm infection. So, the first symptoms of ascariasis appear after 2-3 days. In most other helminthic infestations, symptoms of the disease appear after 2-3 weeks.
Most often, the main symptoms of worm infection in adults are allergic manifestations in the form of itching and rash, swelling, weakness, muscle pain, headache, fever, muscle and joint pain, as well as an increase in the number of eosinophil granulocytes in the body blood, etc.
As parasites, worms feed on their host's body. At the same time, they absorb a significant amount of proteins and carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins and other nutrients. Helminthiases can be acute and chronic. The first ones last 2-3 weeks and often manifest as allergies, while the chronic stage can last for months, years and even decades.
Which organs can worms attack?
There are two types of invasions: cavity and tissue invasions. Depending on the species, habitats are also divided:
- Cavity worms colonize in the small and large intestines. The first sections of the small intestine in particular are affected by tapeworms, hookworms and roundworms. The lower part of the small intestine is the habitat of the dwarf tapeworm and the pinworm. The large intestine most often becomes the habitat of the whipworm.
- Tissue worms attack all types of organs: liver, brain, lymph nodes, bile ducts.
Important! It is impossible to detect signs of the presence of worms in a patient at the initial stage of the development of the infestation. As long as the number of worms is low and the toxic poisoning from waste products remains within the normal range, the body can cope with the invasion itself. The appearance of characteristic or acute symptoms indicates a significant increase in the number of helminthic attacks: the maturation of individuals and their dynamic development.
Complications of worms
A number of helminths can seriously affect the patient's condition. Here are the most common complications:
- B12 deficiency anemia, iron deficiency anemia – leads to disruption of oxygen supply to tissues and requires long-term recovery. Manifested by pale skin, dry mouth, weakness, disruption of various body functions;
- An intestinal obstruction occurs when the parasite blocks the lumen with its body. Surgical treatment is required. Symptoms – abdominal pain, lack of stools, vomiting;
- Intestinal bleeding – if the worm attaches itself to the intestinal wall, it can damage its blood vessels. Symptoms: abdominal pain, weakness, blood in the stool, vomiting. Requires surgical treatment;
- With a long course of opisthorchiasis, fibrosis and liver cirrhosis occur. The changes are irreversible. Symptoms: sleep and wakefulness disorders, fluid accumulation in body cavities, loss of liver function;
- Abscesses of the affected organs are purulent inflammations. Symptoms include pain, high fever, weakness. The condition is rapidly deteriorating. An examination is required to determine the source of inflammation and surgical treatment.
Stool analysis and scraping for worm eggs
Worms are primarily intestinal parasites. Their eggs are released through the intestines. Therefore, to diagnose it, feces are taken for analysis. At the pharmacy you can buy a special container to collect the stool, but you can also use a matchbox or a jar.
So for the analysis you need a container to collect the material and a spatula. If a person sees fragments of worms or a whole helminth, he also needs to be sent to the laboratory.
It is not necessary to take the stool to the laboratory immediately after collection. It must be submitted for review within 24 hours. Until then, the collected biomaterial should be stored in the refrigerator. An exception is stool collection to test for giardiasis. It must be delivered warm because the parasite cysts are destroyed when it cools. While the chair is being delivered to the laboratory, the container should be wrapped in a warm cloth.
To diagnose enterobiasis, a smear of the perianal folds is taken, as female pinworms lay eggs in this area. You should not wash your face or go to the toilet for about 12 hours before the test. Therefore, the optimal time to conduct the analysis is morning.
Scraping is done with a cotton swab placed in a clean container and delivered to the laboratory. You can also use adhesive tape that is peeled off the glass, stuck in the anal area for a while, then torn off and stuck back onto the glass with the sticky side.
Biological material delivered to the laboratory is examined using a microscope. When a person is infected, the laboratory technician sees worm eggs, their larvae or segments. Each parasite lays eggs that are unique to its species. Therefore, by examining the structure of the egg, you can determine which worm is parasitic in the human body.
If there is a worm in the feces, it usually looks like a white stripe of varying lengths. Worms can remain mobile. The type of worm can be determined in the laboratory.
However, it is not always possible to detect worms using stool analysis. For example, the analysis is not meaningful if the human body is parasitized only by male roundworms that cannot secrete eggs.
Blood test for worms
To identify worms in the blood, an immunological test is used to determine antibodies to the main species of helminths. The reliability and accuracy of the ELISA is 95%. It can be used to detect extraintestinal forms of helminthiases.
Decoding the ELISA results in a simplified form:
- Helminths parasitize the body when immunoglobulin class M (IgM) in the blood is elevated.
- Either worms were already present in the human body before, or the helminth infestation became chronic and led to a weakening of the human immune system. This conclusion can be made if the level of IgG immunoglobulins is increased, but IgM is not detected in the blood.
In both cases, a more in-depth diagnosis and specific treatment are required.
How does the parasite infect and develop?
Each parasite has specific life cycle characteristics. Depending on the mechanism of infection, all helminthiases are divided into three main groups:
- contact helminthiasis;
- geohelminthiasis;
- Biohelminthiases.
Contact Helminthiasis
The development of parasites belonging to the group of contact helminth infections occurs entirely in the child's body. Worm eggs enter the digestive system, migrate to the intestines and after some time become adults. Sexually mature helminths form eggs that are released into the external environment in feces. The development cycle repeats itself again.
Contact helminthiases include an infection with pinworms. These worms spread via the fecal-oral mechanism. If a child does not wash his hands after using the toilet, microscopic pinworm eggs remain on his fingers. Other children can become infected through contaminated household items and food that the sick person has touched. When pinworms spread, non-compliance with personal hygiene rules is of great importance. Therefore, this helminthiasis occurs more often in childhood.
A sick child can not only infect others, but also reinfect themselves. Pinworms that crawl out of the anus lay eggs on the skin in the anal area. This process causes severe itching of the skin, so children often begin to scratch the sore spot. If you don't wash your hands afterwards, a new portion of eggs will enter your intestines. The parasite population increases, which leads to a worsening of the child's condition.
Geohelminthiasis
The geohelminthiasis group is represented by roundworms. In order for these parasites to develop, it is necessary that the feces of a sick child get into the ground. The released eggs begin to actively develop and quickly reach the invasive stage, where they can penetrate the human body.
Children are most often infected by eating unwashed vegetables and fruits that come into contact with the soil. Ascaris larvae remain on them, which penetrate the child's intestines and cause unpleasant symptoms of helminthiasis.
Biohelminths
For the development of worms belonging to the group of biohelminths, the presence of an intermediate host is necessary - a living organism in which the worm larvae develop. These can be both cattle (cows, pigs) and fish. Therefore, a child can become infected with worms by eating food from unverified sources. Inadequate heat treatment of meat or fish contributes to infection. You can become infected with echinococci, beef and pork tapeworms and cat flukes through food.
Treatment of worms in humans
The basis for the treatment of worms in humans is specific anthelmintics; Adults are prescribed the best proven tablets.
The choice of drug for treatment depends on the presence of certain worms in the human body. In the acute phase of the disease, the doctor may prescribe the patient anti-allergic drugs such as Suprastin or Claritin.
Only on the basis of tests and diagnostics will the doctor prescribe a person treatment against worms, since antihelminthics are quite toxic. If worms are discovered again during the analysis, the specialist determines how to remove the worms and suggests a new treatment regimen based on the use of other anti-worm tablets that can better cope with the task.
Treatment
Anthelmintic therapy
The basis for the treatment of parasitic diseases are anthelmintics. They must be usedstrictly according to doctor's prescription, since a number of important factors must be taken into account when choosing a drug:
- form of helminthiasis;
- phase of disease development;
- pathogen;
- concomitant illnesses of the child;
- Features of his condition.
Only a doctor can correctly assess these indicators and choose the optimal drug. Self-medication for helminthiasis in children is unacceptable. An incorrectly chosen therapy is often not only ineffective, but is also associated with serious side effects.
How to do a stool test for helminths and their eggs?
When choosing therapy, the doctor must take into account the causative agent of the disease. You should not rely on a panacea, since most drugs act only on a specific circle of helminths. If the wrong medication is used, the child's clinical picture does not disappear, the disease continues to progress, which can lead to serious complications.
When a family has several children, doctors often recommend simultaneous anthelmintic therapy for all family members. This prevents repeated cases of helminth infection after treatment.
Symptomatic therapy
In addition to anthelmintic therapy, the child is also prescribed symptomatic treatment aimed at eliminating the clinical manifestations of the disease. If a severe allergic reaction occurs, antihistamines are used – Suprastin, Tavegil, Claritin.
If the baby has severe symptoms of intoxication, he is prescribed antipyretics and painkillers. To relieve acute symptoms, plenty of fluids are prescribed or infusion therapy is carried out. If there is a risk of vasculitis and myocarditis, glucocorticoids (e. g. prednisolone) are prescribed.
How to treat worms with folk remedies
Traditional treatment methods include medicinal plants with anthelmintic and laxative effects. Although the effectiveness of these remedies has not been scientifically tested, many of them have been used since ancient times for the home treatment of intestinal worms in humans.
- The best folk remedy is pumpkin seeds for worms. Take pumpkin seeds (80-100 g) and peel them. Be careful not to damage the green peel. Grind them, add 2 tablespoons of honey and 100 grams of water and mix. This remedy must be taken in the morning on an empty stomach. One food boat every hour for 3 hours. Then you need to take a laxative and do an enema after 1-2 hours.
- Pomegranate. Pomegranate bark contains punicin, which is highly toxic to worms. Adults and children suffering from parasites should take a decoction of the bark in fresh water three times a day.
- Onion broth (pour 200 ml of boiling water over 1 onion, let it steep for 2 days, consume 4 days before meals)
For prevention and prevention of helminthic infestation, it is necessary to wash your hands with soap after returning from the street, subject meat and fish to heat treatment, do not drink raw water and do not swim in polluted waters.
prevention
The most important prevention of helminthiasis in children is compliance with the rules of personal hygiene.
Therefore, we can name precautionary measures to prevent helminth infestation:
- Teaching children personal hygiene skills (washing hands after using the toilet, contact with animals, walking outside, before eating);
- Fighting bad habits (the child should be forbidden to suck his fingers, bite nails or put foreign objects in his mouth);
- Control of mosquitoes, flies and insects;
- high-quality processing of meat and fish;
- high-quality water disinfection;
- deworming of domestic dogs and cats;
- Avoid contact with stray animals.
- thorough washing of vegetables and greens, berries and fruits;
- frequent change of underwear and bed linen (once a day);
- Iron underwear and bed linen with a hot iron;
- carry out hygiene procedures in the anal area twice a day to prevent enterobiasis;
- wear panties with elastic bands at night;
- thorough wet cleaning of the premises.
Once in the body, helminths disrupt the normal functioning of various organs and systems in children. And if adults have a strong immune system that constantly fights against "uninvited guests", then this does not happen with a child: his body is still weak and vulnerable. Therefore, it is important to teach the child as early as possible to recognize the personal onesObserve hygiene standards to prevent helminthic infection. If symptoms appear, immediately contact a specialist for subsequent anthelmintic treatment.