Symptoms of worm infection are different. For example, dyspeptic disorders most often develop - nausea, vomiting, pain and bloating in the abdomen. Some patients don't pay attention to the signs until they develop rashes that cannot be cleared by conventional medication. Often, helminthic invasion is accompanied by symptoms similar to other diseases and allergies. Therefore, prompt diagnosis is necessary.
Worm infection in humans
Most helminths are spread in the human body by eating unwashed fruits and vegetables. After spreading throughout the body, organ damage occurs, which causes serious illnesses. Pathologies of the liver, kidneys, heart, digestive tract, gallbladder, even oncology may develop.
A frequent characteristic symptom is skin irritation, rash. But a person may not pay attention to this for years, while the pathology develops, although it is enough to take anthelmintic drugs in a course to fully recover.
Methods of infection
There are 4 methods by which worms spread in the human body:
- Soil-transmitted helminthiasis. The parasite enters through soil that remains on unwashed fruits and vegetables and spreads in water. Also, infection is possible with improper hand washing after working with the floor. Contact with the ground is often observed in animals that enter the house with dirty paws. Eggs, larvae and adults can enter the human body.
- Contact. In the body of the host, the female lays 4-5 thousand eggs in 1 day. They can spread from an infected person to others after contact, especially at home. Eggs or adults spread through bedding, towels, personal hygiene items. It is enough that an infected person does not wash his hands. Most often, this path is characteristic of pinworms, worms.
- Biohelminthiasis. Parasites are stored in the body of living and dead animals, fish. Subsequently, a person can eat them. The preservation of parasites is observed with insufficient heat treatment.
- insect bites. In this way, helminth eggs with the smallest sizes are transmitted.
Of all the forms of helminths, infection most often occurs through ingestion of eggs and larvae. They can be found in soil, water, on an infected person, in raw meat. It is important not only to wash food and hands, but also to always use heat treatment for food.
Symptoms of helminthiasis
Symptoms of infestation differ depending on the stage of the disease.Most often, the following symptoms appear:
- weight loss, emaciation;
- paleness of the skin;
- itching in the anus.
Symptoms are similar to other pathologies, so the patient may use the wrong treatment methods. Symptoms may vary depending on the area of the body affected. For example, with liver damage, yellowing of the skin occurs.
Gastrointestinal dysfunction
With the penetration of pathogens into the digestive tract, the following symptoms develop:
- violation of the formation of fecal masses (constipation, diarrhea);
- itching in the anus;
- dyspeptic disorders - nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, heartburn;
- colic in the intestines;
- flatulence, accompanied by swelling;
- periodic change in body weight from greater to lesser degree.
At first, the symptoms are almost invisible. The more the worms damage the internal organs, the more actively the signs develop. Some parasites are able to secrete waste foreign to the body. This leads to severe poisoning and diarrhea. Large worms spread through the intestines, preventing the passage of feces. This causes constipation.
Due to the release of worm waste, a person is subject to severe poisoning. That is why weakness, malaise, dyspeptic disorders develop.
Immune suppression
When a person consumes food, nutrients enter the body and are distributed to all tissues.Helminths eat them, so the patient develops the following deviations:
- hypovitaminosis;
- metabolic disease;
- suppression of the immune system.
A person often begins to get sick with viral, acting and fungal diseases. Even with the use of multivitamin preparations, hypovitaminosis will not be eliminated until anthelmintic treatment is completed.
Neurological disorders
Some types of helminths are able to damage peripheral tissues of the nervous system by crossing the blood-brain barrier. These properties are possessed by the products of their intoxication.Damage to the nervous system causes the following symptoms:
- constant forgetfulness, poor memory;
- headaches up to migraine;
- dizziness;
- stress, neurosis, depression;
- increased fatigue.
The patient's behavior changes. He comes into conflict with those around him, forgets his acquaintances. Gradually, the symptoms complement each other, the body temperature rises more than 39 degrees.
Chronic hypovitaminosis leads to chronic fatigue syndrome. Gradually, the level of red blood cells decreases, causing anemia. The person becomes irritable and aggressive.
Respiratory disorders
Even in the early stages, damage to the deeper parts of the airways can develop.The following pathologies develop:
- tracheitis, bronchitis;
- emphysema, bronchial asthma, pneumonia.
A sign of helminthic invasion can even be frequent rhinitis and pharyngitis.
skin problems
In order for the epidermis to develop normally, a sufficient amount of vitamins, trace elements and minerals is necessary. Worm infestation leads to hypovitaminosis, which affects the quality of the skin.The following deviations appear:
- acne, acne, rash;
- itching, peeling, redness of the epidermis;
- exfoliation of the nail plate.
Even the most severe skin pathologies can develop:
- urticaria, dermatitis;
- papilloma, seborrhea;
- allergic reaction.
The doctor and the patient may not immediately understand why the drugs do not help these pathologies. The quality of the skin deteriorates significantly, it becomes pale, wrinkles appear. Turgor decreases, i. e. surface tension.
Signs of infection according to the type of helminths
The severity of symptoms depends on the following factors:
- the number of parasites in the body;
- degree of immune activity;
- location of pests;
- kind of parasite.
Some helminths can stay in the host for a long time without causing negative symptoms. Other people are able to instantly deteriorate their health, damaging the liver. For example, ascaris.
Ascaris
Ascaris damages many internal organs, causes certain symptoms, similar to other diseases.The following symptoms may appear:
- hyperthermia;
- prolonged cough;
- severe fatigue;
- bronchitis, pneumonia.
First, the digestive tract is damaged, therefore, hypovitaminosis and metabolic disorders are formed. The human body is exhausted.Gradually, signs of damage to the gastrointestinal tract are formed:
- yellowing of the skin;
- intestinal obstruction.
With the spread of worms through the blood-brain barrier, a severe headache, migraines and a depressive state appear.
Schistosomiasis, trichocephalosis, hookworm, diphyllobothriasis
Parasites cause the following deviations:
- lack of nutrients and vitamins;
- reduced metabolism, leading to a change in body weight;
- intestinal dysbiosis.
Gradually, hypovitaminosis turns into beriberi, which leads to a significant impoverishment of the organism. A person's skin becomes pale, he can often faint, which is typical of anemia.
Pinworms
Pinworms are characterized by the deposition of eggs in the anus, usually this process occurs at night. Therefore, a person is worried about severe itching in the anus. The disease is characterized by periodic remission, so sometimes the itching stops. If there is no treatment, the helminthic invasion becomes extensive, so itching worries the patient at any time of the day.
Trichinosis
The parasite penetrates any part of the body, produces a large amount of toxins. This leads to constant spasms, cramps, muscle pain. Due to damage to the cardiovascular system, edema is formed. In severe poisoning, body temperature rises.
Fasciolosis, opisthorchiasis, clonorchiasis
It is one of the most dangerous helminths, causing the following lesions:
- difficulty in the liver with the development of jaundice;
- intestinal obstruction, dyspeptic disorders when spreading along the gastrointestinal tract.
Gradually, the patient develops hepatosplenomegaly.
Urogenital schistosomiasis
Parasites actively spread through the genitourinary system. Due to the chronic inflammatory process, mucosal damage occurs. Therefore, when urinating, a person detects red urine, indicating the development of foci of bleeding.
Worm Habitats
In the human body, helminths can damage different types of organs:
- vlasoglav - large intestine;
- roundworm, tapeworm, hookworm - small intestine;
- roundworm - liver.
Depending on the damaged organs, different symptoms are formed:
- liver - jaundice, pain in the right hypochondrium, hepatitis;
- respiratory tract - trachea, bronchitis, pneumonia;
- brain - convulsions, paresthesia, fainting.
Simultaneous treatment of the disease (hepatitis, colitis), the elimination of helminths is necessary.
Common helminths
Scientists count a large number of parasites found in the human body. There are over 100 in total.But most often, doctors distinguish infection by the following parasites:
- pinworm;
- dwarf tapeworm;
- tapeworm;
- hookworms;
- whipworm;
- paragonimiasis;
- cysticercosis.
To determine the exact type of pathogen and prescribe the correct treatment, it is necessary to carry out laboratory and instrumental diagnostics. First, the patient is examined by a therapist, then he gives feces for a coprogram, the detection of worm eggs. Usually, therapists and infectious disease specialists recommend to undergo a study twice, since even in the presence of infection, eggs and larvae may not be detected.
A laboratory blood test is recommended for patients at risk:
- the presence of pets;
- work related to animals;
- medical workers;
- employees of educational institutions for children;
- food workers.
Attention! In order to accurately identify the helminth and its products of intoxication, it is recommended to perform an enzyme immunoassay. It is practiced in municipal clinics and hospitals, as well as in private laboratories.
Therapy methods
It is forbidden to independently select drugs against helminths, since they strongly affect the condition of the liver and kidneys. It is recommended to undergo an initial examination, after which specific medications are prescribed. The dosage is selected depending on the state of health, age and body weight of a person.
The following drug delivery methods are selected:
- tablets - mild or moderate degree of helminthiasis;
- injections, infusions - severe degree of the disease, the formation of an excessively large number of parasites, severe damage to the digestive tract.
Many drugs can only work on adults. If there is a risk of eggs and larvae, it is better to undergo a second treatment or choose a stronger remedy.
The table shows the optimal drugs for treatment.
| Substance | Affecting |
| mebendazole | Completely kills pinworms, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms and other parasites |
| Pyrantela Pamoate | The substance destroys ascaris, effective in enterobiasis and necatorosis |
| Levamisole Hydrochloride | Destroys roundworms and hookworms |
| Embonate of Pirvinia | Helps cure enterobiasis completely |
| Albendazole | It helps destroy most elements in the adult or larval stage. |
Initially, it is recommended to identify the exact pathogen, and then apply the drug. This will increase the chances of recovery without any negative effect on the body.
Prevention methods
To avoid the introduction of parasites into the body, use the rules of prevention:
- washing hands after returning home, throughout the day, after contact with animals;
- use of personal hygiene items, washing up by one person;
- taking multivitamins, giving up bad habits to strengthen the immune system;
- deep washing of fruits and vegetables, heat treatment of meat and fish;
- the use of high quality drinking water from proven sources.
Helminths can be found in many products, so the risk of their spread in the body cannot be excluded. Anyone can be infected with the parasite without even knowing it. It can spread from one family member to others through family contact. Therefore, it is necessary to use preventive measures on a daily basis.
It is important to take good care of animals. It is necessary to wash them periodically, to give drugs against parasites to reduce the risk of infection with helminths.
If a person suspects that he has been accused of helminths, it is better to take a laboratory test in a timely manner. It is repeated twice to avoid a false negative test. Self-administration of medication is prohibited. All of them are powerful, negatively affect the liver. Only a doctor will be able to choose the optimal deworming agent with the correct dosage. If timely treatment is carried out, it is possible to prevent the development of serious diseases, immunodeficiency.