Subcutaneous parasites in humans

Subcutaneous parasites that live in the thickness of human skin damage it and cause inflammation. They can penetrate from the main place of action into other organs and cause serious illnesses. Most subcutaneous helminths are found in southern countries, and an ordinary person can become infected with them there during a vacation or business trip.

The danger of subcutaneous helminthic invasion is that it is asymptomatic during the incubation period, which can last for years. This subsequently interferes with the treatment and reduces its effectiveness.

What are subcutaneous parasites

Helminths affect not only the internal organs of a person, but also his skin. When they get into their thickness, they damage the epidermis, feed on its cells and deplete. The waste products of subcutaneous worms cause poisoning because they contain toxic substances. And the longer the worms are under the skin of a person, the more pronounced are the symptoms of an invasion.

Subcutaneous worms cause many diseases because they affect the immune and lymphatic systems of the human body. For example, parasites can provoke the development of elephantism - elephantiasis. It disrupts the circulation of lymph in the body. This leads to an increase in the volume of the limbs and their disfigurement. At the last stage, the affected organ becomes covered with ulcers, necrosis develops.

Human worms that live under the skin include:

• Nematodes of the genus Dirofilaria. Causes dirofilariasis. Infection of the body occurs through the bite of blood-sucking insects: lice, fleas, ticks, which are carriers of larvae from one host to another. An adult Dirofilaria can reach a length of 30 cm. The reproductive process takes place in the thickness of the skin, then the female lays microfilariae into the bloodstream.
• filaria. cause filariasis. They are parasitic roundworms. An adult can reach almost half a meter, while the body diameter is no more than 0. 3 mm. Filariasis vectors are blood-sucking insects that transfer parasite larvae from one host to another.
• Bullworm larvae. A person provokes the development of cysticercosis. Infection occurs through the intestines, where parasite eggs enter along with water, food, and dirt. Subsequently, under the influence of gastric juices, their shell dissolves - the larvae come out. Then they are carried through the body along with the bloodstream.
• Leeches of the genus Schistosoma. It's called schistosomiasis. An adult can reach a length of 2 cm. Reproduction occurs through the penetration of larvae into the body - cercaria along with water.

Main manifestations and treatment

First of all, if a person has parasites under the skin, this is reflected in his condition: flabbiness appears, color changes, scars and microcracks appear. Because the "guests" damage the skin, feed on its cells and poison the waste products.

Subcutaneous parasites in humans cause symptoms of helminthic invasion:

1. allergic skin rashes;
2. To cough;
3. decreased immunity;
4. Itching;
5. peeling, reddening of the skin;
6. appetite problems;
7. pain in joints and muscles;
8. sleep disturbance;
9. Irritability;
10. Apathy.

Skin parasites in a sick person cause malfunctions of the whole organism: anemia develops, dysbacteriosis, etc.

Treatment of a parasitic disease is selected individually. The choice of method is influenced by the degree of damage to the body, symptoms and the type of pathogen. In some cases, in addition to drug treatment, surgery may be needed to remove the worm under the skin or even the entire affected organ.

Along with anthelmintics, antihistamines and vasoconstrictors are used. When inflammation has begun due to worms living under the skin, antibiotic therapy is required.

You should not try to get rid of helminths living under the skin yourself with the help of traditional medicine - as practice shows, they are ineffective and can harm human health.

Symptoms of filariasis

The subcutaneous worms that cause this disease - filaria - appear in the human body after the bite of a blood-sucking infected insect. Most cases are recorded in tropical and subtropical countries.

These subcutaneous worms in humans can live in the human body and not manifest themselves for a long time: the incubation period of the disease can last up to 7 years. This complicates the diagnosis.

Symptoms and manifestations of the invasion appear gradually as the parasite grows under the skin of a person and affects the surrounding tissues. The most common manifestations of filariasis are:

• hives;
• Itching;
• warts;
• Eczema;
• Small hard lumps under the skin.

As the disease worsens, fever, general weakness, headache, and drowsiness may occur.

Treatment of filariasis should be done in a hospital. Antiparasitic drugs are used for medicinal deworming. The effectiveness of therapy is monitored by a blood test. In cases where it does not help, a sick person undergoes surgical intervention to restore the outflow of lymph from the affected organ.

cysticercosis and schistosomiasis

The tapeworm larvae cause cysticercosis. This type of helminth is characterized by survivability: it is enough for one parasite to get into the human body, and it quickly develops into an adult, which then begins to multiply.

This property makes the disease difficult to treat - if the head segment remains after surgical removal of the worm, the parasite will grow again. Despite the fact that the adult tapeworm is in the human intestine, its larvae are distributed throughout the body with the bloodstream, including under the skin. Subsequently, they can stay there for a long time - from 5 to 30 years.

If with cysticercosis the worms are wound up under the skin or in muscle tissue, then the disease is asymptomatic for a person. However, the location of the parasite can be determined by tumor-like neoplasms rising above the skin. When palpating the tubercle, it can be found that it is hollow inside. The skin of the shoulders, the upper half of the chest, and the palms of the hands usually become a favorite spot for tapeworm larvae.

With subcutaneous cysticercosis, no medication is carried out, the patient should be under the supervision of a doctor. This is due to the fact that when the parasite dies after using antiparasitic drugs, toxins enter the body. They, in turn, can provoke a strong allergic reaction.

Larvae of schistosomes, cercariae cause schistosomiasis in humans. Infection occurs via water. The first symptoms of worms under the skin appear 10-15 minutes after penetration. This is due to the fact that the worms secrete a large amount of their own secretory fluid under the skin, which provokes a toxic-allergic reaction in a person.

First manifestations:

• severe itching;
• hives;
• rash

Then there is a pause, after which (after 1-2 months) the acute stage of schistosomiasis begins, which indicates the neglect of the disease:

• Fever;
• nocturnal hyperhidrosis;
• hives;
• Dry cough;
• Changes in the qualitative composition of blood.

Currently, the treatment of schistosomiasis is limited to the use of 2 anthelmintics. In the acute stage of the disease, steroids, antihistamines and anti-inflammatory drugs are also used.

Dirofilaria and Morgellon virus

These two diseases have similar symptoms, with some differences. With dirofilariasis, a sick person finds on his body a small tubercle under the skin, which moves when palpated. This indicates that a subcutaneous worm has gotten lost in the body. The same manifestation of invasion is observed in Morgellon virus.

The main difference between these two parasites is that dirofilaria do not disturb their host: the blister under the skin does not cause any discomfort, it can appear and disappear from time to time. Worms parasitize in the arm, leg, near the eyes, nose, on the chest, in men - in the genitals. If Dirofilaria is under the skin of a person for a long time, then under the influence of toxins, his body temperature will rise and weakness will be felt.

With the Morgellon virus, severe itching is felt on the skin of the helminth invasion. In the absence of medical help, a bleeding wound, eczema, soon appears. This increases the risk of infection of the body with other diseases several times.

The best treatment for the parasite is surgical removal.