Worm infestation - infection of the human body with parasitic worms - worms (helminths). The symptoms of a helminthic invasion are determined by the route of infection, the number of parasites received, the degree of their adaptability to the human body and other characteristics.
The first signs of the disease in adults can appear both 2-3 days after infection and after a year and a half, but usually the incubation period is 2-3 weeks.
Helminths do not tend to reproduce in the human body (with the exception of pinworms and some other worms).
Ways of infection:
- contact household;
- nutritious;
- transferable;
- percutaneously.
The source of infection is a sick person or a carrier.
Classification of helminths
In adults, parasitism has been recorded by more than two hundred species of helminths, which, according to their structural features, mainly belong to two types of worms:
- Roundworms are nematodes that cause diseases such as ascariasis, enterobiasis, trichuriasis, trichinosis, dracunculiasis, filariasis, toxocariasis.
- Flatworms divided into:
- a class of tapeworms causing teniarinhoz, teniasis, cysticercosis, diphyllobothriasis, hymenolepiasis, echinococcosis;
- a class of flukes causing schistosomiasis, opisthorchiasis, clonorchiasis, fascioliasis, dicroceliasis.
Depending on the characteristics of the life cycle and transmission factors, three main types of helminths are distinguished: geohelminths, biohelminths, contact helminths.
The influence of parasites on the human body
The vast majority of worms live in the intestines of adults, however, some species of parasitic worms mature in the larval stage in the tissues of other organs (liver, brain, heart, lungs, eyes, etc. ). With the vital activity of helminths, toxic substances are formed, which penetrate the bloodstream and are transported from it to various organs. In addition, in the human intestine, helminths absorb substances necessary for life (amino acids, fatty acids, glucose, enzymes and others), which leads to malfunctions in the body's physiological systems.
During pregnancy, helminthic invasions are doubly dangerous: the adverse effect affects not only the condition of the mother, but also the maturation of the embryo.
A worm infestation can make it difficult for a pregnancy to develop. As a result of infection in a woman's body, the absorption of nutrients is reduced, which is highly undesirable during pregnancy.
In addition, during pregnancy, helminths can cause severe toxicosis. Pinworms can enter a woman's genitals. This leads to severe itching and, as a result, to constant discomfort and sleep disturbances.
There are helminths that can damage the intestinal wall. As a result, a small but long-term loss of blood is possible. This is fraught with the formation of iron deficiency anemia in a pregnant woman.
Helminths can penetrate the placental barrier and parasitize the trunk and body of the fetus. They can also get into the brain and cause the head to enlarge, making labor difficult.
Their presence in the lungs is also dangerous - subsequently the child develops his chronic inflammation.
clinic
Distinguish between the acute stage of helminthic invasion, which is characterized by a more pronounced clinic, and the chronic stage, which can last for several years and manifest itself as erased symptoms.
The most common symptoms of helminth invasion:
- The appearance of malfunctions in the digestive system, namely:
- constipation (due to obstruction of the intestinal lumen, bile ducts with worms);
- loose stools (due to the influence of substances produced by helminths);
- excessive gas formation (due to indigestion).
- Joint and muscle pain - occurs when parasites invade synovial fluid and muscles.
- Skin symptoms (rash, eczema, itching, acne) caused by the influence of toxic substances produced by helminths.
- Diseases of the nervous system, expressed:
- Fear;
- Irritability;
- Nostalgia;
- sleep disorders etc.
- Weight loss associated with metabolic disorders.
- Catarrhal symptoms of the respiratory tract (runny nose, cough) arising from the penetration of helminths into them.
Indirect signs of helminthic invasion:
- enlarged lymph nodes;
- increased body temperature;
- fatigue, asthenia;
- nausea (may occur during pregnancy as a manifestation of toxicosis);
- Headache;
- anemia (due to blood loss);
- itching in the perineum.
diagnosis
Usually, stool analysis or scraping of the folds around the anus is done to detect helminthic invasion in adults. Worm eggs are examined under a microscope and their appearance is determined.
However, this analysis does not always help to identify helminths. The most specific for a helminthic invasion is a blood test for the presence of antibodies to various types of worms. With a general blood test, with infection of the body with helminths, an increase in the level of eosinophils and leukocytes is detected.
To identify worms during pregnancy, just analyzing the feces may not be enough. For a more reliable diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct an ultrasound scan, a blood test and an analysis of the amniotic fluid.
therapy
If signs of a helminthic invasion are detected, and the diagnosis is confirmed by blood and fecal tests, then treatment is carried out taking into account the type of parasite. For this, the doctor prescribes specific anthelmintics. More often, these drugs do not enter the bloodstream, but only act in the intestine. Because of this, the possibility of toxic effects on the body is minimal.
In some situations, a single application of the drug is enough to get rid of worms, in others, longer treatment is required, which is drawn up by a specialist according to an individual scheme.
This is a prerequisite for the disease not to take a chronic course. The main task of repeated treatment is the destruction of parasites that got into the human body in the form of eggs and have not yet completed their developmental life cycle. After some time, they grow into adults and are destroyed under the influence of drugs.
Usually, the whole family should be treated under the control of blood and stool tests to get a good result.
Pathogenetic therapy includes antiallergic drugs, drugs to normalize the intestinal microflora.
At the same time, concomitant diseases are treated, which often occur as a complication of helminthiasis (anemia, hypovitaminosis, malnutrition).
During pregnancy, in addition to the antihelminthic effect of the drug, its possible effect on the fetus is taken into account.
As a rule, in the first trimester of pregnancy, when the main organs and systems of the embryo are in the stage of formation, it is better to avoid such treatment. During this time, any medication can do much more harm to the fetus than the likely risk of exposure to worms.
At this stage, you can try to get rid of parasites using non-drug means.
There are many known recipes that supplement the basic treatment and in some cases can completely replace drug therapy. The most proven remedies for helminths are:
- Pumpkin seed;
- Onion;
- Garlic;
- pomegranate juice;
- Infusions of tansy and wormwood.
In the second and third trimester, the likelihood of a negative effect of drugs on the fetus and its bearing decreases.
After the end of the course of therapy, a re-analysis for worms - scratching - is required. This is done to ensure the prescribed treatment is correct and all worms are destroyed.
It must be remembered that therapy should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. Repeated analyzes are carried out no earlier than 2 weeks after the end of treatment. It is possible to consider the course of therapy complete with 3 negative tests 2 weeks apart.
prevention
Measures to prevent worm diseases:
- Compliance with personal hygiene measures (washing hands before eating, use of individual
- personal care products, custom underwear and bedding);
- obligatory washing of vegetables, fruits and greens with water before eating;
- full heat treatment of meat, fish;
- fight against blood-sucking insects;
- regular indoor wet cleaning;
- Full care of pets;
- regular replacement of underwear and bed linen with obligatory ironing;
- Exclusion of swimming in water bodies with a high probability of infection with helminths.
If you are planning a pregnancy, you should get checked for helminths. If they are present, it is necessary to undergo treatment before pregnancy so as not to harm the child's body.
Timely and complete treatment of the acute form of helminthiasis is the prevention of the chronic course of the disease.