There are many ways parasites can infect humans.Statistics show that a common cause of human death is the presence of parasites and infectious diseases in the body.
Scientists have found fungi, bacteria and even algae in the plasma.The most common are intestinal worms.
Parasites can live in the human body for a long time.In 60% of cases, chronic and oncological diseases are caused by life activities.Internal organs and the entire immune system can be affected by prolonged exposure to microorganisms.
Parasitic infection methods
Parasitic infections occur in different ways.Parasites are microorganisms that live at the expense of another organism and are biologically and ecologically related to that organism.Parasites can feed on the juices, tissues, and food a person ingests and remain in the body temporarily or permanently.
You can get worms in the following ways:
- By dirty hands.
- after contact with the ground.
- For insect bites.
- If you eat undercooked meat or fish.
- If fruits and vegetables are not washed before eating.
- If you are illiterate and have ever been around animals.
- After contact with a person who has helminthiasis.
Worm eggs are found in soil, water, dirty fruits and vegetables, and in meat or fish that has not been adequately heat treated.
In some cases, infection may occur due to an insect bite, but this is extremely rare as worm eggs mainly enter the body through food.Dirty hands can also be a source of helminthiasis infections.
You can also be infected by a sick person who is a carrier of pinworms.Pinworms crawl out of the anus and lay eggs inside the anus.In turn, they can remain on underwear and end up in human hands.Larvae can remain on toilet bowls, front door handles, and other objects.If personal hygiene rules are not followed, they can penetrate the bodies of other family members.If parasites are discovered in one family member, all family members must receive treatment.
Water infections occur by drinking unboiled water or while swimming.
What types of worms exist?
The most common intestinal worms include nematodes.These include hookworms, roundworms, pinworms, heartworms and trichinella spiralis.
The second largest group includes protozoa or single-celled parasites.These are Amoeba, Lamberia, Neospora, Cryptosporidium, etc.
Drinking dirty water can lead to Entamoeba histolytica infection.In this case, loose stools, severe abdominal pain, and vomiting occur.Sometimes, in severe cases, this manifestation can lead to liver complications.People often confuse amoebic dysentery infection with viral infection.
Millions of single-cell parasites can live and develop in the stomach lining, preventing the nutrients the body needs from being absorbed properly.
Characteristic symptoms of giardiasis
Symptoms of parasitic infection are as follows:
- Gas builds up in the stomach.
- Uneven stools with undigested food fragments.
- Chills.
- Increased sweating.
- Frequent abdominal pain.
- Loose stools.
Without treatment for the parasite, over time a person will begin to lose weight and become sick more often due to a depleted immune system.Of course, it is not advisable to identify parasites based on symptoms alone.A series of stool and blood tests are necessary to detect worms.Treatment depends largely on the extent of the infection.There are many folk medicine remedies for the treatment of helminthiasis.In difficult cases, it is better to resort to medication.
Classification of worms
Worms are divided into flatworms and roundworms.
Plan view:
- Flukes, including schistosomiasis, opistosomiasis, etc.
- Tapeworms - Echinococcus, solium tapeworm, alveolococcus.
Roundworms or nematodes:
- Pinworms.
- roundworms.
- Trichinella spiralis.
- hookworm.
The most common types of worms are:
Schistosoma
The worms come in different genders; have a needle-like appearance and are 0.4 to 2.6 centimeters long.Females are larger and can lay up to 300 larvae per day.
The main route of transmission is through swimming in polluted waters.Infection occurs through human mucous membranes and accidental ingestion of dirty water while bathing.Once inside, the larvae transform into adults within a day, capable of producing hundreds of similar organisms.
Schistosomiasis reaches sexual maturity after entering the human venous system through the blood.Single eggs may be present in the intestines, urine, and mucous membranes.After defecation, the schistosomiasis begins its journey in the same way.
The parasite can remain in the body for decades, causing irreversible damage to patients.It is not the schistosomiasis themselves that are dangerous, but their eggs.They accumulate on internal organs and cause damage with their stings, destroying tissues and often causing various ulcers.
A person can determine whether schistosomiasis is present in the body through some symptoms:
- poor appetite;
- anemia;
- Liver enlargement and spleen changes;
- Poor intestinal motility;
- stomachache;
- diarrhea or constipation;
- Sudden weight loss;
- Intestinal bleeding;
- pain during urination;
- allergic reactions;
- Generally weak.
Tapeworm
Tapeworms are tapeworms that can reach enormous lengths.Therefore, the average adult length is 0.5 cm.Female tapeworms can lay up to 200,000 eggs a year.
Tapeworms can cling tightly to the intestinal wall thanks to special devices in the form of suckers on their heads.In this case, the entire body is affected.These worms are especially dangerous for young children because their life-threatening activity can deplete the body in a short period of time and cause anemia.
The route of infection is fecal-oral, i.e. dirty hands, fruits and vegetables.Once the larvae enter the intestines, they can spread through the veins throughout the body, invading the liver, heart and even the mouth.A certain number of larvae die, while the rest are eaten again.
Main symptoms of parasitic infection:
- nausea and vomiting;
- yellowing of skin;
- pancreatitis;
- Frequent colds;
- Development of bronchitis and pneumonia.
Prevent parasitic infections
Since there are so many ways parasitic infections can occur, it's worth following some rules to protect yourself and your family from possible ingestion of worm larvae.
- Follow personal hygiene rules.Frequent hand washing can prevent parasites from entering the body.Children especially need to be taught this because they often put their hands and various objects in their mouths.
- Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly in running or boiling water.
- Eliminate flying and crawling insects (flies, cockroaches) in residential areas as they are carriers of worm eggs.
Many experts believe that everyone is a carrier of parasites to some extent, so it is necessary to cleanse the body from time to time.