Helminths are parasitic worms. To do this, they use intermediate and main hosts, feeding on cells or tissues, absorbing nutrients and vitamins that enter the body for the host. Worms in the human stomach, as well as in the intestines or other tissue structures, in the course of their vital activity, poison the body with toxic substances.
Types of parasites that enter the body through the stomach
Each type of parasite can develop in its intrinsic part of the human body, where the best conditions for its reproduction and nutrition are created. Some types of parasites can move through the body from one organ to another. Parasite infection occurs in a wide variety of ways. The most frequent way of penetration of parasites into the human body is food. Problems can be avoided by following basic hygiene rules: wash your hands before eating food and handle it carefully.
Parasites do not live long in the human stomach due to the effect of hydrochloric acid on their membrane. The most common foreign microorganisms that parasitize the human body are:
- Ascaris- has the ability to move through the ducts of the liver and lung structures, penetrating the intestine. In the small intestine, nematodes develop into sexually mature individuals.
- Schistosomes- infects liver tissue, in advanced cases, causing the development of oncological diseases and dystrophy of the hepatobiliary system.
- Hookworms- cause disturbances in the digestive tract. The most dangerous for the human body are hookworms and necators. Localization of parasites mainly in the area of the duodenum. Hookworms are able to enter the human body not only through the stomach. Parasites have the ability to invade the skin, causing allergic reactions in the form of itching, burning and redness.
- Toxoplasma- the simplest parasites that often affect the human body. The disease proceeds quite easily, often unnoticed by a person. Serious consequences for the body occur only in cases of severely weakened immunity.
- Large tapeworm- located in the small part of the human intestine. It can reach several meters in length. The parasite causes the development of a deficiency in the body of cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12) and folic acid. Toxic-allergic reactions of the body are not excluded. Infection occurs when eating fish with larvae.
- Bovine tapewormis a worm that causes the development of a disease such as teniarinchiasis. Entering the human body by food, the bovine tapeworm parasite passes through the stomach, where it gets rid of the membrane under the action of gastric juice. Its suckers are released and the parasite can easily attach itself to the mucous membranes of the small intestine. Signs of a bovine tapeworm in the body are abdominal pain, nausea, and rash of stomach contents. The patient loses his appetite, may suffer from dyspeptic disorders (belching, for example). In some cases, bovine chain infection is the manifestation of allergic reactions on the skin in the form of urticaria.
- Pork tapewormis a helminth that reaches up to 10 meters in size. It belongs to one of the largest worms that infect the human body. Passing through the stomach, the eggs of the parasite, due to the action of hydrochloric acid, lose their shell. The larvae that emerge from the egg spread through all tissues of the human body, causing the development of cysticercosis. Cysticercosis represents the greatest danger to the nervous system.
- Vlasoglavis a roundworm that causes whipworm disease. Symptoms of invasion may be absent for a long time. In complicated cases, with a large accumulation of parasites, there may be signs of ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. The person has pain in the abdomen, decreases appetite, and stool becomes liquid. Streaks of blood and mucus are seen in the stool.
Symptoms of parasites and worms in the gastrointestinal tract
Alien organisms that lead a parasitic lifestyle in their host's body disrupt the functioning of many organs, causing inflammatory processes and severely destroying the body's tissues.
Individuals parasites in the intestinal tract, for their development and reproduction, use the nutrients of the food intended for the host. The consequences for humans are grim. The body is experiencing a severe deficiency of trace elements and vitamin complexes.
Children's organisms are the most at risk.
Against the background of severe helminthiasis, the processes of normal growth and development, both physically and psychologically, are severely disturbed. Helminths have the ability to perfectly adapt and live for decades in the host's body. Helminth eggs have a pronounced resistance to environmental factors.
Being in the digestive tract, various types of helminthiasis can interrupt the digestive process by releasing specific toxic substances for their protection, inactivating enzymatic activity. Helminthiasis can cause gastritis and other dyspeptic disorders.
Symptoms that appear during parasite infection can be very different in their manifestations. In the vast majority of clinical cases, discomfort and painful sensations are observed in the location of the parasites. So, helminths, the habitat of which is the skin, damage the dermis, which leads to the appearance of allergic reactions. Parasites located in lung structures can cause an annoying cough or shortness of breath. Symptoms of dwarf tapeworm infection are manifested by weakness throughout the body, memory impairment, pain in the abdomen and head. Constant nausea and vomiting are sometimes diagnosed, such as with a stomach ulcer.
Stool disorders, bad breath, soreness in the intestine or digestive process disturbances, in most cases, are associated with the action of parasites in the digestive tract.
The effect of foreign microorganisms on the human body as a whole leads to the following symptoms:
- increased weakness;
- headache attacks;
- insomnia;
- swelling;
- rashes and itching on the skin of an allergic nature;
- attacks of bronchial asthma.
In addition, the overall resistance of the body decreases, against the background of changes in the functioning of the immune system. In young children, helminthiasis is manifested by a delay in physical and psychological development.
Diagnostics
Diagnostics combines studies to identify worm larvae or eggs.
The biological materials for diagnosis are:
- faeces;
- urine;
- sputum;
- contents of the duodenum;
- secretion of the bile ducts;
- rectal scrapings;
- stain from the perianal space;
- muscle fibers;
- blood.
Based on the fact that helminths and their particles are detected by a macroscopic method, eggs and larvae can only be detected by laboratory examination using a microscope.
The acute phase of helminthiasis caused by parasites in the tissues or by larvae of parasitic forms of toxocariasis, trichinosis, cystocerciasis, whipworm, implies the use of serological samples, such as:
- RSK- complement binding reaction;
- HA- indirect agglutination;
- ELISA- immunofluorescence analysis;
- AHL- agglutination by lysis.
In some cases of helminthiasis, a reliable diagnosis can only be established with the help of special ultrasound examinations, computed tomography, X-ray examination and endobiopsy.
Treatment
Treatment for helminthiasis can vary greatly. Science knows more than 300 types of helminthiasis, but the main parasites that cause changes and systemic intoxication are round and flat worms. They are usually divided into intestinal and non-intestinal. When prescribing therapeutic measures, it is important to take into account a number of characteristic features that are characteristic only of a certain class of helminths that are harmful to human health.
To get rid of helminths, a specialist prescribes a whole regimen of treatment, and it is important to take into account the factors of the frequency of infection of certain organs, the intensity of infection, the level of intoxication and the duration of helminths. This allows you to prescribe the most effective means.
Drugs
To combat the diagnosed type of helminths, an individual treatment regimen is being developed. The specialist will prescribe the appropriate medication based on the patient's test results.
Folk remedies
Traditional medicine can help get rid of parasites at home.
For the treatment of helminthiasis, you can use the following recipes:
- The inflorescences of wormwood seeds,must be ground and mixed with honey. Take the drug 3 consecutive days 3 times a day, 1 tsp. Effective for ascariasis.
- The infusion of bitter wormwoodis prepared as follows: grind the herb, pour boiling water over it, let it brew overnight. In the morning, filter the infusion and drink it 3 times a day. The course of treatment lasts up to 3 weeks. Effective for ascariasis and enterobiasis.
- Pumpkin seeds.They can be used raw, dried or in powder form. The powder is mixed with honey and the drug is taken on an empty stomach. Deal with the tape worms. You can make a decoction of pumpkin seeds. A pound of seeds is crushed in a mortar, poured with 1. 5 liters of hot water and placed in a water bath. It is not necessary to bring to a boil. Drink the broth on an empty stomach.
- Infusion of pomegranate peels.Dried and crushed pomegranate peels, pour boiling water, cool and take 1 teaspoon 3-4 times a day. The course of therapy is 7 days.
Preventive measures
If the rules of personal hygiene are not observed, the parasites will have to be constantly removed from the body, which will adversely affect the state of the body as a whole.
For prevention purposes, it is important to respect the following points of the basic hygiene rules:
- avoid close contact with animals;
- keep your hands clean: wash them after each outing;
- it is important to keep the living area clean, to do wet cleaning, to wash the dishes with detergents;
- if there are children in the house, it is recommended to wash the children's toys with soap, especially after a walk;
- wash the fruit and vegetables under running water, preferably lukewarm or even hot, since the worm eggs have a sticky substance that prevents them from separating from the surface;
- eat meat and fish products only after a preliminary heat treatment;
- drink clean water, avoid tap water, as it may contain lamblia and schistosomes.
Helminthiases not only cause discomfort, but also severely damage the human body. Neglected cases of helminth damage lead to disturbances in the functioning of the whole organism. It is important to take timely preventive measures to avoid infection.