Worms (helminths)

Worms (helminths) in the hands of a doctor

Worms are parasitic worms that live in the bodies of humans and animals. They are difficult to detect because they masquerade as many other diseases and conditions. Symptoms of a helminthic infestation range from mild discomfort to fainting with severe poisoning. We will tell you where you can get infected with worms and how to get rid of them.

What is that

Worms are considered the most common parasites in humans. Today science knows about 300 worm diseases. The most common are intestinal worms - enterobiasis and ascariasis, which affect over 2 billion people.

The size of the worms living in the body varies from a few millimeters to several meters. For example, the length of pinworms that cause enterobiasis does not exceed 1 cm. Some tapeworms (for example, the broad tapeworm) reach 12 to 15 meters.

Causes of helminthiasis

Helminthiasis is a disease in which infection with worms occurs. The worms enter the human body and stay there. These parasites live not only in the intestines, but also in other organs and tissues.

According to the World Health Organization, one in four people on Earth is infected with worms. At the same time, WHO experts note that the actual number of people infected is at least 50%. This mainly concerns countries with a low health culture (these are certain countries in Africa and Southeast Asia). In other countries, more than 1. 5 million cases of helminthic infection are recorded each year. Most of them are children.

How can you get infected with worms?

There are 4 modes of infection:

  1. Through the ground. These diseases are called soil-transmitted helminths. Unwashed fruit can harbor tens of thousands of pests. Therefore, it is so important to wash vegetables, fruits and hands thoroughly before eating. Another source of ground pests is pets that wander around.
  2. In contact with an infected person. Parasitic worms are incredibly prolific. In a single day, the female pinworm is able to lay up to 5, 000 eggs in the human body. Eggs and adults can be passed on to other people through bedding and other household items. After that, it is enough that infected people do not wash their hands, and the worms get inside.
  3. When you eat contaminated food. These helminthic diseases are called biohelminthiasis. You can catch the parasite with insufficient heat treatment of meat, poultry or fish.
  4. By an insect bite. This type of transmission is rare. Usually, very small parasites can be transmitted through insect bites.

Consider risk factors that increase the likelihood of infection with worms in adults and children:

  • Non-observance of hygiene rules - if you do not wash your hands after the street, on the toilet or before eating.
  • The habit of biting your nails - there is a lot of dirt under them with germs and parasites. It also includes the habit of picking up pens, pencils, and other items in your mouth.
  • Poor animal care, especially for those who go out.
  • Eat unwashed vegetables and fruits.
  • Use water from questionable sources.
  • Poor cleaning of living quarters.
  • Passion for animal feed that has not undergone proper culinary treatment.

Who is at risk

Those who abuse hygiene rules and do not wash their hands are at risk of contracting worms

No one is safe from infection with worms. It is enough to give slack in matters of hygiene and the larva of the parasite can "penetrate" into the body. The following categories of people are particularly susceptible to helminthiasis:

  • Small children. Most often, helminthic invasions are noted in children. This is due to the fact that the child neglects the rules of hygiene. Small children put things in their mouths and in the streets they often dig in the mud. In groups, children tend to contact each other more closely than adults, which also increases the risk of infection.
  • Families with pets. Eggs and larvae of parasites, which have passed from the streets to living quarters with pets, can be everywhere. Often times, owners of dogs, cats and other animals are not even aware of the problem and discover the presence of worms when they contact a veterinarian for some other reason.
  • Gourmets. Fans of exotic cuisine like sushi, raw meat or fish are also at risk.
  • Travelers. This is especially true for people traveling to countries with low sanitation.
  • Summer residents, farm workers. People working in vegetable gardens, orchards or simply living in the countryside.
  • People who encounter raw fish or meat in their work. For example, sellers or chefs - when processing, cutting and preparing food.

Myth 1: There are no parasites in marine fish.

Many people mistakenly believe that worms are only found in river fish and that they are not in the sea because of salt water. Indeed, marine fish are mainly affected by parasites which are not dangerous for humans. In this regard, raw river fish is more dangerous than raw sea fish. But this does not mean that sea fish are completely safe: it is always recommended to process any fish - thoroughly fry, boil or freeze for 3 days.

Classification of helminthiasis

There are several classifications of parasitic worms. By location, the worms are:

  • Intestinal - live in the small or large intestine. These include roundworms, eels, whipworms, bovine tapeworm and others.
  • Pulmonary - lives in the tissues of the bronchopulmonary system. Most often, it is a lung fluke.
  • Tissue - parasitic on various tissues of the body. Tissue worms include schistosomes, trichinella, and toxocars.
  • Parasites of the liver and gallbladder. These are the hepatic fluke, the giant liver fluke and the clonorch (Chinese fluke).

There are 4 classes of helminthic diseases, depending on the pathogen:

  • Nematodes - caused by roundworms. These are ascariasis, enterobiasis, trichinosis, trichocephalosis, toxocariasis, hookworm infection and others.
  • Cestodoses - the causative agents are tapeworms. Such pathologies include hymenolepiasis, tapeworm, tapeworm, diphyllobothriasis, and cystcercosis.
  • Dystomyases are diseases caused by tapeworms. These are fascioliasis, opisthorchiasis, dicroceliosis.
  • Protozoa - the causative agents are protozoa, such as lamblia, toxoplasma or amoeba.

More than 70 species of parasitic worms are distributed. The most common are the following helminthic diseases (see table).

Helminthic invasions
SicknessThe causative agent and its characteristicsTransfer method
Ascariasis Called ascaris. These are roundworms that live in the intestines. They can reach 30 to 40 cm, and roundworms feed on almost all the nutrients in food. During vital activity, the worms damage the intestinal walls until they puncture Most often, roundworm eggs are transmitted via the fecal-oral route. They persist for a long time in the soil and on the surface of vegetables, fruits, herbs and berries
Enterobiasis It develops when pinworms enter the body. They are small round worms, the size of which is 0. 5 to 1 cm. The main danger of enterobiosis is the toxic waste of worms Contact with an infected person. Pinworm eggs stay on various surfaces for some time.
Giardiasis Caused by microscopic parasites - lamblia. Pathogens produce toxic substances and damage tissue Giardia is spread through the fecal-oral route, as well as through contaminated food and water
Opisthorchiasis The causative agents are small worms up to 2 cm in size, which most often parasitize the liver and bile ducts. With opisthorchiasis, poisoning with toxic substances and mechanical damage to tissues occurs Opisthorchiasis pathogens are transmitted by raw fish
Echinococcosis It is caused by echinococci - tapeworms, the size of which does not exceed 5 cm. Echinococci parasitize various tissues, including the heart and brain. Pathogens cause serious disturbances in the functioning of organs and bodily systems. In some cases, they can cause a malignant tumor process. They are spread through dirty hands and contaminated food. Carriers of echinococci can also be dogs and rodents.
Diphyllobothriasis Responsible agents - large tapeworms, reaching 10-15 meters. Tapeworms live in the small intestine and cause serious damage to the host's body. Worms produce toxic substances and significantly alter the functioning of the digestive tract Transmitted by eating raw fish
Trichocephalosis Called by whipworm, a roundworm that looks like a hair. Vlasoglava can reach 5 to 6 meters. The worms live in the intestines and enter the submucosal layer. Cause poisoning, inflammation and acute anemia The invasion is carried out by swallowing the parasite's eggs

Worm infestations are also classified according to the stages:

  • Acute helminthiasis - appear 2-4 weeks after infection. In this case, the symptoms of worms are observed from 1 week to several months. If you do not carry out treatment, the disease becomes chronic.
  • Chronic helminthiasis - manifestations depend on the type of parasite. For example, if they are larval-reproducing parasites, prolonged allergic reactions will follow. Other chronic parasitic diseases may be asymptomatic or accompanied by pain, discomfort, fatigue and other symptoms.

Complications of helminthiasis

If helminthiasis are left untreated, it leads to serious and sometimes fatal complications:

  • Anemia - anemia, insufficient number of red blood cells and hemoglobin in the blood. This condition is due to the fact that the worms consume some of the nutrients necessary for normal hematopoietic function.
  • Destruction of tissues and organs. Worms live not only in the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract, but also in the thickness of tissues, for example, the liver, lungs, muscles. Especially, the tissues are affected during migrations of worms, when they move from one department (or organ) to another - ulcers and foci of constant inflammation are formed. Against this background, the risk of developing infections and malignant tumors increases.
  • Diseases of the nervous system. This is due to the toxic waste from the worms that poison the body. Nervous tissue is the most sensitive to toxins. This can lead to irritability, headaches, insomnia, and other signs of damage to the nervous system.
  • Allergic reactions. Toxic substances secreted by worms can also act as allergens. Human immunity may respond inadequately to these substances. This leads to the appearance of typical allergic symptoms - rashes, redness of the skin, itching, and sometimes nausea and vomiting.
A person feels constant fatigue in the presence of worms in the body

The presence of worms in the body also leads to a lack of the following minerals:

  • Zinc. With a lack of zinc, immunity decreases, a person often catches a cold and suffers from other infectious diseases. The likelihood of developing prostatitis and infertility increases, since this trace element is extremely important for the health of the reproductive system.
  • Selenium. Decreases immunity and also increases the risk of malignant tumors.
  • Iodine. Iodine deficiency in children causes retardation of growth and development (physical and mental). In adults, the work of the thyroid gland worsens, metabolic processes slow down.
  • Manganese. With a lack of manganese, the bones become brittle. A person quickly loses weight, he is often troubled by cramps and dermatitis.
  • Chromium. Deficiency of this element leads to developmental delay and impaired carbohydrate metabolism.

Worms and immunity

Often, worms are accompanied by other parasites - toxoplasma and chlamydia. This is due to the removal of immunity. A healthy body is able to resist invaders, but with helminthiasis the protection is weakened. Toxoplasmosis is especially dangerous during pregnancy, as it can lead to the death of the fetus.

Symptoms of helminthiasis

Signs of worms are diverse in adults and children. The most common symptoms are:

  • itching in the anus is the most common symptom of intestinal worms;
  • grinding of teeth in a dream - occurs due to toxins released by worms;
  • drooling during sleep and in the morning;
  • nausea when brushing your teeth in the morning;
  • peeling of the skin of the hands and feet;
  • allergic rashes;
  • a strong feeling of hunger, which can go as far as fainting;
  • swelling (often allergic);
  • itchy skin;
  • chronic fatigue;
  • headache and dizziness;
  • mental disorders for no known reason (stress, neurosis, depression);
  • bloating;
  • symptoms of intestinal disorders;
  • change in body weight (overweight and thinness);
  • the simultaneous evolution of several diseases (or the succession from one disease to another);
  • cramps or pulling pain in the abdomen;
  • anemia;
  • retardation of physical and mental development in children;
  • childhood hyperactivity or lethargy;
  • enlarged lymph nodes (often in the acute stage of helminthiasis).

When to consult a doctor

A therapist or specialist in infectious diseases deals with the treatment of parasitic diseases. A doctor should be consulted if one or more of the above symptoms are detected. Due to a fairly sophisticated system of masking worms, you must explain the symptoms to the doctor as precisely as possible, and also talk about your lifestyle: what food do you prefer, if you have recently traveled and where, there is. do there any pets, etc.

Diagnosis of the disease

The simplest test that shows the presence of worms is the analysis of feces

If the doctor suspects a helminthic invasion, it is not difficult to identify it. For this, the following diagnostic procedures are used:

  • Examination of stool. A sample of feces is given to the laboratory. They can contain eggs or larvae of parasites that live in the intestines.
  • Scratching for enterobiasis. A swab is taken from the anus with a cotton swab. Through this analysis, pinworms can be identified. The scraping should be done early in the morning, before going to the bathroom.
  • A blood test for antibodies. This is a fairly informative test with which you can identify many pests. However, even with a positive result, there is no 100% guarantee that the parasites are still in the patient's body, as the antibodies remain even after they are removed.
  • Instrumental diagnosis. The use of radiography, MRI and CT with the use of contrast agents. These diagnostic methods make it possible to identify both large worms and certain pathological changes in tissues caused by helminthic invasion.

As a rule, the doctor prescribes different studies to increase the reliability of the data obtained. Sometimes a patient needs to be tested multiple times to make an accurate diagnosis.

Important!When confirming helminthiasis, it is necessary to inform other close family members. They are also recommended to take an exam. If the test is positive, it is important that all infected family members receive treatment. Otherwise, the eggs of the parasites will reenter the body of the recovered person, and everything will have to be repeated from the beginning.

Treatment of helminths in children and adults

Despite the abundance of antiparasitic drugs at the drugstore, you cannot take them on your own. Prescribing comprehensive treatment, the doctor seeks not only to get rid of parasites, but also to eliminate the consequences of their vital activity.

As a rule, in addition to anthelmintic drugs, the patient is also prescribed vitamins and other drugs that eliminate the symptoms of the disease. The doctor selects the drugs separately for each patient, as the symptoms are different for each.

Drugs for the treatment of helminthiasis

With helminthic invasions, patients are prescribed a complex of the following drugs:

  • Anthelmintic drugs. These are anthelmintic drugs that kill or kill worms. These goals are achieved by disrupting the metabolism of the parasites or paralyzing their muscles. In the latter case, they lose their ability to stay in the intestine and are excreted.
  • Antihistamines. If the patient is allergic to parasites, then at the time of treatment, doctors prescribe antiallergic drugs. This is extremely important, because with the massive death of worms a large number of allergens are released, which can cause a strong allergic reaction. Antihistamines block the production of histamine, the main mediator of an allergic reaction.
  • Enterosorbents. These are drugs that are able to bind substances in the gastrointestinal tract. During the treatment of worms, enterosorbents are used to bind and remove toxic substances secreted by the worms.
  • Vitamins and minerals. Most often, B vitamins (folic acid and B12) and iron preparations are prescribed. This is necessary to treat anemia.
  • hepatoprotectors. These are drugs that protect the liver from toxic substances. These include preparations based on essential phospholipids or plant materials (milk thistle, artichoke, liquorice, St. John's wort and other plants).
  • Probiotics and prebiotics. Prescribed to restore intestinal microflora. Probiotics are living cultures of beneficial bacteria. Prebiotics are non-digestible food components (like fiber) that are only fermented by the intestinal flora.

Surgery

In most cases, it is enough to drink a complex of drugs. However, sometimes doctors are still required to resort to surgery. For example, a large buildup of roundworms can cause intestinal obstruction. This is an urgent condition that requires surgery.

Worms can accumulate in the bile ducts, against the background of which obstructive jaundice and even liver abscess develop. The same situation can occur in the pancreas, leading to acute pancreatitis. If the worms enter the appendix, appendicitis develops. All of these conditions require prompt surgery.

Surgery is often used when organs are damaged by echinococcus. These parasites accumulate, forming echinococcal plugs in the liver, lungs, bones, kidneys and even the brain. The danger of such a plug is that it can fester and burst.

Folk remedies for worms

Folk remedies for worms are not as effective as anthelmintic drugs. This is only an auxiliary method - the main treatment is prescribed by a doctor.

Folk remedies include pumpkin seeds, which contain cucurbitin, a substance that has an anthelmintic effect.

Myth 2: garlic enemas eliminate worms

Worms really don't like garlic, because it contains phytoncides - antibacterial and antiparasitic substances. However, it is not necessary to do garlic enemas for helminthiasis. In the large intestine, where the contents of the enema are injected, there are very few worms. Most parasites live in the small intestine, so this procedure is unnecessary. In addition, from such an enema you can get severe irritation of the mucous membrane.

Prevention and precautions

The easiest rule of thumb to prevent helminthiasis is to always wash your hands with soap and water.

In most cases, the prognosis for the treatment of helminthiasis is favorable. A timely visit to a doctor will avoid a number of complications caused by worms.

Prevention of worms is reduced to compliance with the following recommendations:

  • Wash your hands with soap and water before eating, after coming back from the street, using the toilet, or after coming into contact with animals.
  • Wash vegetables, fruits and herbs thoroughly. Better to pour boiling water into it.
  • Do not use other people's hygiene items and dishes.
  • Give up bad habits (smoking, alcohol).
  • Avoid stress, it will have a beneficial effect on immunity.
  • Show your animal regularly to the vet, vaccinate it in a timely manner.
  • Every year, have a comprehensive preventive exam, including testing for worm eggs.
  • Cook meat, poultry, fish and eggs appropriately.

Myth 3: Parasites die in frozen meat.

This is only true for certain worms. For example, bovine tapeworm really dies when meat is deep frozen (minus 12 and minus). And, for example, the larvae of Trichinella can only be removed after 2-3 hours of cooking.

Conclusion

The main cause of helminthic invasions is the lack of hygiene. Improving the hygiene and proper cooking of feed significantly reduces the risk of helminthiasis. In most cases, worms do not pose a threat to human health if detected in time. But the lack of treatment nevertheless leads to serious consequences - anemia, damage to the nervous system and other infections.