Many of us, after a summer vacation, will think about the presence of worms (helminths).
Some think that it is necessary to get rid of them at all costs, others on the contrary think that these parasites are even very useful for the organism. Who will tell us the truth?
Surely many of you know the famous Dr. House. In one of the series, there was a case where a teacher fell ill in the middle of class. The children were scared and the doctors did not know what was happening to her, as she was in very serious condition. Each doctor promoted his theory. Some thought the patient had a tumor, others that she suffered from inflammation of the cerebral vessels. The protagonist of the television series, Dr. House himself, solves this problem by finding the culprit of the teacher's suffering. It was a tapeworm that tormented the woman. Then the teacher was prescribed treatment with pills and she recovered.
Although this series may seem like a fantasy, the storyline of this series is made by real professionals. Real cases of infection with worms also sound like a myth, but, alas, the consequences cannot always be corrected, as in the case of the series. How do we know if we are infected or not? Are we in danger or not?
About Worm Prevention
People, when they hear about various miraculous remedies for the destruction of these parasites, just forget to get rid of them.
We have developed such a strong dislike for these animals that even when you think about it, it gets bad. We are ready to test ourselves with even the most "abnormal" drugs, to drink all kinds of questionable herbs and even to do garlic enemas.
It is very important not to overdo it with medication and stop in time. In the case of parasitic diseases, one should be careful in choosing drugs for helminths, because without taking the right drugs, one can even complicate the situation. Do not take anything for the treatment! It is very important to know what you are struggling with, what medicine helps you, what dose is optimal and what are its contraindications. So it can turn out to be quite a detective story in the fight against pests.
On our planet, more than 300, 000 species of helminths are known to affect vertebrates. In humans, there are 300 species of helminths (according to other sources, more than 12, 000 species). So being treated with anything just won't work. Although it is good that most of them are in the tropics. Only if we do not take such "tourists" from tropical countries where we like to relax (Turkey, Cyprus, Egypt, Thailand).
Each region of the world is characterized by certain worms. And each has a different form of entry into the body.
How many types of helminths are there on Earth?
Schistosomes
Africa and Asia are famous for their schistosomes. And you can get infected with it very simply if you swim in a local freshwater reservoir or drink water from local sources. Schistosomes mainly enter the body through the genitourinary organs.
How to avoid schistosome infection?
If you do not swim in fresh water and wash only with boiled water, in principle, you can avoid this.
Filaria and elephantiasis (filariasis)
You can also "get acquainted" with the wired during your holidays in Fiji, Mozambique, Goa, Tahiti and also in Egypt. The main carriers of these parasites are mosquitoes (local mosquitoes).
Heartworms are dangerous because they cause filariasis (elephantiasis), which affects the lymph nodes and is very difficult to treat.
Mosquitoes are also dangerous as they can carry leishmaniasis (caused by leishmania) and malaria. Leishmaniasis affects mucous membranes and skin.
How to avoid heartworm infection?
The main rule is not to let mosquitoes get near you, let alone bite. Use curtains, repellents and special mosquito nets.
In the tropics, avoid running or walking barefoot on local trails or sandy shores. The fact is that you can capture other types of parasites as well. In the "harmless" sand very often hide various parasitic larvae, which can very quickly penetrate the body even through the skin of the feet! So, sometimes, returning from trips, you can find some kind of larva under the skin. Like in a horror movie!
How to avoid infection with such parasites? Walk only with shoes and it is not recommended to lie on sand or grass without mats.
Paw
The most dangerous food is raw and also uncooked fish.
The fluke is one of many parasites that can be found in raw fish in:
- China;
- Japan.
After tasting a piece of this fish (that is, infected), after 1/2-1 month you can feel unpleasant sensations in the liver area, as well as a rash.
It's not just luck that is transmitted this way. Many worms wait for the next host to bite a raw fish. Fans of caviar, sushi, salted and dried fish are also at risk of getting a stroke of luck.
How to avoid fluke infection?
First of all, exclude from the menu all sorts of exotic dishes based on raw fish. If you still can't resist taking such dishes, eat them at least only in good, certified restaurants.
If you buy raw fish at the market or from foreigners, you absolutely have to cook it already, otherwise you risk it.
Trichinella and trichinosis
What do you think, that there are no other verses? Don't get me wrong, we found them in other well-known products.
Here, Europeans are very fond of steaks with blood. And here is another danger - trichinosis.
Other helminths cannot even compare to this, because Trichinella is one of the most dangerous! They can settle in muscle tissue and lead to death.
In addition to trichinella, such a European dinner can "give" other parasites: pork and bovine tapeworm.
How to avoid trichinosis and tapeworm infection?
Eat well-prepared meat dishes only in good restaurants.
roundworms and pinworms
Even when we eat vegetables and fruits, we have to keep in mind that another threat of infection is looming: roundworms and pinworms. This is why our mothers taught us to wash fruits and vegetables before consumption. Most often the threat comes from spicy (green) herbs, which are brought to us from the southern regions.
How to avoid infection with roundworms and pinworms?
If you have bought green vegetables in the market, be sure to rinse them well. First, leave the grass in water for an hour so that the helminth eggs that are on the leaves sink to the bottom of the container, then wash each leaf individually. Like that!
Positive aspects of worms
I think the idea of such "pets" walking around is not very warm. But let's be optimistic, because life is beautiful.
The microcosm around us is full of all kinds of surprises:
- bacteria,
- virus,
- parasites.
And we contain whole kilograms of this biomass and there is nothing pathological about it. We are not designed to live in an absolutely sterile environment, where we will simply die.
Some of these organisms have a positive effect, because they are involved in improving immunity, the synthesis of certain vitamins, and digestion works differently thanks to them.
I do not want to call helminths useful animals for man, but there are some that are harmless (intestinal parasites) and above all dangerous (parasites that live in other organs: lungs, liver, eyes, and even inthe brain ! ). In the latter case, everyone thinks how to recover quickly, because the problem is very serious.
It happens that helminths leave the body of the owner, even if he does not know about their existence in his body.
For example, you can get rid of worms with a head of garlic, or through hormonal changes (in the case of a pregnant woman), anything is possible. If you decide to revolt against these parasites without knowing what you are fighting against, you can piss them off. Thus, they can complicate the situation by entering the bile ducts and causing liver abscess. So keep in mind that regular prevention is not always helpful! It is better to pass the control in the hospital for the presence of helminths.
Symptoms of a Worm Infestation
How to proceed? Worms surround us everywhere, and therefore we can easily become infected, it is not recommended to treat them without diagnosis, and diagnosing helminths is not an easy task. Worms are very good at disguising themselves as other diseases.
And what is most interesting: the larger the helminth (there are giants that reach up to 10 meters), the more calmly it behaves. It is therefore not always possible to analyze only certain symptoms, it turns out, to identify the correct diagnosis. You can not do without the examination of a parasitologist.
Of course, no one can help you better than a doctor. Here are some cases in which you should be sure to get tested:
- on recent vacations to different parts of the world, you ate various dubious local delicacies, swam in hotel pools where the water was not chlorinated, walked barefoot on the beach, lay naked on the sand, lgrass, touched local dogs and cats;
- you have high fever, hives, flushing, itching, rash, chills, bloating and abdominal pain.
If you find out about your situation, then you need to consult a parasitologist.
Rules of personal hygiene so as not to become infected with worms
Food
- Let's start with the fact that in exotic countries you can only drink bottled water.
- Fruits, although they look very appetizing, should be peeled or boiled. In a simple form, it is in no way recommended to use them.
- Other questionable products are
- raw meat;
- raw fish (any form, even sea).
- Freshly squeezed juices are also prohibited. Juice extraction does not always go through a thorough washing process.
Refuse to use such products.
Beach
Do not risk walking barefoot on sand, grass, paths in exotic countries. Use a lounge chair and slippers.
Bathing
It is forbidden to swim in the freshwater reservoirs of India, Central Africa and South America. There are so many parasites that even the movie "Alien" looks like a children's fairy tale compared to them.
mosquitoes
Mosquitoes (or mosquitoes) are very dangerous parasites because they are serious carriers of many infections and helminths.
Avoid direct contact with them.
You must use repellents, wear long-sleeved clothes, sleep under the canopy.
linen
It is strictly forbidden to air dry clothes in exotic countries.
The problem is that flies in tropical countries like to lay eggs on them, and when you put on a bathing suit, larvae will hatch which can cause dermatitis.
Where to test for worms?
Take tests only in specialized public clinics. Dubious institutions are not recommended to do such tests.
One of the reasons not to contact these clinics is the fact that they can find anything you want even if you have nothing.
Yes, yes, to hang on to you, they can prescribe unnecessary cures there. They will tell you that modern universal diagnostics see everything, even where standard scans see nothing. Do not believe the charlatans, and do not hesitate to go to the classic public clinics.
Now let's talk about the so-called universal diagnostics. In such a case as the detection of helminths, this is not possible.
If they need to urinate in the bladder, if in the intestines - then feces, if in the muscle mass - then they will have to do an X-ray of the muscles, if in the liver - ultrasound.
What did you think? The positive results of such analyzes can only alert you to expel them as soon as possible. Take only the drugs advised by the parasitologist, because accuracy and correctness are very important in this matter.
What should be remembered from helminths?
Theoretically, helminths can be infected almost anywhere - in the city, on vacation, in tropical countries, in the forest. But as the statistics say, even in such cases not everyone is infected with it. As a rule, those who follow the basic rules of hygiene reduce the risk of infection for themselves.
- The main thing is not to panic and not to drink any medicine for prevention, since there is no universal cure for worms. Even tablets for worms have their own classification according to different forms of helminths. It turns out that some pills help with certain parasites, while others don't. The doctor will best determine your diagnosis and prescribe the correct pills. If you take care of your pets (cats and dogs) by regularly prescribing deworming medication, and if none of the above symptoms bother you, then you have nothing to worry about.
- If you have any doubts about this, go to the doctor. Don't forget to tell us what you ate and where you were.
- As I have already told you, you need to take tests only in good specialized clinics. In bad clinics you can spend a lot of money and you will not be able to get treatment.
- Any medication taken as a preventive measure can only harm. Do not use them "just for prevention", otherwise you can destroy the intestinal flora and even "earn" toxic hepatitis. Echinococcosis is very dangerous and that is why the initiative of such a thing can cause the cyst where the larva is located to explode. This one can be deadly.
- If you have been recommended "certain worm supplements" in "certain clinics", it does not mean that you will all get better. Many of these products contain toxins that can cause allergies, and you may not feel the effects.
The most common myths about helminths
Saltwater fish do not contain parasites
Who told you that? Most worms contain fish that have not undergone the necessary treatment or which, after capture, have not been immediately cleaned before freezing. This is how you increase your chances of getting infected.
Dogs can catch worms more easily than cats
Indeed, for example, dogs have the habit of tasting the excrement of their relatives. The most dangerous helminths that can be "taken" from dogs are echinococcus - very dangerous parasites of the liver and lungs. In prevention, prescribe a cure to the animals 4 times a year. Dogs can therefore be more dangerous in this regard than cats.
Only children can catch worms
Did you believe? It may seem only because children are less precise, wash their hands less often and sometimes do not respect the rules of hygiene. Hygiene rules are therefore important for everyone!
A person infected with worms can infect others
Of course it's true. By being close to such a "patient", you take risks, but you may not even know it. So after shaking hands, wash your hands just in case. You can be particularly easily infected with pinworms (enterobiasis), as these are the most common helminths. In addition, very often children who are dirty can infect their parents, so teach your children to respect the rules of hygiene.