Helminthiases are a group of diseases caused by parasitic worms.
Helminths can settle in a person's intestines, lungs, gallbladder and bile ducts. Parasites cause mechanical damage to internal organs, waste products of helminths lead to intoxication. For humans, helminthiasis is dangerous due to the fact that it suppresses the immune system, worsens the course of other diseases, leads to increased fatigue, reduces the absorption capacity of the intestine, reduces the effectiveness of vaccination, etc. You can become infected with helminths by drinking dirty water or unwashed food. In rare cases, the disease is transmitted through the skin or air.
Classification of helminthiasis
By localization:
- Intestines.These include ascariasis, strongyloidosis, trichocephalosis, teniarinchiasis, etc.
- Pulmonary.This group includes tominxosis and paragonimosis.
- Tissue.This class includes schistosomiasis, trichinosis, toxocariasis and filariasis.
- Hepotobiliary system.This group includes opisthorchiasis, fascioliasis, and clonorchiasis.
By stage:
- Sharply.Helminthiasis usually occurs 2-4 weeks after infection. Depending on the severity of the helminthic invasion, signs of helminthiasis are observed from 1 week to several months, and then the disease becomes chronic.
- Chronic.The clinical manifestations of chronic helminthiasis depend on the types of characteristics of the parasite. In the presence of helminths with larval reproduction (filariasis or strongyloidosis), allergic manifestations last for a long time. In other forms of the disease, the symptoms depend on the number, size and position of the parasite in the body.
Deficiencies of helminthiasis and micronutrients
Once inside the human body, parasites feed on blood and tissue juices, absorbing nutrients. For growth and reproduction, helminths are primarily needed trace elements, which leads to a decrease in their content in the body. The consequence of helminthiasis may be a lack of the following trace elements:
Zinc deficiency.It causes prostatitis, infertility, dwarfism, parakeratosis (reminiscent of scabies or scabies), various tumors and many other pathologies.
Selenium deficiency.It leads to a decrease in immunity, can cause the development of malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, mammary glands, prostate.
Iodine deficiency.It causes growth retardation, impaired puberty and underdevelopment of reproductive organs. With iodine deficiency, mental retardation is possible, all the way to dementia.
Manganese deficiency.It can cause brittle bones, weight loss, seizures, dermatitis and degeneration of the genital tract.
Chromium deficiency.It causes fatigue, sugar intolerance (borderline diabetes), stunted growth, increases cholesterol levels.
Signs of helminthiasis
- fever;
- various skin rashes;
- facial swelling, conjunctivitis;
- inflammation of the upper respiratory tract;
- loose stools;
- in children, angina, lymphadenitis;
- bronchospasm, lung infiltrates, pneumonia;
- myocarditis;
- hepatitis;
- meningoencephalitis.
Symptoms (clinical picture) helminthiasis
Acute helminthiasis.For this form of helminthic infection
characteristic signs of general allergic reactions: itchy skin, fever, swollen lymph nodes, muscle and joint pain. Acute helminthiasis often leads to the development of pulmonary syndrome, abdominal pain and dyspeptic disorders. At the same time, the liver and spleen are enlarged, and central nervous system symptoms may occur.
Chronic helminthiasis.In many forms of helminthiasis, the parasitism of several individuals passes without unpleasant symptoms. Characteristic signs of helminthiasis appear in the presence of large worms (teniids, broad tapeworms, etc. ). Symptoms depend on the type and location of the parasite. In intestinal helminthiasis, pain, dyspeptic and asthenoneurotic syndromes are observed. Ascariasis can cause pancreatitis, obstructive jaundice, and intestinal obstruction. Enterobiasis is characterized by itching in the anus at night. With clonorchiasis and opisthorchiasis, hepatitis, cholecystocholangitis and various lesions of the gastrointestinal tract can develop.
Helminthiasis and infectious diseases
Worm infestations increase the risk of contracting infectious diseases. Helminths reduce immunity and weaken the body as a whole. Thus, parasites open up free access to body tissues to microbes and viruses. Helminthiasis can be accompanied by the following infectious diseases.
Toxoplasmosis.It is a contagious disease that affects humans and animals. You can get toxoplasmosis from a contaminated blood transfusion, eat food made from thermally unprocessed meat or fish, or contact patient feces. Toxoplasmosis is transmitted from mother to child during intrauterine development. Infection can cause fetal death or miscarriage. Among newborns infected with toxoplasmosis, there is a high risk of mortality.
Chlamydia.An infectious disease that occurs in rodents, cats and humans. It can be accompanied by fever, rhinitis, conjunctivitis and pneumonia. It affects the organs of vision, reproductive and respiratory system. Chlamydia is transmitted by airborne droplets, contact, and sex.
Toxocara.The disease is observed in humans, pets, rodents. Toxocara eggs remain viable for months in dried feces. You can get the infection by contact with animal hair or soil. The disease is accompanied by severe allergies and pathologies of internal organs.
Diagnosis and therapy of helminthiasis
How to recognize helminthiasis
Prevention of helminthiasis is primarily the observance of strict hygiene standards. It is unacceptable to drink raw water and eat poorly processed or unfamiliar foods (fish, meat). Early detection of people infected with parasites also plays an important role in prevention. Diagnosis of helminthiasis is made by identifying helminth larvae and eggs. They are most often localized in different parts of the gastrointestinal tract, so the most common method is stool analysis.
In some cases, standard methods for diagnosing helminthiasis are ineffective. For example, some parasites do not lay eggs for a long time, so they cannot be found in the feces. The innovative method allows you to recognize the presence of helminths and assess the general condition of the body using the iris of the eye. The method is based on the fact that each organ has a projection on a certain segment of the "iris", where it transmits information about its condition through the visceral centers of the brain.
How to get rid of helminthiasis
An effective, safe and proven means of resolving helminthic invasion and replenishing the necessary micronutrients in the body is a complex of helminthic drugs that improves health at once in several main areas:
- improve immunity;
- normalize metabolism;
- improve the enzymatic functions of the stomach, pancreas, intestines;
- remove signs of allergy;
- normalize the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, etc.
Antiparasitic wellness program
To eliminate helminthiasis, it is necessary to take broad-spectrum antiparasitic drugs for 3 months. There is a 7-day break between each month of admission.