Helminthiases are a group of parasitic diseases characterized by a high degree of infection. Helminth eggs are very resistant, they are able to stay for a long time on various surfaces in the environment, and at the same time maintain vitality. It is sad that helminth eggs surround us everywhere: in the ground, water, earth, dust, on food and pet hair. However, it is quite simple to prevent infection, because for that you need to follow some preventive measures: rules of personal hygiene and general sanitary standards. Finally, worm prevention is the best way to protect yourself from helminth invasion.
Ways of infecting helminthiases
You can become infected with worms in the following ways:
- when you eat contaminated meat and fish;
- when you eat unwashed vegetables and herbs, fruits and berries;
- through dirty hands;
- some parasites that live in water can penetrate the skin;
- through infected insects, which are intermediate hosts of larvae;
- through infected feces;
- through pets infected with parasites.
Worm prevention in adults
Prevention of worms in humans is not limited to following the rules of personal hygiene, pharmacological preparations are also used for prophylactic purposes. Synthetic anthelmintics are prescribed only by a specialist, depending on the age, weight and general health of the patient. You should not self-medicate and take such drugs on their own, because they are parasites of different types and live not only in the intestines, but also in other organs. In addition, do not forget that the wrong dose of the drug or uncontrolled intake of the drug can greatly harm the body.
First, if the wrong dose is applied, the parasites do not die, but migrate from the gastrointestinal tract to other organs.
Second, anthelmintic drugs are very toxic, can cause serious intoxication in the body and liver damage.
Third, most anthelmintic drugs only affect adults, and their larvae and eggs remain unharmed.
Worm prevention is a set of measures that are not limited to just one pill or just rules of personal hygiene. Only in some cases it is enough to adhere only to personal hygiene, while in others there are few measures, they are supplemented with pharmacological agents. Only a doctor determines in which cases the usual preventive measures are sufficient, and in which they should be supplemented with tablets.
Adherence to the rules of personal hygiene
However, there is a well-known saying that the disease is easier to prevent than to cure. Before the disease is felt, it is better to follow the basic rules of personal hygiene. In addition, preventive actions are quite simple and very effective. Protective measures against parasitic infection:
- frequent hand washing with soap and water, especially after toileting and before meals;
- frequent change of underwear and bedding;
- high quality heat treatment of meat and fish;
- refusal to eat raw meat and fish products, as well as steak of low or medium rare species;
- thorough washing of vegetables, herbs, fruits and berries under running water;
- use smoked, salted or dried fish with extreme caution,
- after any contact with pets, hands should be washed thoroughly, the litter for cats should be cleaned with protective gloves, and the cat tray and bowls should also be treated with disinfectant;
- ironing underwear and bed linen after washing;
- do not use water from unknown sources for food and do not swim in unknown water bodies;
- shorten nails because helminth eggs can remain in the nail hole even after thorough hand washing;
- regularly deworm pets;
- use protective gloves when cleaning the room as well as for gardening.
How to protect children from parasites
Young children are potential victims of helminths, because babies are not able to carry out personal hygiene on their own. In addition, at this age they get to know the world around them, taste everything. Therefore, there is a high probability that a child will develop a parasitic invasion. In this case, the child's parents take preventive measures. However, babies are impossible to follow, they are quite active at this age and can be infected with helminthiasis at some point.
For the prevention of worms in children it is necessary:
- wash your child's hands often from early childhood to get him used to the basics of personal hygiene;
- iron the baby's underwear and bedding;
- disinfect his toys and wash soft toys in hot water;
- do not allow pets to sleep in the same bed with your child;
- teach your child to wash their hands after each contact with pets;
- subject the baby food to high-quality heat treatment;
- wash vegetables and fruits well under running water;
- keep the children's room clean and tidy;
- treat the place where the child crawls with disinfectant (if younger than 1 year).
If an infection occurs suddenly, only a doctor should prescribe methods of treating helminthiasis. You should not engage in self-medication, as your child's health and life are at stake.
Anthelmintic drugs are potent toxic agents. The child should be treated very carefully and under the strict supervision of a doctor. Only a doctor prescribes the type and dose of the drug, because each drug has different age indications.
It is only possible to give a child anti-worm medication when he has been accurately diagnosed with a parasitic invasion. Otherwise, you should not expose your child to the toxic effects of anthelmintic drugs. Parents should coordinate all their actions only with the attending physician.
How to take worm pills
All anthelmintics are divided into:
- narrow-spectrum drugs;
- broad-spectrum drugs.
The first drugs affect a certain type of helminth and only destroy them. The second type of drug affects most parasites of different types (round, flat, and banded). In addition, some drugs affect the respiratory system of helminths, others cause muscle paralysis in them, others stop the process of glucose absorption, and still others block metabolic processes in the worm's body. All these actions contribute to the death of parasites and their removal from the body.
Experts believe that the prevention of helminthiasis should be carried out twice a year. Once in early spring and the other in late fall, before the onset of the cold period. It is necessary to use medication at the same time when the patient experiences symptoms caused by a parasitic invasion. As a rule, these are:
- abdominal pain;
- nausea and vomiting;
- itching in the anus;
- general weakness and malaise;
- insomnia;
- weight loss.
Anthelmintic therapy is carried out no longer than 3-5 days. With one dose of an anthelmintic, not all parasites can die, and others are able to migrate from the gut to other organs and even have time to lay eggs. After two weeks, it is necessary to repeat the intake of anthelmintic drugs in order to destroy the newly appeared helminths.
Anthelmintic therapy involves three phases, lasting approximately two weeks:
- The first week prepares to expel parasites from the body. For these purposes, they maintain a light diet, take medications that improve bile flow and the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
- The second phase consists of the direct application of anthelmintic drugs. The course of treatment is 5 days.
- The third stage is the removal of dead parasites from the body. Laxatives and enemas are used for this purpose. The last stage is very important because helminth bodies can start to decay, causing serious intoxication in humans.
Anthelmintic drugs
In the pharmacological market, anthelmintic tablets are very well represented, in addition, in different price categories. The following pharmacological agents are used to prevent worms:
Levamisole based
Medications help to improve the body's defenses by creating the necessary antibodies in the blood. Also, drugs inhibit the process of glucose oxidation (glycolysis), thus causing the death of the parasite. The drugs are effective for various parasitic invasions. Side effects are noticed in the form of nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
Mebendazole based
Most effective in the treatment of ascariasis, enterobiasis and trichocephalosis. Drugs disrupt the metabolic processes in the body of the parasite, thereby causing its death. The agents are very toxic because they can accumulate in the body. For this reason, you should not use them on their own without a doctor's prescription, because you can cause serious damage to the body. Contraindicated in pregnancy and lactation, as well as in the presence of chronic pathologies.
Albendazole based
The drugs effectively destroy both helminths and protozoa, so they are suitable for use in mixed parasitic infections. It should be used with caution in people with liver disease. Dosage and frequency of administration are selected individually in each case, as it depends on the type of parasite and the degree of infection. The use of these drugs for prophylaxis is a fairly reliable protection against various types of parasites.