The cause of many diseases, poor health is infection with helminths. Various worms can enter the human body. Their size varies from the smallest millimeter to 16-18 meters. Parasites in all organs and tissues, they cause great harm to health. To protect yourself from invasion (infection), it is desirable to know what a worm is, and to understand how you can be infected with parasites of each species.
Types of worms - what parasites live in the human body
Depending on the place of parasitism in the body and the characteristics of the infection, parasites are divided into several classes.
The classification of worms depends on their location in the human body:
- usus- These are worms that live in the gastrointestinal tract, especially in the small intestine. Sometimes they penetrate into other organs. This group includes tapes and roundworms.
- outside the intestine- grow, live and reproduce in different organs outside the intestine. They can be localized in the lungs, eyes, brain, liver. This group includes flatworms.
The classification of worms depends on the method of entry into the human body:
- infectious- transmitted to a healthy person than an infected person during contact. Another source of infection is household items: towels, toys. Representatives of this species are dwarf tapeworms, pinworms.
- Biohelminthiases- transmitted through contact with animals, as a result of the consumption of infected meat that has not undergone adequate heat treatment. To be potentially harmful to humans, these parasites must live for a certain period of time in the body of the animal that is the intermediate host. These species include bovine and pig tapeworms.
- Geohelminthiases- part of the life cycle is carried out in the human body, and part - in the soil. This is a necessary condition for their development. You can be infected through vegetables and fruits that are not washed properly. This group includes ringworm, trichina.
Depending on biological characteristics, helminths are divided into three types - round, tapeworm, as well as flukes.
Ringworm (nematode)
The ring worm is so called because its body is round in cross section. These parasites are most often found in the body of children. These types include:
- cream wormsThey are parasites in the large and small intestines. Their body length does not exceed 1 cm Often, helminthic invasion by pinworms affects children. This parasite lives 1-2 months. If you adhere to strict personal hygiene, you can recover even without taking medication. If it is not observed, re -infection is possible.
- Bracelet worm- worms up to 45 cm long, which are parasitic in the small intestine. They can move freely in the intestines. Their lifespan is 14 months. During this period, they release toxins into the blood, systematically poisoning the body.
- Vlasoglav- worms, whose body length is 3-4 cm. They parasitize in large and secum, digging into their mucous membranes to suck blood. Very toxic. Lives up to 5 years.
- Trichinella- parasites with a valley of 3–4 mm, which can be infected through meat that has undergone inadequate heat treatment. Helminths live in different organs, settling in the muscles of the eyes, heart, and lungs. Lifespan - up to 2 years.
- mine worms and necator- have similar biological characteristics, developmental cycles and methods of parasitism, therefore they are combined under the same name "hoe worm". These 10–15 mm long helminths are localized in the duodenum 12. They penetrate into the human body through the skin when in contact with contaminated soil. They feed on blood by biting through blood vessels, which leads to iron deficiency anemia. These parasites are difficult to identify.
Tapeworms (cestodes)
The tapeworm has a flat body that is divided into segments. When the worm grows, the segment separates from the body and faints along with the feces. Individuals like these ribbons are up to 20 m long. They are parasites in the intestine, where it attaches to its walls with the help of an inhaler.
To infect humans, tapeworms must go through one of the developmental stages in the animal’s body.
These parasites live in the body for many years. Members of this group:
- wide ribbon- reaches a length of up to 20 m. It is a parasite in the small intestine, causing severe dysfunction of the digestive tract. You can be infected by eating the meat of freshwater fish and lobster that has not undergone heat treatment.
- Bull tapeworms- helminths 6–12 m long. Lives in the small intestine, attached by a suction cup to its mucous membrane. The source of infection is beef that has not undergone proper heat treatment.
- Pig tapeworms- parasites up to 2 m long, which enter the body through raw or poorly processed pork. Attached to the wall of the small intestine.
- Echinococcus- parasites that can be transmitted from cats, dogs. A person is an intermediate host for this helminth, therefore, entering the body, the larvae penetrate into tissues, into any organ and form echinococcal cysts. They are removed exclusively through surgery.
- Alveococcus- a type of echinococcus. Very dangerous helminths that can live in any organ, but especially parasites in the liver. They actively grow and develop according to the principle of cancer metastasis, gradually infecting the whole body. Worms can be removed surgically.
Flukes (trematode)
Flukes are a type of worm that parasitize in any organ and tissue. They feed on epithelial cells. Its length reaches 1. 5 m. Its body is shaped like a leaf. The route of infection is the consumption of raw fish, seafood or after inadequate heat treatment. These types include:
- liver disease- worms 7–20 mm long. It is a parasite in the liver and bile ducts. It triggers the development of serious diseases and functional disorders.
- Fluke- worms 4-13 mm long, localized in the gallbladder.
Symptoms - signs of worms in humans
How exactly helminthiasis manifests itself depends on the type of worm that has affected the body, and on its number. The main symptoms of helminthic invasion:
- diarrhea or constipation;
- bloating, bloating;
- pain in muscles and joints;
- anemia;
- allergic reactions;
- dermatitis;
- weight problems - weight loss or obesity;
- sleep disorders;
- nervousness, irritability, depression;
- apathy, fatigue;
- cough, inflammation of the respiratory tract;
- weakened immunity.
How to determine if there are worms
If symptoms appear that may indicate the presence of worms, it is worth undergoing a diagnosis. The following tests will help identify parasites:
- Studies on feces.
- Blood test.
- Secretory examination of the duodenum 12.
- Analysis of perianal and rectal mucus.
- Ultrasound, tomography, endoscopy.
You can confirm the results of the diagnosis if you pass the analysis 3-4 times with an interval of several days. One analysis was insufficient to confirm the absence of helminthic invasion.
The human body can affect one type of worm or several at once. All of them, regardless of size, pose serious health problems, are the causative agents of complex chronic diseases that cannot be cured for years. To eliminate the risk of infection, it is necessary to carry out diagnostics and preventive treatment on a regular basis. This is especially true for pet owners.