Worms - how dangerous they are?

Parasitic worms or helminths cause the development of helminthiasis, which negatively affect the human health. The prevalence of this group of diseases is dependent primarily on the level of sanitary culture of the population, from the social and living conditions of the natural factors in the region of residence. There are several ways of human infection, and the epidemiological point of view, important route of transmission from person to person when a certain type of media helminths become dangerous to others.

Worms - parasitic worms breeding in the colon or small intestine and feed on the contents of the intestine. Some types of worms virtually harmless to humans and others can cause disease, potentially threatening the health and even the life of a person. Infestation called infestation.

Worms can replicate in the body for several years without causing any symptoms. In general, the distinct symptoms of infection with worms can appear after a few weeks or even months after the infestation. The most common symptoms - paleness, weakness, fatigue (anemia results that provoke parasites suck blood), sleep disturbances Dreams: how to understand our dreams , Loss of appetite, weight loss (the result of nutritional deficiencies).

In addition, when infected with worms the following symptoms:

• Abdominal distention
• Gases
• Sickness
• Itching anus
• Stool blood
• Diarrhea
• Itchy rash on the skin
• Puffy eyes
• Itchy swelling at the site of entry of the parasite under the skin (usually on the legs)

Helminth larvae or eggs may be contained in the soil or water. After exiting from the body of an infected human or animal parasite eggs of several days or weeks develop into larvae which fall within the human body from dirt, poorly washed vegetables neprozharennoe cattle meat or fish. The most common infection of intestinal worms in children by direct contact with infected objects (such as dirty toys). Some types of worms Types of worms and the consequences of their occurrence   may penetrate into the human body when bare feet contact with contaminated soil or by skin contact with contaminated water.

Adults whose length may vary from one millimeter to several meters, are attached to the bowel wall and suck the blood from them, or exist freely in the intestine, feeding its contents. The result of vital activity of intestinal parasites - small intestinal inflammation and ulcers, anemia, nutritional deficiencies (protein, iron, vitamins A, C, B12). In some cases, it leads to a multiplication of worms ileus. The larvae of some species of worms can migrate to other organs (liver, bladder, lung and even brain), forming cysts and causing allergic inflammation.

The main groups of helminthiasis

The problem helminthic invasion has no geographical boundaries, the disease occurs in different latitudes of the population all over the world. It is noted that significantly more damage occurs in the southern parts of the population, especially in the tropics and subtropics. There the population infection with worms can reach almost 100%. There are several types of worms, which include worms person - the type of round and flat worms. According to this classification shared by helminth infections (or a worm infestation), referred to as nematodes, trematodozov, cestodosis. If we consider the question of epidemiological prevalence, it is necessary to take into account the type of pathogen biology and ways of human infection. There are two big groups of diseases:

• geohelminthiasis
• biogelmintozy

For the development of pathogens geohelminthiasis (or geohelminthes) does not require an intermediate host. Maturation occurs mainly helminth eggs in the soil, people infected by ingestion of eggs to larval development, as well as the penetration of larvae through the skin. This group includes ascaris, whipworm, pinworm, intestinal ugritsa and a number of other parasites. The infected by these pathogens person poses no threat to the surrounding epidemic in direct contact with it in terms of a possible source of infection. The exception is the pinworm.

Group biogelmintozov characterized in that the pathogens require mandatory presence of one or more intermediaries in the biological cycle of development (this intermediate host for the pathogen). In such a case, a person can become infected within the intermediate host, which comes in different ways in the body and contains larvae. Group biohelminthes includes all flukes, tapeworms, some species of nematodes. The special properties of this group has the dwarf tapeworm, as the process of development can take place with the participation of an intermediate host (the representatives of arthropods) or without him. Because of the presence of such features of the biological cycle of the pathogen the person becomes a source of disease for the people around him.

This tapeworm, liver flukes and lanceolate and other representatives. A typical tank of helminths in nature are domestic and wild animals. Knowledge of epidemiological characteristics of each pathogen helps in assigning the course of therapy, as well as the organization of appropriate measures to prevent the spread of the disease. Otherwise it will be impossible to interrupt the biological cycle of the parasite, so it will continue its transmission and human infection.

Roundworms (nematodes)

• Roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides) can reach tens of centimeters in length, thickness similar to a pencil.
• Hookworm (Necator americanus, Ancylostoma duodenale) are most often found in tropical regions. Hookworms can penetrate into the human body through direct contact with contaminated soil bare feet. Penetrating the skin, intestine and reach hookworm attached to the walls of the intestine.
• Trihotsefaly (whipworm) (Trichuris trichiura) - quite a dangerous disease pathogens trichuriasis (trihiuriaza)
• Pinworms - small worms lay their eggs on the skin around the anus and causes intense itching in the anus.
• Trichinella - activators of trichinosis. The cause of infection - use neprozharennoe (undercooked) meat of a pig. Parasites can migrate from the intestine to muscle and other organs, where cysts form. The main symptoms of Trichinella infection - abdominal pain Abdominal pain: Types and Symptoms , Muscles and joints, swelling of the skin around the eyes, skin rash.

Flukes

• Schistosoma (Schistosoma mansoni) - pathogens helminth disease bilharzia (schistosomiasis), widespread in Africa, the Middle East, South America. Adults whose length reaches half centimeters, and thickness - of one millimeter, live in the veins of the gut and lay eggs in the intestinal canal. You can diagnose the disease in the balls of parasites in the feces and urine.

Tapeworms (cestodes)

• Broad tapeworm (Diphyllobothrium latum) - kind of parasites observed in Europe, Russia, the United States. The cause of infection - meat-eating freshwater fish.
• Bovine tapeworm (Taenia saginata) and the pork tapeworm (Taenia solium) - types of tapeworms, which can be infected by eating pork and beef, not subjected to sufficient heat treatment. Adults may reach twenty meters in length.
• Tykvovidny tapeworm (Dipyllidium canium) - a parasite common in domestic animals (dogs and cats). Very rarely infects humans.

Analyses on worms

Bloating, diarrhea, weakness and weight loss often indicates infection with worms or other intestinal parasites. For the diagnosis of helminth diseases performed a number of analyzes:

• fecal How to pass a stool, so as not to spoil it   on helminth eggs
• test for the content of blood in the stool
• determining a blood anemia (low red blood cells)
• blood on the content of vitamins A, C and B12 (low levels of vitamins indicates the presence of worms)
• a blood test that determines the level of eosinophils and IgE antibodies
• swab to collect samples of tissue from the anus and then study them under a microscope to detect the presence of parasite eggs.

In most cases, to get rid of worms helps one dose of anthelmintic drugs - such as mebendazole (safe for pregnant women), albendazole, diethylcarbamazine, ivermectin and praziquantel. Because these drugs are destroying the adults, but not eggs of worms, for several days after treatment possible reinfection. In the absence of proper treatment infestation can last for years.