Parasites - pinworms - causes, symptoms and treatment of worms

Parasites

are organisms that use other living beings as a source of food or habitat, causing them harm. The word “parasite” is translated from Greek as parasite.

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Parasites are very diverse. They can be microscopic or can reach several meters in length. Their habitats in the body are also different: intestines, liver, muscles, sometimes even the brain. In fact, parasites can live anywhere. If the parasite is worms (worms), the disease is usually called helminthiasis.

Uninvited “guests” of our body are dangerous for two reasons: they can both mechanically destroy organs and poison them with the products of their vital activity.

It is noteworthy that infection with parasites rarely leads to death. This is not surprising, because the parasite itself will die along with the host. Therefore, people can spend years being treated for a variety of ailments, attribute fatigue to a lack of vitamins, and allergies to poor ecology and heredity. But the cause of these problems may be a parasite that poisons the body. Not a single person in the world, regardless of his age and social status, can be protected from parasites entering his body.

How can you become infected with pinworms?

Most often, pinworm infection occurs due to non-compliance with hygiene rules in everyday life. Washing your hands too often or carelessly is the first step to infection.

Pinworm eggs can be found literally anywhere. Females live in the human intestine. However, to lay eggs, they crawl into the anus in the evening and at night, which causes severe itching. Scratching, often unknowingly, causes parasite eggs to be transferred to the hands and under the nails, and from there to anything the infected person touches or directly into the mouth.

Itching in the anus

The source of pinworm infection can also be contact with the underwear or towel of a sick person, although it is no less likely that pinworm eggs will also end up on bed linen, a toilet seat, or a bathtub. Food products can also be contaminated with pinworm eggs.

Direct contact with eggs is not the only way to become infected. Infection is possible through airborne droplets. The eggs are very small and light, so they float in the air. Then they settle, for example, on dust that a person inhales. Adult worms live up to 2 months, but self-medication can cause the problem to persist much longer.

How to become infected with helminths: raw water, exotic cuisine and unwashed hands

You should not think that parasites live only in people who do not take care of themselves and lead an asocial lifestyle. Anyone can become infected, because a person is not immune from communicating with sick people and “parasite carriers”. Uninvited “guests” enter the body through food, water from pets, through dirty hands and insect bites.

Infection is encouraged by people buying homemade lard, raw meat, dried and smoked fish at unauthorized markets. You can become infected in a canteen or cafe if sanitary conditions are not met there. Undercooked meat and fish dishes are dangerous.

The parasites have also benefited from the passion for Japanese cuisine, where thermally unprocessed fish is added to dishes. Not all sushi bar chefs follow sanitation rules. As a result, a person becomes infected with helminths.

Cause of pinworm infection

Pinworm infection in humans occurs for the following reasons:

• poor sanitary and hygienic conditions;
• failure to comply with hygiene rules;
• pinworms in family members.

The only source of pinworm infection is humans. The infection spreads very easily through the mouth, for example through contaminated hands or food. This problem especially affects children, who often do not follow basic hygiene rules and put various objects, toys or school supplies, such as pens and pencils, in their mouths, which facilitates the penetration of pinworms into the body.

Pinworm infection through contaminated hands

This is why it is so important that adults teach children basic hand hygiene rules and set an example of proper behavior themselves.

Giardia and worms - differences and similarities

Many people mistakenly believe that Giardia is a type of helminth that parasitizes the gastrointestinal tract. Both microorganisms are parasitic and enter the body in the same ways. However, worms and Giardia are representatives of different classes, differing in structure and degree of damage to the child’s health:

• Giardia (giardia) are flagellated protozoa that parasitize the mucous membrane of the small intestine. Single-celled microorganisms can exist in two forms:

1. spore - transformation of giardia into a cyst when unfavorable conditions arise. In this form, it retains its activity in the external environment, and if it penetrates into a living organism, it begins to develop;
2. vegetative – active development of giardia inside the intestine, from which it receives all the nutrients necessary for growth and reproduction.

• Helminths (worms) are parasitic worms that can infect almost all types of tissue. There are more than 400 varieties of worms, but they all belong to one of the following types:

1. tapeworms – echinococcus, broad litinets, pork tapeworm;
2. flukes - trematodes;
3. roundworms - toxocara, pinworms, whipworms.

Children become infected with parasites by consuming water or food contaminated with cysts and eggs. Dogs and cats are carriers of helminth eggs and Giardia cysts. The development of parasitosis is facilitated by mosquitoes, flies and other insects that carry eggs of ascaris, echinococcus, etc. on their proboscis.

Symptoms of pinworms

Among the symptoms of pinworms that may indicate an infection, the most common is persistent itching around the anus.

Patients are often irritable and have trouble concentrating. They often complain of abdominal pain and headaches. Teeth grinding is also a characteristic symptom that many parents pay attention to.

Pinworms may also be accompanied by:

• loss of appetite;
• weight loss;
• pale skin;
• dark circles under the eyes.

Dark circles under the eyes

Weight loss

It is worth noting that women may experience itching around the vagina. Pinworms can penetrate the female genitals and cause inflammation. There are also known cases of appendicitis caused by pinworms. In adults, the symptoms of pinworms are not very different from those in children. However, they are often much less serious.

Helminthic infestation (worms): symptoms and treatment

The toxic effect on the nervous system leads to the appearance of symptoms of worms such as increased fatigue, sleep disturbances, excessive irritability or apathy. A person's appetite may also be impaired.

Depending on the location of the parasites, signs of various syndromes appear:

• abdominal - abdominal pain, various digestive disorders;
• pulmonary - dry cough, shortness of breath, bronchospasm, volatile infiltrates in the lungs;
• hepatolienal - an increase in the size of the liver and spleen.

In severe cases, lymphadenopathy, tonsillitis, migratory pneumonia (with massive lesions), pleuropneumonia, myocarditis, hepatitis, cerebral vascular thrombosis, and meningoencephalitis may develop.

A characteristic, and sometimes the only, sign of the presence of worms in the body is detected during a general blood test. Due to the presence of parasites and their toxins, the level of eosinophils increases. It is by this indicator that a therapist or pediatrician may suspect the development of an invasion. With massive lesions, leukocytosis is observed.

The lack of specific treatment leads to the development of the chronic stage.

Chronic phase

At this stage of development of invasion, organ-specific symptoms predominate, which are determined by mechanical damage to tissues or organs.

With intestinal helminths, abdominal pain and digestive disorders come to the fore. Long-term deterioration of absorption in the intestine leads to the appearance of symptoms of worms, which are caused by hypovitaminosis and nutritional deficiencies. As a result, the person constantly loses weight and develops iron deficiency anemia. Massive worm infestations can lead to hemorrhagic colitis, rectal prolapse or intestinal obstruction.

If helminthic infestation affects the hepatobiliary system, then a person may develop cholecystitis, cholangitis, obstructive jaundice and pancreatitis. In these cases, pain appears more in the upper abdomen, in the right hypochondrium. Sometimes the condition is aggravated by biliary colic.

The migration of pinworms in girls and women to the genitals can provoke the development of vaginitis, endometritis and salpingitis. Patients with enterobiasis often complain of itching in the anal area, which especially often occurs at night, when the female crawling out of the rectum lays eggs.

In chronic strongyloidiasis, ulcers of the stomach and duodenum occur. Trichinosis can lead to damage to:

• respiratory organs: bronchitis and bronchopneumonia;
• heart and blood vessels: myocarditis, heart failure;
• nervous system: meningoencephalitis, encephalomyelitis.

Echinococcosis can provoke the appearance of cysts in the lungs and liver, which can fester and cause purulent pleurisy or peritonitis. With filatriasis, blockage of the lymphatic vessels can cause lymphangitis, lymphedema of the legs with swelling of the mammary glands and genitals. The chronic course of hookworms more often than other invasions leads to iron deficiency anemia.

In case of helminthic infestations, which are accompanied by the reproduction of larvae, manifestations of an allergic nature often persist. Particularly severe allergic manifestations are observed with unilocular echinococcosis. When cysts formed by this parasite rupture, anaphylactic shock sometimes develops.

Particularly severe are helminthiases such as toxocariasis, larval paragonimiasis, unilocular echinococcosis, alveococcosis and cysticercosis. They are often accompanied by multiple lesions of the lungs, eyes, brain, kidneys, heart and other organs. Also, a severe course is observed in tropical invasions such as filariasis and schistosomiasis.

With a long course of chronic helminthiasis, some worms can eliminate themselves due to natural death or expulsion. Their presence in the body always leads to residual effects, which in severe cases cause disability for the patient.

Complications due to the activity of worms

Warning symptoms should not be underestimated. Unfortunately, an untreated problem can cause many complications, the most common of which are:

• problems with concentration, which leads to problems with learning and remembering;
• sleep disorders;
• inflammation of the female genital organs;
• colitis;
• appendicitis;
• dermatitis (caused by constant scratching around the anus);
• weight loss.

How to identify dangerous parasites

It is impossible to identify and treat dangerous residents on your own, especially since they can exist in a complex and by eliminating some, you will only make room for others. Every clinic has a parasitologist; he is the one who treats infestations. If there is no such specialist, you can make an appointment with a therapist.

The doctor will prescribe a number of tests:

• Blood for clinical analysis. With helminthiases, an acceleration of ESR, a decrease in hemoglobin and an increase in the number of eosinophils are observed.
• Biochemical blood test for ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase, thymol test, amylase. An increase in these indicators is typical for infection with nematodes.
• Analysis of bile, mucus, sputum, muscle tissue.

Worm infestations are often disguised as other diseases. People undergo operations during which they find a eaten away pancreas or liver. It is not always possible to cure a patient with an advanced form, so you should not hope for a miracle - you need to take the same test for “worm eggs” in a timely manner. To make a diagnosis, endoscopy of the intestines and stomach is prescribed.

Diseases caused by parasitic protozoa are difficult to detect. The infection proceeds latently and destroys the body until the patient exhibits serious organ changes.

Analysis for pinworms

Testing for pinworms is recommended for people of any age every six months. The occurrence of severe itching around the anus, which worries mainly in the evenings and at night, is an immediate indication for testing.

It also happens that pinworms are visible in the stool. This is possible with global pinworm infection. However, you should not wait until the disease becomes visible to the naked eye.

Pinworms are detected using a smear from the anal area, based on which it can be determined whether there are parasite eggs in the body. The material is collected using self-adhesive cellophane tape, which is glued to the skin around the anus in the morning before hygiene procedures and bowel movements. The tape is sent to the laboratory. The test may need to be repeated (only 3 tests performed in a row detect 90% of infections).

Analysis for pinworms

Doctors often decide to conduct a general stool examination, which can reveal possible infection not only with pinworms, but also with other parasites. This is a more accurate and effective test for worms.

Treatment of helminths - individually

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There are no universal methods of getting rid of parasites. The approach to treatment is always individual. Treatment with medications or other methods is possible. Sometimes even surgery is required. The final tactics for getting rid of parasites are prescribed by the doctor after a thorough examination.

Currently, due to serious changes in the environment, the widespread use of antibiotics and other drugs, and often unhealthy diets, the clinical picture of helminthiasis has changed. According to ART data, every second or third child is diagnosed with parasitic problems: giardiasis, ascariasis, hookworm, toxoplasmosis, enterobiasis, etc. Due to the expanded borders for travel to exotic and warm countries, helminthiases are often detected, which were previously observed only in certain regions - schistosomiasis, opisthorchiasis, etc. The presence of helminths in the body significantly reduces immunity to viral diseases. This is especially noticeable in children examined using the ART method, who are often and long-term ill, and is also often the cause of long-term low-grade fever.

Several methods are used to diagnose helminthiases:

• Microscopic (detection of parasites in environments).
• Enzyme immunoassay ELISA (diagnosis of blood testing for antibodies).
• The VRT method is the identification of parasites by frequency characteristics.

The ART method has a number of advantages compared to other methods:

• Non-invasive, i.e. without blood sampling, which is important especially in pediatrics.
• Allows you to determine the parasite in different stages (eggs, larvae, adults), as well as the presence of parasites in organs. Unfortunately, stool analysis for worm eggs is not always reliable due to the fact that parasites in the body undergo different stages of development, so in order to catch them, you need to take stool tests multiple times.
• Compared to the immunological method, ART diagnostics is a cheaper method.
• Confidence > 80%.
• ART allows both to identify helminthiasis and to determine the most effective method of treatment: frequency therapy - exogenous and endogenous BRT, herbal medicine and chemotherapy.
• Homeopathic treatment in combination with anthelmintic therapy can significantly strengthen the body’s immune system, normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, nervous system and other systems.
• According to ART diagnostics, helminthiases are often found in patients with diseases of the digestive system. As well as diseases associated with metabolic and acid-base balance disorders in the body (diabetes mellitus, obesity, ulcerative colitis, intestinal diverticulosis, hepatitis, cholecystitis, pancreatitis, etc.)

After deworming and cleansing the body, the course of the underlying disease usually improves, and clinical remission is often observed. In such cases, the ART method also allows you to choose the right nutrition.

Treatment of helminthiasis

To cure a patient, he is relieved of parasites and their waste products. For treatment, anthelmintic drugs are used, selected taking into account the type of parasite and the patient’s condition. This should be done by a doctor, since all deworming tablets contain dangerous substances.

To expel large worms, the patient is prescribed a siphon enema. At the same time, make sure that the head of the helminth does not remain in the body, otherwise the parasite will grow again. To prevent re-infection, anthelmintic treatment is carried out in several courses.

After expelling the worms, drip infusions of solutions, restoratives and vitamins are prescribed. Restore the functions of organs affected by parasites.

Head lice can be eliminated using special sprays and mercury ointment. If pubic lice are detected, the hair in the groin area is shaved.

Sulfur ointment, benzyl benzonate and a number of other drugs are used to treat scabies. Demodicosis is treated with complex external agents, which include mercury, tar, zinc, and sulfur.

Prevention of parasitic infestations

In order not to “pick up” exo- and endoparasites, you need to:

• wash your hands, vegetables and fruits thoroughly before eating;
• remove dirt under nails;
• do not use other people’s combs, shoes and household items;
• do not walk on the floor in public places with bare feet, and wear a cap when swimming in the pool;
• do not buy food at “spontaneous” markets and do not eat in dubious catering establishments;
• boil or fry meat or fish;
• monitor the health of pets by carrying out deworming on time;
• use insect repellent when traveling;
• Having arrived from an exotic country, undergo a full examination and take tests.

Parasites quickly infect people, so when they are detected, people living with the patient are checked and, if necessary, they are treated too.

At Best Clinic you can get tested for the presence of worms and get advice from a general practitioner. Call us!