Parasitic infections: Causes, symptoms.

Parasitic infections represent a wide range of symptoms and diseases caused by the entry of eggs or adult pests into the human body.Often, the first signs of the disease cannot be detected for several days and in some cases several months or even years.This is due to the life cycle of pests and their main functions: good camouflage and maintaining their own lives by taking nutrients from the host's body.

Types of pests and their characteristics

Parasitic infections, depending on certain properties of their manifestation, are divided into three groups:

1. Ectoparasites.
   The main location is the surface of the human body.These include lice, fleas, ticks and beds.They mainly feed on human blood, although in some cases, such as with distillery mites, the main food is the secretion of sebaceous glands or dead epithelial (skin) cells.The first signs of a parasitic infection are quite easy to recognize as they proliferate and burn in their habitats.Some ectoparasites are carriers of serious illnesses: blind, carbon, encephalositis and trifle.They cause huge damage to human health, including death.
2. Endoparasites.
   It mainly affects internal organs.It is a single cell in structure, hence the name protozoa.However, they can lead to serious forms of disease.The main diseases of this group are the parasitic infection of the blood caused by toxoplasma and intestinal infections caused by the amoeba or yarda.
3. Helminths.
   They are the causal factors of the most common forms of parasitic infections.In the human body, their growth cycles take place mainly in the intestines and tissues, where the onset of the symptoms of the disease begins.

Roundworms (nematody)

These are parasites whose body is round in cross -section.Sexual characteristics are easily distinguished.Females are usually larger than males.But representatives of this class also have hermaphrodes.All filaments go through developmental stages: egg, larvae and adults.This class includes:

1. Pinworm.The disease is caused by enterobilization.It mainly affects children of preschool and primary education.
2. Whipworm.Causes trichuardia of the disease.It has a separate body shape.2/3 of the body length has a delicate diameter, reminiscent of human hair or thread.The other end of the body is larger in diameter and contains the intestines.
3. Ascaris.The disease is caused by Ascaria.Adults reach 25 cm (males) and 40 cm (females).After the larvae enters the human body, it passes through the stomach and enters the small intestine.From there, through pores with blood flow, it enters the liver, then to the heart and then to the lungs, where it grows within 7-10 days.Then the larvae begin to rise to the larynx.Once they reach the oral cavity, they reappear.Only in the small intestine, the larvae cannot re -introduce blood circulation through pores due to their large size.There they grow up in adults within 2-3 months.After that, the reproduction begins and the cycle is repeated.The female can put over 200,000 eggs a day.

Movies (Cestodes)

These are parasites whose body resembles the shape of a ribbon.A feature of this category is the absence of a digestive system.These include:

1. Echinococcus.The disease is caused by echinococcalism.This parasite is small in size (2-9 mm) and consists of various parts and suckers.The uterus of a sexually mature person contains a large number of eggs in which there are larvae.The main Echinococcus detection spaces are the liver and the lungs.There it causes a chronic disease called Hydatid Cyst.
2. Bull tapeworm.Causes Teniarinchiasis Disease.At the larvae stage, it has an intermediate host - cattle.Once found in the human body, it grows in the small intestine at the film stage.The body of an adult parasite has up to 1000 sections and can reach 4-10 meters in length.
3. Pork film.It causes the tamin disease.Externally, it is very similar to a bull storm.It also has intermediate hosts: pigs, dogs, camels, hares and rabbits.In people it is a parasite in the intestines.The size of an adult person does not exceed 4 meters length.
4. The movie is wide.The disease is caused by diphyllobothriasis.He lives in freshwater water bodies.It uses crustaceans and fish as an intermediate host.In the human body it parashes the small intestine.An adult can reach several meters in length.

Flatworms (Flukes)

During their life cycle, these pests can change several intermediate hosts.People can be paused in any instrument.This group includes:

1. Schistosomes.The disease is caused by schistosomiasis.They can enter the human body through contact with contaminated fresh water.The parasite penetrates the skin and enters the circulatory system, where it begins to be actively multiplied.Females can produce from 300 to 3000 eggs a day.Further, with the flow of blood, the eggs spread throughout the body and continue to grow in any organ.The length of their body does not exceed 0.1-0.2 cm.
2. The liver.The disease is caused by opisthorchiasis.The length of an adult ranges from 3 to 5 cm.When it enters the human body, it parasites bile ducts, gall bladder, liver and pancreas.It is stable in these organs that use suction cups located in the body.

Ways of penetrating pests into the human body

1. The nutrition path of the infection is considered the most common.A person is infected with the parasite by eating poorly washed vegetables and fruits.Meat that has not undergone sufficient heat treatment is particularly dangerous.Also, a person is infected with parasitic infection if the rules of personal hygiene are not followed.For example, do not wash your hands before eating.
2. Transplant.The parasitic infection is transmitted by a pregnant woman through the placenta to the child.For example, these are diseases such as toxoplasmosis, malaria or hook.
3. Transdermal route.The parasite enters the human body through the skin.These are mainly schistosomes and hooks.
4. Contact path.The parasite is transmitted with dirty hands, infected personal belongings and underwear.This is how lice, scabies and towers are more frequently transmitted.
5. Transmission route.The infection occurs after biting insects with pests.For example, malaria.

Symptoms

Many parasitic diseases have no symptoms in the early stages.This is due to the stages of the development of the pathogen.Each individual type of parasite manifests itself differently as it grows.The common general symptoms of parasitic infection include:

1. Itching.
2. Redness of the skin as urticaria.
3. Diarrhea.
4. Constipation.
5. Inflation.
6. Nausea, vomiting.
7. Convulsions and pain in the gastrointestinal tract.
8. Losing body weight without a diet or increased physical activity.
9. Fever.
10. High body temperature (38-40 ° C) for a long time.
11. Prolonged dry cough attacks.
12. Managing lymph nodes.
13. Painful sensations in the muscles.
14. Psycho-emotional disorders.

Diagnosis

If you suspect the presence of parasitic diseases, you should undergo a series of tests.The diagnosis of parasitic infections allows us to determine the presence or absence of a parasite, its type and position in the body.The data obtained will help the doctor make the right diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment.

Diagnostic methods include:

1. Stool examination.It allows you to determine the presence of most types of pests living in the intestines.Their eggs, larvae and parts of the body are secreted in feces.There are two types of analysis:
   1. A stool sample is examined for eggs and helminth larvae.The analysis is delivered to the laboratory, where the doctor treads and examines them under a microscope.This method is often used, but it is not accurate enough.In order to make a final diagnosis, the patient must undergo this test up to three times with a short period of time.This is due to the life cycle of pests and the placement of eggs, which are detected by this method of research.
   2. Abrasion (washing) from the anus folds.This test is used to detect only one type of elm - pinworms.Parasitic infections are more common in children than in adults.For this reason, this analysis is mainly carried out for children.The laboratory technician humiliates a cotton swab or glass eye in water or glycerin and rinses it from the folds of the piano.The resulting material is then applied to a glass slide and is examined under a microscope.This resolution is also done using a different method: a laboratory assistant sticks a piece of adhesive tape in the anal passage, presses it and peels it.The adhesive tape then sticks to a glass slide and also sees under a microscope.The parasite is accurately diagnosed.Using these methods, the workshop assistant is able to examine not only helminth eggs, but sometimes adults.
2. Examination of cerebrospinal fluid, sputum, duodenal content (bile), urine.Provided for the results of a patient study to determine the presence of the parasite and determine his / her position.These biological fluids are analyzed using microscopy and macroscopy.First, the resulting sample is examined for the presence of adults and then performed microscopy for the detection of eggs and pests.
3. Blood test.Modern blood test methods for parasitic infections make it possible to determine the presence and the type of pathogen with high precision.Three types of such diagnostics are used:
   1. Serological reactions.It allows you to determine the presence of pest antibodies in the patient's blood serum.This method is considered extremely specific but lower than the PCR diagnosis.
   2. PCR diagnostic.This method is based on detecting the DNA of pests in any biological fluid obtained for analysis.
   3. Genetic research.It involves detecting the parasite genome in a patient's blood sample.This method is used much less often than everyone else, but has high accuracy.
4. Examination of biopsy material and lymph nodes.For this analysis, the doctor stores a small portion of an organ, tissue or whole lymph nod and sends it for histological examination.In this way the presence or absence of pests is diagnosed.

Recommendations to prepare for tests

Before you test for parasitic infections, you need to be properly prepared for them.If the recommendations are followed, the accuracy of the diagnosis increases, as the material does not contain interference factors that affect the effectiveness of research methods.

Preparing for stool test:

1. Antibiotics, anti -inflammatory drugs and antacids should stop.The use of drugs and other drugs containing bismithium and iron is also unacceptable.
2. If X-ray examination was performed using baroline or colonoscopy, during which an enema was performed to cleanse the intestines, then a stool test can only be taken after 2-3 days.
3. It is not recommended to donate stools if menstrual bleeding begins or hemorrhoids worsen.

Preparation for blood test:

1. It is necessary to stop taking pharmacological drugs that affect the blood number.
2. Three days before the test, you should follow a light diet, do not eat fatty foods and give up alcohol.
3. A blood test for parasitic infections is obtained on an empty stomach.Consuming a small amount of pure drinking water is allowed.

For other tests, no special preparation is required.You will only need to follow the doctor's recommendations.

Treatment

Unfortunately, the symptoms of parasitic infections cannot always be detected in the early stages of the disease.In such cases, treatment begins slowly.It is important to understand: The more the parasite remains in the body, the harder it is to get rid of it.

The treatment of infectious and parasitic infections is divided into two areas:

1. Symptomatic treatment.With the aim of eliminating the clinical manifestations of the disease.These include reducing body temperature, exemption from redness and itching and normalizing the function of the gastrointestinal tract.
2. The causal treatment of parasitic infections aims to relieve the causative agent of the disease.

In some cases, surgery may be necessary.It is applied to the cell, echinococcus and certain types of trematode infection.

When the body is dehydrated, salt -containing solutions are prescribed.

Only one doctor can prescribe treatment for parasitic infections based on laboratory tests and patient interviews.

Prevention

It is very important to observe the prevention of parasitic infections.In most cases, this will help prevent entry into the body.

Preventive measures include:

1. Compliance with the rules of personal hygiene: You need to wash your hands before eating food after visiting the toilet and returning from the road.
2. Vegetables and fruits should be washed well.
3. It is imperative that the meat, fish and seafood treatment be adequate.
4. Tap water should not be used as drinking water, as it may not always be free of parasites.Using home filters as an additional cleaning will not help.The best option would be to drink boiled or bottled water.
5. If pets live at home, they should be removed once every six months.You should also limit contact with your pet if it shows signs of parasitic diseases and contact a veterinary clinic.
6. You should iron underwear (especially children) after washing.
7. After visiting exotic countries, when working with land, as well as institutions' employees, it is recommended to be examined once a year for the presence of parasitic infections and, if necessary, is performed with medicines.