Worms in humans: possible causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and prevention measures

worms in the human intestine

Worms in humans is a rather unpleasant phenomenon that has not been seen for a long time. Parasitic worms in science called helminths. The infection in humans is called helminthiasis. This happens because worm eggs get into our body. Contrary to popular belief that filariasis is a disease entirely in young children, adults are also susceptible to strong parasite attacks. Scientists believe that one in four people on earth are carriers of this disease.

parasitic worms from the human body

Where can they live?

Adult helminths move throughout the body until they settle in the organs that are best for them. The eggs of the parasites enter the intestine and settle there. This is the most popular location. The worms in the intestines can be easily found and eliminated.

In second place in popularity among worms is the liver. Lungs follow her. There are very rare forms of the disease where the worms get into the eyeballs and muscles.

Classify

Human worms are classified according to their location. There are types of tissues and tissues.

Tissues are living tissues in organs. They can cause the following diseases:

  • paragonimiasis is a type of lung tissue damage caused by worms;
  • echinococcosis - liver damage;
  • cysticercosis - of the brain;
  • filariasis - lymph nodes.

The second type of human worm is the light worm. This is the most common type of disease that affects the intestinal tract. The types of worms can be completely different: hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, flagellates, broad tapeworms, pinworms and others.

human esophagus worm parasites

Stages of development

Worms in adults can appear from completely different sources. In order for the parasite to start growing in the body, it must enter through the mouth. Worm eggs can be found in raw meat, untreated water from storage tanks, on dirty hands. In this form, they enter the oral cavity, then the stomach, and then are absorbed by the intestines.

Right in the stomach, the larva hatches from an egg, starting its journey through the human body until it finds the ideal environment for further development. If these are intestinal parasites, then you don't need to move for a long time. If it's the lungs or brain, the larvae will travel through the bloodstream until they settle into the right place.

At the third stage of development, the larva turns into an adult helminth, which feeds on vitamins and minerals intended for the human body. The parasite again lays eggs and reproduces at a very high rate.

The timeframe for completing all the stages is from a few hours to a few days. During this period, it is important to find a good treatment to deworm a person.

Symptom

There are not always obvious signs of worms in humans. Symptoms may be present only during certain stages of the disease's development, or may not be present at all. When adults live in the body it will be extremely difficult to notice, as you can mistake one disease for any other. Helminths can be detected incidentally by donating stool for testing.

To visualize what happens in the body, let's look at an example of a roundworm's life cycle. This type of worm loves to travel and in the process of moving the body can excrete itself.

Roundworm infections can be caused by eating unwashed vegetables and fruits. Parasites lay eggs on the ground and they can easily penetrate plants.

After the worm eggs enter the mouth and stomach, it begins to develop and turn into a larva, which very quickly (within 2-3 hours) will enter the circulatory system and begin to move in the small blood stream. Its target is the lungs.

In the lung tissue, the larva that develops to adulthood will have very little space, and it will have to eat the cells of the alveoli and small bronchi. At this stage, the first symptoms appear, if diagnosed correctly, the deworming remedy will quickly help the patient get rid of them.

The patient begins to cough, with episodes of shortness of breath and elevated body temperature. In rare cases, an allergic rash appears. This is how worms appear in humans. Symptoms and treatment will depend on the stage of development, as all of these signs can be mistaken for a common cold.

After the adult gnaws by inhalation into its mouth, it will lay eggs for them to be swallowed again, and leave them in the digestive tract, from which the cycle will begin again.

stomachache with worms

Stages of the disease

Symptoms of worms in adults will vary, depending on what stage of the disease process is in. There can be two of them:

  1. Sharp
  2. Buying.

The first stage appears in the first days after infection, during the larvae's migration through the body. A person may experience itching, reddened skin, and a rash. There may be a dry cough accompanied by bouts of choking. If you donate blood for tests, the results will show a significantly increased eosinophil count.

Moving to the second stage shows that one's worms have settled into place and exist peacefully, not interfering with anyone. This is a latent stage, which may not even show up for several years.

Anthelmintics for humans will help get rid of them only if an infection is discovered by chance. Men and women should listen to their bodies carefully. Over the months that people will harbor parasites, the general condition of the body will change. First of all, metabolism is affected. After all, the peculiarity of helminths is that by attaching to the walls of organs, they suck up nutrients and minerals from the cells, as a result of which the function of the affected areas is disrupted.

What could be the consequences?

There are parasites that cause dangerous conditions in the body. For example, the existence of trichinella or schistosomes leads to anemia and vitamin deficiency.

Do not forget that worms also discharge their waste products into the human intestine, as a result, dysbacteriosis and overproduction of opportunistic organisms develop.

The immune system is affected. She gets weaker, allergies appear. A person becomes vulnerable to the virus and gets sick more often.

If human worms are left untreated, the consequences can be unpredictable. Each type of parasite affects different organs, and they are the first to suffer. If the liver is damaged, jaundice can develop. Hookworm infection leads to anemia, because the worm feeds only on blood. So the most important thing at any stage is to find a dewormer for humans.

Diagnose

Just two analyzes will help save lives. This is a general analysis of blood and stool. With annual physicals, the risk of missing a disease is minimal.

In the blood there will be such changes: leukocetosis - a shift in the leukocyte formula to the right and an increase in the number of eosinophils.

Worms in human feces are the surest and fastest way to detect them. You need to do a new analysis, then the results will be correct.

Oral anti-worm tablets for humans

Drugs produced in our country can be divided into two groups: drugs with broad effects and drugs that kill a type of worms. Since there are more than 70 types of worms that infect humans, it is not possible to determine without tests which parasite has entered the body. An anthelmintic for prophylaxis for a person should be prescribed by a doctor.

In medicine, all worms are divided into three groups:

  • Nematode;
  • code;
  • fluke.

Treatment will depend on what type of worms are living in the body.

a man infected with worms from a dog

Cure roundworms (roundworms)

These species include: pinworm, roundworm, trichinella, vagoslav, toxocara. In children and adults, the first two representatives are most often found.

The most suitable drug in the form of suspension or chewable tablets will be selected by a specialist.

Antihelminthic drugs (tapeworms)

Code is a large number of representatives of helminths. The most common are uterine dilatation, pyelonephritis, alveolar disease, sparganosis, broad tapeworm and others.

Usually, broad-acting drugs are used, as they are also used to treat ringworm. Also suitable for prophylactic treatment.

Medicines for flukes (flatworms)

Representatives of this class can be enumerated for a very long time. Typically, organisms are affected by opisthorchosis (cat flukes), liver flukes, lung flukes (Chinese lung flukes), lung flukes and others.

Do not buy medicine yourself, a specialist will choose tablets for flatworms.

How to take dewormer

Regardless of the type of worm that has taken up residence in an adult or a child, remember the most basic and important rule: if worms are found in a family member, everyone must be dealt with. . All household items need to be disinfected. If you have pets, you need to check them first as well, as our pets can be the source of problems.

All drugs against worms are effective on adults, do not touch eggs and larvae. Therefore, the second rule sounds like this: two weeks after taking the drug, the course must be repeated. This is especially true for pinworm infections. These parasites are so cunning that they leave their larvae outside the body and a person can re-infect themselves.

You should take the medicine in the morning and evening to cleanse.

Be careful! Any medication must be taken as directed by your doctor. This is especially true for flatworm and tapeworm infections. They are so dangerous that treatment is done in a hospital. When discarding them, the dosage must be strictly observed, with the weight and age of the patient being taken into account, since the drug is very toxic. Self-medication in such cases is unacceptable!

Worm prevention

Controversy between mothers about whether it is necessary to take anti-worm medication or not is never ending. Some people are sure that this is a good way to protect themselves from dangerous consequences, since children are the most susceptible to infection. Others consider it unnecessary and do not want to burden the body with unnecessary pills.

Very often, children of school age and kindergarten are affected by pinworms. An analysis for filariasis can be false-negative, and then a sick child, bringing the parasite to home or school, can infect everyone. The transmission of pinworm eggs occurs through household items, handshakes, pet hair, doorknobs, and other surrounding objects.

The main methods of prevention include compliance with the rules of personal hygiene. It is mandatory to wash hands with soap and water after diffraction, before eating, after going out or going to public places.

What should I do if my child complains of itching in the anus? This is one of the most obvious symptoms of a pinworm infection. In this case, you need to get tested for helminthiasis as soon as possible. Suppose the child complains in the evening, then in the morning you need to run to the clinic.

If the results of the first shave are negative and the itching continues, the analysis should be repeated two days later for a week, and then after another two weeks.

If you are characterized by one of the following sentences, then you should take precautions:

  • the presence of furry pets;
  • continuous game in sandbox or ground;
  • travel to an exotic country;
  • father is an avid fisherman or hunter.
Wash your hands to avoid getting worms

Folk recipes

Consider deworming people at home. The formula against helminths has been known since ancient times. And despite the fact that they are successfully replaced by synthetic ones, folk methods are still proven to have a preventive effect.

Let's consider the most effective recipes.

Onion, honey, aloe juice. Onions are considered the most versatile remedy. It has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and deworming effects. Mix it in equal proportions with aloe vera juice and honey to get a real medicine against worms. Drink 1 teaspoon for a few days before breakfast. Due to the sweet taste of the product, children will definitely be able to drink it.

Carrot juice. Fresh carrots not only contain a storehouse of vitamins, but also have the effect of deworming. Drinking on an empty stomach, you can replenish your body with abundant energy for the whole day, and at the same time prevent unpleasant illness.

Garlic is one of the most effective anti-worm drugs. Consider the recipes by which you can deworm people at home:

  • Mince or crush garlic. Roll the porridge into small portions into the cheesecloth so that it resembles a candle. Put it in the anus at night for 10 days. Such a remedy is effective against pinworms and is used for adults and children.
  • Garlic enema. Another way to get rid of nasty neighbors from the gut. The solution should consist of water and minced garlic for the porridge in proportions. For one glass, you need to take several branches. The procedure is repeated 2 times a week.
  • Garlic with honey. Another option for your child's medication. To prevent garlic from burning, people mix with natural methods. Drink 1 teaspoon twice a day.
  • Garlic with milk. For lovers of special flavors, a milk-based potion is offered. There are five crushed garlic cloves per liter of beef product. The mixture is boiled and drunk in small portions before going to bed.
wormwood to remove worms from the body

Herbal infusion

Since time immemorial, all medicines have been prepared with herbs. Mother Nature knows the best way to get rid of helminths. It is time to systematize this knowledge.

To prepare a male remedy, you need to choose bitter plants such as cloves, wormwood, thyme, fennel, and fennel. The prepared infusion must be administered every day. It will take a month to completely cleanse the body, but improvement occurs in 2-3 weeks of the course.

Consider the most famous recipes for herbal tinctures for the treatment of worms:

  • Based on tansy. Pour boiling water over the grass in the following proportions: 100 grams of dry mixture per 150 ml of hot water. Cover and let stand for 8-10 hours. You need to take 30 drops dissolved in a glass of water.
  • Rely on wormwood. This herb needs to be steeped for a week. The ratio is 1: 1. For 100 grams of black pot grass, 100 ml of alcohol. Take 25 drops dissolved in a glass of water.
  • Alcohol is effective on walnut shells. It must be filled with alcohol per 100 grams of dry product, 150 ml of "fire-fighting" water.
  • Based on cloves. For tinctures, use unopened dried clove buds. Pour 100 grams of aromatic spices with a glass of boiling water and leave for at least 3 days. The daily dose of the drug is 30 drops per glass of water.

Pumpkin seeds against worms

Pumpkin seeds are safe for both children and adults. This is a very popular folk method for deworming. Consider how to get rid of worms in humans using this product.

What is secret? The fact is that the skin of the pumpkin seeds contains a substance like cucurbin, which can be fatal to worms. Therefore, you only need to use unpeeled green seeds.

pumpkin seeds for worms

Cucurbin does not kill the worms, but only paralyzes them. Adults are deprived of the ability to move, attach to the body's cells, absorb nutrients, meaning they will soon die naturally and excrete through the human anus.

The most powerful formula is pumpkin seed and castor oil. It is recommended to eat one serving of unshelled nuts in the amount of 100 pieces in the morning. Then rinse with a teaspoon of castor oil. Then there is a laxative effect to remove the parasites from the body.

Mix pumpkin and honey. First, grind the seeds into porridge in a blender, then add a little honey. Eat "muesli" in the morning on an empty stomach. The course of treatment is several days. It is recommended to repeat it after 2 weeks.

Another healthy breakfast is pumpkin seeds and garlic. First, the nuts are fried in a pan without fat and water until golden brown. Then the mixture is poured into a blender, garlic is added and pureed. Let it brew overnight, and in the morning, take a tablespoon of the mixture.