Worms in humans: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, prescribed treatment and preventive measures

Various worms that live in the human body

Worms in humans is a rather unpleasant phenomenon that may not appear for a long time. Parasitic worms are scientifically called helminths. Human infection is called helminthiasis. This happens as a result of worm eggs entering our body. Contrary to the popular belief that worms are a purely childhood disease, adults are also prone to serious infestations of parasites. Scientists have estimated that every fourth person on earth is a carrier of this disease.

Ascaris is one of the most popular worms

Where can they live?

Adult helminths move throughout the body until they settle in the organs that are best for them. Parasite eggs enter the intestines and settle there. This is the most common location. It is easy to find worms in the intestines and remove them.

In second place in popularity among worms is the liver. Next are the lungs. There are very rare forms of the disease in which the worms penetrate the eyeballs and muscles.

Classification

Human worms are classified according to their location. There are luminal and tissue types.

Fabric- these are the ones that live in organs. They can cause the following diseases:

  • parafertilization– this is a type of worm infection of the lung tissue.
  • echinococcosis– liver damage
  • cysticercosis- brain;
  • Filariasis- lymph nodes.

The second type of human worms isilluminated. This is the most common type of disease affecting the intestines. Worms can be completely different: hookworms, roundworms, tape, whip, tape, pin and others.

Lume worms infect the intestines

Stages of development

Worms in an adult 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 tanks or on dirty hands. In this form, they enter the oral cavity, then the stomach, and then are absorbed by the intestines.

Already in the stomach, the larva hatches from the egg, which begins its journey inside the human body until it finds an ideal environment for further development. If it's intestinal parasites, then you don't have to move far. If it is pulmonary or cerebral, then the larva will move through the bloodstream until it settles in the right place.

In 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 lays eggs again and reproduces at a very high rate.

The time frame for completing all stages is from several hours to several days. During this time, it is important to choose a good worming medicine for a person.

Symptoms

There are not always clear signs of worms in humans. Symptoms may occur only during certain periods of the disease or may not occur at all. When an adult lives in the body, it is extremely difficult to notice, because the disease can be mistaken for any other disease. Helminths can be detected incidentally by stool examination.

To imagine what happens in the body, consider the example of the life cycle of the roundworm. This type of worms loves to travel and in the process of moving around the body can be delivered.

The cause of infection with roundworms can be the consumption of unwashed vegetables and fruits. The pest lays eggs in the soil and they can easily enter the plants.

After the worm egg enters the mouth and stomach, it begins to grow and turn into a larva, which very quickly (within 2-3 hours) enters the circulatory system and begins to move through the small blood stream. Its target is the lungs.

In the lung tissue, the larva grows into an adult, which will have little space and must eat the cells of the alveoli and small bronchi. At this stage, the first symptoms appear, and if the diagnosis is made correctly, then a treatment for worms will quickly help a person get rid of them.

The patient begins to cough, has shortness of breath and the body temperature rises. In rare cases, an allergic rash occurs. This is how worms manifest in humans. Symptoms and treatment will depend on the stage of development, because all these signs can be mistaken for a common cold.

Once the adult has chewed its way through the respiratory tract and into the mouth, it will lay eggs for the person to swallow again and end up in the gastrointestinal tract, where the cycle begins again.

Abdominal pain is a common symptom of a worm infection.

Phases of the disease

The symptoms of worms in an adult will be different, depending on the stage of the disease. There can be two of them:

  1. Acute
  2. Acquired.

The first stage occurs in the first few days after infection, while the larvae travel through the body. A person may experience itching, reddening of the skin and rashes. There may be a dry barking cough with suffocating attacks. If you give blood for tests, the result will show a significant increase in eosinophils.

The transition to the second phase shows that the human worms have settled in the right place and exist quietly, not bothering anyone. This is a hidden stage that may not appear for several years.

The medicine for worms in people will help you get rid of them only if an infection is accidentally discovered. Men and women should listen carefully to their bodies. Over the months that people feed on parasites, the general state of the organism will change. Metabolism suffers first. Besides, the peculiarity of helminths is that, adhering to the walls of the organs, they suck all the nutrients and minerals from the cells, as a result of which the functionality of the affected areas is disturbed.

What might be the consequences?

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

Do not forget that worms also secrete their metabolic products into the human intestines, resulting in the development of dysbacteriosis and the overgrowth of opportunistic organisms.

The immune system suffers. She becomes weaker and allergies appear. A person becomes susceptible to viral attacks and gets sick more often.

If human worms are not treated, the consequences can be unpredictable. Each type of parasite affects different organs and they are the ones that suffer first. If the liver is damaged, jaundice may develop. Hookworm leads to anemia, since this type of helminth feeds exclusively on blood. So, the most important thing at any stage is to choose a worm medicine for a person.

Diagnostics

Just two tests can save a life. This is a general blood and stool test. With an annual medical examination, the risks of missing a disease are minimal.

There will be the following changes in the blood: leukocytosis - a shift of 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 must take the test fresh, then the result will be correct.

Tablets for the prevention of worms for humans

Drugs can be divided into two groups: those that have a broad spectrum of action and those that kill a specific type of helminth. Since there are more than 70 types of worms that infect humans, it is impossible to determine without testing which parasite has entered. Deworming tablets for humans must be prescribed by a doctor.

In medicine, all worms are divided into three groups:

  • nematodes?
  • Cestodes?
  • foraminifera.

Treatment will depend on the type of helminth inhabiting the body.

By contacting animals, you can become infected with helminths

Nematodes (roundworms)

This species includes: pinworms, roundworms, trichinella, whipworm and toxocara. In children and adults, the first two representatives are found more often.

Cestodes (tapes)

Cestodes are a huge number of representatives of helminths. The most common are tapeworm, synergosis, granulation alveoli, sorghum, tapeworm and others.

Trematodes (flatworms)

Representatives of this category can be listed for a very long time. Most often the organism is affected by opisthorchiasis (cat), fascioliasis, clonorchiasis (Chinese pustule), lung puncture and others.

How to take deworming tablets

Regardless of the type of helminth that has settled in the body of an adult or child, remember the basic and most important rule: if a worm is found in a family member, then everyone must be treated. It is necessary to disinfect all objects in the house. If you have pets then first of all you need to check them as our pets can be the source of the problem.

All deworming drugs affect the adults without affecting the eggs and larvae. Therefore, the second rule is: two weeks after taking the drug, the course must be repeated. This is especially true in cases of hookworm infection. These parasites are so cunning that they leave the larvae outside the body and a person can become infected again.

It is recommended to take the tablets in the morning and do a cleansing enema in the evening.

Be careful! Any medications should be taken as directed by a doctor. This is especially true in cases of infection with flatworms and tapeworms. They are so dangerous that treatment takes place in a hospital. When removing them, the dosage must be strictly observed, taking into account the weight and age of the patient, as the drugs are very toxic. Self-medication in such cases is unacceptable!

Prevention of worms

Debates among mothers about whether or not to take worm prevention tablets never stop. Some believe that this is a good way to protect against dangerous consequences, because children are more susceptible to infection. Others consider it unnecessary and don't want to burden the body with pills they don't need.

Very often, children of school and preschool age are affected by pinworms. The test for enterobiasis can be falsely negative, and then the sick child, bringing parasites into the home or school, can infect everyone. The transmission of worm eggs is through household objects, shaking hands, pet hair, doorknobs and other surrounding objects.

The main methods of prevention include observing the rules of personal hygiene. It is necessary to wash your hands with soap after defecation, before eating, after going out or visiting public places.

What to do if a child complains of itching in the anus? This is one of the most pronounced symptoms of hookworm infection. In this case, you should be tested for enterobiasis as soon as possible. Let's say a child complains at night, and then in the morning you have to run to the clinic.

If the result of the first scraping is negative and itching continues, then the examination must be repeated after two days for a week and then after another two weeks.

If one of the following statements applies to you, then you should take preventive measures:

  • presence of furry pets.
  • continuous games in the sandbox or on the ground.
  • Travel to an exotic country.
  • The father is an avid fisherman or hunter.
To avoid worm infestation, practice good hygiene and wash your hands.

Folk recipes

Let's see how to remove worms from a person at home. Recipes against helminths have been known since ancient times. And despite the fact that they are successfully replaced with synthetic substances, the folk method remains proven for prevention.

Let's look at the most effective recipes:

  1. Onions, honey, aloe juice.Onion is considered the most universal medicine. It has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anthelmintic effects. Mix it in equal proportions with aloe juice and honey and get a real worm remedy. Take 1 teaspoon before breakfast for several days. Because the product is sweet, children will probably drink it.

  2. Carrot juice.Fresh carrots not only contain a whole storehouse of vitamins, but also have an anthelmintic effect. By drinking it on an empty stomach, you can enrich your body with energy for the whole day and, at the same time, prevent an unpleasant disease.

  3. Garlic– one of the most effective drugs against worms. Let's look at recipes on how to remove worms from a person at home:

    • Chop or squeeze the garlic. Roll the resulting porridge in small portions in cheese, so that it resembles a candle. Insert into the anus at night for 10 days. This medicine is effective against worms and is used for adults and children.
    • Garlic enemas. Another way to remove unpleasant neighbors from the intestines. The solution should consist of water and minced garlic in the ratio. For a glass you need to take a few cloves. Repeat the process 2 times a week.
    • Garlic with honey. Another option for pediatric medicine. To prevent the garlic from burning, it is mixed with natural honey. Take 1 teaspoon twice a day.
    • Garlic in milk. For lovers of unusual tastes, a medicine based on milk is offered. There are five crushed cloves of garlic per liter of cow product. The mixture is boiled and taken in small portions before bedtime.
A folk remedy based on wormwood will help you get rid of worms

Herbal teas

From time immemorial, all medicines were prepared with herbs. Mother Nature knows better than anyone how to get rid of worm pests. It is time to systematize this knowledge.

To prepare a herbal remedy, you should choose bitter plants such as cloves, wormwood, thyme, calamus and cumin. Ready decoctions should be taken every day. It will take a month to completely cleanse the body, but the improvement appears within 2-3 weeks of the course.

Let's look at the most famous recipes for herbal tinctures for the treatment of helminths:

  • Based on tansy.Pour boiling water over the grass in the following ratio: 100 grams of dry mixture per 150 ml of hot water. Cover with a lid and let it stand for 8-10 hours. You need to take 30 drops dissolved in a glass of water.
  • Based on wormwood.This herb should be infused in alcohol for a week. Proportion 1: 1. For 100 grams of grass, 100 ml of alcohol. Take 25 drops dissolved in a glass of water.
  • Effectivetincture in walnut shell.It must be filled with alcohol per 100 grams of dry product and 150 ml of "fire" water.
  • Based on cloves.Dry, open clove buds are used for the tincture. Pour 100 grams of aromatic spice into 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 remedy to combat helminths. Let's see how to remove worms from humans using this product.

What's the secret? The fact is that the shell of pumpkin seeds contains a substance such as calicotin, which is destructive to worms. Therefore, you should consume only unhulled green seeds.

Eating pumpkin seeds to fight worms

Kucurbin does not kill the worms, it only paralyzes them. Adult individuals lose the ability to move, grab body cells and absorb nutrients, meaning they will soon die naturally and be excreted through the human anus.

The most effective recipe is pumpkin seeds and castor oil. A serving of 100 seeds without the skin should be eaten in the morning. Then take a teaspoon of castor oil. The latter has a laxative effect to remove parasites from the body.

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

Another healthy breakfast is pumpkin seeds and garlic. First, the grains are fried in a pan without fat and water until golden brown. The mixture is then poured into a blender, garlic is added and ground into a paste. Let it sit overnight and take a tablespoon of the mixture in the morning.