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

Various worms that live in the human body

Worms in humans are 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 opinion that worms are exclusively a disease of children, adults are also susceptible to severe attacks of parasites. Scientists have calculated that every fourth person on Earth is a carrier of this disease.

Ascaris is one of the most popular worms

Where can I 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. Intestinal worms are easy to detect and remove.

The second most popular among worms is the liver. Next comes the lungs. There are very rare forms of the disease in which the worms enter the eyeballs and muscles.

Classification

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

Factory- these are those who live in the organs. They can cause the following diseases:

  • paragonimiasis– this is a type of lung tissue infection with worms;
  • echinococcosis– liver damage;
  • cysticercosis– the brain;
  • filariasis– lymph nodes.

Another type of human worms isluminous. This is the most common type of disease that affects the intestines. Worms can be completely different: hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, whipworms, tapeworms, pinworms and others.

Luminal worms infect the intestines

Stages of development

Worms in an adult can appear from completely different sources. In order for the parasite to start developing in the body, it must enter through the mouth. Worm eggs can be found in raw meat, untreated tank water or on dirty hands. In this form, they enter the oral cavity, then the stomach, and then the intestines absorb them.

Already in the stomach, the larva hatches from the egg and begins its journey through the human body until it finds an ideal environment for further development. If it's intestinal parasites, then you don't have to move for a long time. 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 multiplies at a very high rate.

The time frame for completing all stages is from a few hours to a few days. During this period, it is important to choose a good worm medicine for the person.

Symptoms

There are not always clear signs of worms in humans. Symptoms may appear only in certain periods of the disease, or they may not appear 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 randomly by stool testing.

To imagine what happens in the body, consider the example of the life cycle of a roundworm. This type of worm likes to travel and in the process of moving around the body it can give off.

The cause of infection with roundworms can be the consumption of unwashed vegetables and fruits. The parasite lays its eggs on the soil and they can easily reach the plants.

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

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

The patient begins to cough, has bouts of difficulty breathing, and the body temperature rises. In rare cases, an allergic rash appears. This is how worms manifest in humans. Symptoms and treatment will depend on the degree of development, as all these signs can be mistaken for a common cold.

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

Abdominal pain is a common symptom of worm infection.

Stages of the disease

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 days after infection, as the larvae travel through the body. A person may experience itching, reddening of the skin and a rash. A dry barking cough with choking attacks may occur. If you donate blood for tests, the result will show a significant increase in eosinophils.

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

The medicine for worms in humans will help to get rid of them only if an infection is discovered by chance. Men and women must listen carefully to their bodies. During the months that people feed on parasites, the general condition of the organism will change. Metabolism suffers first. After all, the peculiarity of helminths is that, attaching to the walls of the organs, they suck all the nutrients and minerals from the cells, due to which the functionality of the affected areas is disturbed.

What could be the consequences?

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

Do not forget that worms also excrete their metabolic products into the intestines of humans, which results in the development of dysbacteriosis and the overgrowth of opportunistic organisms.

The immune system suffers. It weakens and allergies appear. A person becomes susceptible to viral attacks and falls ill 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, because this type of helminth feeds exclusively on blood. So, the most important thing at any stage is to choose a worm remedy 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 the disease are minimal.

The following changes will occur 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 safest and fastest way to detect them. You must do the test fresh, then the result will be correct.

Deworming tablets for humans

Medicines 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 got inside. Deworming tablets for humans should be prescribed by a doctor.

In medicine, all worms are divided into three groups:

  • nematodes;
  • cestodes;
  • trematodes.

Treatment will depend on which type of helminth inhabits the body.

You can get infected with helminths by contacting animals

Nematodes (roundworms)

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

Cestodes (tapeworms)

Cestodes are a large number of representatives of helminths. The most common are teniarchinosis, cenurosis, alveococcosis, sparganosis, broad tapeworm and others.

Trematodes (flatworms)

Representatives of this class can be listed for a very long time. Most often, the organism is affected by opisthorchiasis (cat fluke), fascioliasis, clonorchiasis (Chinese fluke), lung fluke, etc.

How to take deworming tablets

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

All anthelmintic drugs work on adults without affecting 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 pinworm infection. These parasites are so cunning that they leave the larvae outside the body, and the person can re-infect himself.

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

Be careful! Any medicine must be taken according to the doctor's recommendation. This especially applies to cases of infection with flatworms and tapeworms. They are so dangerous that treatment is carried out in a hospital. When removing them, the dosage must be strictly followed, taking into account the weight and age of the patient, because the drugs are very toxic. Self-medication in such cases is unacceptable!

Prevention of worms

The debate among mothers about whether or not they should take birth control pills never ends. Some believe that it is a good way to protect against dangerous consequences, because children are the most susceptible to infection. Others consider it unnecessary and do not want to burden the body with pills that are not needed.

Very often children of school and preschool age are affected by pinworms. The test for enterobia can be falsely negative and then a sick child, bringing parasites into the house or school, can infect everyone. Transmission of pinworm eggs occurs through household items, handling, pet hair, doorknobs and other surrounding objects.

Primary prevention methods include observing the rules of personal hygiene. It is necessary to wash your hands with soap after defecation, before eating, after going outside 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 pinworm infection. In this case, you must be tested for enterobiosis as soon as possible. Let's say the child complains in the evening, and then in the morning you need to run to the clinic.

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

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

  • the presence of fur pets;
  • constant games in the sandbox or in the ground;
  • travel to an exotic country;
  • father is an avid fisherman or hunter.
To avoid getting infected with worms, 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 by synthetic substances, the folk method remains proven for prevention.

Let's look at the most effective recipes:

  1. Onion, 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 you get a real remedy against worms. Take 1 teaspoon before breakfast for several days. Due to the fact that the product is sweet, children are likely to 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 some unpleasant disease.

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

    • Finely chop or squeeze the garlic. Roll the obtained porridge in small portions in cheesecloth so that it looks like a candle. Insert into the anus at night for 10 days. This medicine is effective against pinworms and is used for adults and children.
    • Enema with garlic. Another way to remove unpleasant neighbors from the intestines. The solution should consist of water and chopped garlic in a paste in proportion. For one glass you need to take several cloves. Repeat the procedure 2 times a week.
    • Garlic with honey. Another option for pediatric medicine. In order not to burn the garlic, it is mixed with natural honey. Take 1 teaspoon twice a day.
    • Garlic in milk. For lovers of unusual tastes, we offer a medicine based on milk. There are five crushed cloves of garlic per liter of cow product. The mixture is boiled and taken in small portions before going to bed.
A folk remedy based on wormwood will help get rid of worms

Herbal infusions

Since time immemorial, all medicines have been prepared from medicinal plants. Mother Nature knows better than anyone how to get rid of worm parasites. It is time to systematize this knowledge.

To prepare an herbal remedy, you need to choose bitter herbs, such as cloves, wormwood, thyme, calamus and cumin. Prepared infusions should be taken every day. It will take a month for the body to be completely cleansed, but the improvement comes within 2-3 weeks after 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 ratio: 100 grams of dry mixture to 150 ml of hot water. Cover with a lid and let it stand for 8-10 hours. It is necessary to take 30 drops dissolved in a glass of water.
  • Based on wormwood. This plant should be soaked 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 on walnut shells.It needs to be filled with alcohol for 100 grams of dry product and 150 ml of "hot" water.
  • Based on cloves.Dry, unopened clove buds are used for the tincture. Pour a glass of boiling water over 100 grams of the aromatic spice 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 people using this product.

what's the secret? The fact is that the shell of pumpkin seeds contains a substance like cucurbin, which is destructive to worms. Therefore, you should only consume unshelled green seeds.

Eat pumpkin seeds to fight worms

Cucurbin does not kill the worms, it just paralyzes them. Adults lose the ability to move, cling to body cells and suck out nutrients, meaning they will soon die naturally and be excreted through the human anus.

The most effective recipe is pumpkin seeds and castor oil. One serving of 100 unshelled seeds 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 have to grind the seeds into a pulp in a blender, and 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 after 2 weeks.

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