Parasites can well be called human companions, as these creatures can not live outside the host's body. It is estimated that at least 70% of the world's population is infected with various species of helminths. In addition, many people are home almost from birth. At the same time, the question arises as to how to determine the presence of parasites in the body, about one third of all infected. The reason for this is the low awareness of the population or the lack of interest in their state of health.
To avoid complications caused by parasites, it is important to recognize the infection early.
According to statistics, more than 60% of people with parasitic infections learn about the problem by chance and only about 30% deliberately look for helminthiasis symptoms and go to specialists to diagnose the problem.
Until recently, helminthiasis was commonly referred to as the disease of the poor, as hygiene skills are not embedded in these layers. However, with the growing interest in the problem from a scientific point of view, it has been found that such a definition is fundamentally wrong, as worms can be found in both farmers and reputable entrepreneurs.
Why is coexistence with parasites dangerous?
Many people do not understand why they should get tested for parasites if there are no serious health problems? Why should you look for any disorders in your state if they do not interfere with your normal lifestyle? In addition, 8% of the population has a reasonable question - what if a person has learned to have parasites in their body? After all, evolution does not stand still, and what was once considered harmful may already be the norm.
Similar questions have been asked many times and any doctor, even the most inexperienced, will say that a parasitic organism is different from a symbiosis (a microorganism that exists peacefully in a person, which helps, for example, in the most effective treatment and assimilation offood) in that he gets more than he gives. In the human body, parasites generally behave like highly unreliable and irresponsible hosts:
- block it with toxins and slags.
- destroy natural defenses (immunity).
- remove most of the nutrients;
- damage the internal organs on a physical level.
This is called parasitism, ie being in the host's body to extract the maximum benefit for itself, but without providing benefit to the host.
Early detection of parasites helps to avoid many problems, including serious endocrine and hormonal disorders, malfunctions of internal organs, and even mental disorders.
What signs appear with the parasites
Most of the most dangerous parasitic life forms live in the intestines and internal organs. They rarely come out in their original form and therefore, during the preliminary diagnosis, the doctor takes into account only the external signs of their stay. Their presence can be determined by a combination of clinical manifestations.
In 99% of cases, the host's body reacts violently to a dangerous neighborhood. Signs of a worm infection can be a variety of disorders of the body, depending on the organ in which they live. As parasites can be difficult to detect in their natural form, it is important to pay attention to the following symptoms:
- Sudden onset of digestive disorders. Most often, they indicate that the intestinal forms of helminths - round and striped, lamblia and protozoan organisms - have begun to parasitize. This group of symptoms may be manifested by sudden constipation or diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, belching, indigestion. Another sign of intestinal helminthiasis is vague abdominal pain, which may not be clearly localized.
- Allergic reactions in the form of rashes, peeling of the skin, appearance of spots. In most cases, it is impossible to find the source of such a reaction, as tests for allergens show negative results. And only after the patient passes the test for the presence of parasites in the body, it becomes clear what caused the atypical immune response.
- General deterioration of well-being in the form of febrile conditions, fatigue, deterioration of sleep quality. Similar clinical manifestations of helminthiasis appear immediately after the invasion, as well as with its prolonged course. As it is not possible to detect parasites immediately, many patients try to treat these unpleasant phenomena with the help of folk remedies and symptomatic medicines. As a rule, they bring only temporary relief.
A specific group of signs inherent in diseases associated with worm infection can only be found in women. Thus, their hair and nails become dull and brittle. The skin also suffers from parasites - it becomes pale, blisters appear, age spots, peeling.
A rare woman associates aesthetic problems with helminths. Most say in the latter: "I have a lack of vitamins, hormonal imbalance, not worms! "
If you have the slightest suspicion that there are parasites in the body, how do you know exactly what caused them to appear? There are many self-diagnostic methods at home, as well as specialized ways of identifying worms.
How to recognize helminthiasis at home
About 70% of patients who suspect they have helminths do not want to see a doctor with this problem. And the point here is not that a person does not care about their health. Until now, people considered helminthiasis to be a shameful disease that can only occur in the lower strata of the population. However, experts say that quite wealthy people can acquire an insidious settler.
Since helminths mostly settle in the intestines, the only way to recognize their presence is to check the stool. This tried and tested method was the basis for the microscopic examination of the feces, during which the doctor could detect the worm eggs.
This is the simplest and cheapest method and can be done at home. However, it will not allow you to locate the worm eggs due to their tiny size.
How does self-control work?
There are several rules for determining the presence of parasites in the human body in this way:
- Stools need to be examined many times, because the worms do not come out constantly, but periodically. Since different types of worms are active at different times of the day, it is worth collecting both morning and evening portions of feces. In the morning you can find pinworms and in the evening you often meet larger worms - round worms and tapeworms.
- The person examining the feces for helminths should have disposable medical gloves on their hands. Most helminths secrete active eggs, which, if ingested, can cause re-infection. It is important to protect yourself from this, even if you already have symptoms of a worm infection. Discard gloves after use and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
- When examining the stool, it is worth using an object, as the parasites can be found not only on the surface but also in the center of the stool. It is recommended to discard the stick or spatula after such use.
Finally, the most important rule for self-study of feces for worms. It is recommended to collect the material in a separate bowl, as it is unlikely that it will be possible to check it with special care in a toilet bowl or pot. As a last resort, you can cover the toilet bowl with plastic, empty it and then carefully examine the stool.
Experts recommend applying a small amount of the material to the glass and then examining it from all sides in good light. This is how even the smallest parasites look.
The result of the self-examination of feces for worms
It is necessary to talk about 100% presence of helminthiasis if it could be found in the feces:
- live or immobile small worms.
- white or yellowish slices that look like boiled noodles with a slightly wavy edge.
- grain-like fragments that may be mobile.
- large round white or pink worms.
All of these signs indicate infection by dangerous worms, which can lead to serious health problems, up to sudden death. But even if the stools turn out to be "clean" and there are symptoms of helminthiasis, you should contact an infectious disease specialist or pediatrician immediately (if signs of helminthiasis are observed in a child).
Tests for worms in the clinic
Since it is very difficult to find out if there are parasites in the body on your own and the results of the self-diagnosis are not very accurate, you should entrust the diagnosis to professionals. Referral to the necessary examinations is made by a doctor or infectious disease specialist. If the signs of invasion bother the child, you can seek help from a pediatrician.
To make an accurate diagnosis, you must pass:
- microscopic stool analysis (coproposcopy) - preferably three times a week.
- scraping for enterobiasis;
- a blood test for ELISA - a single delivery is enough to make a reliable diagnosis.
- stool analysis PCR - is prescribed when obtaining ambiguous results of microscopic examination of stool.
Your doctor may also prescribe additional diagnostic instruments. This is most often the case when helminths are suspected to be present in the liver parenchyma and bile ducts or other internal organs. In the presence of worms, the tests will be positive (in the materials will be found parasite eggs, their DNA, antibodies and antigens in them).
Based on the results of the diagnosis, the patient is prescribed treatment, which can almost always be performed at home (not many parasitic infections require hospitalization). Treatment may be required for all members of the worm carrier family, as many species of these creatures are easily transmitted from person to person.