In modern conditions, over 300 parasitic infections are known. The microorganisms that excite them and helminth worms penetrate the human body to use its resources, as well as scabies mites and lice that live on the skin and hair.
Sometimes parasitic diseases are almost asymptomatic. However, many infections can have serious consequences: parasites disrupt metabolism, poison the body, and destroy tissues and organs. Some parasites pose a deadly threat. For example, malaria, an infection transmitted by malarial mosquitoes, kills more than 600 thousand people every year.
In our country, from 1 to 2 million cases of parasitic diseases are registered every year, but, according to doctors, in reality the number of people infected with these infections is several times higher.
According to the World Health Organization, 4. 5 billion people suffer from parasitic infections - that is, more than half of the entire world population. The main contributors to this sad statistics come from countries with hot climates, as well as regions with low levels of hygiene and a shortage of drinking water. Residents of these places face such dangerous diseases as malaria and schistosomiasis. A disease caused by parasitic worms. Symptoms appear in the tropics and subtropics. In case of complications, they affect the liver, kidneys, fibrosis of the bladder, and infertility. Filariasis. An infection caused by parasites transmitted through the bites of tropical insects. Leads to destruction of the lymphatic system. In our country, as in countries with temperate climates, the problem of parasitic infections is not so acute: here the most common are 18–20 parasitoses, which are easily treated and have a favorable prognosis.
Types of parasitic diseases
Diseases caused by protozoan microorganisms are divided into three main categories: infections caused by amoebas, trichomonas and leishmania.
Also, depending on the stage of the disease, acute and chronic parasitic infections are distinguished, as well as by location - intestinal and extraintestinal, when parasites penetrate and multiply in various tissues and organs: lungs, muscles, liver, kidneys, but not in the intestines.
Let's look at the diseases that are most common in our country.
Diseases caused by protozoan microorganisms
Giardiasis
The body becomes infected with intestinal lamblia (Giardia intestinalis, Giardia lamblia), which are transmitted through contact with contaminated fruits and vegetables, water or everyday items. They adhere to the walls of the small intestine, feeding on leftover food. Symptoms of giardiasis include abdominal pain, diarrhea and constipation, nausea, vomiting, general weakness and insomnia.
Amebiasis (amebic dysentery)
The most common causative agent of this disease is the dysenteric amoeba Entamoeba histolytica. Infection occurs through the fecal-oral route. Microorganisms can survive for a long time on various surfaces, in water, on vegetables, fruits, and meat. Typically, amoebiasis manifests itself as severe diarrhea (often mixed with blood and mucus), nausea, and low-grade fever. If microorganisms enter the bloodstream and spread to the liver, lungs, and brain, this can lead to the formation of a liver abscess (the formation of a cavity filled with pus), respiratory failure, and symptoms of encephalitis.
Diseases caused by helminths
Enterobiasis
The most common disease that occurs is ascariasis - it accounts for up to 70% of all cases of parasitic infections. Almost every resident of our country has encountered this at least once in their life. Ascariasis is caused by roundworms - roundworms. Askaris eggs can enter the body through dirty hands; they persist for a long time on food and various objects that an infected person has come into contact with. These parasites cause nausea, abdominal pain, sleep disturbances, and a person often experiences itching in the anus.
Ascariasis
The worm infection is caused by roundworms (Ascaris lumbricoides). Their larvae enter the body through vegetables and fruits, as well as through interaction with contaminated soil. A person infected with ascoriasis loses his appetite, his stomach hurts, and nausea appears. With a large number of these parasites, problems may arise with the patency of the intestines or bile ducts, disrupting the digestion process and the outflow of bile.
An adult roundworm can reach a length of 25–30 cm
Toxocariasis
The cause of the disease is the roundworm Toxocara canis, which is transmitted to humans through the fecal-oral route. In most cases, the infection occurs without symptoms, since Toxocara canis larvae do not grow into adults in the human body. However, moving through organs and tissues, they can disrupt their normal functioning. As a result, a person may experience an unreasonable cough and difficulty breathing if the respiratory system is damaged, neurological disorders if the brain is damaged, allergic reactions and anemia. In extreme cases, the infection can lead to deterioration of vision or complete loss of vision.
Echinococcosis
Echinococcosis is caused by the parasitic worm Echinococcus, which lives in the body of some animals and is transmitted from them to humans. Inside the human body, worm larvae form cysts in the liver, kidneys, lungs and even in the brain. This can lead to severe complications - anaphylactic shock, increased intracranial pressure, the development of abscesses, pathological changes in organs and tissues - and lead to premature death.
Opisthorchiasis
If you eat poorly fried or lightly salted fish from the carp family, you can get opisthorchiasis. These fish are often infested with flatworm larvae of the genus Opisthorchis, which damage the bile ducts in the liver, pancreas and gall bladder. Symptoms of the disease include excessive sweating, allergic rashes, fever, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and inflammation in the upper respiratory tract.
Fish delicacies can become sources of parasites
Diseases caused by arthropods
Scabies
One of the most common skin diseases is lice, caused by microscopic mites Sarcoptes scabiei var hominis. These mites are transmitted through contact with an infected person, burrow into the skin, migrate and lay eggs, resulting in itching and rashes. Pediculosis can lead to serious complications associated with the appearance of secondary infection.
Scabies
Lousy torment on the skin and hair, an infection that often arises from head louse (Pediculus humanus capitis). That parasite attacks the host by sucking blood. Lice saliva, entering the wound from the bite, causes extreme itching. Pediculosis leads to the occurrence of eczema and conjunctivitis: by scratching the bite points (yes, they can also be in the eyebrow area, eyelash line), a person can transfer pathogenic bacteria into the resulting wounds, those that lead to infectious complications. Also, lice are carriers of an extremely dangerous infection - typhus.
Ordinary hygiene is not an infallible guarantee against lice infection: they successfully live in both healthy and dirty hair.
Signs of parasitic infestation
Most often, parasitic infections, which are widespread in our country, most often manifest themselves with minimal symptoms or similar signs as in intestinal infections and poisoning. A person infected with parasites has a worsening appetite, abdominal pain, occasional attacks of nausea and vomiting, unexplained weight loss, and a general deterioration in health and weakness. An increase in temperature, the appearance of a rash and other allergic reactions, iron deficiency anemia, and minor disorders of the nervous system (increased excitability, sleep problems) are also possible.
Parasitic diseases are often confused with poisoning, intestinal infections, and acute respiratory viral infections.
Often the signs either increase or decrease, making diagnosis difficult. In most cases, parasitic infections are discovered accidentally during preventive examinations or during the diagnosis of other diseases.
Complications due to parasites
Typically, parasitic infections common in our country rarely lead to serious complications. However, with a significant number of parasites in the body, over time, a person’s health condition can seriously deteriorate.
The most common complications of parasitic infections:
- obstruction in the intestines and bile ducts,
- abscesses of internal organs,
- sepsis,
- peritonitis,
- intestinal inflammation,
- inflammation of the upper respiratory tract,
- anaphylactic shock.
Parasitic diseases in children
70–90% of cases of parasitic infections affect children and adolescents. This is because children tend to be less hygienic and more active in exploring the world around them. Children are often diagnosed with polyinfestations, when the child is infected with several types of parasites, for example, enterobiasis in combination with ascariasis or giardiasis. If a child is infected with one type of worm or protozoan, his or her immunity is weakened, making him more vulnerable to other types of parasites and infections.
Parasitic infections cause serious damage to the child’s body: its protective functions are disrupted, the child feels unwell, his mood often changes, and his academic performance decreases. Therefore, it is recommended to regularly take tests for parasitosis to prevent the most common infections.
Which specialist treats parasitic diseases?
Signs of parasitic infections may be confused with symptoms of a cold, allergy, or intestinal infection. If you suspect presense parasites, it is important to contact your general practitioner, who can assess your symptoms, order the necessary tests and, if necessary, refer you to a parasitologist or infectious disease specialist.
It is especially important for children to undergo regular tests for parasitic diseases to avoid possible complications.
If parasites have been present in the body for a long time and have seriously affected health, consultation with specialists in other fields of medicine may be required. For example, with echinococcosis, it is often necessary to consult a surgeon to remove cysts formed by helminths through surgery.
Conducting laboratory tests to diagnose parasitic diseases
Most parasitic infections can be successfully detected through testing. By studying the composition of the blood, one can identify the presence of antibodies that the body produces in response to the invasion of foreign parasites. Examination of feces and smears helps detect eggs and larvae of parasites.
However, it must be taken into account that parasites have their own development cycle (from egg to adult), and in the early stages of infection, tests may not detect the presence of parasites. To ensure reliable results, some tests are recommended to be performed twice with an interval of 7–10 days.
Treatment methods for parasitic diseases
When the diagnosis is confirmed by a doctor, he prescribes anti-parasite medications, which are usually taken over a course of several days to several weeks. Symptomatic treatment can also be prescribed - antipyretics for fever, drugs for diarrhea and absorbents for gastrointestinal disorders, immunomodulators to maintain immunity.
After completing the course of treatment, it is recommended to take tests again to ensure the effectiveness of the treatment and complete recovery.
Measures to prevent parasitic diseases
The main reason parasites enter the human body is dirty hands, contaminated water and food. In order to avoid the development of infections, it is important to adhere to the rules of hygiene: regularly wash your hands, carry out wet cleaning in the house, carefully handle fruits and vegetables, and wear protective gloves when working in the garden. Meat and fish should be boiled, fried or baked until cooked. Undercooked dishes, uncooked smoked or lightly salted delicacies can become a source of parasites.
To prevent parasitic infections, it is important to adhere to good hygiene
Everyone, especially children and adolescents, should be tested regularly for the most common parasitic diseases to help detect possible illness early.
Before traveling to tropical countries, you should consult a doctor and learn about measures to prevent exotic parasitic infections, which are rarely found in our country. Treatment of such infections is usually more difficult, complications develop more often, and diagnosis is difficult due to the lack of experience among doctors.
Home methods for getting rid of parasites
Parasites, these uninvited guests in our body, can cause many unpleasant diseases. They can cause allergic reactions, disrupt digestion and even affect your mental state. Luckily, there are effective ways to control pests right in your home.
One of the most popular methods of getting rid of parasites is using natural products such as garlic, ginger and nuts. Garlic, due to its antiparasitic properties, can help fight parasites and strengthen the immune system. |
In addition, you can resort to the use of herbal decoctions and infusions. Plants such as tansy, yarrow and cloves are known for their anti-parasitic properties and can help cleanse the body of parasites. |
Don't forget about proper hygiene. Regularly washing your hands before eating, peeling vegetables and fruits before eating, and handling meats before cooking are basic precautions to help avoid parasite infestation. |
Parasites as a cause of allergic reactions
When exposed to parasites, the human body may begin to develop allergic reactions to these pathogens.
Parasites can cause allergies in travelers in regions with an increased risk of helminth infection.
Protection against parasites when traveling is an important aspect of health, since the possibility of infection can lead not only to a deterioration in general health, but also to the development of allergic reactions.
Protection against parasites when traveling
When we travel, especially to warm countries, it is important to remember the possible danger that parasites can pose. The presence of parasites can negatively affect our health and cause various problems. Therefore, it is necessary to take measures to protect against them.
There are many ways to protect yourself from parasites while traveling. One of the main ones is to monitor the quality of drinking water and food, since parasitic infections are most often transmitted through them. It is also worth considering the location of the hotel and taking measures to prevent insects and ticks.
When traveling to exotic countries, you must always consult a doctor and take prophylaxis against malaria, since mosquitoes can be carriers of this dangerous disease. It is also recommended to use insect repellents and disinfect personal hygiene items.
Harm of parasites to women's health
Parasites can seriously harm women's health, causing various problems and complications.
Parasites can lead to digestive disorders, allergic reactions, chronic fatigue, malaise and other unpleasant consequences for the female body.
The fight against parasites in women requires special attention and an integrated approach to avoid serious health consequences.
Question and answer:
What parasitic infections can occur in humans?
To date, more than 300 parasitic infections are known, which are caused by single-celled organisms, helminth worms, arthropods and other parasites.
How do parasites enter the human body?
Parasites can enter the human body through contaminated drinking water, food, insect bites, contact with infected animals or other people.
What symptoms may occur with a parasitic infection?
Symptoms of parasitic infections may include gastrointestinal distress, weakness, fatigue, weight changes, allergic reactions, itching and skin irritation.
What precautions can you take to avoid parasitic infections?
To prevent parasitic infections, it is necessary to maintain hand hygiene, avoid eating raw or undercooked food, carefully monitor the purity of water and take insect protection measures.
How are parasitic infections treated?
Treatment of parasitic infections depends on the type of parasite and may include taking antiparasitic drugs, antibiotics, symptomatic therapy and other methods prescribed by a doctor.
What types of parasitic infections can enter the human body?
Today, more than 300 types of parasitic infections are known, caused by unicellular organisms, helminth worms, arthropods and other parasites.
What organs and tissues of the human body can parasites live on?
Parasites can live in the intestines, liver, lungs, blood and other organs and tissues of the human body, using it as a source of nutrition and resources for their survival.