Parasitism is a ubiquitous phenomenon in nature.It refers to the coexistence of two or more organisms that are not related to each other in any way but form a chain of host-parasite relationships.The second side uses the first side as a source of food and habitat.One often has to play the role of master.
Classification
Human parasites include all organisms, except bacteria and viruses, that live and feed at the expense of humans, causing harm.There are many organisms that can live on or in the human body.They can be divided into two main categories:
- Internal parasites;
- External parasites.
The former is found in a variety of physiological systems and organs in the body.The latter either live on the body like mites or lice, or attack like bed bugs.
Internal parasite group
A very large group that includes protozoa, worms, and some other parasites.
protozoa or protozoa
They are so called because most of them are single-celled microorganisms.The human body can be affected by approximately 50 species of single-celled organisms.Protozoal infections cause a variety of diseases.
Their infection can occur in different ways:
- During sexual contact;
- with food;
- By insect bites etc.
The most common sexually transmitted parasitic infection is trichomoniasis.The pathogen is Trichomonas vaginalis.According to statistics, two out of one hundred people on the planet are infected with trichomoniasis.
The presence of trichomoniasis can be recognized by the following symptoms.Women’s experience:
- A large amount of yellow-green foamy secretion;
- burning, itching, and swelling of the genitals;
- Congestion of vaginal mucosa, etc.
Symptoms of the disease in men are less obvious:
- pain during urination;
- discharge from urethra;
- Sometimes there is blood in the urine.
Trichomonas are dangerous because they can cause various complications (infertility, cervical cancer, etc.).
In addition, they can change shape, masquerade as other cells of the body (lymphocytes, platelets) and provide shelter to intracellular microorganisms (viruses, chlamydia, etc.), making the latter difficult to identify and eliminate.
For treatment, antibacterial drugs from the 5-nitroimidazole class are mainly used.
Another common disease of protozoal origin is giardiasis.The pathogen is lamblia.Parasitic in the small intestine.After Giardia invades the large intestine, it loses its ability to move and turns into cysts (a stable, temporary form) that are excreted in the feces.
Infection occurs through consumption of food and water contaminated with cysts.
Cysts can also enter the body through dirty hands.Therefore, giardiasis often affects young children (1-4 years old) who are unwilling to follow the rules of personal hygiene..
Intestinal disorders (constipation alternating with diarrhea, bloating, grunting, nausea, epigastric pain) and general complaints (loss of appetite, weakness, irritability, etc.) may raise suspicion for the presence of Giardia.
Treatment for giardiasis is the same as for trichomoniasis.
Other diseases caused by protozoal parasites:
- Amebiasis;
- malaria;
- Leishmaniasis;
- Toxoplasmosis;
- Sleeping sickness, etc.
worm
People usually call them worms.More than 400 species of parasites can live in humans.The most common are pinworms and human roundworms.
Pinworms are small roundworms.Males can reach lengths of 5-6 mm and females up to 10 mm.They are the cause of pinworm disease.They live in the cecum and appendix.Pinworms are not difficult to detect as they can cause severe itching in the anal area.This is because the female crawls out of the anus at night and lays eggs on the skin.
Eggs can get under the nails and on the hands when scratched.The man then spreads them out himself and touches various objects with his unwashed hands.
Treat with anthelmintics.All family members should receive treatment.In addition to medications, hygiene is also very important in this case, since enterobiasis is a classic disease of dirty hands.Nails should be cut short, hands should be washed thoroughly, and linens should be washed in hot water and ironed with a hot iron.Apartment needs wet cleaning.
Human roundworm is another type of parasitic roundworm.They are much larger and more dangerous than pinworms.Females can reach 40 cm in length, while males are smaller.
Roundworm eggs enter the body in the same way as pinworm eggs.In the small intestine, the eggs turn into larvae, which pass through the intestinal wall and enter the circulatory system.Then it starts to migrate throughout the body.The blood carries them to the liver, right heart, lungs, and even the brain.
The larvae move through these organs, causing a host of problems for humans.In the digestive system, they can damage the liver, intestines and pancreas.
They can block bile ducts and cause acute cholangitis and pancreatitis.
They are located in the heart and can cause pain, local bleeding and coronary artery disease.
The consequences of staying in the lungs are coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, bronchitis, etc.
When passing through the brain, neurosis, dizziness, convulsions and epileptiform seizures can be observed.
Other symptoms of ascariasis:
- nausea and vomiting;
- Rapid fatigue during physical labor;
- Loss of appetite and weight loss;
- diarrhea;
- abdominal pain;
- Rash and itching.
Various anthelmintics are used to combat roundworms.
Other common helminth diseases include:
- Schistosomiasis;
- Trichinellosis;
- Hydatid disease;
- Clonorchiasis;
- Opiodiasis;
- Hookworm infection, etc.
Other internal parasites
This group contains parasites that are rarely found.For example, the larvae of the gadfly that lives in Central and South America can cause skin diseases.Female gadflies lay eggs in the abdomens of mosquitoes, gnats, and ticks.When bitten by an insect, the larvae emerge from the eggs and burrow into the skin.Inflammation begins and pus forms.After a while, the larvae will leave the person.
Sand fleas, which cause tick disease, have a similar effect.But here, the fertilized female is introduced into the epidermis.
ectoparasites
They are less numerous than internal parasites.The most famous of these are:
- lice;
- ticking sound.
External parasites also include fleas, bed bugs and mosquitoes.But they never live directly on or in people.They attack a man and then leave him when they are full.
Three types of lice inhabit humans (head lice, body lice, and pubic lice).
Contrary to popular belief (parasites love dirt), any clean person can become infected with parasites.
Regardless of the type of lice, the symptoms are the same:
- itching;
- Leakage (release of serous exudate through epidermal lesions);
- Scab formation at the painful area;
- Pyoderma (purulent skin lesions).
Different types of lice like to live in different parts of the body, hence the classification of lice.
Sometimes it's a mixed type, such as when head and vaginal parasites appear on the body.
The most dangerous are body lice.They may carry typhus, relapsing fever, and Warren fever.Lice cannot tolerate other dangerous diseases (HIV, hepatitis) because the virus enters the intestines with the blood of the infected person and is digested.
It is best not to use home remedies (kerosene, dichlorvos) to remove lice.The pharmaceutical industry offers a variety of anti-pediatric medications, including ointments, creams, aerosols and shampoos.They are based on pesticides.The preparation contains a fine comb for combing the larvae.Disinfection of clothes and bed linens is also necessary.
Scabies mites or itching can cause scabies, a contagious skin disease.You can become infected in the most random ways, for example, by grabbing onto railings in public buildings.Infection is guaranteed through close physical contact, especially sexual contact.It takes 15 minutes for a tick to penetrate the epidermis.The size of this insect is very small (from one millimeter to three tenths of a millimeter).Ticks surface twice in their lives.The first time in the form of larvae penetrates to another place, the second time - for mating.
The major problems of humanity are caused by women.They lay their eggs during the first half of the day and gnaw at tunnels in the skin at night.
Identifying scabies is easy.This is accompanied by unbearable itching that worsens dramatically in the evening and at night.Inflamed, linear scabies are seen on the skin.People who are prone to allergies can experience severe allergic reactions.As a result of intense scratching, the skin will be saturated with fluid, swollen, and sometimes covered with bloody scabs.
Scabies can be treated with anti-scabies medications.They come in the form of lotions, aerosols, and creams.Treat not only the affected area, but the entire body (except the face and scalp).They cleanse the body before or after treatment.You are not allowed to take a shower during this period.If there are scabs on the body, they will be softened and removed.Leave the cream or lotion on for at least two minutes.Do not wash your hands within three hours after using the product.You can shower every other day.Linens are ironed and furniture and clothing are sanitized.Two days later, repeat the course.
Another intradermal mite is acne iron.Its size is also very small (max. 0.5 mm).Lives in the ducts of hair follicle openings, sebaceous glands, and meibomian glands (eyelid margins).In this case, the disease is called demodicosis.
90% of people suffer from acne, but the pathological process does not always begin, it mainly occurs when the immune system is weakened or due to severe stress.
Acne, rashes, and ulcers may appear initially.When hair follicles are damaged, eyelashes and hair can fall out.As the disease progresses, the skin changes color to earthy gray and becomes rough.Demodicosis is dangerous due to secondary infection and scarring.
Treatment of demodicosis is quite complex.The disease is chronic in nature as long-term treatment and high concentrations of drugs are required.Extensive use of antiparasitic drugs can have adverse effects on the liver and hematopoietic processes.However, stable long-term remission can be achieved.Treatment performed by a dermatologist and a cosmetologist at the same time is considered the most effective.
If you suspect a parasitic infection, you should not attempt to identify it yourself and check the effectiveness of antiparasitic drugs or folk remedies.It’s easier to go to the doctor and get all the necessary tests done.Proper treatment can rid the body of these harmful parasites.