What parasites are in the human body

Different types of worms can live in the human body. No one is safe from parasites, and general information about worms is important information for everyone. Understanding the intrusion patterns and parasitic properties of various worms will have the potential to significantly reduce the risk of infection. Consider the taxonomy of worm species.

roundworms

Roundworms are the most common type of worm. Another name for them is nematodes. This is a group of parasites whose bodies are circular in cross-section. They vary in length from 5mm to 40cm. They mainly colonize the gut, but can also localize to other organs and tissues.

The high prevalence of this parasite is due to the ease of transmission. In order to develop, he does not need to change the owner. Nematodes are spread from person to person or by eating unwashed vegetables and fruits. In particular, a large number of helminthiasis of this type, called dirty hand disease, are diagnosed in children. Representatives of these nematodes colonize the human body:

1. Pinworms are small gray worms 5-10 mm in length. It is confined to the intestinal tract, causing enterobiasis. An infection occurs when an egg enters the body through the mouth. Over the course of 2 weeks, the worms go through a developmental cycle and become sexually mature individuals. These parasites live for 1-2 months and disrupt the normal function of the digestive tract, causing exhaustion. In the photo you can see what the worm looks like.
2. Ascaris are large worms that cause the development of ascariasis. The body length is fusiform, 20-40 cm long, parasitic in the small intestine, and penetrates deep into the liver, heart and lung during development. Migrating through the body, the worms damage internal organs and pipes. The parasite has a lifespan of 12-14 months. Infection with them can negatively affect health, leading to allergies, digestive disorders, internal bleeding, intestinal blockages. In children, roundworms can cause developmental delays. The route of infection is through unwashed, soiled products.
3. Vlasoglavy - worms 3-5 cm in length, located in the large intestine. It sticks to the wall and absorbs blood. Cause whipworm disease. This is a very poisonous parasite, so it is very poisonous to the body. Lifespan up to 5 years. All the while, it can cause problems with appetite and bowel movements, anemia, and abdominal pain. Injection into the cecum can cause acute appendicitis.
4. Trichinella - worms that do not exceed 2-5 mm in length. Despite their small size, they can cause a serious disease called trichinosis. Its symptoms are fever, swelling, allergies, high temperature. You can get infected through game, pork meat. These worms can affect muscle tissue, especially the facial muscles, as well as the respiratory tract. After 3-4 weeks, the larvae that entered the muscle were encased. Recovery is coming. But with mass infection, fatal outcomes are possible.
5. Toxocariasis is a parasitic worm that lives in dogs. It looks like a roundworm because it has the same spindle-shaped body 15-30 cm long, and toxocariasis occurs when its larvae enter the human body. In humans, Toxocara worms cannot develop into sexually mature individuals, so their larvae migrate throughout the body, causing visceral damage, allergies and other diseases.

The severity of symptoms of a roundworm infection depends on the number of worms entering the body and the health of the body.

tapeworm

Among the most dangerous worms that occur in humans, the main players are tapeworms or tapeworms. Considering their enormous size, which can reach 18 m, it is clear how harmful they are to health. Tapeworms are divided into tapeworms and tapeworms. They need to change owners to complete the entire life cycle. A mandatory stage of development is the presence in ungulates. Consider a brief description of the most common representatives of this species:

1. Broad tapeworm - a 10-15 m long worm that can cause the development of dilobites. After a person eats raw or undercooked (undercooked) freshwater fish infected with worm eggs, it settles in the small intestine. Cause severe abdominal pain, anemia, digestive disorders. Like most tapeworms, this worm has a hideous appearance.
2. Tapeworms are a type of worm that gets into the body as a result of eating contaminated pork. The 8-meter-long worms inhabit the gut and cause tenosynovitis, which is accompanied by severe indigestion, neurological dysfunction and allergies.
3. Bull tapeworm - a tapeworm that reaches a size of 18 m. This is one of the largest human worms. It leads to the development of teniarinhoza, which leads to intestinal obstruction, physical and nervous exhaustion. You can get this worm by eating affected beef. Worms are located in the small intestine.
4. Echinococcus is a tapeworm that lives in cats and dogs. Humans of this parasite are intermediate hosts, but despite this, the worm larvae cause a very complex disease called hydatid disease. As the egg develops to the larval stage, it penetrates the tissues of any organ and rapidly forms cysts. They can only be removed surgically.

lucky

A fluke or fluke is a type of worm that has suction cups on the surface of its body. With their help, worms burrow into food such as the walls of internal organs, tissues, and absorb useful substances, blood. These worms have flat bodies that can reach up to 1. 5 m in length and visually resemble leaves. The main source of fluke infection is eating undercooked or fried fish and seafood. During the development process, 1-2 intermediate hosts need to be replaced. The main species of flukes that live in the human body:

1. Liver flukes are worms that trigger the development of toxoplasmosis. Lengths up to 7-20 mm. It affects the bile, hepatic and pancreatic ducts. Against the background of this parasitic infection, ulcers, cholecystitis and pancreatitis develop. Learn more about liver flukes.
2. Fluke - An 8-13 mm long worm that lives in the gallbladder and its ducts. In the early stages of the invasion, there is high temperature, muscle, joint pain, indigestion, and then the symptoms become less noticeable. This is evidence that the disease has entered a chronic phase.

Treatment - Medicines for all types of worms

To get rid of worms, you need to take deworming medicine. But first you need to determine which specific type of worm is hitting the body. Medications are selected based on the diagnosis. They are divided into 2 types:

• Narrow goals - assigned to eliminate several worms;
• Broad target - Considered universal because they destroy almost all types of worms, they are suitable for preventing worm infestations.

The most popular are deworming tablets and suspensions containing the following active ingredients:

• Mebendazole;
• Pirantel;
• Piperazine;
• Carbendazim;
• levamisole;
• Pirvinium embonate;
• Albendazole.

The regimen, as well as the duration of tablet therapy, should be determined by a doctor, since anthelmintics have many contraindications and side effects.

Also, during deworming treatment, you can use folk recipes. Many plants have insect-repellent properties - garlic, onions, pumpkin seeds, herbs, spices, ginger. On this basis, deworming infusions, decoctions, and other methods are prepared, and the use of these methods will help to cleanse the body.

Beating any kind of worm comes with huge health problems. Given their dangers, it's important to take precautions to help reduce the risk of infection. To do this, it is enough to follow the hygiene rules, eat only fully heat-treated meat and fish, and thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables.

Contact your doctor at the first sign of infection. The less time a worm lives in the body, the easier it is to escape the consequences of parasitism.

Which parasites do we know about in the human body?

The human body is the ideal platform on which most microorganisms, including worms, live and reproduce. Each species has its own morphological differences and characteristics. You need to know what the reps of the worms look like and what are the differences between them.

Parasites in humans are a ubiquitous pathological condition. The structure and type of worms are characterized directly by the class to which they belong.

Classification

Three major groups of parasites pose a threat to human life and health:

• Flatworms (tape type);
• roundworms (nematodes);
• Trematodes (flukes).

All parasites in the human body, regardless of their type or species, are extremely dangerous.

All representatives of the major classes can be parasitic in the body of adults and children. Consider the most famous representatives and the differences between them.

Features of tapes

Representatives of this species are also known as flatworms. The name is due to the structural features of the body, which has a flattened shape. There are more than 1500 types of tapeworms. The most dangerous representatives of this category are united by the common name Cestode.

A feature of all worms is their body, which is banded and divided into segments. The size of the body length can vary - from a few millimeters to tens of centimeters. In front of the worm is a cephalic segment - a head that carries the organs needed for fixation - a sucker, a proboscis. The head is followed by the neck, and then a large number of segments.

The neck is responsible for the growth of the worm, so the young part is located close to the head and the old part is located at the tail of the body. Each old segment has both male and female reproductive systems in its composition, that is, it is considered hermaphroditic.

wide ribbon

Representatives of this species are considered the largest of all parasites. There have been cases where it has reached its length up to 20 meters. The worm has an oval head with two narrow slits, with which the worm can attach to surfaces and change the position of its body.

Tapeworms are hermaphroditic, like all representatives of flatworms. Its mature part forms an egg, which is then expelled through the opening of the uterus. Worm eggs can be yellow to brown in color and have a cap on one end and a tubercle on the other.

Pork tapeworm (armed tapeworm)

The next representative of the tapeworm class. Its body is white and can reach a length of 5 meters. The name "armed" goes to the worm due to a double corolla hook on the head section. The parts are square and hermaphroditic.

Each segment has a uterus located in the middle and an ovary located between the uterus and vagina. The testes are located on either side of the female reproductive system.

Unarmed Tapeworm

This representative is also known as the bovine tapeworm. Compared to the pork tapeworm, he became "unarmed" due to the lack of a hook on his head. The bull tapeworm is the second largest worm after the broad tapeworm. In its structure, it is completely similar to the armed tapeworm. Also available in white. Parasites reproduce in the gut of an intermediate or primary host.

All tapeworms in the human body look the same. Species can only be distinguished with the help of laboratory studies.

Representatives of flukes and their description

Trematodes are human parasites that can lead to the development of serious disease. Major representatives of medical interest classes:

• cat fluke;
• lanceolate fluke;
• Paragonimiasis;
• Liver flukes.

A feature of the bodies of such worms is the presence of various structures for attachment and locomotion: spikes, suction cups, and other devices. Their body length varies from a few millimeters to 4-5 cm, and they are all pink or light gray with long leaves.

Feline flukes are small worms. Its body reaches 1. 5 cm in length and is elongated, slightly expanding towards the tail. Two suction cups are located in front of the body, which distinguishes it from other reps. The male reproductive system is closer to the tail, with the uterus in the middle. It's huge and includes plenty of eggs.

The body of paragonimiasis is brown and shaped like an oval or coffee bean. The shape of the worm is oval and wide. The worm's entire body is covered on the outside with small spike-like structures that participate in movement and change its position in space.

Lancet flukes reach 8-10 mm in length. Its head and tail are slightly elongated. Below the abdominal suckers are the male reproductive system in the form of two testes, and the female represented by an ovary and uterine corpus. The ventral sucker is close to the oral sucker.

Nematodes and their species

These types of worms are called roundworms. When drawn in cross-section, their bodies are rounded, which is the basis for the name. The ends of the nematode body have a pointed and elongated shape. Vlasoglav, human roundworm, pinworm and trichinella are the main representatives of the most common causes of human helminthiasis. The worm looks like this:

1. Pinworms are parasitic worms in the large intestine. More often lead to the development of childhood diseases. Representing a smaller body size, a woman's body is twice that of a man's. Pinworms are white, sometimes with a gray tinge. There is a swelling in the front of the body where the worm can attach itself to the intestinal wall.
2. The human roundworm is a half-meter-long worm. Females are about 2 times larger than males. The body is oval in shape, elongated in the front-to-rear direction. There is a slight bend from the side of the tail, pointing towards the belly. The movement of the worm takes place with the help of a well-developed muscle layer, which lies under an indestructible shell made up of numerous layers.
3. Vrasolav's body color may vary. It can be white or reddish gray. The front of the worm is much thinner than the back. In the back are all the organs of the worm. Worms are small in length - from 3 to 5 cm. Females differ from males in the curvature of their tails. In females, the tail is spiral-shaped, while in males, the tail is curved.
4. Trichinella - the smallest representative of the class. They are only a few millimeters in size. Visually, they are thread-like worms whose bodies are narrowed at the front and covered with a cuticle.

Lambia

Intestinal Giardia belongs to the order Flagellate Twins. This is a solitary worm that is also dangerous to humans, especially children. Parasites cause the development of giardiasis.

Giardia has a pear-shaped body with a round and wide front end. The rear end is pointed and slightly narrow. The class representatives are so small that they cannot be distinguished by the naked eye.

Worm parasites in the gut can only be identified under laboratory conditions.

A feature of the parasite's body is the presence of two nuclei and two sets of organelles. The organelle includes two medial bodies and eight flagella.

Symptoms and Treatment of Human Lung Parasites

Not everyone knows there are worms in the lungs, and the symptoms of the disease are not so easy to identify. Most people often inappropriately ignore the topic of internal parasites, believing it has nothing to do with them. But many people are infected with parasites. The difficulty with detecting worms is that there are thousands of them. Signs of the presence of parasites are similar to symptoms of disease. The medical literature describes more than one clinical case, when a patient is treated by several specialist physicians, only one physician can replace them - the parasitologist.

worm infection route

They may be different:

• Communication with animal carriers of parasitic pathogens;
• using unheated foods containing parasite eggs;
• bathing in parasite-infested ponds and lakes;
• Parasites are introduced through the skin.

Residents of rural areas are most commonly infected with the parasite. They are more likely to come into contact with infected animals. The risk of invasion increases when vegetable gardens and fields are fertilized with unsterilized fertilizers.

This is by no means an isolated case when worm larvae enter the gastrointestinal tract of a person who grows vegetables in their own garden. The gut is a very favorable environment for worms to develop and live. Consuming the nutrients that humans need, the parasite reproduces rapidly in conditions where it is easy to survive, poisoning the patient's body with the products of its life activity. In humans, it causes allergies, nausea, vomiting, and liver disease. Embryos of larvae enter the bloodstream from the gut and are carried throughout the body (eg, to the lungs, liver, brain). After colonization of any organ, the worms begin to multiply actively, causing disease in that organ. This is a rare condition when the true cause of the disease is correctly identified. The extent of the damage depends on the state of the immune system.

Signs of a worm invading the lungs

Symptoms of disease after infection with worms depend on the number of worms in the body, the route of invasion, and the body's immunity. Worms in the lungs rarely appear immediately after entering the body. They can live there for years, waiting for the immune system to weaken. When a person has parasites in their lungs, the symptoms are similar to those of pneumonia and bronchitis:

• Difficulty breathing;
• hot;
• cough without phlegm;
• headache, nausea, vomiting;
• respite;
• decreased vision and contrast;
• manifestations of allergies;
• Loss of appetite.

Lung worm larvae develop with blood, changing the organization of this organ. There are capsules and adhesions formed. Their job failed due to damaged lungs. Can form tumors, emphysema, pleurisy, pulmonary sclerosis.

What types of worms can get into the lungs?

Knowing which parasites live in the lungs allows a more objective assessment of the extent of damage to the organ.

The causative agent of Toxoplasma gondii is the pathogenic protozoa that causes toxoplasmosis. Patients are affected by the brain and spinal cord, liver, eyes. Tomography showed extensive lung sclerosis with many calcifications. Calcifications form dead parasites in the lungs.

Ascaris eggs enter the gastrointestinal tract, causing ascariasis. Where the worm infiltrated the lung tissue, minimal mechanical damage occurred. The body reacts with tissue edema, forming an infiltrate.

Pneumocystis disease is caused by tapeworm larvae. They enter the lungs with the bloodstream. Parasites in the lungs form fibrous capsules.

Pulmonary echinococcosis is the result of tapeworms entering the respiratory system. Tapeworms form parasitic cysts with fibrous membranes in the lungs. If the parasite dies, the capsule shrinks and calcifies. Hydatid disease can be uniluminal and multi-lumen. Gradually, the cyst becomes larger. The parasite lives in human lungs for several years. Sometimes purulent, pus can seep into the pleural cavity or bronchi.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Use the following studies to detect lung worms:

• blood analysis;
• X-ray light;
• Serological test methods;
• Lung ultrasound;
• tomography.

The primary role of fluoroscopy and X-rays in the diagnosis of lung worms.

The disease is treated with deworming medicines that kill the parasites. Pharmacies sell many effective medicines. Only an experienced doctor can properly assess symptoms and treat. Parasites always deplete the body and destroy the immune system, so treatment must be comprehensive and aimed at strengthening the body.

Parasitic infections occur through dirty vegetables and herbs, improperly cooked fish and meat, garden soil, dirty water bodies. The larvae of the parasite, which consume nutrients, develop and can survive in the body for several years. The waste products of parasites can poison a person, affecting his brain, blood, liver, lungs, immune system, but will not cause acute symptoms for many years. If not careful, they can cause serious illness, up to cancer, which can lead to the death of the patient. Care must be taken to prevent parasitic infection.