Worms in humans: treatment

Worm infection is a group of diseases that reveal the presence of parasitic worms in the body.

Worms in humans, the treatment of which requires an integrated approach, cause a lot of discomfort to their owners.Parasitic diseases caused by various worms (worms) and/or parasitic worms are incredibly common in different population groups. Thus, trichinosis is often observed in people whose activities are related to hunting or animal husbandry, and diphyllobothriasis is a common disease among amateur and professional fishermen.

Attention!Sometimes it is very difficult to identify the symptoms and signs of worms in people, and the treatment can go in the wrong direction, since helminthic infection is very similar to the symptomatic pathology of some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, along with diseases of the liver and gall bladder. and other infectious diseases.

Methods of infection

How do parasitic arthropods enter the human body? Several ways of helminth infection are known:

• through the surface layer, i. e. the soil in which the parasitic worms laid their mature eggs;
• through contact with infected domestic or wild animals, birds or aquatic fauna;
• through contaminated food that has not undergone proper heat treatment;
• a large number of helminth eggs enter open water bodies, which is also a source of infection;
• in some cases, the bite of stinging or blood-sucking insects is a source of infection.

However, the most common mode of infection is human-to-human transmission.

Parasitic diversity

Today, there are more than 250 different parasitic worms that are harmful to human health. The frequency of infection depends on social conditions and climatic zones. Let's determine the danger that certain types of worms pose to humans and the treatment of which requires immediate therapeutic intervention. Let's take a look at the most common and most dangerous types of parasitic worms in the human body:

1. A pinworm is a type of parasitic and free-living nematode whose favorite habitat is the human intestine. Parasitizing in the small intestine or cecum, these worms reach the ileum, where they mate. After impregnating the female, the male ceases his vital activity, and the pregnant female, full of eggs, continues its journey through the rectum, crawling out through the lower opening of the digestive system. After the eggs are laid on the perianal folds of the anus, the pinworm dies. This movement throughout the body lasts about a month. Traveling through the gastrointestinal tract has consequences. The appearance of worms in humans, the symptoms and treatment of which is determined by the disease called enterobiasis, is the most common type of helminthic infection.

2. Roundworms are round, dioecious worms whose total length can reach 40 cm. A sexually mature female produces more than 200, 000 eggs, the favorite place of which is the gastrointestinal tract, including the small intestine. Roundworms cause signs of worms in humans, the symptoms and treatment of which are defined as ascariasis, a type of helminthic infection. The free movement of the parasitic worm causes irritation of the small intestine, which affects its permeability. Roundworms that parasitize internal organs not only affect the gastrointestinal system, but are also unexpected visitors to the respiratory system and/or the urinary system. Cases of penetration of roundworms into the frontal sinus, nasolacrimal duct and external passage of the hearing aid have been recorded.
3. Trichinella is a type of protostome round parasitic worm whose larval stage begins in the elastic tissue of the muscular system, and then the mature individuals enter the small intestine. Infection with this type of roundworm leads to a fatal disease - trichinosis. Worms in human muscles, symptoms, treatment and diagnosis depend on facial swelling, rash, myalgia and blood eosinophilia. A more severe degree of clinical pathology is characterized by damage to internal organs and the central nervous system. It is very difficult to identify trichinella in the human body. All symptoms occur without complications. Symptoms of worms in an adult can only be determined after penetration into the central nervous system - treatment in this case is aimed at restoring a neurological disorder, such as ataxia or respiratory paralysis.

4. Intestinal Giardia is a genus of protozoan flagellated parasites that cause protozoan invasion of the human body, with primary damage to the small intestine, and are the causative agent of giardiasis. Adhering to the wall of the digestive organ, the parasites feed on decay products. The favorite food of mature lamblia is flour and sweet foods. Leaving the feces in the form of spores, the parasites enter the external environment. Giardia cysts, which enter the body with chlorinated tap water, are often found during a biochemical laboratory test during the treatment of worms in adults.

5. The provocateur of another type of helminthic infection is the whipworm, which affects the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, causing trichocephalosis. A fertilized female parasitic worm releases up to 10, 000 eggs in one day. Larval development of the whipworm takes place without an intermediate host. Worms entering the body damage the mucous membrane of the large intestine, thereby causing an acute disorder. In some cases, the whipworm is the causative agent of inflammation of the appendage of the appendix, i. e. appendicitis. Prolonged presence of the parasitic worm can lead to anemia.

Identifying signs and symptoms of infection

When worms and parasites are identified in humans, treatment is determined by symptoms and biochemical laboratory test data. Typical symptoms of helminthic infection:

• pale skin;
• general weakness of the body;
• dizziness;
• itching in the anus;
• functional disorders of the intestine;
• allergic reaction;
• phase change in body temperature.

Toxic effects on the body lead to a decrease in immunity, as a result of which the inflammatory processes of chronic diseases worsen.

Attention!A characteristic feature of the long stay of parasitic worms is a sharp decrease in the body weight of the helminth carrier.

Home test for intestinal worms

With the help of a simple examination, which should be carried out by a consulted infectious disease specialist or parasitologist, you can check for signs of a possible helminthic infection. Count the number of questions answered yes.

The risk of infection exists in case of 10 "yes" answers, and the probability of developing helminthiasis is more than 15:

• are there any rashes on the body that were not there before;
• are you bothered by frequent bloating, flatulence, diarrhea or constipation;
• is there constant itching in the anal passage;
• Do you often experience headaches or dizziness during the day?
• whether there are sudden impulses to nausea or gag reflex;
• Do you have intermittent sleep for no apparent reason?
• whether the lymph nodes are enlarged;
• did swelling appear in the legs;
• I am concerned about constant fatigue and exhaustion;
• is the mucous membrane of the eye yellowish?
• Do you feel a constant bitterness in your mouth?
• Are there allergic manifestations - cough, runny nose, asthma;
• Do you feel constant pain or heaviness in your stomach?
• is there an unmotivated change in temperature;
• are there preschool children in the family;
• are there pets or birds;
• does pain occur in muscles and joints without the influence of physical activity;
• Do those around you complain about snoring or teeth grinding at night;
• is there complete indifference to food;
• Do you often forget to process raw vegetables and fruits?

If there is a possibility of infection based on the results of the home test, you should contact a specialist.

Lung damage

Attention!Worms in the lungs of people are considered a very dangerous and rare disease - in such cases, the symptoms, treatment and signs must be determined in the early stages of infection, which is quite difficult.

The clinical symptoms of the disease are very similar to bronchopulmonary pathology, which manifests itself in general symptoms:

• attacks of nausea and/or vomiting;
• difficult breathing;
• wheezing in the lungs;
• shortness of breath;
• increased body temperature;
• productive cough and so on.

The causative agents of lung lesions are various types of tapeworms, pig tapeworms and roundworms.

Helminthic infection in the organs of vision

Itching, irritation, increased sensitivity and allergic-type burning of the sensory organ can be caused by worms in the human eye, and the treatment of such helminthic infections is a very labor-intensive process. This requires certain skills from the specialist, since the parasitic worm is constantly migrating through the organ of vision. The symptoms may be determined by constant irritation of the eyelids, which resembles the chronic inflammation of blepharitis. The picture shows how the worms come out after treatment for a helminthic infection of the eye.

How to get rid of helminths: treatment methods

Today, infectious disease specialists and parasitologists have more than 20 anthelmintic drugs and agents at their disposal, which can be used to remove worms from humans. Treatment with broad-spectrum or narrow-spectrum anthelmintic drugs allows effective control of parasites, provided that the diagnosis is made correctly and the laboratory examination of the helminthic pathogen is carried out. When choosing a therapeutic regimen, the patient's age criteria, gender and weight must be taken into account, since anthelmintic drug treatments are highly toxic. Synthetic dosage forms have replaced traditional folk remedies - garlic, oil of chenopodium, fern and so on. After identifying the symptoms, the treatment of worms in humans with tablets involves the complete cleansing of the body from helminthic infection.

The most effective dosage forms are broad-spectrum drugs that are resistant to most intestinal and extraintestinal helminths. In humans, the treatment of worms with tablets is traditionally divided into pharmacological combinations of antitrematodosis, anticestodosis and antinematodosis effects. Here is a list of the most popular drugs that help get rid of different types of worm infections:

1. A synthetic broad-spectrum anthelmintic drug from the group of benzimidazoles, widely used in the treatment of trichuriasis, enterobiasis and other manifestations of intestinal infections caused by nematodes. Active absorption of the drug into the systemic circulation allows depletion of glycogen reserves in the tissue structure of parasitic worms. The duration of the treatment and the dosage are determined by the infectious disease specialist or parasitologist.
2. A drug belonging to the group of imidazothiazoles is a dosage form with anthelmintic properties that has an active immunostimulating effect. Drug treatment paralyzes the muscle structure of the parasite, inhibits its fumarate reductase and weakens the bioenergetic activity of the intestinal worm. The drug is prescribed as an anthelmintic if the following diagnoses are established: trichostrongyloidiasis, ascariasis, toxocariasis, necatoriasis, etc. Dosage and duration of treatment are determined according to individual characteristics.
3. A pharmacological drug belonging to the anthelmintic group of benzimidazoles. The effect of the drug is aimed at blocking and paralyzing the nerve endings of helminthic parasites. Due to muscle paralysis, the worms do not adhere to the intestinal wall and feed on decay products. Parasitic worms appear in a natural physiological way. The dosage form is freely available in pharmacies. However, it is advisable to consult a doctor before use.

Help from traditional medicine

Helminthic infection is also a psychological scourge that an adult tries to hide from others for various reasons. Alternative medicine uses folk remedies to help remove worms from people. Various herbs are used to combat helminthic parasites, which are no less effective than drugs:

• onion;
• dandelion;
• burdock;
• nettle;
• Carnation;
• tansy;
• garlic;
• joy etc.

An equally common way to treat helminthic infections is to consume raw pumpkin seeds. However, for a full-scale treatment, 150-200 g of pumpkin seeds per day is necessary at the same time, provided that the duration of the home therapy is 3-4 weeks.

The most effective traditional medicine recipes for removing worms from the body:

1. A half-liter bottle is filled to the middle with chopped onions and filled with vodka or an alcoholic solution. After one day of exposure, the drug is filtered and used as intended. Take 2 tablespoons 4 times a day for a week.
2. Crushed pomegranate peel is poured into a glass of vodka or diluted alcohol. The medicine should be taken daily, one tablespoon every 3-4 hours.
3. Green walnut shell decoction is very useful. The product crushed in a mortar is poured with alcohol and infused for 2-3 days until a pronounced brown color is obtained. Take one spoonful one hour before meals.
4. Boil two cloves of finely chopped garlic in 200 ml of milk until completely dissolved. The medicine should be taken in one dose before a meal.
5. Boil a teaspoon of wormwood in 250 ml of boiling water, and after cooling, the medicinal agent is ready for use. The filtered liquid should be taken one hour before meals three times a day.

A very effective preventive agent is freshly squeezed carrot juice, which we recommend 200 ml on an empty stomach for two weeks.

Prevention of helminthic infection

Anti-parasitic prevention of worms consists in observing health and hygiene regulations, which not only adults, but also children must strictly observe:

• Hands should be washed with soap before eating, walking and after contact with animals;
• the food must be subjected to heat treatment before consumption;
• Street kebab and seafood vendors should be avoided.

Also, be sure to ventilate the living space daily and don't forget wet cleaning.

Take care of yourself and always be healthy!