Helminthiasis

Helminthiasis is a group of diseases caused by parasitic worms.Helminths can be found in a person's intestines, lungs, gallbladder and bile ducts. Parasites cause mechanical damage to internal organs, waste products from helminths lead to intoxication. For humans, helminthiasis is dangerous due to the fact that it suppresses the immune system, aggravates the course of other diseases, leads to increased fatigue, reduces the absorption capacity of the intestine, reduces the effectiveness of vaccination and more. You can get helminths by drinking dirty water or unwashed food. In rare cases, the disease is transmitted through the skin or air.

Classification of helminthiasis

By location:

• Intestinal.These include ascariasis, strongyloidiasis, trichocephaly, teniarinhosis and others.
• Pulmonary.This group includes tominxosis and paragonimosis.
• Fabrics.This class includes schistosomiasis, trichinosis, toxocariasis and filariasis.
• Hepatobiliary system.This group includes opisthorchiasis, fascioliasis and clonorchosis.

By stage:

• Sharp.Helminthiasis usually occurs 2-4 weeks after infection. Depending on the severity of the helminthic invasion, signs of helminthiasis are observed from 1 week to several months, after which the disease becomes chronic.
• Chronic.The clinical manifestations of chronic helminthiasis depend on the species characteristics of the parasite. In the presence of helminths with larval reproduction (filariasis or strongyloidiasis), allergic manifestations persist for a long time. In other forms of the disease, the symptoms depend on the number, size and location of the parasites in the body.

Helminthiasis and micronutrient deficiency

Once in the human body, parasites feed on blood and tissue juices, absorbing nutrients. For growth and reproduction, helminths, in the first place, need trace elements, which leads to a decrease in their content in the body. The consequence of helminthiasis may be a deficiency of the following trace elements:

Zinc deficiency.It causes prostatitis, infertility, dwarfism, parakeratosis (resembling scabies or scabies), various tumors and many other pathologies.

Selenium deficiency.Leads to a decrease in immunity, can provoke the development of malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, mammary glands, prostate.

Iodine deficiency.It causes stunted growth, impaired puberty and underdevelopment of the reproductive organs. In the absence of iodine, mental retardation is possible, up to dementia.

Manganese deficiency.It can cause brittle bones, weight loss, seizures, dermatitis and degeneration of the genital tract.

Chromium deficiency.Causes fatigue, intolerance to sugar (borderline diabetes), growth retardation, increases cholesterol levels.

Signs of helminthiasis

• fever;
• various skin rashes;
• facial swelling, conjunctivitis;
• inflammation of the upper respiratory tract;
• diarrheal stools;
• in children, angina, lymphadenitis;
• bronchospasm, lung infiltrates, pneumonia;
• myocarditis;
• hepatitis;
• meningoencephalitis.

Symptoms (clinical picture) of helminthiasis

Acute helminthiasis.For this form of helminth infectionSigns of general allergic reactions are characteristic: itchy skin rash, fever, swollen lymph nodes, muscle and joint pain. Acute helminthiasis often leads to the development of pulmonary syndrome, abdominal pain and dyspeptic disorders. At the same time, the liver and spleen increase in size and central nervous system symptoms may occur.

Chronic helminthiasis.In many forms of helminthiasis, the parasitization of several single individuals proceeds without any unpleasant symptoms. The characteristic signs of helminthiasis appear in the presence of large worms (tapeworms, tapeworms, etc. ). The symptoms depend on the type and location of the parasite. In intestinal helminthiasis, pain, dyspeptic and asthenoneurotic syndrome are observed. Ascariasis can cause pancreatitis, obstructive jaundice and intestinal obstruction. Enterobiosis is characterized by itching in the anus at night. With clonorchiasis and opisthorchiasis, hepatitis, cholecystocholangitis and various lesions of the gastrointestinal tract can develop.

Helminthiasis and infectious diseases

Worm infestations increase the risk of contracting infectious diseases. Helminths reduce immunity and weaken the body as a whole. In this way, the parasites open free access to the tissues of the body for microbes and viruses. Helminthiasis may be accompanied by the following infectious diseases.

Toxoplasmosis.It is an infectious disease that affects humans and animals. You can become infected with toxoplasmosis through an infected blood transfusion, eat foods made from uncooked meat or fish, or connect with the patient's stool. Toxoplasmosis is transmitted from mother to child during intrauterine development. The infection can cause fetal death or miscarriage. There is a high risk of mortality among newborns infected with toxoplasmosis.

Chlamydia.An infectious disease that occurs in rodents, cats and humans. It may be accompanied by fever, rhinitis, conjunctivitis and pneumonia. It affects the organs of vision, reproductive and respiratory systems. Chlamydia is transmitted by airborne droplets, contact and sex.

Toxocara.The disease is observed in humans, pets, rodents. Toxocara eggs remain viable for months in dried feces. You can get an infection from contact with animal hair or through the soil. The disease is accompanied by severe allergies and pathologies of the internal organs.

Diagnosis and therapy of helminthiasis

How to recognize helminthiasis

Prevention of helminthiasis is primarily in accordance with strict hygiene standards. It is unacceptable to drink raw water and eat poorly processed or unfamiliar foods (fish, meat). Early detection of people infected with parasites also plays an important role in prevention. The diagnosis of helminthiasis is made by identifying the larvae and eggs of helminths. They are most often located in different parts of the gastrointestinal tract, so the most common method is stool analysis.

In some cases, standard methods for diagnosing helminthiasis are ineffective. For example, some parasites do not lay eggs for a long time and therefore cannot be found in the faeces. An innovative method allows you to identify the presence of helminths and assess the general condition of the body by the iris of the eye. The method is based on the fact that each organ has a projection on a certain segment of the "iris", where it transmits information about its condition through the visceral centers of the brain. Such a diagnosis of helminthiasis allows you to detect parasites even in casesis negative.

How to get rid of helminthiasis

An effective, safe and proven means of getting rid of helminth infestation and replenishment of the necessary microelements in the body is a complex of helminthic drugs that improves health in several main areas simultaneously:

• improving immunity;
• normalize metabolism;
• improve the enzymatic functions of the stomach, pancreas, intestines;
• elimination of signs of allergies;
• normalize the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, etc.

Antiparasitic wellness program

To eliminate helminthiasis, it is necessary to take broad-spectrum antiparasitic drugs for 3 months. Between each month of admission it is necessary to take a break of 7 days.