What parasites live in the human body

Different types of worms can live in the human body. No one is immune to parasites, general information about helminths is important information for everyone. Knowing the invasion routes and features of parasitism of various worms, it will be possible to significantly reduce the risk of infection. Consider the classification of worm species.

roundworms

Roundworms are the most common type of worms. Another name for them is nematodes. This is a group of parasites whose body is round in cross section. Their length varies from 5 mm to 40 cm. They are deposited mainly in the intestine, but can also be localized in other organs and tissues.

The high prevalence of this parasite is due to the ease of transmission. For development, it does not need to change ownership. Roundworms are spread from person to person or through the consumption of unwashed vegetables and fruits. Especially massive helminthiasis of this type, called the disease of dirty hands, are diagnosed in children. Such representatives of nematodes settle in the human body:

1. Pinworms are small worms with a grayish body 5 to 10 mm long. Localized in the intestine, cause the disease enterobiasis. Infection occurs when the eggs enter the body through the mouth. For 2 weeks, the worm goes through a cycle of development to a sexually mature individual. These parasites live 1-2 months, disrupting the normal functioning of the digestive tract, leading to exhaustion. What the worm looks like can be seen in the photo.
2. Roundworms are large worms that provoke the development of ascariasis. The length of their spindle-shaped body is 20-40 cm. They parasitize the small intestine, but during development they enter the liver, heart and lungs. Migrating through the body, the worms damage internal organs and ducts. The lifespan of parasites is 12-14 months. Their infection negatively affects health, leads to allergies, digestive disorders, internal bleeding, intestinal obstruction. In children, roundworms can cause developmental delays. The route of infection is through unwashed hands, dirty products.
3. Vlasoglavy - worms with a body 3-5 cm long, localized in the large intestine. It sticks to its walls and absorbs the blood. Causes whipworm. It is a very poisonous parasite, therefore it greatly poisons the body. The service life is up to 5 years. All the while, it causes appetite and stool problems, anemia, and abdominal pain. May cause acute appendicitis when injected into cecum.
4. Trichinella - worms, the length of which does not exceed 2-5 mm. Despite their small size, they cause a serious disease - trichinosis. Its symptoms are fever, swelling, allergies, high temperature. You can be infected through game meat, pork. These worms affect muscle tissue, especially facial muscles, as well as the airways. After 3-4 weeks, the larvae that have penetrated the muscles are encapsulated. Recovery is coming. But with a massive infection, a fatal outcome is possible.
5. Toxocara is a worm that parasitizes the body of dogs. It resembles a roundworm, as it has the same spindle-shaped body 15-30 cm long. When its larvae enter the body of people, toxocariasis occurs. In the human body, toxocara cannot develop into a sexually mature individual, so its larvae migrate throughout the body, causing damage to internal organs, allergies and other disorders.

The intensity of the symptoms of infection with ascaris depends on the number of worms that entered the body, as well as on the state of health of the person.

Tapeworms

Among the most dangerous worms in humans, the leading role is occupied by tapeworms or tapeworms. Considering their enormous size, which can reach 18 m, it becomes obvious how harmful they are to health. Cestodes are divided into tapeworms and tapeworms. They require a change of ownership to complete their full life cycle. An obligatory stage of development is the existence in the body of ungulates. Consider a brief description of the most common representatives of the species:

1. Large tapeworm - a worm 10-15 m long, causing the development of diphyllobothriasis. It takes up residence in the small intestine after a person consumes raw or undercooked (undercooked) freshwater fish infected with worm eggs. Causes severe abdominal pain, anemia, digestive disorders. This helminth, like most tapeworms, has a scary appearance.
2. Tapeworm is a worm that enters the body after eating contaminated pork. These 8-meter worms, parasitizing the intestines, cause the development of taeniasis, accompanied by severe indigestion, nervous dysfunction and allergies.
3. Bull tapeworm - a kind of tapeworm reaching a size of 18 m, it is one of the largest human worms. It provokes the development of teniarinhoza, leads to intestinal obstruction, physical and nervous exhaustion. You can become infected with this worm by eating affected beef. The worm is localized in the small intestine.
4. Echinococcus is a tapeworm that parasitizes the body of cats and dogs. People for this parasite are an intermediate host, but despite this, the larvae of worms cause the development of a very complex disease - echinococcosis. Worm eggs develop into larvae, which penetrate the tissues of all organs and quickly form cysts. They can only be removed surgically.

strokes of luck

Flukes or trematodes are a type of worm with suckers on the surface of the body. With their help, worms dig into the walls of internal organs, tissues and thus feed, absorbing useful substances, blood. The bodies of these helminths have a flat shape, they can reach up to 1. 5 m in length and visually resemble a tree leaf. The main source of trematode infection is the consumption of undercooked or fried fish and seafood. In the process of development, they need to change 1-2 intermediate hosts. The main varieties of flukes that parasitize the human body:

1. Liver fluke is a helminth that provokes the development of opisthorchiasis. The length reaches 7-20 mm. It affects the bile, hepatic and pancreatic ducts. Against the background of infection with this parasite, an ulcer, cholecystitis and pancreatitis develop. Learn more about liver fluke.
2. Fluke - a worm 8-13 mm long, parasitizing the gallbladder, as well as its ducts. In the early stages of the invasion there is a high temperature, pain in the muscles, joints, indigestion, then the symptoms become less pronounced. This is proof that the disease has passed into the chronic stage.

Treatment - drugs for all types of worms

To destroy worms, you need to take anthelmintic drugs. But first you need to establish what specific type of helminthiasis struck the body. Based on the results of the diagnosis, drugs are selected. They are divided into 2 types:

• narrowly targeted - are assigned to the destruction of several types of helminths;
• broadly targeted - are considered universal, as they destroy almost all types of worms, they are suitable for the prevention of helminthic invasion.

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

• mebendazole;
• Pirantel;
• piperazine;
• Carbendacym;
• Levamisole;
• Pirvinium embonate;
• Albendazole.

The diet, as well as the duration of treatment with tablets, should be determined by the doctor, since anthelmintic drugs have many contraindications and side effects.

Also, during anthelminthic treatment, you can use folk recipes. Many plants are characterized by anthelmintic properties - garlic, onions, pumpkin seeds, herbs, spices, ginger. On their basis, anthelmintic infusions, decoctions and other means are prepared, the use of which will help cleanse the body.

The defeat of any type of worm leads to colossal health problems. Given their dangerousness, it is important to take preventative measures to help reduce the risk of infestation. To do this, it is enough to follow the rules of hygiene, eat meat and fish that have undergone only full heat treatment, and wash fruits and vegetables well.

At the first sign of infection, contact your doctor. The less worms live in the body, the easier it is to get rid of the consequences of parasitism.

What parasites in the human body do we know

The human body is an ideal platform for the life and reproduction of most microorganisms, including helminths. Each species has its own differences and morphological characteristics. You need to know what the representatives of helminths look like and what is the difference between them.

Parasites in the human body are a widespread pathological condition. Features of the structure and type of helminths directly depend on the class to which they belong.

Classification

There are three major classes of parasites that pose a danger to human life and health:

• flatworms (Tape class);
• roundworm (class Nematodes);
• flukes (class Trematodes).

All parasites of the human body pose a great danger, regardless of their class or species.

All representatives of the main classes can parasitize the body of an adult and a child. Consider the most famous representatives and the differences between them.

Characteristics of the Tape class

Representatives of the species are also called flatworms. This name was given to them due to the structural features of the body, which has a flat shape. There are over 1500 types of tapeworms. The most dangerous representatives of this class for people were united by the common name Cestode.

A characteristic feature of all worms is their body, which has the shape of a ribbon and is divided into segments. Body sizes in length can be different - from a few millimeters to tens of centimeters. On the front of the worm is a scolex - a head that carries the organs necessary for attachment - suckers, proboscis. After the head is the neck, then there are a large number of segments.

The neck area is responsible for the growth of helminths, therefore, the young segments are located closer to the head, and the old ones are located towards the tail of the body. Each ancient segment has in its composition the male and female reproductive systems, that is, it is considered hermaphroditic.

wide ribbon

This representative of the species is considered the largest among all parasitic worms. There have been cases of reaching its length up to 20 meters. The head of the worm has an oval shape, it has two narrow slits, with the help of which the helminth can stick to the surface and change the position of its body.

The tapeworm is a hermaphrodite, like all representatives of flatworms. Its mature segments form eggs, which then exit through the uterine openings. Worm eggs can be yellow to brown in color, have a lid 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" went to the helminth due to the presence of a double corolla of hooks located on the scolex. The segments are square and hermaphroditic.

Each segment has a uterus located in the middle and ovaries, which occupy a place between the uterus and the vagina. The testicles are located on the sides of the female reproductive system.

unarmed tapeworm

This representative is also called bull tapeworm. "Disarmed" he became due to the lack of hooks on the head, compared to the pork tapeworm. The bull tapeworm is the second largest worm after a large tapeworm. In its structure, it completely resembles an armed tapeworm. Also has a white color. Parasitic worms reproduce in the intestines of the intermediate or primary host.

All tapeworms in the human body look alike. It is possible to differentiate the species only with the help of laboratory research.

Representatives of trematodes and their description

Flukes are human parasites that can cause the development of serious diseases. The main representatives of the class of medical interest:

• lucky shot of the cat;
• lanceolate fluke;
• lung fluke;
• liver fluke.

A feature of the body of worms of this class is the presence of all sorts of formations for attachment and movement: spikes, suckers and other devices. The length of their body varies from a few millimeters to 4-5 cm. All of them have a pink or grayish color, an elongated leaf-like shape.

The cat fluke is a small helminth. The length of its body reaches 1. 5 cm in length, has an elongated shape, slightly widened towards the tail. Two suckers are located in front of the body, which distinguishes it from other representatives. The male reproductive system is closer to the tail, and the uterus occupies an intermediate position. It is large and includes a large number of eggs.

The body of the lung fluke has a brown color, in the shape of an ellipse or a coffee bean. The shape of the helminth is oval, wide. The entire body of the worm is covered on the outside with small spike-like formations involved in movement and changing its position in space.

The lanceolate fluke reaches 8 to 10 mm in length. Its head and tail are slightly elongated. Under the abdominal sucker is the male reproductive system in the form of two testicles, as well as the female, represented by an ovary and the body of the uterus. The ventral sucker is close to the oral sucker.

Nematodes and their variety

Types of helminths in this class are called roundworms. Their body has a round shape when drawing a cross section, which served as the basis for such a name. The body ends of nematodes have a pointed, elongated shape. Vlasoglav, human ascaris, pinworm and trichinella are the main representatives that most often cause human helminthiasis. The verses look like this:

1. Pinworm is a helminth that parasitizes the large intestine. More often provokes the development of diseases in children. Representatives are small in size, the body of the female is twice as large as that of the male. Pinworms are whitish in color, sometimes with a gray tint. In front of the body there is a swelling with which the worm can attach itself to the walls of the intestine.
2. Human ascaris is a helminth that reaches half a meter in length. The female is larger than the male by about 2 times. The body has an oval shape, elongated in the anterior and posterior directions. From the side of the tail there is a slight curvature directed towards the abdomen. The movement of helminths occurs with the help of a well-developed muscle layer, located under an impenetrable shell, consisting of a large number of layers.
3. Vlasoglav can differ in body color. It can be white or red-gray. The front of the worm is much thinner than the back. In the back are all the organs of the helminth. The worm has a small length - from 3 to 5 cm. The female differs from the male in the curvature of her tail. In the female, the tail has a spiral shape, while in the male it is located in the form of an arc.
4. Trichinella - the smallest representatives of the class. Their size is only a few millimeters. Visually, these are filiform worms, the body of which is narrowed in front and covered with a cuticle.

lambia

Intestinal Giardia belongs to the order Diplomonads of the class Flagellate. This is a separate type of worm, which is also dangerous for the human body, especially for children. Parasites provoke the development of giardiasis.

The body of Giardia has the shape of a pear, the front of which is round and wide. The posterior end is pointed and slightly narrowed. The size of the representatives of the class is so small that it is impossible to distinguish them with the naked eye.

To determine parasitic worms in the intestine is possible only under laboratory conditions.

A feature of the parasite body is the presence of two nuclei and two sets of organelles. The organelles include two midbodies and eight flagella.

Symptoms and Treatment of Parasites in Human Lungs

Not everyone knows that there are worms in the lungs, the symptoms of the disease are not so easy to recognize. The subject of parasites in the body is often mistakenly ignored by most people, believing that it is not about them. But many people are infected with parasites. The difficulty in detecting worms lies in the fact that there are thousands of species. Signs of pests are similar to symptoms of disease. Medical literature describes more than one clinical case when a patient is treated by several specialized doctors, and only one can replace them - a parasitologist.

Ways of worm infection

They can be different:

• communication with an animal carrying parasite pathogens;
• the use of non-thermally processed foods containing parasite eggs;
• bathing in parasite-infected ponds and lakes;
• introduction of parasites through the skin.

Residents of rural areas are most often infected with parasites. They are more likely to come into contact with infected animals. The risk of invasion increases when vegetable gardens and fields are fertilized with undisinfected manure.

Far from an isolated case, when the larvae of worms enter the gastrointestinal tract of a person with vegetables grown in his own garden. The intestines are a very favorable environment for the development and life of helminths. Consumers of nutrients intended for humans, parasites multiply rapidly in conditions that facilitate their life, poisoning the patient's organism with the products of their vital activity. In humans, it can cause allergies, nausea, vomiting and liver disease. From the intestine, the embryos of the larvae enter the bloodstream and are transported throughout the body (for example, to the lungs, liver, brain). After settling in any organ, the worms begin to actively multiply, causing diseases of this organ. A rare case when the true cause that caused the disease is established correctly. The degree of damage depends on the state of the immune system.

Signs of helminthic invasion of the lungs

Symptoms of the disease when infected with worms vary depending on the number of helminths in the body, the route of invasion and human immunity. Worms in the lungs rarely appear immediately after entering the body. They can live there for several years, waiting for the weakening of the immune system. When there are parasites in a person's lungs, the symptoms are similar to those seen with pneumonia and bronchitis:

• dyspnea;
• Heat;
• cough without expectoration;
• headache, nausea, vomiting;
• wheezing;
• decreased visual acuity and contrast;
• manifestations of allergies;
• lack of appetite.

The larvae of lungworms that have taken with the blood, developing, change the tissues of this organ. There are formed capsules and adhesions. As a result of damage to the lungs, failures in their work are noted. Tumors, emphysema, pleurisy, pneumosclerosis can form.

What types of worms can enter the lungs?

Knowing which parasites live in the lungs, it is possible to more objectively assess the degree of damage to the organ.

The causative agent of Toxoplasma is a pathogenic protozoan that causes toxoplasmosis. The patient is affected by the brain and spinal cord, liver, eyes. CT scan reveals extensive pneumosclerosis, numerous calcifications. Calcifications form dead parasites in the lungs.

Ascaris eggs, penetrating the gastrointestinal tract, cause ascariasis. In places where the worms enter the lung tissue, a trace of mechanical damage occurs. The body reacts with tissue edema, the formation of infiltrates.

Cysticercosis of the lungs is caused by tapeworm larvae. They enter the lungs with the blood stream. Parasites in the lungs form a fibrous capsule.

Echinococcosis of the lungs develops as a result of the penetration of tapeworm tapeworms into the respiratory system. Cestodes form parasitic cysts with a fibrous membrane in the lungs. If the parasite dies, the capsule deflates and calcifies. Echinococcosis can be single-chambered and multi-chambered. Gradually, the cyst grows. Parasites live in human lungs for several years. Sometimes suppuration develops, pus can get into the pleural cavity or into the bronchi.

Diagnosis and treatment

Lungworms are detected using the following studies:

• blood test;
• x-rays of light;
• serological methods of examination;
• lung ultrasound;
• tomography.

The main role in the diagnosis of lungworms is played by fluorography and X-rays.

Treatment of the disease is carried out with anthelmintic drugs that kill parasites. Pharmacies sell many effective drugs. Only an experienced doctor can properly assess the symptoms and treatment. Parasites always impoverish the body, destroy the immune system, so treatment should be comprehensive, aimed at strengthening the body.

Infection with parasites occurs through dirty vegetables and herbs, undercooked fish and meat, garden soil, dirty bodies of water. Larvae of parasites, consuming nutrients, develop and can live in the body for several years. Waste from parasites poisons a person, affects his brain, blood, liver, lungs, immune system, without causing acute conditions for years. Unnoticed, they cause serious illnesses that can even lead to cancer, which can lead to the death of the patient. Precautions should be taken to prevent infection with parasites.