When we talk about parasites, long worms immediately appear. However, this is not quite true. Parasites are not only worms in a person, this also includes fungi, bacteria, and viruses with similar properties. In other words, these are creatures that live and reproduce at the expense of the vital activity of another organism. This article will discuss what parasitic worms are, what treatment and prevention measures should be taken to get rid of them.
Roundworms. Key Features
These worms in humans are so called because of the shape of the cross section. The body of parasites is long, non-segmented, sometimes its size reaches 20 cm. Worms do not have special organs for attachment. In the human body, they keep resting with the ends of their bodies against the intestines.
Features
The most common are roundworms. Human parasites have a number of features by which they can be characterized:
- The body cavity has no walls of its own. Inside it is a liquid in which the organs of reproduction and digestion are located. The body of the worms is quite dense. This effect is achieved due to the fact that the body fluid is under constant pressure.
- Skin-muscle bag. Worms in humans have a dense body with a fused layer of longitudinal muscles. That is, worms can only bend.
- Digestive organs. The mouth of a roundworm is at the end of the body. It has three lips through which food is absorbed. Next, the food enters the intestines, and the unprocessed part is thrown out through the anus at the other end of the body.
- Reproduction. Roundworms are human parasites that are dioecious. That is, they have both females and males. Females can lay up to 200,000 eggs in one day. They are covered with a thick shell. After a few weeks, larvae begin to form inside the eggs. Often their traces can be seen in the feces, so when the first signs of infection appear, a stool analysis is taken.
Also, other types of worms (tapeworms, flukes) can live in a person.
Types of roundworms
Worms in a person can be of different types. They live in both plants and animals. There are more than 5000 species of round individuals. The most common parasite is the human roundworm. Children often have pinworms. There is also another varietyroundworms - hairy. They can be seen in shallow swamps and ponds. They look like moving lumps. They parasitize only insects. And they float to the surface of the water to lay their eggs.
Signs and symptoms of infection
Some mistakenly think that parasitic worms suck blood or feed on human cells. This is not true. The harm that they cause to our body is poisonous secretions that can poison and cause headaches. When parasite larvae enter the bloodstream, in some cases they can end up in the lungs of a person and damage their walls. This can cause some forms of lung disease. Parasite symptoms:
- diarrhea and diarrhoea;
- headaches;
- bloating;
- gas and pain;
- weight loss;
- fatigue and constant fatigue;
- anus irritation;
- appearance of worms in faeces.
How do parasites enter the human body?
Roundworms, like tapeworms, live in humans in the intestines. How do they get there? Everyone knows that dirty hands are the main source of parasite infestation. But this is not the only way to catch worms. The eggs of some species of worms are found in large numbers on the fur of animals. The larvae, having fallen from a cat or dog, can live for up to six months, getting into bed linen, clothes and on the dining table. Through the hands, the eggs of the worms enter our stomach, and then into the intestines. In addition to pets,larvae are also carried by flies. They can also be present on unwashed greens, fruits and vegetables. Parasite larvae live in pork and fish, so cook these foods properly, otherwise you risk getting trichinosis or opisthorchiasis.
What to treat?
If you notice the above symptoms in yourself, then you need to immediately take a stool for analysis. If the case is more serious, the doctor may order an x-ray. It is important to comprehensively treat this type of disease. Today, there are various drugs that effectively fight parasitic worms. The most commonly prescribed medications are:
- "Piperazine adipate";
- "Levamisole";
- "Pirantel";
- "Vermox".
These drugs may have a different name. For example, "Levamisole" is the same as "Decaris", "Mebendazole" - "Vermox", "Combantrin" - "Pirantel". All these medicines quickly destroy the worms. Human parasitic worms die after a single dose of the drug. The process of glycolysis is suppressed, and the muscles of the worms are paralyzed. Helmiosis is excreted from the body in a day. Doses are calculated according to the age and weight of the patient. Sometimes it is allowed to take the drug again after 7 days.
Disease prevention
If worms settled in a person, then doctors do notalways immediately prescribe medication. Doctors often prepare the human body by prescribing pumpkin seed and linseed oil. This is the first step in therapy. Further, to remove toxic secretions and poisons from the human body, the drug "Enterosgel" is prescribed. Only after that you can drink anthelmintic drugs.
In folk medicine, there are also some recipes for dealing with parasites. Yarrow, wormwood, anise and tansy will help get rid of worms. From these plants you can make a useful decoction. An effective method of dealing with worms is an enema from this infusion.
Tips & Tricks
Worms in the human body are quite common. To prevent infection, you should follow simple rules, and then you will not have to drink drugs and move on to more serious stages of treatment:
- To cleanse your body more often, drink more fluids. 2 liters per day is the required dose for a person.
- Eat more fresh vegetables - garlic, beets, carrots, pumpkin seeds and pomegranates. These products are effective against parasites.
- Eat probiotic yogurt to improve your digestive tract.
- Take vitamins, you need to get at least 20-30 g of zinc daily.
- To destroy parasites at home, you can drink the plant enzyme papain. This element restores the work of microflora and improves bowel function, reducing the risk of infection.
- Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly. It is worth treating chicken eggs with water.
- Holdaway from food outdoor gloves, shoes.
- After coming home, always wash your hands with soap and water. Don't put dirty bags on the dinner table, don't put money next to food.
- During holidays or holidays, do not swim in water with open wounds. When traveling and traveling, drink purified or bottled water.
- Swim only in permitted areas.
- Try not to swallow water while swimming and diving.
- Eat more vitamin C.
In any case, when the first symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor. Do not self-medicate and do not self-diagnose. Be sure to take tests, and only after that take the appropriate drugs.
