Who are subcutaneous parasites? How to recognize them and get rid of them? Are there any preventive measures? You can now find answers to these questions.
So, how to recognize subcutaneous parasites in humans? Symptoms, photos will help to cope with this task. We also note the fact that many species live and spread only under special climatic conditions, but there are also those that can be found in the city. As a rule, the latter are spread by insects. We will talk specifically about each species in the article.
Danger for people
Subcutaneous parasites in humans, the symptoms and photos of which will be discussed later, cause varying degrees of damage to the epidermis. The most common symptoms are:
- irritation;
- itch;
- ulcers;
- inflammation;
- hair loss.
Now we propose to consider what creatures can live on the skin and under its covers. All this is clearly presented in the table below.
| The simplest organisms |
Representatives of this class are Leishmania |
| Helminths | This includes a whole list of organisms, including guinea worms, gnathostomy and others |
| Insects | This group includes varieties of fleas |
| Pincers | There is a wide variety of them |
Many mistakenly assume that these skin problems are caused by poor hygiene. Not at all, the reasons for their appearance are other situations:
- eating raw foods (and also water);
- eating unprocessed and unwashed foods (many have a habit of eating vegetables, fruits or berries straight from the garden or tree);
- insect bites;
- close contact with the infected.
Why are subcutaneous parasites dangerous for humans? They are the cause of some diseases.
| Pancreatitis |
It's an inflammation of the pancreas. What is the cause of the disease? In most cases, intestinal damage by parasites through penetration into the pancreatic duct. |
| Psoriasis | This is a non-communicable chronic skin disease that can result from many factors. The parasite influence theory also exists. |
| Eczema | These are non-contagious and varied rashes on human skin. With this disease, the victim experiences burning and itching. |
| Diabetes |
This is a lack of the hormone insulin, which is produced by the pancreas. As a result of its lack, a stable elevated level of glucose in the blood is observed. One of the causes of the disease is intestinal damage by parasites. It is also worth noting that people with psoriasis also have diabetes in 99% of cases. |
Diseases
What is the danger in the presence of subcutaneous parasites in humans? Treatment is possible only after an accurate determination of the pathogen, since it directly depends on the type of parasite. Skin diseases caused by these organisms are dangerous in that the latter can accumulate and, as a result, collect entire colonies. When left idle, they attack vital organs.
What skin diseases can be caused by parasites? First of all, it is scabies, pediculosis, demodicosis and others. The earlier the disease is diagnosed, the easier it will be to get rid of the cause. Be sure to consult a doctor with this problem, and do not self-medicate.
I would also like to say that the disease is easier to prevent than to cure. Prevention of parasitic skin diseases is also presented in the article.
Leishmaniasis
Let's start with a disease called leishmaniasis. It is caused by protozoan subcutaneous parasites. It is very important to note that the problem often occurs in countries where the climate is warm.
There are several typesdiseases:
- dermal;
- mucocutaneous;
- visceral.
Leishmania can change two owners in its entire life cycle. At the same time, in each organism it forms a non-flagellated or flagellated form. Who or what is the source of distribution? These are infected animals and people. Insects that feed on infected blood carry diseases. This happens in a transmissible way (that is, through a bite). A week after a mosquito becomes infected, it will become a carrier of the disease for life.
The disease manifests itself in this way:
- sluggishness;
- decline in performance;
- sleep disorders;
- fatigue;
- poor appetite;
- appearance of painful ulcers on the skin (leishmaniasis).
You should be extremely careful, leishmaniasis can be easily confused with a number of other diseases (typhoid, sepsis, malaria, and so on).
Gnathostomiasis
Subcutaneous parasites can cause a disease called gnathostomiasis. The first and very important difference from the previous disease is the method of infection. With leishmaniasis, human infection occurs as a result of an insect bite, and with gnathostomiasis, when a person eats an intermediate host (carrier of the disease). The following organisms can act as intermediate hosts:
- fish;
- frog;
- snake;
- bird.
Cause nematode disease. It is important to note that the person in this case is a random host. The larvae in the human body cannot develop. However, manyVertebrate carnivores have a normal life cycle of these parasites, and they will be the final hosts.
The disease manifests itself in this way:
- subcutaneous nodules;
- dermatitis;
- pain;
- vomit;
- loss of appetite;
- diarrhea;
- fever;
- weakness;
- peritonitis;
- damage to the central nervous system;
- eye damage;
- lung injury.
Note that the last three points are extremely rare in practice. There are several types of disease: skin, eye, visceral, neurological.
The last type of gnathostomiasis is the most dangerous, which is associated with the migration of larvae into the nervous system. This can cause eosinophilic meningitis and encephalomyelitis. With this type of disease, the larvae can migrate to the brain, which in most cases ends in death.
Schistosomiasis
Subcutaneous parasites are very dangerous. As mentioned above, they can form entire colonies. So schistosomiasis is caused by a whole group of parasites. It is very important that they lay eggs that have spines. That is, they can freely enter any part of the human body:
- bladder;
- liver;
- spleen;
- womb;
- circulatory system and so on.
Another danger is that blockages can form in the places of accumulation. As a resulttumors, cysts, and the like are formed. Schistosomes are tied to tropical climates. From the human body, they enter the external environment with feces and urine. After passing through some stages of maturation, the larvae look for a new host and make their way into his body right through the skin. Their task is to get to the right side of the heart. There, the schistosome larva matures and after a month of stay in the human body is ready to lay eggs.
Symptoms of the gastrointestinal form of the disease:
- abdominal pain;
- intestinal disorder;
- flatulence;
- bleeding;
- weight loss.
Urinary symptoms:
- menstrual cycle failure in women;
- miscarriages;
- men have sexual weakness;
- bloody discharge in the urine and so on.
Symptoms common to all types of disease:
- rash;
- itch;
- fever;
- headaches;
- diarrhea;
- blood or mucus in stool;
- depression;
- weakness;
- fatigue and so on.
Dracunculiasis
Subcutaneous parasites (guinea worms) can cause a disease called dracunculiasis. How does a person become infected? It's very simple, dirty water can contain small crustaceans that are already infected with parasites. When it is used, the crustaceans die, and the larvae are released and begin to actively develop.
This disease is common in areas where there is no access to clean drinking water. Worms live underhuman skin. After entering the body, the larvae tend to penetrate the stomach or intestines. After they are able to penetrate into the abdominal and retroperitoneal cavity. There they develop for three whole months without showing themselves. After the passage of this period, reproduction occurs (mating of heterosexual individuals). When fertilization has occurred, the females migrate into the tissues. During this period, a blister appears on the surface of the skin (often on the foot). Within three days it ruptures and a living worm is released. This process is accompanied by a strong burning sensation, and a person is often forced to lower the affected skin area into water, and this is how it becomes infected.
How to prevent infection? It's simple, you need to clean drinking water using filters and the boiling process.
Filarioses
Subcutaneous parasites in humans filariae can cause the disease filariasis. This disease is tropical. You can become infected through the bite of any insect. Only after two years can filariasis be detected in the form of mobile and painless nodes.
Symptoms:
- rash;
- fever;
- enlarged lymph nodes;
- subcutaneous accumulation of worms;
- eye damage;
- drowsy and so on.
This disease has several stages:
- early (comes three months after an insect bite, the duration of the period is six months);
- carriage (the maturation of worms, the period can drag on for seven years);
- blockage (blockage of gapslymph vessels).
Dirofilariasis
Now we will look at another subcutaneous parasite. Heartworm symptoms:
- a subcutaneous seal that has the ability to move (primarily it appears at the site of an insect bite);
- goosebumps;
- pain;
- redness;
- itch.
The disease is caused by a filamentous nematode. In animals, it is more common, but now there are more and more cases of infection in humans. The method of infection is insect bites.
Entomoses
Subcutaneous parasites in humans, the symptoms and treatment of which we consider in the article, can be represented in the form of insects. For example, in our case we are talking about a sand flea.
It's easy enough to get infected. Do you love the sea and often go on vacation? Be careful when walking barefoot on the sand, a very small insect can lurk there, which can gnaw through the skin and stay with you for a long time, causing a lot of inconvenience.
The person experiences itching and burning at the site of the bite. Soon the parasite will die and come out on its own.
There is another dangerous parasite that is carried by insects - the human gadfly. The larva that enters the human body, comes out on its own in a year.
Acariases
Subcutaneous parasites in humans, photos provided in sections of the article, may beticks. In humans, two types are most common:
- scabby;
- demodex.
Infection occurs as a result of close contact with a sick person. Symptoms:
- itch;
- thin strip visible under the skin (traces of the female when laying eggs).
Treatment and prevention
| Leishmaniasis | Preparations "Solyusurmin", "Neostibosan", "Glucantim", "Amphotericin B". Mandatory local therapy, treatment of affected areas, dressings. |
| Gnathostomiasis | Removal of the pathogen (this is not always possible). If localization is in an inaccessible place, then drug treatment is used: Albendazole, Ivermectin. |
| Schistosomiasis | Treatment is reduced to the restoration of damaged areas and drugs are gradually introduced ("Biltricid", "Praziquantel", "Astiban", "Fuadin"). |
| Dracunculiasis | There are no drugs for treatment. It is necessary to wait for the release of the parasite. |
| Filarioses | Therapy consists of several stages (impact on larvae, destruction of adults, surgical removal of parasites). |
| Dirofilariasis | Surgical method, since the formation tends to move, the day before the operation, the drug "Ditrazin" is prescribed. |
| Entomoses | You can get rid of parasites with Ivermectin. |
| Acariases | Ticks are also subcutaneous parasites. Treatment is carried out by a complex method (drugs for external and internal use). |
For prevention, wash fruits and vegetables before eating, filter and boil water, use insect repellent, use personal slippers in public places (including the beach), do not wear other people's clothes.
