Parasites in the body are far from rare, especially in children. Yes, and in adults, various invasions are found. Toddlers suffer from them more often due to the fact that everything is pulled into the mouth, and many types of parasites can be infected by the fecal-oral route. There are more than 200 types of worms that parasitize in the human body, so the methods for detecting them are very diverse. To diagnose helminthic invasions in the human body, it is sometimes necessary to conduct several specific studies. In this article, we will figure out how to check for worms and parasites?
Types and characteristics of worms
This is a large group of creatures that live inside the individual and feed at his expense. Some of them have practically no effect on well-being, while others cause various serious diseases. There are four large groups of parasites:
- Worms - round and flat move around the body, sucking nutrients from individual organs and tissues, thereby disrupting their work.
- Protozoa are unicellular microorganisms. They aresettle both in individual human organs and spread throughout the body. They feed on the cells of organs, can cause serious pathologies.
- Mycoses are fungal parasites. They live in the body like protozoa.
- Bacterioses - a group of parasites consists of pathogenic and opportunistic bacteria that are in the body of each individual and do not manifest themselves under certain conditions.
Scientists have almost 300 different types of parasites that live in the human body. Each of them poses a danger to a different degree, so it is very important to periodically (at least once a year) take tests to identify them.
Diagnostic Methods
To check for worms, which doctor should I contact? This question worries those who first suspected uninvited tenants inside themselves. In this case, it is necessary to make an appointment with an infectious disease specialist or a district therapist. They will conduct appropriate examinations and prescribe treatment. Several methods are used to detect worms. The most common is:
- Microscopic examination - laboratory study under a microscope of stool. Find larvae and fragments of parasites. Fecal microscopy does not reveal parasites that are inside the tissues.
- PCP-diagnostics - carried out at the molecular level. At the same time, the patient's blood is studied. This method allows you to determine the presence of protozoa, intracellular parasites and viruses in the body of an individual, but this method does not calculate them.quantity.
- IFA - how to check for worms by this method? ELISA detects antibodies and antigens in the blood. The results of the analysis are 90% reliable. They depend on the number of worms in the body and their life cycle. The method determines the type of parasites and the degree of their distribution.
- ART – vegetative resonance testing. Computer diagnostics is carried out, which makes it possible to determine the type of worms by electromagnetic oscillations before their clinical manifestations. This is the most reliable and human-friendly method.
- KID - clinical and instrumental diagnostics. It is performed using ultrasound, CT, MRI and NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance). The result of the diagnosis depends on the experience of the laboratory assistant, how reliably he interprets the data.
How to check for worms and which method to choose? Your doctor will help you make the right choice.
Symptoms of the presence of worms in the body
The suspicion that parasites have settled in the body is manifested by various signs. So, the appearance of pinworms is characterized by itching in the anus, which often occurs at night. This happens because females, living in the intestines, get out of it and lay their eggs near the anus. One individual can lay up to 15 thousand eggs per day, the maturation of which occurs in just six hours. It is difficult to determine infection with other varieties of parasites on your own, since the symptoms inherent in them can also appear in other diseases:
- General weakness.
- Joint painand muscle.
- Sleep disturbance.
- Fatigue.
- Nausea, vomiting.
- Intestinal dysfunction.
- Headaches.
- Bad appetite.
All of the above signs appear due to intoxication of the body with the waste products of parasites, damage to important organs: intestines, heart, liver, biliary tract and many others. When such symptoms appear, it is advisable to undergo an examination to identify worms. This can be done in a public clinic or a private diagnostic center. For example, where to check for worms in Rostov? An examination for helminths can be done at the Anti-Plague Institute, located on the street. Gorky or at the Institute of Parasitology on the street. Varfolomeev, as well as in a he althcare facility at the place of residence.
Where to do the analysis
Analysis for the detection of worms is included in the medical examination plan. In addition, he must be appointed upon receipt of a he alth book for those whose profession is related to catering or work in a children's team, as well as before vaccinations and when registering pregnant women. When visiting a doctor for any reason and the patient complains of feeling unwell, along with other examinations, an analysis is also prescribed to determine the helminths. Where can I get checked for worms?
General analysis of feces and scrapings for enterobiasis are taken at any clinic at the place of residence. To conduct modern and informative examinations, it is necessary to contact privatediagnostic centers that do tests for a fee. The result is issued quickly, with good accuracy and a convenient way to get an answer. If parasites are found, it is necessary to consult a doctor for treatment. Remember that intestinal worms can seriously damage your he alth, cause blockage of the intestines, damage liver cells, disrupt the functioning of the heart, lungs and other important organs.
How to check for worms at home
Worms live in the human body and feed on it, but people do not immediately notice their existence. Signs of malaise, fatigue and headaches are due to fatigue, heavy workload and insufficient rest. If you feel unwell for a long time, you need to check for worms. To do this, you need to go to the clinic, take a referral and pass at least an elementary analysis of feces for the eggworm. It happens that for some reason it is not possible to do this. Then the question arises: how to check for worms at home? You can check at home, but the results may not be entirely accurate, and we are not talking about determining the type of parasite. There are three options for this:
- There is a test available at the pharmacy, but it rarely appears on the shelves.
- Scotch test. To carry it out, you need to take a small transparent glass, adhesive tape or adhesive tape, a magnifying glass with a large magnification range. Attach a piece of adhesive tape to the dermis in the anus. After that, the adhesive tape is glued to the glass, previously washed with soap and dried. Carefully with a magnifying glassthe reverse side of the glass is visible for the presence of worm eggs. Manipulation is carried out immediately after sleep, without hygiene procedures. For the accuracy of the result, it is repeated several times within 10 days. The method cannot be called highly effective, and only pinworms can be determined using it.
- Stool examination - this method allows you to identify worms (live or dead) after natural or forced defecation. How to check for worms this way at home? In this case, the feces are collected in a separate container. It is better to carry out the procedure with an enema in the evening, using 0.7 liters of boiled water, to which you need to add a spoonful of table s alt and 30 g of baking soda. Parasites can be detected in this way only with prolonged helminthic invasion.
The above are three ways to check for worms at home, but the procedure for detecting parasites living in the human body is best done in a medical facility. The result will be much more accurate. If parasites are found, the doctor will prescribe the necessary treatment. Indeed, for each type of helminthic invasion, certain drugs are needed.
Self-healing
Many believe that you can get rid of parasites on your own, without visiting a doctor. To do this, you just need to purchase the most popular anthelmintic agent. In fact, this opinion is erroneous. There are hundreds of types of parasites that live inside a person. Moreover, each of them is sensitive to a certain type of medication. In addition, uncontrolledtaking drugs can cause poisoning. That is why it is better not to try to find a way to check for worms at home and get rid of them on your own, but to seek help from a he althcare institution, undergo an examination and a course of therapy under the supervision of specialists. It is especially dangerous to self-medicate children, because it is very easy to harm a fragile body. If helminthic invasions are detected, you should not remove them yourself, as this can bring significant harm to he alth.
Checking for eggworm at the clinic at the place of residence
Infection of humans with parasites can occur in the following ways:
- Contact with another person with worm infestation.
- Pet care.
- Using raw water taken from open sources.
- Eating poorly washed vegetables and fruits.
- Using raw or undercooked meat to eat.
Of course, worms become infected if they do not follow the rules of personal hygiene, which consists in thoroughly washing hands before eating and after working with the ground or with animals.
The presence of worms in the body contributes to a decrease in immunity, deterioration of he alth, the emergence of various diseases. Suspecting that close people or personally have their presence, it is necessary to undergo an examination at the clinic. How to check for worms in the hospital? To do this, you need to contact a local therapist or an infectious disease specialist, tell about your problems, get a referral for tests. Usuallystandard procedures for the detection of worms are performed:
- Fecal analysis. The coprogram is carried out to detect parasitic worms. For research, the patient collects a small amount of feces after sleep in a sterile container purchased at a pharmacy. The material must be delivered to the laboratory within two hours after collection. It can be stored in the refrigerator, but not more than eight hours. In the study, the presence of eggs of worms or fragments of their vital activity is determined. For a more accurate result, a repeated delivery of the biomaterial with an interval of two days is required. This is repeated up to four times.
- Blood test. How to check for worms by blood? For examination, enzyme immunoassay is performed. Its accuracy is 95%. Blood is taken from a vein on an empty stomach in the morning. The day before the examination, it is recommended not to eat junk food, not to drink alcohol, to reduce smoking.
- Scraping for enterobiasis. It is carried out to detect eggs of parasites. The smear is taken in the anus. Scraping is done if infection with pinworms and other helminths is suspected. Most often, such an analysis is carried out for children.
If helminthic diseases are detected, treatment is carried out.
How to check for worms in "Invitro"
Since a large number of types of worms parasitize in the body of an individual, various tests are performed to detect them in the Invitro laboratory network, which are located in almost all major cities:
- Coprogram (feces on the eggs of worms). under the microscopeexamines the biomaterial for the detection of larvae, fragments or eggs of parasites. The readiness of the analysis in "Invitro" can be found out the next day. This method is not particularly effective, since helminths parasitizing in the intestines are not able to lay eggs every night. The analysis has to be repeated several times with an interval of five days. The cost of the study is about 350 rubles.
- Scraping. This is one of the most common tests for enterobiasis. The results will be ready the next day after the submission of the material. Only pinworms can be detected in this way. The average price is 200 rubles.
- Immunoenzymatic blood test. How to check for worms with the help of such a study? You need to donate blood. By changing its composition, parasites are detected, since in the course of their life they release toxins into the bloodstream. By doing this, they stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies, which are detected in the analysis. This is a fairly effective method that allows you to identify many varieties of parasites. The result is prepared from two to nine days, depending on the type of particular helminth. The price for the detection of one parasite is from 400 rubles.
- General analysis and blood biochemistry also make it possible to suspect helminthic invasion, as hemoglobin is lowered, and the level of leukocytes is increased. The cost is 200 rubles.
In different cities, prices may vary slightly in one direction or another. Above are the average prices in the laboratories "Invitro" in Moscow. You can check for worms at any he alth facility at your own expense or free of charge. Beforeundergoing the procedure, it is desirable to get a referral from the doctor.
Types of tests
Each study differs in its features and degree of reliability. There are the following types of analyzes:
- Prophylactic. Conducted for early detection of worms in the absence of symptoms. This analysis is available to an individual in any laboratory. Doctors recommend taking it annually.
- Barrier. Their goal is to minimize the risk of spreading helminthiasis. This analysis is mandatory for children upon admission to children's institutions, for adults when applying for a he alth book.
- As directed by the doctor. It is carried out in the presence of symptoms indicating infection. Your doctor may order one or more tests.
In Moscow, you can get checked for worms at any nearest medical center or at a polyclinic at your place of residence.
How to remove parasites
Many worms in an individual's body live for years without causing any symptoms. You may suspect the presence of helminths if you have such painful conditions:
- Nausea and vomiting in the morning.
- Pale skin.
- Headaches.
- Irritable.
- Lack of appetite.
- Losing weight for no apparent reason.
- Constipation or diarrhea.
- Pain in the abdomen.
We looked at where you can get checked for worms. Which doctor to contact, you also already know. Now consider how to remove parasites. Parasitology is de alt with by an infectious disease specialist, he isand treats the patient. To combat parasites, there is a huge arsenal of tools. All of them are divided into three groups:
- Chemical based drugs. These include: "Biltricid", "Praziquantel", "Mebendazole", "Pirantel", "Albendazole". However, these drugs are toxic and cause side effects: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, skin rashes, headaches. Therefore, the cleansing of the body is carried out simultaneously with the intake of sorbents. The drugs have a wide spectrum of action and kill several types of parasites at the same time. Most of these drugs are taken once. If you have kidney disease, these drugs are contraindicated.
- Plant-based preparations. With the help of this group of medicines, antibodies are produced in the body, which contributes to the fight against parasites even after the end of the medication. Upon completion of treatment, vitamin complexes are prescribed to restore immunity.
- Home remedies. To do this, use pumpkin seeds, herbal teas, garlic and enemas with infusions of medicinal plants.
All means for the expulsion of parasites should be selected by the doctor, taking into account the type of helminths, chronic diseases and the characteristics of the patient's body. After the treatment, you must definitely re-check for the presence of worms and do not forget about preventive measures.