The most common helminthiasis throughout the globe is ascariasis. There is a fairly high susceptibility to this disease. This is due to the fact that after ascariasis there is no pronounced immunity. Therefore, in high-epidemic regions, about 90% of children can be infected with it.
According to the World He alth Organization, more than a billion people in the world have ascariasis. Approximately 100,000 die from this disease every year. The most favorable environment for the reproduction of roundworms is countries with a temperate and warm climate, with a sufficient level of humidity that lasts all year round.
Why is ascariasis dangerous in children and adults? Symptoms, treatment, prevention - we'll talk about this now.
What is ascariasis
Ascariasis is one of the types of helminthiases, it is a nematode helminthic disease, accompanied by the movement of worm larvae throughout the body, which ineventually settle and multiply in the intestines.
This invasion is rare in regions with dry and cold climates. Infection occurs orally, by ingestion of invasive eggs. It can occur when consuming, for example, contaminated berries, vegetables and other foods, water, and also through hands. Children are most often affected.
If the climate is temperate, then the infection season will last approximately 7 months, or rather, from April to October. In areas with warm and humid weather, it is a whole year.
A person whose intestines are parasitized by roundworms is a source of infection. In any case, the treatment of ascariasis in adults, as well as in children, should be carried out as early as possible.
Etiology
The causative agent of this disease is round worm Ascaris. It reproduces and lives in the human small intestine. The female grows to about 40 cm, and the length of the male is about 25 cm. Outwardly, they are very similar to earthworms, but their color is different, whitish-yellow. The mechanism of spread of ascariasis is fecal-oral. Flies play a big role in the transmission of this disease, as they carry the larvae of the worms on their paws.
Pathogenesis
The development of the worm takes place in several stages. In this case, a person will be infected only after swallowing the eggs. After they reach the human intestine, larvae begin to emerge from them. They, in turn, enter the bloodstream, where they will feed in the future.erythrocytes and plasma and grow. Then they are transferred to the lungs, where they pass with sputum into the bronchi, and then into the pharynx, and then they return back to the intestines. There, the larvae become mature individuals. Ascaris can also get into the veins, liver or heart, which can cause inflammatory infiltrates to form there.
Mature female roundworms lay approximately 200,000 eggs daily in the small intestine. At the same time, toxic metabolic products are constantly released from them, causing allergies and poisoning the body. Together with faeces, roundworm eggs enter the soil. From there - through unwashed food, contaminated household items and hands - again into the human body.
The entire period from infection to excretion of feces with new roundworm eggs takes approximately 3 months.
Symptoms
Before discussing the treatment of ascariasis in children and adults, it is necessary to understand how to define it. Symptoms will help you do this. The first clinical signs of ascariasis begin to appear after 1-2 months.
The larvae begin to migrate through the body only 2 weeks after infection. Often this stage goes unnoticed by a person for the reason that at first the disease proceeds as bronchial asthma, pneumonia or allergies. Therefore, this stage is usually accompanied by shortness of breath, cough, weakness and slight fever, the appearance of a skin rash that looks like hives, and pain behind the sternum. Patients also often have an enlarged spleen, lymph nodes, andliver.
In chronic ascariasis, the digestive tract suffers the most. Vitamins and nutrients are less absorbed by the intestinal walls. All this is due to the rapid movement of food masses. Milk is the worst absorbed, which can eventually lead to its intolerance by the human body.
Blood pressure can drop significantly. Disorders of the nervous system are widespread: migraines, memory loss, fatigue, convulsions, night terrors, hysterical attacks, decreased intelligence. Therefore, the treatment of ascariasis in adults should be made as early as possible.
Diagnosis
Scatological examination is the main test for the presence of ascariasis. But at the same time, the eggs themselves in the feces can only be detected in the intestinal stage of the disease. In order to make the most accurate diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment for ascariasis in adults, it is recommended to collect stool samples several times over two to three weeks.
In the initial stages of the disease, larvae can be detected in sputum, during various kinds of surgical interventions, as well as on an X-ray image in the form of infiltrates. A complete blood count most often shows an increased number of eosinophils and leukocytes.
Ascariasis treatment regimen
Every person infected with ascariasis undergoes mandatory therapy. The treatment regimen for ascariasis in children involves complex therapy, therefore, it is most often carried out in a hospital setting. At the same time, patients are prescribedprotein diet and symptomatic drugs (multivitamins, etc.).
Treatment is carried out with anthelmintic drugs such as Albenazole and Mebendazole (prescribed for children over two years old), Medamin, Levamisole, Pamoat and Pirantel.
Enzymatic preparations ("Mikrazim", "Mezim", "Pancreatin", etc.) are prescribed to improve the digestive function of the intestine.
Also shown are antihistamines (Zirtek, Tavegil, Diphenhydramine, etc.). They are prescribed in a short course at the same time as antiparasitic agents in order to avoid the appearance of allergies when the helminth is destroyed.
Probiotics are used (Bifiform, Linex, etc.) to correct the normal intestinal microflora.
This treatment regimen for ascariasis in adults is quite effective. If you follow the correct regimen and recommendations, then soon there will be no more worms.
The effectiveness of the treatment of ascariasis in adults is checked a month after its completion. Only if there are three negative results for the presence of worms in the feces, the patient can be removed from the dispensary. If helminth eggs were found again, a second course of treatment is prescribed.
Complications
If the treatment of ascariasis in adults has not been successful enough or not taken in time, serious consequences can occur. The most common complication is intestinal obstruction, which occursas a result of closing the lumen with a ball of worms.
Ascaris entering the gallbladder or bile ducts can cause even more problems. In this case, patients usually complain of severe pain, which is not even amenable to the action of strong analgesics. In the end, if the treatment regimen for ascariasis in adults is not changed, this may lead to the appearance of jaundice.
Ascariasis and traditional medicine
Is it possible to get by with little blood and not turn to specialists? The answer, of course, is unequivocal. Not! The doctor will prescribe medications and a diet, as well as advise and tell in detail about the treatment of ascariasis with folk methods. Only in this way can one fully protect oneself from the serious consequences of self-treatment.
Here are a few recipes that traditional medicine suggests using in the fight against worms:
1. Garlic copes well with roundworms. It should be taken up to two times a day: it irritates the helminths, and they tend to get out. The garlic smell works well too. A clove can simply be cut and placed next to it.
2. Onion infusions are also effective. To do this, you need to take one small onion, place it in a bowl and fill it with water only up to half. Fill the remaining space with alcohol. Then cover the container with a lid and insist for 10 days, then use 2 tbsp. l. preferably before meals. The course of treatment lasts 1 week.
3. In the fight against ascariasis in children, herbal remedies are very effective.infusions. For cooking, you need to take 2 tbsp. l. walnut leaves, pour 0.5 liters of boiling water over them. Insist for 2 hours and give to the child at the time when he sits down to eat.
All of the above methods are a kind of home treatment for ascariasis in adults. Reviews of these recipes in most cases, of course, speak of visible and tangible improvements in well-being. However, as statistics show, they are effective only with the advice and supervision of a specialist. Remember, therapy must be comprehensive!
Prevention
It is not enough to know everything about ascariasis and its treatment in order to avoid infection. For complete safety, you must follow the recommended preventive measures, such as:
- Careful observance of personal hygiene rules: be sure to wash your hands before eating, eat only well-washed fruits, vegetables and herbs, etc.
- It is necessary to stop drinking raw water.
- Breaking the habit of constantly biting your nails or licking your fingers.
- Playgrounds should preferably be placed in more sunny places, as roundworms die under the influence of hot rays.
- It is imperative to keep yards clean and prevent them from being polluted with animal feces. The soil should only be fertilized with composted faeces.
Prevention is better than cure. These few tips will help you avoid contracting ascariasis.
