According to statistics, 60% of the world's population is infected with parasites. They include protozoa, helminths, and microbes that feed on the host organism. Reproducing inside, they lead to various diseases of organs and systems, and can even cause death. Getting rid of them after diagnosis should begin immediately. Consider what worms can parasitize in the human brain.
Helminthiases
Many people associate helminths with the intestines, but they are able to migrate to various organs: the eyes, lungs, skin, muscles, liver, there are even worms in the brain. In this case, the pathological consequences can be very severe. The problem is complicated by the fact that diagnosis in such cases is difficult, so treatment, as a rule, does not begin immediately.
Worms in the brain is a very unpleasant and life-threatening phenomenon. Other parasites living in the CNS can be:
- Amebas Entamoeba histolitica, Naegleria and Acanthamoeba. They cause amoebic meningoencephalitis.
- Protozoa - Toxoplasmagondii causing toxoplasmosis.
- Nematodes of the genus Dirofilaria from the class of roundworms that cause dirofilariasis.
But these pathologies are not typical for the Russian region.
The most common parasites in the brain
These are 2 types of tapeworms (cestodes) - cysticerci and echinococci. These worms in the brain are found most often. The phenomenon also takes place on the territory of Russia. Helminthiases are characterized by their symptoms and treatment methods. They are not as rare as many people think. Therefore, some of their properties need to be known.
Cysticercosis
Pork tapeworm eggs enter the brain from the gastrointestinal tract. Their heads are up to 2 mm in size, 4 suckers and 22-32 hooks, with which the worm is attached to the intestinal wall. Each segment contains about 50 thousand eggs. The source of infection is the feces of a sick person, which contains tapeworm segments and mature eggs.
To be infected, it is enough to eat with unwashed hands so that the eggs can enter the stomach. Poorly thermally processed pork is also important, for example, in barbecue.
In addition, when a patient vomits, reinvasion can occur - when eggs can enter the patient's stomach with vomit. Pig farm workers are at risk.
Adult lives in the intestines, multiplies at a high rate. When it enters the stomach, under the action of hydrochloric acid, the shell of the eggs dissolves and the hatched small larvae (Finns), together with the bloodstream, begin to circulate through the body of their victim.
Penetration is possible in the duodenum by the same principle. In 80% of cases of extraintestinal invasion, they settle in the brain. Here they can live for about 5-30 years. The disease they cause is taeniasis.
And a complication when the larvae enter the brain is neurocysticercosis. This condition is more dangerous, as it is more difficult to treat.
The second place in the frequency of penetration of worm larvae is the eyes. It is possible to identify pork tapeworm only in 5% of cases. When settling in the organ, the parasites turn into cysticercus - they form a bubble that matures within 4 months. It is a liquid-filled, transparent capsule, ranging in size from a pea to a nut (3-15 mm in diameter).
The larva in it can easily exist from 3 to 10 years. There may be hundreds, thousands, but there are also single worms.
Another option for getting worms into the human brain is swimming in untreated reservoirs. For infection in this case, it is enough to dive a couple of times. Through the ear openings, helminths enter the body of the victim. If a few days after swimming in a pond or reservoir, pus begins to stand out from the ears, they will hurt, be examined for the presence of parasites. On the inner surface of the cysticercus is the future head of the worm (scolex) with hooks and suckers.
In the brain, the Finn's habitat is the pia mater at the base of the brain, the superficial sections of the cortex, the cavity of the ventricles, where they can swim freely. When it dies, the tapeworm calcifies, but remains in the brain and maintains chronic inflammation. Photo of worms in the brainperson are shown below.
Echinococcosis
Echinococci are also tapeworms, but they parasitize in the intestines of dogs, wolves, jackals, less often cats. Mature individuals reach 7 mm in length and have 2 to 6 segments. There are 4 suckers on the head, a double crown, consisting of 35-40 hooks.
The main carriers are representatives of the Canine family. Sexually mature individuals live on the mucous membranes of their small intestine. They are not only excreted in the feces, but also spread freely through the coat of their wearer.
Intermediate hosts - sheep, cows, goats. They become infected when they eat dirty grass.
A person also becomes a carrier of echinococcus by drinking milk and eating meat, cheese, sour cream of these animals. It is an intermediate host for parasites, here they go through their larval stage, which can last for decades, proceed without symptoms. A person will not even suspect the presence of helminths.
The disease caused is echinococcosis. You can get infected through unwashed hands and dirty water after contact with animals.
A larva (oncosphere) hatches from an egg in the intestine. Thanks to its adaptations, it penetrates the intestinal wall into the bloodstream and is carried to the liver, brain and other organs.
Here a bubble is formed from the oncosphere (bubble stage Finns). Secondary and even tertiary bubbles can form on its walls, on which future heads form. Echinococcus blisters grow slowly but can reach the size of a headchild. A photo of worms in the brain is presented below.
Common symptoms of tapeworm parasitism
Helminths in the brain can be in different numbers and different places - the symptoms also depend on this. It includes 4 main syndromes:
- Cerebral syndrome.
- Focal.
- High blood pressure syndrome.
- Mental dysfunction.
Signs of cerebral symptoms of worms in the brain are:
- Migraine pains of varying intensity.
- Vomiting.
- Violation of consciousness.
- Hyperhidrosis.
- Pale skin.
- A blockage in the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid, which increases headaches and vomiting.
Pain often corresponds to the location of parasites.
If the worm larvae in the brain are in the cavity of the 4th ventricle, dizziness is noted when turning the head.
Focus symptoms are characterized by:
- Epileptic seizures.
- Paresis of facial muscles and tongue.
- Speech impairment.
- Paralysis of the body.
Seizures in cysticercosis are special - they are spasmodic, with an uneven frequency, tend to increase and increase. An increase in pressure is accompanied by stagnation of the optic disc.
Mental disorders develop with any helminthiasis of the brain. First, the changes relate to mood: hypochondria, depression, tantrums. Then there are sleep disturbances - insomnia. Later, nervous breakdowns become permanent.
Maydevelop psychosis with delusions, hallucinations and dementia, there may be interruptions in the work of the cardiovascular system, a sharp visual impairment. Worms can lead to the development of tumors.
Signs of cysticercosis
Symptomatic manifestations of the disease are as follows:
- Fever.
- Migraines and vomiting.
- Weakness, malaise, constant lethargy.
- Inflammation of the meninges.
- Degradation and dementia are not excluded.
When parasites live on the base of the brain, meningitis develops.
In general, the symptoms of worms in the human brain are quite clear. Parasites poison and sensitize the body, the growing worm begins to put pressure on the surrounding tissues, causing a severe headache, with cysticercosis, Bruns syndrome develops.
This phenomenon indicates the stay of the parasite in the 4th ventricle of the brain. A person occasionally has a severe headache, vomiting. The patient is forced to keep his head in a constant position. Tachycardia and shortness of breath are noted. There may be loss of consciousness.
Signs of echinococcosis
The disease begins with headache, dizziness, vomiting, blurred vision and convulsive seizures, superimposed muscle weakness. With diffuse lesions, the development of dementia is also possible.
Diagnostic measures
Symptoms of worms in the brain cause changes in the composition of the patient's blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Eosinophilia is noted in the blood - up to 12% of the norm. ATcerebrospinal fluid contains an abnormally increased number of lymphocytes with a predominance of eosinophils, protein and succinic acid.
Small calcifications are observed on the X-ray of the head. MRI and CT are also used for diagnosis.
Test methods for echinococcosis are slightly different and include:
- Ultrasound of all internal organs of the abdominal cavity and small pelvis.
- EEG.
- General blood and urine tests.
- Blood biochemistry and detection of antibodies to the parasite.
- Chest x-ray.
In most cases, echinococcosis is diagnosed incidentally.
Principles of treatment
Neurocysticercosis has existed for years without symptoms. After the diagnosis is clarified, treatment can only be prescribed by a parasitologist or infectious disease specialist.
Therapy of neurocysticercosis is always individual, it is carried out medically and surgically. Drug treatment consists in the use of anthelmintic drugs, which include Nemozol, Azinox, Cestox, Paraziquantel, Sanoxal, Albendazole with analogues. The latter drug is especially effective. The action of all means is aimed at the destruction of parasites and their larvae.
Decomposition products of helminths have a toxic and sensitizing effect on the surrounding brain tissue. After the use of medications, symptoms may worsen. Therefore, anti-inflammatory and hormonal drugs become an addition to treatment.
Diuretics are prescribed to relieve swelling. If necessary, prescribe antiemetics and analgesics for headaches.pain.
With single blisters located in relatively easily accessible areas of the cerebral cortex, surgical removal of parasites is performed. This intervention gives a complete cure (with rare exceptions). With multiple lesions, this is impossible, and the prognosis is much worse.
With echinococcosis, surgical removal is preferable, here it is more effective. The treatment is supplemented by the subsequent intake of drugs.
Chemotherapy used to be used to treat inoperable patients.
Prevention
The simplest measures to help avoid the appearance of worms in the brain are hygiene and rules for working with animals. Meat should be cooked well. The same applies to other products.
Raw vegetables and fruits must be thoroughly washed under running water. Well, spring and stream water cannot be used as a drink without boiling.
