Intestinal parasites are worms that parasitize the human intestine, feed on its contents, or suck blood from the intestinal wall.
In humans, they can cause serious, life-threatening illnesses.They mainly occur in children living in tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, Indonesia, and Central and South America.
They are relatively rare in people from the Mediterranean regions of Europe and southern North America.
The size of an adult can be from 1 millimeter to several meters.They invade the walls of the human intestine and begin to suck blood from it or live there freely using nutrients.
The result of the life activity of such parasites is inflammation of the small or large intestine, ulcers, anemia, vitamin deficiency (mainly A, C, B12).In more severe cases, intestinal obstruction may occur, and then you should contact a surgeon for help.
Larvae can migrate to other organs (liver, spleen, bladder, muscles, lungs, brain), where they form cysts and cause allergic inflammation.
An infestation is the infection of humans, animals or plants by any type of parasite (including worms).
Symptoms of infection
Intestinal parasites can live in a person's intestines for many years without causing any symptoms.
Common symptoms and signs may appear weeks or months after infection and include paleness, weakness, frequent fatigue (from anemia due to blood loss ingested by the worms), sleep disturbances, and weight loss.
Abdominal symptoms can last from several weeks to several months and include:
- Swelling.
- Bad breath.
- Loss of appetite.
- Throw up.
- Itching in the anal region.
- Diarrhea.
- Blood in stool.
- The presence of worms or their particles in the feces.
- Itching and rash on the skin.
- Swelling around the eyes.
Sources of infection
Eggs of intestinal parasites enter the external environment together with infected feces of humans or animals.Outside the human body, the eggs take several days or weeks to develop into cysts or immature worms (larvae), which can enter the human body through dirty hands or by eating raw, unwashed vegetables.
Another source of infection is eating undercooked meat from domestic pigs, fish or wild animals (boar, deer, etc.).
You can also get infected through fleas carried by pets.
A certain type of intestinal parasite can penetrate the skin while swimming or walking barefoot;when they reach the small or large intestine, they begin to develop into adults.
Types of intestinal parasites
Roundworms (nematodes)
Human roundwormfound all over the world.It reaches 16 cm in length and is as thick as a pencil.
Nematodes are found mainly in tropical areas.After entering the intestines, they begin to suck blood from the intestinal wall.
pinworm.A white worm no more than half a centimeter long.At night, they can come to the surface from the anus and lay eggs in its area, which causes severe itching.
Trichinella.They cause trichinosis;you can get infected by eating undercooked, contaminated meat.
They can travel from the intestines to muscles and other organs, where they form cysts, encapsulated forms that are difficult to get rid of.The main symptoms are pain in the abdomen, muscles, joints, swelling of the eyes and skin rashes.
Trematodes
Blood clotscauses intestinal schistosomiasis.They are mainly found in Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean and South America.Their length does not exceed 25 mm and the thickness is about 1 mm.Blood fluke eggs can be found in feces and urine.
Cestodes
Broad tapewormenters the human body by consuming contaminated fish.The length of the parasite can reach 10 m.It is widely distributed in Europe and the United States.
Beef and pork tape.You can get infected by eating undercooked beef or pork.
The parasite is distributed worldwide, and people living in rural areas are particularly susceptible to infection.Adult worms can reach a length of more than 20 m.
Cucumber built a ribbon.It is often found in domestic dogs and cats.Since fleas are the main source of cucumber tapeworm eggs, humans are rarely infected with this intestinal parasite.
Diagnosis and prevention
If you suffer from unexplained bloating, diarrhea, weakness, or weight loss, your doctor should first suspect intestinal parasites as a possible cause.To confirm this, it is necessary to give blood and feces for analysis.
For prevention, it is enough to follow the following recommendations:
- Always wash your hands after using the toilet, working with soil and after contact with pets.
- Do not walk barefoot or swim in shallow water.
- Thoroughly heat treat meat products.
- Get regular medical checkups.