Parasites in the human body: symptoms and treatment

Parasites that live in the human body

Different types of parasites can live in the human body.

Even the orderly and careful people sometimes encounter such annoyances.

More than 200 types of parasites are found in the human body.

They affect any organ and system of the human body, down to the brain.




Where do parasites live in the body?

Usually parasites live in:

  • intestine;
  • lung;
  • Liver;
  • muscle;
  • joints;
  • a heart.

Types of parasites in humans

Worms can refer to:

  1. roundworms (pinworms, roundworms, whipworms and others);
  2. flatworms;
  3. flukes.

It is not possible to get rid of flatworms or flukes with elective drugs or folk remedies.

To preserve a person's life and health, you need to go to the hospital.

Another common parasite is Toxoplasma gondi. Toxoplasmosis is asymptomatic and progresses intracellularly.

You can get it from newly infected pets, or from contact with raw meat from sick animals.

Normally, the human body makes the necessary antibodies and prevents the disease from developing.

If the immune system is weak at the time of infection, toxoplasmosis causes:

  • temperature rises sharply to 38 - 39 degrees;
  • changes in the state of the eyes;
  • muscle pain;
  • swollen lymph nodes in the neck.

The disease can lead to the fetus having dangerous diseases for pregnant women.

How to infect parasites

Parasitic infections occur in a number of ways. They are grouped into four categories.

Category Description
Geohelminthiasis Infection occurs by contact with soil containing helminth eggs.
Contact Trichinosis can be passed from person to person through close contact. This is how pinworms are spread in groups of children.
Biological filariasis The disease begins when eating poorly processed meat or fish. Grilled meat and raw fish that are not carefully rolled will lead to infection with dangerous parasites.
Infection of insect bites cắn Some parasites are transmitted to humans through insect bites. Such cases are rare in temperate climates.

The danger is caused by water from streams, wells and reservoirs. If not boiled before eating, you can become infected with certain types of parasites.

Symptoms of parasites in humans

When the parasite lives in the human body, a variety of symptoms appear.

They are sometimes very similar to the signs of other diseases that a person begins to treat not for helminths but for another.

Children's nerves, which are frequent companions of helminthic invasions, can be treated for a long time and in vain with soothing herbs and medicines until the parasites are found. coincide.

You can also spend a lot of effort and money to treat upset stomach and intestines.

To avoid these errors, they are checked for the presence of parasites at the first symptoms:

  1. stool disorders, flatulence;
  2. unreasonable changes in appetite and body weight;
  3. reduced immunity;
  4. grinding teeth in a dream;
  5. stress and depression;
  6. frequent allergic reactions, urticaria.

Diagnosis of human parasites

Parasites that live outside the activities of the human body cause significant damage to health.

They obtain for themselves nutrients and useful compounds found in the host's body.

Some parasites release harmful products of their vital activity into the bloodstream, which leads to deterioration of human health.

Sometimes the parasites do not cause unpleasant symptoms. A person can only learn about such infections during a physical exam.

Infections with parasites that live outside the intestines are less common. To identify worms, a stool and blood test is usually sufficient.

In some cases, it is required to pass some stool tests, as well as undergo several other tests.

If a doctor suspects a person has parasites but can't detect them, they may be prescribed:

  • linked immunosorbent assay;
  • Supersonic;
  • Computerized tomography;
  • endoscopy and other manipulations to quickly determine the cause of the disease.

Wanderers often profit from the fear of worms, who report the presence of parasites in all patients, without exception, and treat them individuallyinvention.

It doesn't make sense to come into contact with such people, because with the current level of medicine, specialists will identify and cure all known parasites in any disease. which institute.

Treatment of human parasites

The treatment plan depends on:

  1. the type and degree of danger of the parasite;
  2. the age, weight and health of the patient;
  3. the habitat of the parasites and their numbers.

If you can get rid of pinworms without visiting a doctor, then parasites such as bovine tapeworm or schistosomiasis require the mandatory involvement of a specialist.

Sometimes the treatment requires the patient to be in the hospital.

For example, in the treatment of flukes, it is necessary to prepare the human body to expel the parasites. These procedures take about two weeks.

Their goal is to normalize the flow of bile, prevent allergic reactions, and protect the liver from toxic drugs.

It is not possible to choose an appropriate action plan on your own, and neglecting to prepare will harm human health.

For this reason, you cannot self-medicate in case of infection with dangerous parasites.

If one of the family members is infected with worms, which is transmitted from person to person, the whole family and pets should take deworming medicine.

For animals, the drug should be selected separately, since not all drugs from the pharmacy are suitable for them.

Drugs to treat parasites in humans

Today, parasites can be eliminated with the help of many drugs.

The choice of drug should be left to the doctor, since the effectiveness of pharmacies against worms of different types can vary.

Medicines for dangerous helminths are toxic enough for humans.

For this reason, some of them are not sold in pharmacies. These drugs can only be purchased and used in the hospital.

You can try to get rid of less dangerous parasites with the help of popular medicines.

The ideal drug in this field is considered a drug that has a deworming effect, but does not harm the human body.

To choose the right medicine, they will find out the exact name of the parasite to get rid of.

If you do not have this information, you need to see a parasitologist to choose a medication.

Dewormers are classified as:

  • against roundworms;
  • protivotrematodozny;
  • protivocestodoznyh.

Some drugs fall into several of these categories at the same time.

Folk remedies for human parasites

Traditional medicine offers its own methods of treating helminthiasis.

They should only be used when the parasite lives in the intestines and is not life-threatening.

Popular recipes based on:

  1. onions and garlic;
  2. Lemon;
  3. alcohol tincture;
  4. Seeds;
  5. medicine.

Herbal treatment requires special care. To some extent, poisonous plants (ferns, tansy, wormwood, and others) are used as anthelmintics.

They can be severely poisoned, and some can cause bleeding. Most of these herbs should not be taken by children and pregnant women.

When choosing folk remedies, it should be remembered that:

  • some herbs can seriously damage health;
  • the use of antiparasitic alcohol does not give long-term results and is contraindicated in children, and it is not recommended to mix it with dewormers;
  • Excessive consumption of spicy and acidic foods can have a negative effect on digestion.

If you suspect a parasitic infection, you should go to the hospital for tests.

Modern methods of diagnosis and treatment can save a person from such diseases.

Prevention of parasites in humans

It will be possible to avoid the appearance of parasites in the body if you follow some of the following rules:

  • when preparing food yourself, must thoroughly heat-treat meat and fish;
  • do not eat fried meat and raw fish, even if they are served in trusted establishments;
  • wash hands with soap and water after working with the ground and visiting public places;
  • monitor the health of young children and pets;
  • from an early age, teach the child to observe the rules of hygiene;
  • periodically use a safe dewormer for pets for prevention;
  • Boil any water for a few minutes before using.