Human parasitic diseases (from the Greek parasitos - "something without labor") are a large group of diseases in the "Infectious Diseases" section that are caused by unicellular and multicellular parasites.
A parasite is a living organism that lives inside a host and obtains food from or at the expense of the host, that is, it lives a parasitic lifestyle.They can all live in the human body, some completely unnoticed, and some can cause serious damage to health.
Pathogens of parasitic diseases
There are three main categories of parasites that can cause disease in humans:
Protozoa are microscopic, single-celled organisms that can be free-living or parasitic.Their ability to reproduce within humans aids their survival, but also allows serious infections to develop from just one organism.
Helmins (from Greek helmins - "worm") are large multicellular organisms, usually visible to the naked eye in their adult stages.Like protozoa, worms can be free-living or parasitic.After reaching adulthood, the worms cannot reproduce in humans.
Ectoparasites: This term usually refers more narrowly to organisms such as ticks, fleas, and lice that attach to or burrow into the skin and remain there for long periods of time (weeks to months).The arthropods themselves may cause infections or carry other diseases.
List of parasitic infections: amoebiasis, ascariasis, hymenomethiasis, dilofilariasis, clonorchiasis, cryptosporidiosis, giardiasis, malaria (imported cases), opiodosis, taeniasis, taeniasis, toxoplasmosis, toxoplasmosis, trichinellosis, trichocephalosis, cysticercosis, pinworms, hydatid disease.
Signs of parasitic disease.
Their manifestations vary, depending on the type and location of the parasite, as well as the host's immunity level.
Protozoa most commonly cause diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms.Heartworm infection can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea (diarrhoea), muscle pain, coughing, skin lesions, malnutrition, weight loss, difficulty coordinating movement and speech, seizures, and many other symptoms, depending on the individual organism and the severity of the infection.
Diagnosis and treatment of parasitic diseases
Diagnosis of parasitic diseases includes:
- Clinical blood tests.
- Blood tests for parasite-specific antibodies and antigens.
- Blood smear.
- Analysis of worms and parasite eggs in feces.
- Endoscopic investigation methods (e.g., colonoscopy for complex diagnoses).
- X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed tomography (CT) scans check for severe damage to internal organs caused by parasites.
Treatment plan will depend on the specific diagnosis.Typically, the medication is prescribed in tablet form and sometimes requires hospitalization, including surgery.
Other treatments may also be recommended to help relieve your symptoms (diet, water).
Prevent parasitic diseases
Prevention is always easier than cure, and there are easy ways to protect yourself.
Don’t eat:
- Undercooked fish, crab and shellfish;
- undercooked meat;
- aquatic plants;
- Raw vegetables that may be contaminated with human or animal feces.
Parasites can live in natural water sources, so when swimming:
- Do not swallow water;
- Don’t let your child defecate in the water, take your child to the toilet every hour to check their diapers, and change diapers in the bathroom or diaper changing area rather than the pool to avoid introducing bacteria into the pool;
- Do not swim or allow children to swim if you have diarrhea;
- Conduct minor inspections (contamination);
- Shower for at least 1 minute and then immerse yourself in the water.
Pets can carry parasites and transmit them to humans.A zoonotic disease is a disease that is spread between animals and humans.Sometimes people infected with zoonotic diseases show no symptoms.Others may experience symptoms such as diarrhea, muscle aches and fever.
Regular veterinary care will protect your pet and your family.There are some simple steps you can take to protect yourself and your family from diseases carried by animals.Make sure your pet is under the care of a veterinarian.
Practice four rules:
- Collect animal waste promptly and dispose of it properly.Always wash your hands after handling household waste.
- Wash your hands frequently, especially after handling animals, and avoid contact with animal feces.
- Follow proper food handling procedures to reduce the risk of contamination from contaminated food.
- For people with weakened immune systems, use caution when handling animals that may spread these infections.