Helminthiasis is a large group of parasitic diseases caused by certain types of parasites - worms.Most helminthiasis have similar clinical manifestations and treatments.
Parasites: from ancient times to modern times
Common helminth diseases such as pinworms and ascariasis have been known for a long time.As early as the 16th century BC, the ancient Egyptian medical treatise "Ebers Papyrus" mentioned the invasion of human beings by bovine tapeworms and roundworms.Hippocrates himself was very concerned about worms.It was they who proposed the concepts of "helminth disease" and "ascariasis".
In the early 18th century, the German microbiologist Karl Rudolf collected a complete collection of parasitic worms during his studies of large numbers of animals.Soon, the science of parasites emerged - helminthology.
In 1884, a famous scientist and doctor established a causal relationship between tapeworm parasitism in the human body and the patient's anemia.
An outstanding scientist and academician who made great contributions to the development and establishment of helminthology, he organized the first department of parasitology and opened institutions dedicated to the study of helminths.On his initiative, more than three hundred parasitological expeditions were carried out, in which he was directly involved.
Parasitologists have described more than five hundred parasites previously unknown to science.The doctor himself discovered and described more than two hundred new species of worms and published more than seven hundred scientific papers.
By the way, parasitic infections are known to aggravate the course of concomitant diseases, especially chronic decompensated diseases.Worm infection can negatively affect growth, work ability, and can have a suppressive effect on the body's immune and nervous systems.
Parasitic Infections: Types of Worms
Worms can be divided into three main categories: tapeworms (tapeworms), roundworms (nematodes), and flukes (flukes).Nematodes are classified as roundworms, while tapeworms and flukes are classified as flatworms.Humans can serve as intermediate or definitive hosts for parasites.
The causative agents of helminth diseases such as roundworms, pinworms, trichinellosis, hookworms, whipworms, and strongyloidiasis are nematodes.Tapeworms can cause echinococcosis, cystic coccosis, diye filariasis, taeniasis, taeniasis, hymenococcosis, etc.Flukes can cause opiates, clonorchiasis, paragonimiasis, opisthiniasis, fascioliasis, etc.
Depending on the location of the parasite in the body, there are:
- Luminal helminthiasis.
- Tissue helminthiasis.
- Hepatobiliary helminthiasis.In this case, the parasitic infection affects the liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts (opiozoasis, clonorchiasis).
- Pulmonary worm disease.
Helminthiasis can be divided into the following types:
- Geoworm disease.In this case, the parasite develops with the participation of non-living substrates (water, soil).
- Infectious helminthiasis.Worm development occurs within a microorganism, such as pinworms.
- Biological helminthiasis is the development of worms with the involvement of an intermediate host.A typical example is the tapeworm Etaenia, which has a complex developmental cycle and host changes.
Incidentally, it has been established that intestinal parasites in the body promote the release of Th2 cytokines, thereby suppressing Th1 cytokines.In this regard, people with helminth infections are at higher risk of contracting a specific disease, such as tuberculosis.
Internal parasites: main symptoms
The main clinical syndromes of helminth infection include:
malnutrition syndrome
It is understood that this parasite consumes the host's nutrients in the human body, causing protein energy deficiency, vitamin deficiency and anemia in the host.This usually occurs when the body is damaged by tapeworms and roundworms that live in the intestines.
immunosuppressive syndrome
When worms stay in the body for a long time, they can produce immunosuppressive effects and reduce resistance to various microbial and viral infections.
toxic allergic organ damage
It's a spectrum of diseases - heart (myocarditis), liver (hepatitis), lungs (pneumonia), brain (encephalopathy).Until hemorrhagic necrotic damage occurs to internal organs.
Local damage to organs and tissues
Most often, it dominates during the chronic phase and is determined by the positioning of the worm.Thus, hookworms and tapeworms have a traumatic effect on the intestinal mucosa, Opisthorchis damages the biliary tract, and schistosomiasis damages the mucosa of the large intestine and urethra.
By the way, helminth infection has been shown to reduce the effectiveness of vaccination.Some worms, such as Schistosoma, Opisthorchis, and Chinese Flukes, can trigger the development of cancer.The so-called parasitism theory of cancer demonstrates this.Particularly dangerous is long-term chronic opisthorchiasis, which may ultimately lead to biliary tract cancer.
When should you see a doctor?
The following conditions may indicate that a person has parasites:
- Various types of allergic reactions, including unspecified recurrent urticaria, that do not go away even with hormones and desensitization medications.
- Decreased or conversely increased appetite.
- Physical exhaustion.
- Itching in the anal area - especially in the evening or at night.
- Indigestion.
- Erratic stools - diarrhea or constipation.
- Chronic dry cough in children (usually at night) - Chronic "barking" cough.
- Increased levels of eosinophils in the blood are called eosinophilia.
- Anemia, especially vitamin B12 deficiency.
- Asthenic syndrome - general weakness, fatigue, malaise.Of course, these symptoms can be attributed to a variety of illnesses.However, if a child is experiencing incomprehensible increases in fatigue or moodiness, poor night's sleep, or nervousness, it makes sense to get tested for parasites.
If any of these signs appear, consult a parasitologist or infectious disease specialist.