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What worms do humans have?

The cause of many diseases and ill health is helminth infection.Various worms can invade the human body.Their size ranges from the smallest millimeters to 16-18 meters.They parasitize all organs and tissues and cause great harm to health.In order to protect yourself from invasion (infection), it is recommended to know what types of worms there are and how to get infected with each type of parasite.

Parasites from the human body

Types of worms - what parasites live in the human body

Parasites are divided into several categories based on where they live in the body and the characteristics of the infection.

Worms are classified according to their location in the human body:

  1. intestinalare worms that live in the gastrointestinal tract (mainly the small intestine).Sometimes they penetrate other organs.This group includes tapeworms and roundworms.
  2. Extraintestinal– Develop, survive and reproduce in various organs outside the intestines.They can be localized in the lungs, eyes, brain, and liver.This group includes flatworms.
worms from human body

Depending on how they enter the body, worms are classified into:

  1. Contagious– Transmitted from an infected person to a healthy person during contact.Another source of infection is household items: towels, toys.Representatives of this species are dwarf tapeworms and pinworms.
  2. Biohelminthoses– Transmitted through contact with animals, due to consumption of contaminated meat that has not been adequately heat treated.In order to be potentially dangerous to humans, these parasites must survive for a certain period of time in the animal that serves as an intermediate host.This species includes the bovine and pork tapeworms.
  3. Geohelminthiasis– Part of the life cycle is spent in the human body and part in the soil.This is a necessary condition for their development.You can get an infection from improperly washing vegetables and fruits.This group includes roundworms and trichinella spiralis.

There are three types of worms based on their biological characteristics: roundworms, tapeworms, and flukes.

Tapeworm from human body

Roundworms (nematodes)

Roundworms get their name from the round shape of their bodies in cross-section.These parasites are most commonly found in children.This type includes:

  1. Pinworm– Parasitic in the large and small intestines.Their body length does not exceed 1 cm.Most commonly, pinworm worm infection affects children.The lifespan of these parasites is 1-2 months.If personal hygiene is strictly followed, it can be cured even without taking medicine.If not followed, repeated self-infections may occur.
  2. roundworms– Worms up to 45 cm long that live in the small intestine.They can move freely within the intestines.Their lifespan is 14 months.During this time, they release toxins into the bloodstream, systematically poisoning the body.
  3. Whipworm- Worms, body length 3-4 cm.They live in the colon and cecum, penetrating deep into the mucosa and sucking blood.Very toxic.They can live up to 5 years.
  4. Trichinella spiralis– Parasite 3-4 mm in length that can be contracted through meat that has not been adequately heat treated.The worms live in different organs, settling in the muscles of the eyes, heart and lungs.Life expectancy is up to 2 years.
  5. hookworms and hookworms– have the same biological characteristics, developmental cycle and mode of parasitism, so they are combined under the same name “Hookworm”.These worms are 10-15 mm long and are located in the duodenum.They enter the body through the skin after contact with contaminated soil.They suck blood by biting off blood vessels, causing iron deficiency anemia.This parasite is difficult to identify.
Trichinella spiralis from humans

Tapeworm (Tapeworm)

The body of a tapeworm is flat and divided into segments.As the worm grows, the segments separate from the body and are passed out in feces.The length of these banded individuals can reach 20 m.They live in the intestines and attach to the intestinal wall with suckers.

To infect humans, tapeworms must go through one of the developmental stages found in animals.

These parasites live in the body for many years.Representatives of this group:

  1. tapeworm– Length up to 20 m.It lives in the small intestine and causes severe dysfunction of the digestive tract.You may become infected by eating the meat of freshwater fish and crayfish that have not been heat treated.
  2. bull tapeworm- Worms 6-12 m long.Lives in the small intestine, attaching to its mucosa with suckers.The source of infection is beef that has not been properly heat treated.
  3. pork tapeworm– Parasite up to 2 m long, which enters the body through raw or poorly processed pork.Attached to the wall of the small intestine.
  4. Echinococcus– A parasite that can be contracted by cats and dogs.Humans are the intermediate host of this parasite, so when they enter the body, the larvae penetrate the tissue, any organ and form hydatid worms.They can only be removed surgically.
  5. Phytococcus- A type of Echinococcus tapeworm.Very dangerous worms that can live in any organ, but mainly live in the liver.They actively grow and develop according to the principle of cancer metastasis, and gradually infect the whole body.Worms can be removed surgically.
Pork tapeworm from humans

Flukes (trematodes)

Flukes are worms that parasitize any organ or tissue.They feed on epithelial cells.Their length can reach 1.5 m.The body is shaped like a leaf.The route of infection is through eating raw or improperly heat-treated fish and seafood.This type includes:

  1. liver fluke– Worms 7-20 mm long.Parasitizes the liver and bile ducts.Causing the development of serious illness and dysfunction.
  2. Fluke– 4-13 mm long worms found in the gallbladder.
fluke in gallbladder

Symptoms - Signs of Human Worms

The specific manifestations of helminthiasis depend on the type of worms infecting the body and the number of them.Main symptoms of worm infection:

  • diarrhea or constipation;
  • Bloating, gas;
  • muscle and joint pain;
  • anemia;
  • allergic reactions;
  • dermatitis;
  • Weight problems – weight loss or obesity;
  • sleep disorders;
  • Nervous, irritable, depressed state;
  • Apathy, fatigue;
  • Cough, inflammation of the respiratory tract;
  • Decreased immunity.
Insomnia is a symptom of worms in the body

How to tell if there are bugs

If symptoms appear that may indicate the presence of worms, it's worth getting a diagnosis.The following tests will help identify parasites:

  1. Fecal examination.
  2. blood test.
  3. Studies of duodenal secretions.
  4. Perianal and rectal mucus analysis.
  5. Ultrasound, tomography, endoscopy.

If you take 3-4 tests several days apart, you can be confident in your diagnosis.One analysis is not sufficient to confirm the absence of helminth infection.

A person may be affected by one worm or multiple worms at the same time.All of these, no matter how big or small, can cause serious health problems and are causative factors in complex chronic diseases that cannot be cured for many years.To eliminate the risk of infection, regular diagnosis and preventive treatment are required.This is especially true for pet owners.