What parasites live in the human body

Different types of worms can live in the human body. Nobody is safe from parasites, general information about helminths is important information for everyone. Knowing the routes of invasion and the features of parasitism of various worms, it will be possible to significantly reduce the risk of infection. Consider the classification of worm species.

roundworms

Roundworms are the most common type of worms. Another name for them is nematodes. This is a group of parasites whose body is round in cross section. Their length varies from 5 mm to 40 cm, they settle mainly in the intestines, but can also be localized in other organs and tissues.

The high prevalence of this parasite is due to its easy transmission. For the development he does not have to change the owner. Nematodes are transmitted from person to person or by eating unwashed vegetables and fruits. Especially massive helminthiasis of this type, called dirty hands disease, is diagnosed in children. Such representatives of nematodes settle in the human body:

1. Pinworms are small worms with a greyish body 5-10mm long. Localized in the intestine, they cause the disease enterobiasis. Infection occurs when the eggs enter the body through the mouth. For 2 weeks the worm goes through a development cycle to a sexually mature individual. These parasites live 1-2 months, disrupting the normal functioning of the digestive tract and causing exhaustion. What the worm looks like can be seen in the photo.
2. Roundworms are large worms that provoke the development of ascariasis. The length of their spindle-shaped body is 20-40 cm. They parasitize in the small intestine, but in the process of development penetrate into the liver, heart and lungs. The worms travel throughout the body, damaging internal organs and ducts. The lifespan of parasites is 12-14 months. Infection with them adversely affects health, leads to allergies, indigestion, internal bleeding, intestinal obstruction. Roundworms can cause developmental delays in children. The route of infection is through unwashed hands, dirty products.
3. Vlasoklavy - worms with a body 3-5 cm long, localized in the large intestine. It sticks to its walls and absorbs blood. Causes trichuriasis. This is a very toxic parasite that greatly poisons the body. The service life is up to 5 years. All this time it provokes problems with appetite and defecation, anemia and abdominal pain. May cause acute appendicitis when injected into the appendix.
4. Trichinella - worms, the length of which does not exceed 2-5 mm. Despite their small size, they cause a serious disease - trichinosis. Its symptoms are fever, swelling, allergies, high temperature. You can get infected through the meat of game, pigs. These worms infect muscle tissue, particularly facial muscles, and the respiratory tract. After 3-4 weeks, the larvae that have penetrated the muscles are encapsulated. recovery is coming. However, with a massive infection, a fatal outcome is possible.
5. Toxocara is a worm that parasitizes in the body of dogs. It looks like a roundworm because it has the same spindle-shaped body, 15-30 cm long. When its larvae enter the human body, the disease toxocariasis occurs. In the human body, Toxocara cannot develop into a sexually mature individual, therefore its larvae migrate throughout the body, causing damage to internal organs, allergies and other diseases.

How intense the symptoms of infection with roundworms will be depends on the number of worms that have entered the body, as well as the state of health of the person.

tapeworms

Among the most dangerous worms found in humans, tapeworms, or cestodes, play the leading role. Given their enormous size, which can reach up to 18 m, it becomes clear how harmful they are to health. Cestodes are divided into tapeworms and tapeworms. They require a change of ownership to complete their entire life cycle. A mandatory stage of development is the existence of ungulates in the body. Consider a brief description of the most common representatives of the species:

1. Broad tapeworm - a worm 10-15 m long, causing the development of diphyllobothriasis. It settles in the small intestine after a person eats raw or undercooked (uncooked) freshwater fish infected with worm eggs. Causes severe abdominal pain, anemia, indigestion. This worm, like most cestodes, has a frightening appearance.
2. Tapeworm is a worm that enters the body by eating contaminated pork. These 8-meter worms, parasitizing in the intestines, cause the development of teniasis, accompanied by severe digestive disorders, nervous dysfunction and allergies.
3. Bull tapeworm - a type of tapeworm with a size of 18 m. This is one of the largest human worms. It causes the development of teniarinhoza, leads to intestinal obstruction, physical and nervous exhaustion. You can contract this worm by eating the affected beef. The worm is localized in the small intestine.
4. Echinococcus is a tapeworm that parasitizes in the body of cats and dogs. People for this parasite are an intermediate host, but despite this, the worm larvae provoke the development of a very complex disease, echinococcosis. Worm eggs develop into the larval stage, which penetrates the tissues of all organs and quickly forms cysts. They can only be surgically removed.

flukes

Flukes or trematodes are a type of worm with suction cups on the surface of the body. With their help, worms burrow into the walls of internal organs, tissues, and thus feed, absorbing useful substances and blood. The bodies of these helminths have a flat shape, they can reach a length of up to 1. 5 m and visually resemble a leaf of a tree. The main source of trematode infection is eating poorly cooked or fried fish and seafood. In the course of development they have to change 1-2 intermediate hosts. The main types of flukes that parasitize in the human body:

1. The liver fluke is a helminth that provokes the development of opisthorchiasis. In length reaches 7-20 mm. It affects the bile, liver and pancreas ducts. Against the background of infection with this parasite, an ulcer, cholecystitis and pancreatitis develop. Learn more about the liver fluke.
2. Fluke - a worm 8-13 mm long that parasitizes in the gallbladder, as well as in its ducts. In the early stages of the invasion there is a high temperature, pain in the muscles, joints, indigestion, then the symptoms become less pronounced. This is evidence that the disease has progressed to the chronic stage.

Treatment - medication for all types of worms

To destroy the worms, you need to take anthelmintics. But first you need to determine what kind of helminthiasis struck the body. Based on the results of the diagnosis, drugs are selected. They are divided into 2 types:

• narrowly targeted - are assigned to the destruction of various types of helminths;
• broad targeting - are considered universal, since they destroy almost all types of worms, they are useful for preventing helminth invasion.

The most popular are antihelminthic tablets and suspensions with the following active substances:

• mebendazole;
• pirantula;
• piperazine;
• carbendacyme;
• levamisole;
• pirvinium embonate;
• albendazole.

The regime, as well as the duration of treatment with tablets, should be determined by the doctor, since anthelmintics have many contraindications and side effects.

In addition, during antihelminthic therapy, you can use folk recipes. Many plants are characterized by anthelmintic properties - garlic, onions, pumpkin seeds, herbs, spices, ginger. On their basis, anthelmintic infusions, decoctions and other means are prepared, the use of which will help cleanse the body.

Fighting any kind of worms brings enormous health problems. Given how dangerous they are, it is important to take preventive measures to reduce the risk of an infestation. To do this, it is enough to follow the rules of hygiene, eat meat and fish that have only undergone full heat treatment, and thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables.

Contact your doctor at the first sign of infection. The less time worms live in the body, the easier it is to get rid of the consequences of parasitism.

Which parasites in the human body do we know?

The human body is an ideal platform for the life and reproduction of most microorganisms, including helminths. Each species has its own morphological differences and characteristics. You need to know what the representatives of helminths look like and what the difference between them is.

Parasites in the human body are a common pathological condition. Features of the structure and type of helminths directly depend on the class to which they belong.

classification

There are three major classes of parasites that pose a threat to human life and health:

• flatworms (Class Tape);
• roundworms (class nematodes);
• Flukes (Class Trematodes).

All parasites in the human body are of great danger, regardless of their class or species.

All representatives of the main classes can parasitize both in the body of an adult and a child. Consider the most famous representatives and the differences between them.

Tape class features

Representatives of the species are also called flatworms. This name was given to them due to the structural features of the body, which has a flat shape. There are more than 1500 species of tapeworms. The most dangerous representatives of this class for humans were united under the common name of Cestode.

A distinctive feature of all worms is their body, which has a ribbon-like shape and is divided into segments. Body sizes in length can be different - from a few millimeters to several tens of centimeters. On the front side of the worm there is a scolex - a head that bears the organs necessary for fixation - suckers, proboscis. After the head comes the neck, and then there is a large number of segments.

The cervical zone is responsible for the growth of the helminth, therefore young segments are located closer to the head, and old ones towards the tail part of the body. Each ancient segment has in its composition the male and female reproductive systems, that is, it is considered hermaphrodite.

wide band

This representative of the species is considered the largest of all parasitic worms. There were cases when it reached a length of up to 20 meters. The worm's head is oval in shape, it has two narrow slits that allow the helmet to stick to the surface and change the position of its body.

Like all flatworms, the tapeworm is a hermaphrodite. Its mature segments form eggs, which then emerge through the uterine openings. Worm eggs can be yellow to brown, have an operculum on one end and a bump on the other.

Pork Tapeworm (Armed Tapeworm)

The next representative of the class tapeworms. Its body is white and can reach 5 meters in length. The name "armed" went to the helminths due to the presence of a double crown of hooks located on the scolex. The segments are square and hermaphrodite.

Each segment has a uterus in the center and ovaries that occupy a space between the uterus and the vagina. The testicles are located on the sides of the female reproductive system.

unarmed tapeworm

This representative is also called bull tapeworm. He was "unarmed" due to the lack of hooks on his head, compared to pork tapeworms. Bull tapeworm is the second largest worm after a broad tapeworm. In structure, it completely resembles an armed tapeworm. Also has a white color. Parasitic worms reproduce in the intestines of the intermediate or primary host.

All tapeworms in the human body look the same. A distinction between the species is only possible with the help of laboratory tests.

Representatives of trematodes and their description

Flukes are human parasites that can cause serious diseases to develop. The main representatives of the class of medical interest:

• cat flukes;
• lanceolate fluke;
• lung flukes;
• liver fluke.

A feature of the body of worms of this class is the presence of all kinds of formations for attachment and movement: spikes, suckers and other devices. The length of their body varies from a few millimeters to 4-5 cm. They all have a pink or grayish color, an elongated shape in the form of a leaf.

The cat leech is a small worm. The body length is 1. 5 cm, has an elongated shape, slightly expanding towards the tail. In front of the body there are two suckers that distinguish it from other representatives. The male reproductive system is closer to the tail, and the uterus occupies an intermediate position. It is large and contains a large number of eggs.

The body of the lung fluke is brown in color and shaped like an ellipse or a coffee bean. The shape of the helminth is oval and wide. The entire body of the worm is covered with small spike-like structures on the outside, which are involved in movement and changing its position in space.

The lanceolate fluke reaches a length of 8-10 mm. Its head and tail are slightly elongated. Under the abdominal sucker is the male reproductive system in the form of two testicles, as well as the female, represented by an ovary and the body of the uterus. The ventral sucker is close to the oral.

Nematodes and their diversity

Species of helminths in this class are called roundworms. Her body, when drawing a cross section, has a round shape, which served as the basis for such a name. The ends of the nematode body have a pointed and elongated shape. Vlasoglav, human roundworm, pinworm and trichinella are the main representatives that most often cause human helminthiases. This is what worms look like:

1. Pinworm is a worm that parasitizes in the colon. More often causes the development of diseases in children. Representatives are small, the body of the female is twice as large as that of the male. Pinworms are whitish in color, sometimes with a gray tint. There is a swelling in front of the body that allows the worm to attach itself to the walls of the intestine.
2. The human roundworm is a worm that grows to half a meter in length. The female is about 2 times larger than the male. The body is oval in shape, elongated forward and backward. From the side of the tail there is a slight bend, directed towards the abdomen. The movement of helminths occurs with the help of a well-developed muscular layer located under an impenetrable shell consisting of a large number of layers.
3. Vlasoglav can differ in the color of his body. It can be white or red-grey. The front of the worm is much thinner than the back. On the back are all the organs of the helminth. The worm has a small length - from 3 to 5 cm. The female differs from the male in the curvature of its tail. In the female, the tail has a spiral shape, while in the male it is arranged in the form of an arc.
4. Trichinella - the smallest representatives of the class. Their size is only a few millimeters. Visually, these are threadlike worms, the body of which is narrowed in front and covered with a cuticle.

Lamblia

Intestinal Giardia belongs to the order Diplomonades of the class Flagellates. This is a separate type of worms, which is also dangerous for the human body, especially for children. Parasites cause the development of giardiasis.

The body of the Giardia is pear-shaped, with the front end rounded and broad. The rear end is sharp and slightly narrowed. The size of the representatives of the class is so small that it is impossible to distinguish them with the naked eye.

The determination of the worm parasites in the intestine is only possible under laboratory conditions.

A feature of the parasite's body is the presence of two nuclei and two sets of organelles. The organelles include two medial bodies and eight flagella.

Symptoms and treatment of parasites in human lungs

Not everyone knows that there are worms in the lungs, the symptoms of the disease are not so easy to identify. The topic of parasites in the body is often wrongly ignored by most people, believing that it is not about them. But many people are infected with parasites. The difficulty in finding worms lies in the fact that there are thousands of species. Signs of the presence of parasites are similar to the symptoms of diseases. The medical literature describes more than one clinical case when a patient is treated by several specialists and only one can replace them - a parasitologist.

Routes of infection with worms

They can be different:

• communication with an animal carrier of parasitic pathogens;
• the use of thermally unprocessed foods containing eggs of parasites;
• bathing in ponds and lakes infected with parasites;
• Introduction of parasites through the skin.

Residents of rural areas are most often infected with parasites. They are more likely to come into contact with infected animals. The risk of invasion increases when vegetable gardens and fields are fertilized with non-disinfected manure.

It is not an isolated case when worm larvae get into the gastrointestinal tract of a person with vegetables from your own garden. The gut is a very favorable environment for the development and life of helminths. Eating nutrients intended for humans, parasites quickly multiply in conditions that are easy for their life, poisoning the patient's body with the products of their vital activity. In humans, it can cause allergies, nausea, vomiting, and liver disease. From the intestine, the embryos of the larvae enter the bloodstream and are carried throughout the body (e. g. to the lungs, liver, brain). Having settled in an organ, the worms begin to actively multiply, causing diseases of this organ. A rare case when the true cause that caused the disease is correctly established. The extent of damage depends on the state of the immune system.

Signs of helminthic invasion of the lungs

Symptoms of the disease when infected with worms vary depending on the number of helminths in the body, the route of invasion and human immunity. Worms in the lungs rarely appear immediately after entering the body. They can live there for several years, waiting for the weakening of the immune system. When parasites are in a person's lungs, the symptoms are similar to those observed with pneumonia and bronchitis:

• dyspnea;
• high temperature;
• cough without sputum;
• headache, nausea, vomiting;
• wheezing;
• decreased visual acuity and contrast;
• manifestations of allergies;
• loss of appetite

The larvae of lungworms, having come into contact with the blood, change the tissues of this organ. Capsules and adhesions form. As a result of damage to the lungs, errors in their work are noted. Tumors, emphysema, pleurisy, pneumosclerosis can form.

What types of worms can get into the lungs?

Knowing which parasites live in the lungs, it is possible to more objectively assess the degree of damage to the organ.

The causative agent of Toxoplasma is a pathogenic protozoan that causes toxoplasmosis. The patient is affected by the brain and spinal cord, liver and eyes. Tomography shows extensive pneumosclerosis, many calcifications. Calcifications form dead parasites in the lungs.

Ascaris eggs getting into the gastrointestinal tract cause ascariasis. A trace of mechanical damage appears in places where worms penetrate the lung tissue. The body reacts with tissue edema, the formation of infiltrates.

Lung cysticercosis is caused by tapeworm larvae. They get into the lungs with the bloodstream. Parasites in the lungs form a fibrous capsule.

Echinococcosis of the lungs results from the penetration of tapeworm cestodes into the respiratory system. Cestodes form parasitic cysts with a fibrous membrane in the lungs. When the parasite dies, the capsule empties and calcifies. Echinococcosis can be single-chamber and multi-chamber. Gradually the cyst grows. Parasites live in the human lungs for several years. Sometimes suppuration develops, pus can penetrate into the pleural cavity or into the bronchi.

diagnosis and treatment

Lungworms are detected by the following studies:

• blood analysis;
• X-rays;
• Serological examination methods;
• lung ultrasound;
• Tomography.

The main role in the diagnosis of lungworm is played by fluorography and X-rays.

Treatment of the disease is carried out with anthelmintic drugs that kill parasites. Pharmacies sell many effective medicines. Only an experienced doctor can properly assess symptoms and treatment. Parasites always deplete the body, destroy the immune system, so treatment must be comprehensive and aimed at strengthening the body.

Infection with parasites occurs through dirty vegetables and herbs, improperly cooked fish and meat, garden soil, dirty water bodies. Nutrient consuming larvae of parasites develop and can live in the body for several years. The waste products of parasites poison a person, affecting his brain, blood, liver, lungs, immune system without causing acute conditions for years. Unnoticed, they provoke serious illnesses, including cancer, and can lead to the death of the patient. Care must be taken to prevent infection by parasites.