Recently, news from Holland rumbled in the scientific world.17 Volunteers agreed to have dangerous parasites injected into their blood - schistosomes (which cause the serious disease schistosomiasis).According to scientists, every year this disease kills up to 200 thousand people around the world.And now Dutch experts are closer to developing a vaccine - to test it, they infected people with schistosomiasis.
The results of the study have not yet been published;What happened to the 17 people who risked their health for the good of science is also unknown.But one thing is clear: Parasites continue to keep the entire world on guard.
More than 7 billion people live on earth.And a third of them carry helminths (in general terms - worms).This is a parasite that causes a severe and very unpleasant disease (Schistosoma is also a worm).At least, this is the assessment given by the World Health Organization.
There is worse information: millions of people die every year from parasitic diseases.Tropical areas are particularly affected, where the conditions for the spread of any evil thing are ideal (high humidity, heat, unsanitary conditions).But where there are few tropical areas, parasites are everywhere.
Every year tens of thousands of people are treated for Helminthiasis.For example, at the beginning of 2018, information shows that the incidence of ascariasis (ascaris is a type of worm) has increased.
The Department of Sanitation also developed a draft regulatory act that will clearly control the work to combat Helminthiases.Obviously the problem is serious.
There are different helminths - round and flat, live in water, on the ground, in animal feces, etc., but they are all very dangerous.They usually enter the human body through contaminated water or food.But sometimes it is enough to eat with dirty hands for parasite larvae to get inside and grow in the intestine to tens of centimeters.There are types of parasites that can enter the body through the skin of the feet if you walk barefoot on the ground where the larvae live.
Worms literally eat the body from the inside.They can cause jaundice, sepsis (blood poisoning), problems with joints and the nervous system (not counting endless vomiting, diarrhea and other intestinal problems).
Children are most often affected.They tend to forget to wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet, they often put dirty toys in their mouths, and when playing outside (especially in the summer) they may eat some sand and inhale dirty water from open reservoirs.But adults are also "armed" for worms.
The most common helminthiases are ascariasis, toxocariasis, trichuriasis, strongyloidiasis, and worm disease.The names don't cause concern until you type them into a search engine and go to the "Pictures" section - yes, a big, disgusting worm can live inside you.
A worm with a beautiful name
Ascariasis- The most common helminthiasis, it accounts for 90% of infections, so we will think about it in more detail.Long roundworms, evil worms that attack the small intestine of humans.Every year, up to 800 million cases of ascariasis are registered worldwide.
The source of infection is the same fruits, vegetables and berries.There are different types of roundworms: some infect animals, but there is a separate species for humans.That is, you cannot get ascariasis from animals.
As mentioned above, children most often catch parasites because of their relaxed behavior.In the case of ascariasis, rural residents of all ages are also at risk - they often come into contact with the ground, where ascaris larvae hide.The main symptoms of ascariasis are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, poor appetite, unbearable anal itching, high fever.
Among the complications of ascariasis (they occur if the parasite is not detected for a long time) are intestinal obstruction, appendicitis, pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas).There are cases when roundworms, which inside a person have grown to their maximum size (which is almost 30 cm), crawl into the lungs, throat, and sinuses.This is how patients find them.
Just imagine - a long white worm crawling through your intestines.It is not known whether the infected person always feels the movement of the worm inside.You can hear yourself just in case.
There are other Helminthiases, more rare.A worm with the mischievous name "Toxocara".Toxocariasis.It can also be contracted from dogs.Symptoms will vary - fever, bronchitis, pneumonia, skin rash.
On pathogensTrichocephalosisAn easier name is Whipworm.Outwardly, it looks like a small whip.Often, this disease is generally asymptomatic, and if the number of parasites has scaled, then symptoms begin like ascariasis.
Worms of the genus Strongyloides stercoralis (pathogenStrongyloidiasis) - This is the same reptile that can penetrate a person through the skin (even intact).You can get infected in the same wayHookworm.If this happens, there will be severe itching in the places where the worms have crawled, and over time the sick person will experience diarrhea, abdominal pain and skin rashes.
These are just a few types of Helminthiasis - there are hundreds of species, each with its own characteristics.
And most importantly, you can die from worms.Fortunately, this is not often the case, but parasites are designed to live off their host's resources.Worms eat internal organs from the inside and can crawl into the lungs and even the liver - all this is a great danger to life.In addition, they produce toxins that penetrate the blood, which means that this poison, in fact, spreads throughout the body.
Only the timely removal of helminths from the body can save you from the inevitable consequences.
Find and neutralize
Need to understand that worms can often live happily ever after in the body until a stool test separates you.They will lay millions of eggs in your intestines, but symptoms may not appear.It is in the feces that the parasite larvae and themselves can be found.
It is important that doctors do not confuse the symptoms of ascariasis or other helminthiasis with other diagnoses - for example, vomiting can be caused by dozens of other diseases, and a skin rash is a sign of a completely different disease.If you have symptoms similar to a parasitic infection, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Diagnosis of Helminthiases is carried out by examining the stool.There are methods of serodiagnosis: ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent test - blood is checked for the presence of certain antibodies that appear in it when infected with one or another type of Helminthiasis).
Another reliable diagnostic method is X-ray - the image will show worms crawling through your intestines (or elsewhere).Blood and urine tests are needed to determine the level of intoxication in the body and prescribe the correct treatment.
Pharmaceutical companies have long produced many anthelmintic drugs that effectively help get rid of worms.On average, Helminthiasis treatment takes 3 to 5 days.Often, treatment can be done on an outpatient basis - no need to stay in hospital (unless you've had complications).
If you have not understood, we remind you: Worms can catch everything, regardless of gender, age and social status.Of course, don't forget to eat clean vegetables and other foods, keep your dishes clean, and always wash your hands before lunch.If you often travel, especially to tropical countries in Asia and Africa, then all hygiene rules should be followed twice as carefully.