Many will be surprised to find that a person does not live "alone" all the time. Microorganisms exist all the time on himself and in his body, and without this mutually beneficial coexistence a person would be seriously ill and would not be able to survive. So on the surface of healthy skin there is a normal microflora that protects it from the multiplication of harmful microbes. Lactobacilli or Dederlein sticks, which form a normal acidic environment, are found in the woman's vagina. After all, there are hundreds of billions of microorganisms in the colon and feces of a healthy person that are involved in digesting food, producing vitamins, and protecting a person from disease.
But,Except for microbes, all other random organisms - protozoa, as well as worms - are parasites. . . Some begin to multiply and "poison" our bodies. How do you recognize parasites in the human body?
This question is far from idle. Of course, if the doctor points a finger and says what parasites live in a particular person's body, that patient will be tested immediately. The same thing happens if, for example, small worms are accidentally found in fresh feces. The question is clear: the helminth invasion is obvious. It only remains to clarify the diagnosis and begin treatment.
But parasites have learned to "keep their noses out", and often their existence in the body causes incomprehensible changes that the patient does not at all associate with the presence of parasites. What are these symptoms? For example, how can one suspect chronic helminthiasis?
Common signs of parasites
The whole variety of parasitoses, ranging from accidental (temporary) to the parasites permanently living in the human body, are manifested in some symptoms. They can be divided into two groups:
- Specific(characteristic of a certain type of parasite), for example swelling and muscle pain in trichinosis, the development of acute appendicitis when crawling into the appendix or excruciating itching in the perianal region in the presence of pinworms.
But it is good if there is such a symptom that accurately indicates the cause of the invasion (in medicine it is called pathognomonic). But how to determine the presence of parasites in the human body if there are no such direct signs?
To do this, check to see if there are other symptoms that parasitoses have in common - non-specific.
- unspecificSymptoms are signs that the body has been poisoned with the waste products of worms and protozoa.
Again, these signs most often come in the form of two syndromes:
- an allergic reaction of the body to a parasite;
- Poisoning Syndrome or Poisoning.
How do you recognize parasites in the human body and what symptoms do they cause?
The most common symptoms of parasitosis
- gradual but steadily progressive decrease in body weight, not associated with chronic stress, increased physical activity;
- the occurrence of insomnia. It can be caused both by itching of the skin and by the release of toxins, for example when larvae migrate. In this case, the person simply experiences a deterioration in well-being in the evening and at night.
- the onset of nausea and vomiting, sometimes due to aversion to food;
- Anorexia, or a marked decrease in appetite to the point of complete absence. For example, children with giardiasis often have an aversion to food in the morning;
- there is pronounced weakness, weakness, decreased performance;
- Daytime sleepiness occurs;
- the temperature rises to subfebrile numbers (37, 1-37, 5);
- cephalgic syndrome is present: headaches occur that are not associated with physical or psychological stress.
Allergic manifestations of helminthiasis can be different. Urticaria can occur, baseless itching of the skin can appear and disappear, allergic Quincke edema, bronchospasm can occur.
In this case,If you or loved ones have the above symptoms, see a doctor. . .
This doesn't limit the range of symptoms, of course, but these are the most common.
About laboratory signs
How do you recognize parasites in the human body with simple tests? For example, if you look at the result of a general blood test, the following results indicate a helminthic invasion:
- anemia, or a decrease in hemoglobin level and color index;
- Eosinophilia. . . Usually the number of eosinophils does not exceed 5%, and their number increases with parasitic diseases.
Of course, you shouldn't do all the tests in a row, the doctor knows better what to prescribe in each individual case.
About chance finds
Sometimes an incidental finding helps identify the presence of parasites in the human body. How does this happen?
- for example, fluorography reveals an unusual darkening in the lung field, which may turn out to be a parasitic cyst;
- It is also possible to see single or multiple cysts during an MRI of the brain, often without symptoms.
In conclusion, it must be said thatafter recognizing these symptoms, a specific diagnosis is carried out: Immune reactions are stopped, feces are analyzed, if necessary duodenal contents are removed. Of course, the life story is very important. So, if a person has rested the day before in the hot countries of Asia and Africa, swimming where it is not recommended, or using water of dubious quality or unwashed fruit, then the presence of a helminthic invasion is more than likely.
Even if a child has similar symptoms after attending school, kindergarten, and parents are sure that it is not a stressful state from the influence of an organized team, there is enough reason to see a pediatrician who is an infectious disease specialist.
Treatment of the identified helminthiasis is carried out in a special helminthological (parasitological) room, which is usually present in each regional center of the main hospital for infectious diseases.