What parasites live in the human body

Various types of worms can live in the human body. No one is safe from parasites, general information about helminths is important information for everyone. Knowing the way of invasion and the characteristics of parasitism of various worms, it is possible to significantly reduce the risk of infection. Consider the classification of worm species.

roundworm

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

The high prevalence of this parasite is due to the ease of transmission. For development, he does not need to change owners. Nematodes are spread from person to person or through the consumption of unwashed vegetables and fruits. Mainly massive helminthiasis of this type, called dirty hand disease, is diagnosed in children. Representatives of such nematodes settle in the human body:

1. Pinworms are small worms with gray bodies 5-10 mm long. Localized in the intestines, causing enterobiasis. Infection occurs when eggs enter the body through the mouth. For 2 weeks, the worms go through a cycle of development into sexually mature individuals. This parasite lives for 1-2 months, disrupting the normal functioning of the digestive tract, which leads to fatigue. What the worm looks like can be seen in the photo.
2. Roundworms are large worms that trigger the development of ascariasis. The length of their spindle-shaped body is 20-40 cm. They are parasites in the small intestine, but in the process of development they penetrate into the liver, heart, and lungs. Migrating through the body, worms damage internal organs and channels. The life span of the parasite is 12-14 months. Infection with them has a negative effect on health, leading to allergies, digestive disorders, internal bleeding, intestinal obstruction. In children, roundworms can cause developmental delays. The route of infection is through unwashed hands, dirty products.
3. Vlasoglavy - 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, so it is very poisonous to the body. Life expectancy is up to 5 years. During this time, it caused problems with appetite and stool, anemia, and stomach pain. Can lead to acute appendicitis when injected into the cecum.
4. Trichinella - worms, the length does not exceed 2-5 mm. Despite their small size, they cause a serious disease - trichinosis. The symptoms are fever, swelling, allergies, high temperature. You can get infected through game meat, pork. These worms affect the muscle tissue, especially the facial muscles, as well as the respiratory tract. After 3-4 weeks, the larvae that have entered the muscle are encapsulated. Recovery is coming. But with a massive infection, a fatal outcome is possible.
5. Toxocara is a type of worm that is parasitic in the dog's body. It looks like a roundworm, because it has the same spindle-shaped body 15-30 cm long. When the larvae enter the human body, toxocariasis occurs. In the human body, toxocara cannot develop into sexually mature individuals, so their larvae migrate throughout the body, causing damage to internal organs, allergies and other disorders.

How intense the symptoms of roundworm infection depends on the number of worms that have entered the body, as well as the state of human health.

tape worm

Among the most dangerous worms that occur in humans, the main role is occupied by tapeworms or cestodes. Given its large size, which can reach 18 m, it becomes clear how harmful it is to health. Cestodes are divided into tapeworms and tapeworms. They require a change of owner to complete their full life cycle. A mandatory stage of development is the existence in the body of ungulates. Consider a brief description of the most common representatives of the species:

1. Wide 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 (undercooked) freshwater fish infected with worm eggs. Causes severe abdominal pain, anemia, indigestion. This helminth, like most cestodes, has a frightening appearance.
2. Tapeworms are worms that enter the body as a result of eating contaminated pork. This 8-meter worm, a parasite in the intestine, causes the development of taeniasis, accompanied by severe indigestion, nervous dysfunction, and allergies.
3. Bull tapeworm - a type of tapeworm, reaching a size of 18 m. This is one of the largest human worms. It causes the development of teniarynhosis, leading to intestinal obstruction, physical and nervous exhaustion. You can contract this worm by eating infected beef. The worm is located in the small intestine.
4. Echinococcus is a tapeworm that is parasitic in the body of cats and dogs. People for this parasite are intermediate hosts, but, despite this, worm larvae provoke the development of a very complex disease, echinococcosis. Worm eggs develop into larval stages, which penetrate into the tissues of any organ and quickly form cysts. They can only be removed through surgery.

flukes

Flukes or trematodes are a type of worm with suckers on the surface of the body. With their help, worms dig into the walls of internal organs, tissues and so on to feed, absorb useful substances, blood. The body of these helminths has a flat shape, its length can reach up to 1. 5 m. Visually, they resemble tree leaves. The main source of trematode infection is the consumption of undercooked or fried fish and seafood. In the development process, they need to change 1-2 intermediate hosts. The main types of worms that are parasitic in the human body:

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

Treatment - medicine for all types of worms

To destroy worms, you need to take anthelmintic drugs. But first you need to determine the specific type of helminthiasis that afflicts the body. Based on the results of the diagnosis, medications are selected. They are divided into 2 types:

• narrowly targeted - assigned to destroy several types of helminths;
• widely targeted - considered universal, because it destroys almost all types of worms, it is suitable for the prevention of helminthic invasion.

The most popular are antihelminthic tablets and suspensions containing the following active ingredients:

• mebendazole;
• Pyrantel;
• Piperazine;
• Carbendacym;
• Levamisole;
• Pyrvinium embonate;
• Albendazole.

The regimen, as well as the duration of treatment with tablets, should be determined by the doctor, because anthelmintic drugs 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 to cleanse the body.

Defeat of any type of worm requires a big health problem. Given the danger, it is important to take preventative measures to help reduce the risk of an attack. To do this, it is enough to follow the rules of hygiene, eat meat and fish that have only undergone complete heat treatment and wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly.

At the first sign of infection, call your doctor. The less time the worm lives in the body, the easier it is to get rid of the effects of parasitism.

What are the parasites in the human body that 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 is the difference between them.

Parasites in the human body are a widespread pathological condition. The structural features and types of helminths directly depend on the class in which they belong.

Classification

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

• flatworm (Tape class);
• roundworms (class Nematoda);
• flukes (class Trematoda).

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

All representatives of the main classes can become parasites in the body of adults and children. Consider the most famous representatives and the differences between them.

Characteristics of the Tape class

Representatives of the species are also called flatworms. This name is given to them because of the characteristics of the body structure, which has a flat shape. There are more than 1500 types of tapeworms. The most dangerous representative of this class for people is united by the common name Cestode.

A characteristic feature of all worms is their body, which has a ribbon-like shape and is divided into segments. Body size in length can vary - from a few millimeters to tens of centimeters. At the front of the worm is the scolex - the head that carries the organs necessary for fixation - the sucker, the proboscis. After the head is the neck, and then there are a large number of segments.

The neck zone is responsible for the growth of helminths, therefore, the young segment is located closer to the head, and the old one is located towards the tail of the body. Each old segment has in its composition male and female reproductive systems, that is, it is considered hermaphroditic.

wide ribbon

Representatives of this species are considered the largest among all parasitic worms. There are cases that reach a length of up to 20 meters. The head of the worm has an oval shape, it has two narrow slits, with the help of which the helminth can stick to the surface and change its body position.

Tapeworms are hermaphrodites, like all representatives of flatworms. Its mature segment forms an egg, which then exits through the opening of the uterus. Worm eggs can be yellow to brown in color, have a cap on one end, and a tubercle on the other.

Pig tapeworm (armed tapeworm)

The next representative of the tapeworm class. Its body is white and can reach a length of 5 meters. The name "armed" goes to the helminth due to the presence of a double corolla hook located in the scolex. Its segments are square and hermaphrodite.

Each segment has a uterus located in the middle and an ovary, which occupies the place between the uterus and the vagina. The testes are located on the side of the female reproductive system.

unarmed tapeworms

This representative is also called cattle tapeworm. "Unarmed" he becomes due to the lack of a hook on the head, compared to a pig tapeworm. The bovine tapeworm is the second largest worm after the broad tapeworm. In its structure, it really resembles an armed tapeworm. Also has white color. Parasitic worms multiply in the intestines of the intermediate or primary host.

All tapeworms in the human body look the same. It is possible to distinguish the species only with the help of laboratory research.

Representatives of Trematoda and their description

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

• coincidental cat;
• coincidentally lanceolate;
• lung disease;
• liver disease.

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

Cat fluke is a small helminth. Its body length reaches 1. 5 cm in length, has an elongated shape, slightly expanding towards the tail. Two inhalers are located in front of the body, which distinguishes it from other representatives. The male reproductive system is closer to the tail, and the uterus occupies an intermediate position. It is large and includes a large number of eggs.

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

Lancet-shaped flukes reach 8-10 mm in length. The tip of the head and tail are slightly elongated. Under the abdominal cavity is the male reproductive system in the form of two testicles, as well as the female, represented by one ovary and the body of the uterus. Ventral suckers close to the mouth.

Nematodes and their diversity

The types of helminths in this class are called roundworms. Their bodies have a round shape when drawing a cross-section, which is the basis for such a name. The tip of the nematode body has a pointed and elongated shape. Vlasoglav, human roundworm, pinworm and trichinella are the main representatives that most often cause human helminthiases. Worms look like this:

1. Pinworms are a type of helminth that parasitizes the large intestine. More often causes the development of the disease in children. Its representatives are small in size, the female body is twice as large as the male. Pinworms are whitish in color, sometimes with a gray tint. In front of the body there is a swelling through which the worms can attach to the intestinal wall.
2. Human ringworm is a helminth that reaches half a meter in length. Females are about 2 times larger than males. The body has an oval shape, elongated in the anterior and posterior direction. From the side of the tail there is a slight bend, which is directed to the stomach. The movement of helminths occurs with the help of a well-developed muscle layer, located under an impenetrable shell, which consists of a large number of layers.
3. Vlasoglav can vary in its body color. It can be white or red-gray. The front of the worm is much thinner than the back. In the back there are all the organs of the helminth. Worms have a small length - from 3 to 5 cm. Females differ from males in the curvature of their tails. In females, the tail has a spiral shape, while in males it lies in the form of an arc.
4. Trichinella - the smallest representative of the class. Their size is only a few millimeters. Visually, it is a thread-like worm, its body is narrowed at the front and covered with cuticle.

lamblia

Intestinal Giardia belongs to the order Diplomonads of the flagellate class. This is a separate type of worm, which is also dangerous for the human body, especially children. The parasite causes the development of giardiasis.

The body of Giardia is pear-shaped, the front end is round and wide. The back 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.

To determine worms-parasites in the intestine is possible only in laboratory conditions.

A characteristic of the parasite body is the presence of two nuclei and two sets of organelles. 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 recognize. The topic of parasites in the body is often ignored by most people, believing that it is not about them. But many people are infected with parasites. The difficulty of tracking worms lies in the fact that there are thousands of species. The signs of the presence of parasites are similar to the symptoms of the disease. Medical literature describes more than one clinical case when a patient was treated by several specialized doctors, and only one could replace him - a parasitologist.

Ways of infection with worms

They may differ:

• communication with animal carriers of parasitic pathogens;
• consumption of non-thermally processed foods containing parasite eggs;
• bathing in pools 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 unsterilized fertilizers.

Far from an isolated case, when worm larvae enter a person's gastrointestinal tract with vegetables grown in their own garden. The intestine is an excellent environment for the development and life of helminths. Taking nutrients intended for humans, parasites multiply quickly in conditions that are easy for them to live, 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 larval embryo enters the bloodstream and is carried throughout the body (for example, to the lungs, liver, brain). Having settled in any organ, worms begin to multiply actively, causing diseases of these organs. It is a rare case when the true cause of the disease is correctly established. The level of damage depends on the state of the immune system.

Signs of helminthic invasion of the lungs

Disease symptoms 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 penetration into the body. They can stay there for several years, waiting for the immune system to weaken. When there are parasites in a person's lungs, the symptoms are similar to those observed in cases of pneumonia and bronchitis:

• difficulty breathing;
• heat;
• cough without sputum;
• headache, nausea, vomiting;
• wheezing;
• decreased visual acuity and contrast;
• allergic manifestations;
• lack of appetite

Larvae of lung worms that have got with the blood, develop, modify the tissue of this organ. There are capsules and adhesions that form. As a result of damage to the lungs, failure in their work is 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 level 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, eyes. Tomography revealed extensive pneumosclerosis, numerous calcifications. Calcification forms dead parasites in the lungs.

Ascaris eggs, entering the gastrointestinal tract, cause ascariasis. In the place where the worm penetrates the lung tissue, the effect of mechanical damage occurs. The body reacts with tissue edema, the formation of infiltrates.

Pulmonary cysticercosis is caused by tapeworm larvae. They enter the lungs with the bloodstream. Parasites in the lungs form a fibrous capsule.

Pulmonary echinococcosis develops as a result of tapeworm cestodes entering the respiratory system. Cestodes form parasitic cysts with fibrous membranes in the lungs. If the parasite dies, the capsule deflates and becomes chalky. Echinococcosis can be single-chambered and multi-chambered. Gradually, the cyst grows. Parasites live in human lungs for several years. Sometimes suppuration develops, pus can break into the pleural cavity or into the bronchus.

Diagnosis and treatment

Pulmonary worms are detected using the following studies:

• blood analysis;
• X-ray light;
• serological examination methods;
• lung ultrasound;
• tomography.

The main role in the diagnosis of pulmonary worms is played by fluorography and x-ray.

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

Parasitic infections occur through dirty vegetables and herbs, fish and meat that are not properly cooked, garden soil, dirty water bodies. Parasitic larvae, feeding on nutrients, develop and can live in the body for several years. Parasite waste poisons a person, affecting the brain, blood, liver, lungs, immune system, without causing an acute condition for years. If not noticed, they trigger a severe disease up to cancer, can cause the death of the patient. Care must be taken to avoid infection by parasites.