Parasites are creatures whose existence is directly related to their host. In other words, parasitic organisms live at the expense of the host, exploit it for their own interests and at the same time negatively affect it. These creatures are extremely brave and reproduce at high speed, so fighting them is quite a difficult task. This type of living beings includes: viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoa. In particularly severe cases, parasites remove all fluids from their owner, poison him with the products of their vital activity and cause serious damage to health. How to identify parasites in the human body?
Who are parasites?
Parasites are organisms that exist only thanks to the host organism and at the same time negatively affect it. These include different types of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and worms. Bacteria have the smallest size. Despite this, they can be causative agents of quite serious diseases, among which are:
- PLAGUE
- typhus
- tuberculosis
- tetanus
- meningitis etc.
Fungal parasites are the next most developed organisms of this type. There are up to a hundred species of pathogenic fungi. They are slightly larger in size than bacteria and, unlike them, have excellent protection from environmental factors, and are also equipped with good adaptation to changing environmental conditions. They are divided into two groups: filamentous fungi and yeasts. The most prominent representative of this type of parasite is the fungus Candida. They affect both the skin, nails and mucous membranes of the host and are the cause of candidiasis.
The most common parasites are helminths. They include many species that live in different host systems. The roundworm, trichina, causes a disease called trichinosis. This disease can affect both humans and pigs. Tapeworms, which belong to the class of flatworms, are intestinal parasites. They live in the digestive system of the host organism and feed on it.
Most often, their hosts are vertebrates: humans, cats, dogs, fish. Tapeworms have special suckers with which they attach to the intestinal walls. They absorb nutrients throughout the body, as their primitive structure provides neither a digestive tract nor any sense organs.
There are many tapeworms. The length of these parasites varies from a tenth of a centimeter to nine meters. The structure of their body is also diverse: they can be either a whole organism or consist of segments connected to each other in a chain. Flatworms are hermaphrodites - each representative of this species is male and female at the same time.
An equally common type of parasitic roundworm is the nematode. The most famous among them: roundworms, pinworms, trichinella. Unlike tapeworms, they have a mouth cavity through which they feed on nutrients stolen from the host. For the most part, they are heterosexual, but like tapeworms, among them there are hermaphrodites - organisms that have sexual characteristics of both sexes.
Parasites are organisms that live exclusively at the expense of the host. Unlike other organisms that live in symbiosis with the human body, they cause constant damage to it as a result of their vital activity. Parasites include: protozoa, bacteria, fungi, helminths.
Ways of infection by parasites
There are many ways through which parasites can enter the human body, the main ones are:
- nursing– through food, contaminated water;
- contact families- infection occurs through contact with contaminated objects, family members, pets;
- transmissible– infection that occurs through insects that feed on blood;
- asset– the parasite enters the human body during its interaction with contaminated soil or while swimming in a pond.
nursing
Among the helminths that are transmitted through food, it is necessary to emphasize separately those transmitted through meat products. The most dangerous of them are pork and beef strips. The tapeworm can live in the human body for up to ten years, reaching three to ten meters in length. The tapeworm, after settling in the intestines and beginning to multiply, infects the entire human body with the help of its cysticercus larvae.
In addition, the meat of some animals may be contaminated with Trichinella. A few days after Trichinella enters the human body, it develops a serious disease - trichinosis. It often ends in death. When buying meat, you should always pay attention to the seller. As he is a person directly related to food, his responsibilities include regular medical examinations and strict adherence to sanitary standards. Unfortunately, in our time, few people monitor this, which is why such foci of the disease arise.
Also, from the point of view of helminth infection, freshwater fish is a dangerous product. For example, cyprinids can cause a disease such as opisthorchiasis. The eggs of this parasite enter the fish through river molluscs and have practically no effect on the fish itself - it simply serves as a carrier of the parasite.
Dried, smoked or cured fish poses a serious risk. Raw pike caviar, for example, can be infected with broad tape. Diphyllobothriasis is a disease caused by this worm. The broad tapeworm can reach up to ten meters in length and parasitize the small intestine for decades.
Contact and family
The most common helminths that are spread this way are pinworms and roundworms. Violation of hygiene rules is the main cause of enterobiasis and ascariasis. A child infected with worms scratches the anus during sleep, because the female worm comes out to lay eggs, after which various household items and clothing are infected.
If the infection is not detected quickly, then all members of the family can suffer from the disease. Giardiasis can be contracted by drinking contaminated water. This parasite can survive even in chlorinated water. Also, household items: toys, dishes can serve as a source of infection with these parasites.
Transmissible route of infection
Filariasis is a type of helminthiasis that can be transmitted through certain types of mosquitoes common in tropical and subtropical climates. Malaria, or yellow fever, is a deadly disease that is also transmitted by mosquitoes. Filaria can live in the blood and lymph, causing various negative reactions in the host.
Active route of infection
In this case, parasites infect a person through direct contact with contaminated water or soil. For example, hookworm is a parasite that can be contracted simply by walking barefoot on contaminated soil.
There are many ways of infection by parasites, among which there are four main ones. To somehow protect yourself from infection, you should carefully adhere to the rules of personal hygiene and try not to eat suspicious foods, especially meat.
How to identify parasites in the body
Symptoms when the body is infected with parasites can be very different. Parasites can be identified when the following signs appear:
- Constipation. Due to their size and large number, some types of worms can cause blockage of various body systems: bile duct, intestines. These blockages lead to some kind of disease and, in particularly severe cases, require surgical intervention.
- diarrhea. Parasites, which as a result of their vital activity produce prostaglandin-like substances, provoke frequent and loose stools in the host.
- Bloating. During their lifetime, worms can often cause inflammation in the intestines. These inflammatory processes cause excessive gas formation, which leads to bloating.
- allergy. Damaged walls of the gastrointestinal tract can cause undigested food molecules to enter the bloodstream. In this case, the immune system comes into play and as a result of its reaction, a large number of eosinophils, cells that cause inflammation, are released into the blood, which indicates an allergic reaction within the body.
- Bad skin. Many different skin diseases can be caused by organisms that parasitize the skin.
- Weight problems. Weight deviations from the norm, both up and down, can serve as a sign of the presence of parasites in the body. Weight loss occurs due to indigestion and loss of appetite. Some poisons lower blood sugar levels, causing the host to have an uncontrollable feeling of hunger, which leads to obesity.
- Chronic fatigue. Weakness, flu-like conditions, apathy, poor concentration and memory are signs that often appear with poor nutrition. In case of helminth infection, the functionality of the digestive system is damaged and therefore the absorption of various nutrients is damaged, which leads to chronic fatigue.
- Inflammation of the respiratory tract. Some types of worms move throughout the human body, including the respiratory system. In some cases, they provoke disruption of the lungs, causing cough and fever. Roundworms can also cause a disease such as pneumonia.
- Nervousness. The human nervous system can be seriously damaged as a result of exposure to helminth waste products. Various nervous disorders are a sign of helminth poisoning in the body.
Identifying parasites in the human body is not entirely easy. Although the signs of their presence in the body are quite visible, however, they can be misinterpreted and attributed to a completely different disease. Therefore, the best way to detect parasites in the body is to consult a doctor and perform the necessary tests.
Parasites are different organisms that live by parasitizing another living being. As a result of their vital activity, the viability of the host is significantly reduced. There are many ways to become infected with parasites; they literally surround a person. The symptoms of infection are quite different and if you suspect infection with parasites, you should consult a doctor and undergo an examination.