Many will be surprised to learn that man is constantly living "not alone. " Microorganisms are constantly present on himself and in his body, and without this mutually beneficial coexistence, man would be seriously ill and unable to survive. , on the surface of healthy skin there is a normal microflora that protects it from the multiplication of harmful microbes. In the vagina in women there are lactobacilli or rods of Dederline, which form a normal acidic environment. Finally, in the colon and feces of a healthy person there are hundreds of billionsmicroorganisms involved in the digestion of food, the production of vitamins and the protection of man from disease.
But,with the exception of microbes, all other random organisms - protozoa as well as worms - are parasites. . . Some begin to multiply, "poison" our body. How to find parasites in the human body?
This question is far from empty. Of course, if the doctor points his finger and tells what parasites live in a person's body, then that patient will immediately go to take tests. The same will happen if, for example, small worms are accidentally found in fresh faeces. 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 associate with the presence of parasites. What are these symptoms? How can chronic helminthiasis be suspected, for example?
Common signs of parasites
The whole variety of parasitosis, ranging from accidental (transient) and ending with those parasites that live in the human body permanently, are manifested by certain symptoms. They can be divided into two groups:
- specific(characteristic of a particular type of parasite), for example, puffiness and muscle pain with trichinosis, development of acute appendicitis when crawling in the appendix of the ascaris or painful itching in the perianal area in the presence of pinworms.
But it is good if there is such a symptom, which 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 for other symptoms common to parasitosis - non-specific.
- nonspecificsymptoms are signs that indicate poisoning of the body with waste products from worms and protozoa.
In turn, these signs most often appear in the form of two syndromes:
- allergic reaction of the body to the parasite;
- intoxication syndrome or poisoning.
How to identify parasites in the human body and what symptoms do they cause?
The most common symptoms of parasitosis
- gradual but constant progressive weight loss not associated with chronic stress, increased level of physical activity;
- the appearance of insomnia. It can be caused by both itchy skin and the release of toxins, for example during the migration of larvae. In this case, one simply experiences a deterioration in well-being in the evening and at night.
- the appearance of nausea and vomiting, sometimes due to aversion to food;
- anorexia or a significant decrease in appetite, up to and including its complete absence. For example, in giardiasis, children often have a morning aversion to food;
- there is a pronounced weakness, weakness, reduced ability to work;
- drowsiness occurs during the day;
- the temperature rises to subfebrile numbers (37, 1-37, 5);
- there is a cephalic syndrome: a headache occurs that is not related to physical and mental stress.
Allergic manifestations of helminthiasis can be different. Urticaria may occur, unexplained itching of the skin may occur and disappear, Quincke's allergic edema, bronchospasm may occur.
In this case,if you or your loved ones have the above symptoms, consult a doctor. . .
Of course, this does not limit the range of symptoms, but they are the most common.
About laboratory signs
How to recognize parasites in the human body using simple tests? For example, when studying the result of a general blood test, the following findings indicate helminth infestation:
- anemia, or a decrease in hemoglobin and color index;
- eosinophilia. . . Usually the number of eosinophils does not exceed 5% and their number increases with parasitic diseases.
Of course, you do not have to take all the tests in a row on your own, the doctor knows better what to prescribe in each case.
About accidental finds
Sometimes an accidental discovery helps to detect the presence of parasites in the human body. How does this work?
- for example, fluorography reveals abnormal darkening in the pulmonary field, which may be a parasitic cyst;
- during MRI of the brain, it is also possible to detect single or multiple cysts, often without any symptoms.
In conclusion, it must be saidafter the detection of these symptoms, a specific diagnosis is made: immune responses are adjusted, stools are analyzed, duodenal contents are taken if necessary. Of course, life history is very important. So, if a person has rested in the hot countries of Asia and Africa the day before and swam where it is not recommended, or has used water of dubious quality or unwashed fruit, then the presence of helminth infestation is more than likely.
Similarly, if the child has similar symptoms after attending school, kindergarten and parents are sure that the cause is not stressful due to the influence of an organized team, then there is more than enough reason to visit a pediatrician specializing in infectious diseases.
The treatment of identified helminthiasis is performed in a special helminthological (parasitological) room, which usually exists in each regional center in the main infectious disease hospital.