Parasites are creatures whose existence is directly related to their host. In other words, parasitic organisms live at the expense of the host, exploiting it in their own interests and at the same time negatively affecting it. These creatures are extremely durable and reproduce at a high rate, so fighting them is quite a difficult task. This type of living things includes: viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoa. In particularly severe cases, the parasites take all the juices from their owner, poison him with the products of their vital activity and cause serious harm to his health. How to identify parasites in the human body?
What are parasites?
Parasites are organisms that exist solely thanks to the host organism and at the same time negatively affect it. These include various types of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and worms. Bacteria have the smallest size. However, they can be the cause of quite serious diseases, among which are:
- plague
- spotted typhus
- tuberculosis
- tetanus
- meningitis etc.
Fungal parasites are the next most evolved 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 against environmental factors and are also endowed with good adaptation to changing environmental conditions. They are divided into two groups: filamentous and yeast fungi. The most striking 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 causative agent of candidiasis.
The most popular parasites are helminths. These include many species that live in different host systems. The roundworm, trichinella, causes a disease called trichinellosis. 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 walls of the intestine. They absorb nutrients throughout the body, since their primitive structure provides neither a digestive tract nor sensory 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 an oral cavity through which they steal nutrients from the host. For the most part, they are heterosexual, but, like tapeworms, there are hermaphrodites among them - 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 permanent harm to it as a result of their vital activity. Parasites include: protozoa, bacteria, fungi, helminths.
Ways of infection with parasites
There are many ways that parasites can enter the human body, the main ones are:
- nutritional– through contaminated food, water;
- contact-household- infection occurs through contact with contaminated objects, family members, pets;
- transmissive– an infection that occurs through insects that feed on blood;
- active– the parasite enters the human body when it interacts with contaminated soil or when swimming in a lake.
Nutritional
Among the helminths that are transmitted through food, it is necessary to highlight separately those that are transmitted through meat products. The most dangerous of them are pork and beef tapeworms. The beef tapeworm can live in the human body for up to ten years, reaching a length of three to ten meters. The pig tapeworm, after settling in the intestines and starting to multiply, infects the entire human body with the help of cysticercus larvae.
In addition, the meat of some animals can 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. Since he is a person directly related to food, his duties include regular medical examinations and strict compliance with sanitary norms. Unfortunately, in our time, few people follow this, which is why such outbreaks of the disease occur.
Also, from the point of view of helminth infection, freshwater fish is a dangerous product. For example, cyprinids can cause a disease such as opisthorcosis. The eggs of this parasite enter the fish through river molluscs and practically do not affect the fish itself - it simply serves as a carrier of the parasite.
Dried, smoked or dried fish pose a serious danger. Raw pike roe, for example, can be infected with broad tapeworm. Diphyllobothriasis is a disease caused by this worm. The broad tapeworm can reach ten meters in length and parasitize the small intestine for decades.
Contact-household
The most famous helminths that are spread in this way are pinworms and roundworms. Violation of hygiene rules is the main cause of enterobiosis and ascariasis. A child infected with pinworms scratches his anus during sleep, because the female pinstripes come out to lay eggs, then various household items and clothes 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.
Transmission route of infection
Filariasis is a type of helminthiasis that can be transmitted by certain types of mosquitoes that are 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 a variety of negative reactions in the host.
Active route of infection
In this case, the 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 to become infected with parasites, among which there are four main ones. To somehow protect yourself from infection, you should carefully follow the rules of personal hygiene and try not to eat suspicious foods, especially meat.
How to recognize 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 ducts, intestines. These blockages lead to a certain type of disease and in particularly severe cases require surgical intervention.
- diarrhea. The parasites, which as a result of their vital activity produce prostaglandin-like substances, provoke frequent and loose stools in the host.
- bloating. In the course of their life, worms can often cause inflammation in the intestines. These inflammatory processes cause excessive gas formation, leading to abdominal bloating.
- Alergy. Damaged linings of the gastrointestinal tract can cause molecules from undigested food to enter the bloodstream. In this case, the immune system comes into action and as a result of its reaction, a large number of eosinophils are released into the blood, cells that cause inflammation, which indicates an allergic reaction in 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 poor digestion and loss of appetite. Some helminths reduce blood sugar levels, causing the host to feel uncontrollably hungry, leading to obesity.
- Chronic fatigue. Weakness, flu-like conditions, apathy, poor concentration and memory are signs that often occur with poor nutrition. In the case of helminth infection, the functionality of the digestive system is impaired, and therefore the absorption of various nutrients is impaired, which leads to chronic fatigue.
- Inflammation of the respiratory tract. Some types of worms move inside the human body, including the respiratory system. In some cases, they provoke a lung disorder, causing cough and fever. Roundworms can even cause illness such as pneumonia.
- nervousness. The human nervous system can be severely 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 easy. Although the signs of their presence in the body are quite obvious, they can nevertheless 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 undergo 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 get infected with parasites, they literally surround a person. The symptoms of the infection are quite diverse and if you suspect an infection with parasites, you should consult a doctor and undergo an examination.