Many patients are interested in the emergence of an unusual for humans, but very dangerous helminthiasis - toxocariasis. Infection with the causative agent of this disease from the genus Toxocara canis is possible only if the rules of personal hygiene are not observed when contacting dogs or soil containing their feces. From cats to pick up these worms can only be in rare cases, and from person to person toxocarosis is not transmitted, because people are uncharacteristic, accidental hosts of these worms and in their organisms they can live only in the larval stage, never ripening to mature worms andnot laying eggs. But, despite this, this invasion is very dangerous, since larvae affect vital organs and can provoke difficult and severe diseases, and in some cases even lead a patient to death. There are several causes of infection by human toxoxares:
- Entered into the soil with feces of dogs, eggs of pathogens. Upon contact with contaminated land and non-observance of personal hygiene rules after this, the patient can easily carry them to his mouth and then into the intestines, where dangerous larvae develop from them;
- The causative agent of toxocarias can also be transmitted by eating poorly washed vegetables and greens grown in open places. This is due to the fact that they contain microscopic soil particles, in which there may be helminth eggs;
- The most common cause of toxocariasis is close contact with animals carrying these pathogens;
- Important role in the transmission of the invasion belongs to domestic insects, especially cockroaches. Cockroaches eat eggs of helminthic pathogens and almost a quarter of them in a viable form are released into the environment and enter the human body.
Ways of human infection with toxoscripts
How do toxocars get into the human body? Unlike animals, among which there are transmammar( puppy with dog milk) and intrauterine pathways of infection, then human invasion occurs only under the influence of external factors. Eggs of worms can enter the body through unwashed hands, contaminated water and food, as well as animal hair.
The most common infection with toxocariasis is found in young children, whose path to getting into the body of the eggs of the causative agent of the disease is associated with their curiosity and lack of personal hygiene skills. Kids, not thinking about the risk, pick up from the ground and pull into their mouth foreign objects on which invasive eggs of helminths may be. In addition, they do not have the habit of washing their hands after contact with the ground or sand, which in most cases are infected with toxocars. But not only the child of preschool age is prone to frequent invasion by the larvae of these worms. The following population groups are at risk:
- People with certain professions: workers of zoos and circuses, hunters, veterinarians, nursery employees for dogs, vegetable sellers;
- Eggs of toxocarcosis pathogens are transmitted very quickly and in mentally ill people. In many of them, infection is possible because of a propensity for coprophagy and a low level of hygiene skills;
- In the risk group are also owners of household plots and pets who do not perform deworming.
The main peak of toxocar infection occurs in the warm season, which is due to the fact that in the summer a very large number of eggs of parasites enter the soil, but, based on statistical data, the identification of new patients is possible in any season. To avoid infection and development of this infestation, you must strictly observe the rules of personal hygiene, maintain the cleanliness of the home, as well as conduct regular de-worming pets.