Parasitic worms in the human body have different shapes, different colors, and their sizes range from a millimeter to tens of meters. Defining, as small worms are called, they are oriented to dimensions that should not exceed one centimeter. Small worms in humans are:
- pinworms;
- lamblia;
- Trichines.
Small helminths - lamblia
The smallest worms, which can be called microscopic, lamblia cause a disease called lambliasis. According to modern research, about a fifth of children under the age of 10 suffer from giardiasis. Among adults this percentage is much lower. Distribution of small helminths occurs through infected people, in the stomach of which adult parasites are covered with a shell, and cysts come out with the feces. To infect a person, it is enough to swallow 10 cysts of parasites with water or food, and in children's preschool institutions, infants are infected through toys.
As depicted in the photo, small worms affect primarily the intestinal tract where food digestion occurs, but sometimes appearing in the bile-excreting pathways, they cause liver damage.
Symptoms of Giardiasis are:
- Diarrhea, lasting several weeks with a foul-smelling stool.
- Temperature rise above 38 ° С, with chills and weakness in the body.
- Acute pain in the abdomen, attacks of nausea.
- Pink-red rash on the skin.
In children, the disease caused by small worms, takes place in a more severe form and in infants, even can lead to a slow development, and in older children, except for high fever, severe diarrhea, a strong allergy with shortness of breath and a rash all over the body is possible. A particular feature of the treatment of giardiasis is that in addition to taking antiparasitic drugs, it is recommended that a large amount of liquid be used to prevent dehydration of the body.
Fine worms - pinworms
Common species of small parasites - pinworms, depending on the sex, are 10 mm long( female) and 5 mm( male).Around the mouth these small worms have a special organ, which is attached to the wall of the intestine. The image of white small worms in a person in the photo will help to correctly determine their presence in the stool. Infection is transmitted from an infected person by a fecal-oral route. Small worms can be found in feces, and their eggs near the anus opening, when the female crawls out of the anus at night and lays eggs.
A special adhesive substance that secretes small helminths to attach to the skin surface, causes severe itching and this is the main symptom. The products of vital activity of these parasites disrupt the intestinal microflora, provoke sleep disturbance, migraine, allergic reactions. In girls, they crawl into the genitals, cause infections of the urinary system and vulvovaginitis.
The smallest worms are very mobile and when they enter the eyeball, nasal passages and lungs, surgery is necessary to remove them. Independently to get rid of worms it is possible at rigid observance of sanitary rules, processing of bed and underwear by boiling and ironing by the heated iron, daily changing them. The room must be treated with a soap solution, like household items, toys.
Adults use drugs for treatment. To prevent and prevent the spread of eggs, pinworms are processed by the anus after each act of bowel movement and are performed at bedtime before the cleansing enemas. When the first signs of infection appear, it is necessary to make changes in the diet, including easily digestible products with a helminthic effect. Duration of treatment is from one to five days, with a mandatory repeat of the procedure after three weeks.
Small worms - Trichini
Another common type of small helminths in humans are Trichina. The size of these worms is 3-4 mm and the places of their vital activity are the striated muscles of the eyes, the respiratory muscles, in the heart. Small helminths are the cause of the disease called trichinosis, and can cause death in heart failure or breathing disorders. The main biological agents of parasites are animals and animals, and a person can become infected by eating poorly processed meat from infected animals.
Larvae, when ingested with meat in the intestines, are released from the containment under the influence of gastric juice. Five days later, the adult lays the larvae, which through the lymphatic system penetrate the blood and spread throughout the body. In the third stage they finally settle in the muscle fibers. Treatment is carried out with the strongest antibacterial drugs and the sooner it begins, the greater the effect is achieved in a short time. If myocarditis develops, then additionally prescribed antihistamines. Corticosteroids in large doses, but short courses are prescribed for severe illness with pneumonia. The best prevention of the disease is high-temperature treatment and proper storage of raw meat.