The clinical picture of helminthiases is different at different stages of the development of the disease. At the same time it can vary in children and adults. This is due to the different abilities of the adult and child organisms to resist uninvited "guests" - worms.
Not every worm-parasitic larva that has got into the body survives. Up to 30% of pathogenic microbes and other pests are killed in the oral cavity, since saliva contains protective enzymes. The worm larvae that break through such a barrier fall into an aggressive gastric environment, which stops another 50% of the pests. The remaining parasites will meet with antibodies of the intestine, which the local immune system produces when suspected of foreign antigens. Remains about 0.5% of pests that manage to survive in the intestine or get into another organ. Children are at greatest risk. They have no protective barriers yet, so children often become carriers of parasites.
Manifestations of worms
2-3 weeks after infection, symptoms and manifestations of acute stage worms are observed. They usually do not depend on the type of worm at this phase of helminthiosis. Manifestations of helminthic invasion are caused by a general allergy to the gene material of parasites.
About the presence of worms indicate:
- skin rashes;
- conjunctivitis;
- swelling and inflammation of the respiratory tract;
- disorder of stools.
In people with weakened immunity, worms manifest even:
- fever;
- with lymphadenitis;
- myocarditis;
- meningoencephalitis.
These symptoms rarely occur all at once. Usually, with one parasitizing worm, two or three signs dominate. The acute stage lasts up to a month and passes into a chronic phase.
How is chronic helminthiasis manifested?
Clinical manifestations of helminthiosis in this phase depends on the location of parasites, on their number and some other factors. Worms, moving around, eating and multiplying, cause irritation and trauma to the tissues of the organ in which they settled. In addition, worms "feed" on their carrier, absorbing nutrients from the body. This leads to a violation of blood composition, to disorders such as anemia and vitamin deficiency. Manifestations of the presence of helminths lead to a weakening of immunity at a chronic stage, a person is not able to resist the pathogens of viruses, bacteria, fungal infections. Speaking specifically about the manifestations of helminthic invasion, when:
- localization in the intestine of pinworms and ascaris, there is disorder of stool, abdominal pain, nausea, nocturnal perianal itching;
- with strongyloidiasis and filariasis, the patient has swelling and skin rashes;
- if parasites settle in the biliary tract, helminthiasis is manifested by discomfort in the right hypochondrium and upper abdomen;
- with localization of worms in the liver lead to pancreatitis, hepatitis, cholecystitis, iron deficiency anemia;
- if the worms settle in the genitourinary system, the characteristic signs are droplets of blood in the urine, frequent urge to urinate.
It is quite difficult to identify the manifestation of worms in a child who can not clearly describe his complaints. At the same time, children are at risk, because they like to "taste" the world to taste. The most dangerous for the child are those worms in which the manifestations are mild or nonexistent. These include alveococcosis, cysticercosis and echinococcosis. With the latent chronic picture, there is a risk of anaphylactic shock, caused by the release of a large number of waste products into the blood of worms.
Common manifestations of helminthic invasion in the child at the final stage of development:
- nocturnal itching in the anus;
- morning sickness against a background of general health;
- indigestion, bloating, pain;
- a strong sense of hunger and weight loss while maintaining a normal diet;
- allergic skin rashes in the form of peeling, red spots, pimples with worm larvae;
- weakness, drowsiness caused by malfunctioning of internal organs and anemia;
- fever, manifested by muscle and joint pain.
Children have a great appetite against the background of not gaining weight should not cause fear. Perhaps this is due to the active growth of the child. And an adult person's constant feeling of hunger with a normal diet should alert.
The listed manifestations and symptoms do not necessarily indicate infection with worms. Perhaps, this is how another disease or reaction of systems and organs to external stimuli appears. For example, weakness and drowsiness may be manifestations of avitaminosis or another ailment, and an upset of the bowel is the result of eating poor-quality food. However, if you have two or three signs of worms, experts recommend contacting a parasitologist for examination.