Giardiasis in an adult and children is a widespread protozoal disease that occurs when lamblias begin to parasitize in the small intestine or in the gallbladder-the simplest flagellating microorganisms that enter the Diplomonadida( Diplomonadida) detachment( pictured).In the classification of diseases( ICD-10) giardiasis has its own code. It is listed in section AOO-B99 "Some infectious diseases", in the subsection AOO-AO9 "Intestinal Infections".ICD-10 - AO7.1 "Jiardiasis".Knowing how the disease develops in an adult and a child, what features it has, what symptoms it shows, you can assess the situation and take adequate measures in time. This helps prevent the development of dangerous complications.
Lamblias are the simplest microorganisms, microscopic parasites that affect the small intestine and the biliary tract of an adult and a child. The causative agent of the disease in the host can exist in two forms( as they look, presented in the photo):
- In the vegetative form( trophozoites).
- In the fixed form( cysts).
Trophozoites are small in size( 25 μm long and 12 μm wide) and pear-shaped. They are attached to the walls of the intestine of an adult or child by means of a suction disk located on the ventral side. Lamblia does not have a mouth opening, the process of nutrition is performed by an endosmotic method. In the area of the sucking disk there are two symmetrically located nuclei. In this same part there are eight flagella, located also symmetrically. With the help of these trophozoids can move through the intestines of an adult and a child.
Cysts, in contrast to trophozoid, have an oval shape. They are much smaller than the dimensions( 14 μm in length and only 10 μm in width).Cysts - are formed when the trophozoids descend from the small intestine into the large intestine. Scientists agree that this process is due to the impact of more bile. Cysts can not move independently, so they, pushed by feces, go out with it. There are immature and mature cysts. The immature have two cores, the mature ones have four cores. Cysts have a dense mature membrane. It mostly grows from protoplasm. By this distinction, experts distinguish lamblia from other protozoa that are in the human intestine. The parasite was first discovered and described in 1859 by the Czech scientist Dusan Lamble. It was in his honor that the described parasites were named.
Features of the life cycle of lamblia
To understand how lambliasis develops in an adult, knowledge about the life cycle of the simplest parasite helps. He is schematically presented in the photo. Inside the intestine cysts come from the external environment, along with dirty hands or products, as well as water. Due to their dense shell, they easily overcome the aggressive environment of the stomach and enter the duodenum. There, under the action of bile, the solid shell of the cyst is destroyed, two trophozoites are formed from one such container. They actively live and reproduce by the method of longitudinal division. Then the trophozoites descend into the large intestine and turn into cysts( spore form).The latter go along with the feces into the external environment. Cysts are tenacious, but they die by boiling, but the temperature below -13 degrees only temporarily paralyzes the parasite. Ultraviolet rays and chlorine treatment are completely useless in the fight against lamblia. Disinfection is carried out using very different chemical reagents. How it is implemented, you can look at the video.
Cysts in the body of an adult( the photo shows how they are seen in the microscope) or the child gets by the oral route. The simplest parasites are able to be transmitted from person to person in a contact and household way. But the most common way of infection is the use of unboiled tap water. It is in her giardia feel great. They do not need oxygen, for the normal functioning of lamblia you need a warm and moist environment. Dirty hands, unwashed vegetables and fruits are another source of infection, in which lamblia cysts directly enter the stomach of the new host. The life cycle is thus closed.
The pathogenesis of Giardiasis
Many mammals and birds serve as a carrier of lamblias. They attach themselves to the fibers of the small intestine mucosa and feed solely on products of parietal digestion. This is clearly seen in the photo. Parasitizing, lamblia actively multiply, as a result - the appearance of structural changes that are accompanied by inflammatory processes. That is why the disease "chronic duodenitis" can become the main symptom of the presence of the described invasion.
Diseases of the gut with infection with Giardia are always lingering. In many adults giardiasis is completely asymptomatic, but if the number of giardias increases manifold, if parasites cover large surfaces of the small intestine or bile ducts, prerequisites for the development of other dangerous diseases are formed. What happens at this time in the body of an adult and a child? Denote the characteristic pathological changes:
- In addition to mechanical irritation of the intestinal wall, the main function of the digestive tract is blocked. Food is not digested inside the tract, but rotting. The increase in the number of putrefactive bacteria, as well as the accumulation of lactiparum products, gives impetus to the development of general intoxication. This affects all the internal systems of an adult and a child( cardiovascular, nervous and endocrine including).
- Pathological changes in the duodenum knock down the rhythmic work of the stomach, gallbladder, pancreas and liver.
- Changes in the liver are capable of provoking interstitial hepatitis, and even cirrhosis of the liver.
- Toxic reactions provoke a deterioration in the general condition of an adult and a child.
- Allergic reactions appear in the form of skin itching, rashes in the form of urticaria( as it looks in the photo), with time the pain in the joints begins.
- General intoxication causes symptoms of severe fever.
When the amount of lamblia in the intestine of an adult or child is small, their presence does not manifest themselves. Protozoa live in the intestine of an adult or child for years. Perhaps the healing itself. And having recovered for half a year receives immunity on repeated infection. If you do not neglect some preventive measures, it's easy to get into the number of healthy people.
Lamblias - worms or not?
The worms and lamblia: are they the same? The comparative analysis of general characteristics will help to answer this question:
- Helminths are parasites that live at the expense of their host. From this point of view lamblia are worms.
- Worms during their life emit toxins, which gradually poison the host. The simplest microorganisms described can also become a source of toxicological poisoning.
- Giardii, like any other helminths, attaching to the walls of the intestine, cause mechanical damage to living tissues. Their integrity is violated, they become inflamed, a pathological reaction is gradually formed, which leads to the appearance of painful manifestations.
But giardiasis according to ICD-10 refers to the section "Intestinal Infections".So, in the official medicine lamblia are not considered helminths. They are classified as the simplest microorganisms, they are considered to be a link in the evolution between bacteria and multicellular complex organisms, such as worms. According to the formulation of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, microorganisms are called "giardias small intestine".The photo clearly shows how simple the anatomy of the described microorganism is.
They are, of course, parasites, but the harm they do to their health is incomparable with the pathological effect that worms have. Getting into the bile, the protozoa die, so they can not cause severe changes in the biliary tract. Cirrhosis of the liver occurs extremely rarely, only bright intestinal forms are accompanied by characteristic symptoms. The patient, as a rule, complains of a violation of the intestine, the presence of a liquid stool and pain in the underlying region. But after three days, these symptoms pass, there are no serious complications of lambliasis, a prognosis with proper treatment is always favorable, unlike any other helminthiasis provoked by worms.
Answering the question, what lamblia differ from worms, which means their presence for health, specialists pay attention to possible long-term neighborliness of the simplest and human. In the world, up to 30% of the world's population is infected by the microorganisms described, many adult patients do not even suspect that their intestines have become a donor for the protozoans. Only the parents of infected children apply to doctors for help, when the child has vomiting, diarrhea, other signs of acute enteritis. If desired, withdraw from the gut lamblia easily, after drinking the course of Trichopol or Furazolidol. Any parasitic invasion leads to the failure of all internal systems, therefore, after parasitic therapy, a full-scale struggle is required to restore health.
What can we say in conclusion? Lamblias are not as dangerous as worms, but if you have lamblia in children, do not delay treatment. And all because the fragile children's body suffers from the described disease the most. The simplest microorganisms in children are able to change the composition of blood, reduce the efficiency of the heart muscle, undermine the nervous system. Therefore, if lamblia is found in children, it is necessary to begin treatment immediately. The therapeutic course is short enough, antimicrobials are prescribed for a child and an adult male. After taking them, it is useful to conduct a full-scale work to strengthen immunity.