Anyone can experience a worm infestation. Small children - preschoolers, adults - for other reasons. Despite all preventive measures, you should know the signs of worms in humans in order to notice the disease in time and start treating it. What worms are, where they settle and how they manifest themselves - we will consider in more detail.
Which organs can be affected by worms?
There are two types of invasions: abdominal and tissue. Depending on the species, the habitats are also divided:
- Cavity worms settle in the small and large intestines. In particular, the first sections of the small intestine are affected by a large tapeworm, hookworm, nematode. The lower part of the small intestine is the habitat of the dwarf tapeworm, pinworm. The large intestine most often becomes the habitat of the whipworm.
- Tissue helminths affect organs of any type: liver, brain, lymph nodes, bile ducts.
Important! It is impossible to determine the signs of the presence of worms in a patient at the initial stage of the development of an invasion. Although the number of worms is small, toxic poisoning with waste products is within the normal range, the body itself copes with the invasion. The appearance of characteristic or acute symptoms indicates a significant increase in the number of helminthic invasions - the maturation of individuals and their dynamic development.
Types of chains
Determining the signs of worms in adults, you should understand what kind of invasion we are talking about:
- Vlasoglavy. The chains are named after the filamentous body with a thickening at the posterior end. The life cycle of parasites is direct. Habitat - tropics, subtropics. The chains are localized in the cecum, so they are difficult to engrave.
- nematode. A suborder of nematodes that live in nature and in the human body. The most famous representatives: nematodes, pinworms.
- Fluke. Flat-type tremors. They pose a huge threat to the bearer's body, as they are able to settle in any organ, system. Representatives: schistosomiasis, opisthorchiasis worms.
- Pork tapeworm (tapeworm). Tapeworms are hermaphrodites. Having strong hooks on the head to attach to the walls, they can affect the brain, intestines, liver, eyes, muscles. Consequences of non-treatment: paralysis, death of the carrier.
All types of worms are found in the human body. Having become ill with ascariasis, enterobiasis, diphyllobothriasis, the patient feels a lack of nutrients, the intestine ceases to absorb food residues normally. Consequences of the invasion: metabolic disorders, neurohumoral reaction.
Some facts about the routes of infection:
- Ascariasis: vegetables, fruit, unwashed hands;
- Raw or slightly salted fish, caviar - diphyllobothriasis;
- Pinworms - home contact method. The development period lasts up to 60 days, after which there is a chronic phase of invasion, characterized by a decrease in immunity and a high incidence of infectious diseases, exacerbations of chronic processes.
Signs of worms in humans
The general symptoms of worms in adults depend on the location of the helminths. The main danger is represented by parasites that settle in vital organs. Worms appeared, the symptoms are implied: weakness, cough. And although for a complete diagnosis, an examination is necessary. However, there are a number of signs by which it is possible to determine: where the worms are and if they exist.
Brain
Most often, there are no noticeable symptoms, but if the worms live in the human brain, the patient may experience:
- persistent bouts of nausea;
- frequent vomiting;
- severe weakness;
- lethargy of consciousness;
- decrease in visual acuity, hearing;
- fluctuations in body temperature for no apparent reason;
- epilepsy.
Done! Most often, parasites in the brain are found only after an autopsy.
In the body
Hundreds of known species of parasites can settle in a patient's body. It is difficult to determine the presence of worms in the body of an adult. Symptoms vary depending on the localization areas: in the heart, liver, lungs, under the skin. Common signs of worms in an adult:
- muscles, joint pain;
- deterioration of the skin;
- weight jumps - decrease or set;
- severe constant fatigue;
- immediate decrease in immunity.
Done! Some worms have the ability to crawl from the anus to the perineum, enter the bloodstream in other organs, appear in the abdominal cavity and affect the nose and ears.
In the intestine
The most common worms in humans, the symptoms of which are more pronounced, can be found in the small and large intestines. Infection occurs through the mouth, by contact. The period of development of the larva and the adult from the egg takes place in the intestinal mucosa. The parasite takes the nutrients for itself, blocking their absorption by the intestine. For this reason, there are intestinal problems that cause helminths in adults. Symptoms:
- the stomach is often swollen;
- the stool is broken;
- flatulence appears;
- changes in body weight;
- constantly and strongly urge to eat.
Of course, with worms, the symptoms can be different, covered with characteristic signs of gastric diseases, if the patient has any. This is why correct diagnostic measures are so important. Only a specialist will accurately determine: where the worm is, the type and dynamics of the development of the invasion.
Signs of helminthiasis depending on the type of parasite
Symptoms of worms in an adult may differ from the symptoms of childhood. Strong immunity repels invasion, but the child does not have such a feature. Knowing the signs of the presence of worms in a person, it is easier to understand the cause of the ailment, and at the first suspicion of infection, consult a doctor. An infectious disease specialist, a parasitologist, a helminthologist - a specialist of the required profile will quickly find out where the worms live in the human body and how to get rid of them.
Each parasite causes its own symptoms to appear:
- from tapeworms there are intestinal problems: loss of appetite, sleep disturbances, flatulence;
- from round - cough, bloating, gas formation, loss of appetite.
Important! Roundworms or roundworms grow up to 40 cm in length and are able to move easily along the intestinal walls, live in the lungs and liver. This is a very dangerous invasion that should be eliminated.
Regardless of whether tapeworms or roundworms have settled in the human body, they need to be removed. Even in a minimal amount, the invasion can cause severe damage to the body, and in a large mass, the parasites poison the host and often lead to the death of the patient. Knowing where the worms live, do not rush to clear the frequent swelling for normal indigestion, perhaps this is a sign of helminthiasis, which means that it is time to see a doctor.