Many will be surprised to discover that a person lives constantly "not alone". In itself, as well as within your body, microorganisms exist constantly, and without this mutually beneficial cohabitation, a person would be seriously ill and would not be able to survive. Thus, on the surface of healthy skin, there is a normal microflora that protects it from the reproduction of harmful microbes. In women's vaginas, there are lactobacilli, or Dederlein rods, which form a normal acidic environment. Finally, in the large intestine and feces of a healthy person, there are hundreds of billions of microorganisms involved in digesting food, producing vitamins, and protecting a person from disease.
But,except microbes, all other random organisms - protozoa as well as worms - are parasites. . . Some begin to multiply, "poisoning" our bodies. How to detect parasites in the human body?
This question is far from useless. Of course, if the doctor points his finger and tells you which parasites live in a particular person's body, that patient will immediately be tested. The same will happen if, for example, small worms are accidentally found in fresh faeces. The point is clear: the helminth invasion is evident. All that remains is to clarify the diagnosis and start treatment.
But parasites have learned to "keep their nose out" and often their existence in the body causes incomprehensible changes that the sick person does not associate with the presence of parasites. What are these symptoms? How to suspect, for example, chronic helminthiasis?
Common signs of parasites
The entire variety of parasites, from accidental (transient), and ending up in those parasites that live in the human body constantly, manifest themselves through some symptoms. They can be divided into two groups:
- specific(characteristic of a specific type of parasite), eg muscle swelling and pain with trichinosis, the development of acute appendicitis when crawling to the ascaris appendix, or excruciating itching in the perianal region in the presence of moths.
But it is good if there is a symptom that accurately indicates the cause of the invasion (in medicine it is called pathognomonic) . But how to determine the presence of parasites in the human body if there are no such direct signs?
To do this, check if there are other symptoms common to parasitosis - non-specific.
- nonspecificthe symptoms are signs that the body has been poisoned with waste from worms and protozoa.
In turn, these signs appear more often in the form of two syndromes:
- an allergic reaction of the body to a parasite;
- Intoxication or poisoning syndrome.
How to identify parasites in the human body and what symptoms do they cause?
The most common symptoms of parasitosis
- gradual but continuously progressive decrease in body weight, not associated with chronic stress, increased level of physical activity;
- the onset of insomnia. It can be caused by itchy skin and release of toxins, for example, during larvae migration. In this case, the person simply experiences a worsening in well-being at night and at night.
- the appearance of nausea and vomiting, sometimes due to aversion to food;
- anorexia, or marked decrease in appetite, up to and including its complete absence. For example, with giardiasis, children often have a morning aversion to food;
- there is pronounced weakness, weakness, decreased performance;
- daytime drowsiness appears;
- the temperature rises to subfebrile numbers (37, 1-37, 5);
- there is a cephalic syndrome: a headache appears that is not associated with physical and mental stress.
The allergic manifestations of helminthiasis can be different. Hives may occur, itchy skin without cause may appear and disappear, allergic Quincke's edema, bronchospasm may occur.
In that case,if you or your loved ones have the above symptoms, see a doctor.. . .
Of course, this doesn't limit the range of symptoms, but these are the most common.
About lab plates
How to identify parasites in the human body using simple tests? For example, when studying the result of a general blood test, the following findings indicate a helminth invasion:
- anemia, or a decrease in hemoglobin level and color index;
- eosinophilia. . . Usually, the number of eosinophils does not exceed 5%, and their number increases with parasitic diseases.
Of course, you shouldn't do all the tests followed by yourself, the doctor knows best what to prescribe in each specific case.
About accidental finds
Sometimes an accidental finding helps to identify the presence of parasites in the human body. How does this happen?
- for example, with fluorography, an unusual darkening in the lung field is found, which may be a parasitic cyst;
- during an MRI of the brain, it is also possible to detect single or multiple cysts, usually without any symptoms.
In conclusion, it must be said thatafter detecting these symptoms, a specific diagnosis is made.: immunological reactions are established, feces are analyzed, if necessary, duodenal contents are collected. Of course, the life story is very important. Therefore, if a person the day before rested in the hot countries of Asia and Africa and swam where it is not recommended, or used water of dubious quality, or unwashed fruit, then the presence of helminth invasion is more than likely.
Likewise, if a child has similar symptoms after attending school, kindergarten and parents are sure that the cause is not a stressful state due to the influence of an organized team, then there are more than enough reasons to visita pediatrician specializing in infectious diseases.
The treatment of identified helminthiasis is carried out in a special room for helminthiasis (parasitological), which normally exists in each regional center of the main infectious diseases hospital.