Review of human parasitic diseases

Parasites are microorganisms that penetrate the human body, affect internal organs and systems and lead to various clinical manifestations.Parasitic disease is not the only disease.This phrase means a special group of pathologies that are provoked by pathogenic unicellular and multicellular microorganisms.An unpleasant "neighborhood" can be temporary or permanent.The life cycle of worms has certain characteristics;in some situations, to form a complete individual, it is necessary to change three hosts.

Symptoms and pathogens of parasitic diseases

The main causes of parasitic pathologies include worms, leading to infection with helminthiasis.Helminthiases, depending on the type of helminth, are classified as follows:

• Trematodes.This group of diseases includes flu infection.For example, damage to internal organs from pulmonary stroke, liver stroke, cat stroke, etc.;
• Nematodes are a parasitic infection caused by round helminths.The source of infection is a sick person.Pathogens include roundworm, hookworm, Toxocara, Trichinella, whipworm;
• Cestodes develop as a result of parasitism by tapeworms.Among them, the most common helminths include bovine and porcine tapeworms, dwarf tapeworms, broad tapeworms, alveococci and echinococci.

In addition to helminthiasis, parasitic diseases can be protozoal - infection with protozoan parasites - Giardia, the cause of malaria, toxoplasma, trichomonas.Also ectoparasites - this includes lice (body, head and pubic lice), bedbugs and ticks.Dermatoses appear due to the parasitic activity of some insects.

For your information, the clinical picture against the background of parasite infection is often unclear - in most cases there are no symptoms, or they appear acutely and violently, which indicates severe intoxication.

Human parasitic diseases have the following symptoms:

1. Allergic manifestations are caused by the multiplication of parasites in the body, during which their waste and toxic substances enter the human circulatory system, which leads to intoxication.Symptoms: red spots on the skin, hives, itching, rash, lichen plaques, etc.
2. Increase in body temperature.In some patients, against the background of severe helminthic infection, a feverish condition is observed.Usually the temperature ranges from 38 to 40 degrees, sometimes it stays within subfebrile values for a long time.An increase in temperature indicates the acute stage of the disease.

3. Lymphadenitis is a common symptom of human parasitic diseases.This condition is manifested by enlargement and inflammation of the lymph nodes.They can be inflamed one by one, or all at once.In addition, the patient experiences headaches, loss of appetite and general malaise.In most cases, those lymph nodes that are closest to the site of invasion become inflamed.
4. Pain in muscles and joints is an echo of immunological reactions in the human body.The immune system perceives helminth larvae as foreign objects and begins to attack them.Muscle and joint pain develops due to tissue damage by helminth suckers.
5. Pulmonary syndrome manifests as a non-productive cough.The patient complains of shortness of breath due to lack of physical activity, pain in the chest area.Ascariasis often appears with sputum mixed with blood.
6. The swelling can be localized or spread throughout the body.Angioedema is particularly dangerous.In the absence of medical attention, the likelihood of death is high.
7. When infected with helminths, abdominal syndrome is often detected.This symptom means alternating constipation and diarrhea, increased gas formation, bloating and breakdown of the digestive tract.
8. Painful sensations in the abdomen of various types.Some patients complain of constant pain, others of intermittent pain.For some, the pain is sharp and intense, while others describe it as a dull pain syndrome.
9. In the chronic course of helminthiasis, intoxication occurs, accompanied by severe weakness, a significant deterioration of general health, frequent breathing and colds, and a sharp loss of weight.

The clinical picture of a parasitic disease is always different.Symptoms are based on the localization of helminths, the specific type of pathogen and the patient's age.And also on the state of the immune system, the degree of dysfunction of internal organs and other aspects.

List of parasitic diseases

Parasitic diseases are divided into protozoa - malaria, giardiasis, toxoplasmosis, amoebiasis, balantidiasis - the most common;for helminthiasis, acarosis (scabies) and dermatosis.Helminthic infections are most often encountered in medical practice.

Parasitic infections:

• African trypanosomiasis.The infection occurs due to the penetration of Trypanosoma brucei bacteria.Route of transmission: tsetse fly bites.The main clinical manifestations include fever, headache, myalgia;
• Amoebiasis develops due to the penetration of parasites into the human body together with food and water.Pathogens: amoeba or dysenteric amoeba;
• Ascariasis.Parasites - roundworms.Infection is caused by consuming contaminated food products;
• Babesiosis is caused by helminths that live in the bloodstream.Infection occurs due to a tick bite;
• Chagas disease (transmitted through the bites of blood-sucking insects);
• Trichinosis is an acute or chronic parasitic disease caused by nematodes;
• Teniarinhoz is a parasitism of the bovine tapeworm.The invasive parasite mainly affects the gastrointestinal tract.Symptoms: severe abdominal pain, allergic reactions, headache, general malaise.The incubation period varies from 2 to several years;
• Taeniasis.The causative agent is pork tapeworm.A parasitic infection is fraught with numerous complications due to the passage of helminth segments, up to irreversible brain damage;
• Opisthorchiasis (helminth – cat bite).The worm "lives" in the liver, bile ducts, pancreas and gall bladder.Infection occurs due to consumption of raw or poorly cooked fish;
• Clonorchiasis.The reason is the reproduction of the Chinese body kick.In addition to humans, helminths also affect cats, dogs and pigs;
• Enterobiasis.The causative agent is worms.Parasitic disease is often diagnosed in childhood.Treatment has its difficulties, as secondary self-infection occurs in 99%.

It is worth knowing: pathologies provoked by ectoparasites - pediculosis, scabies, cochliomiasis, demodicosis, etc.

In fact, the list of parasitic diseases can go on for a very long time, as there are many parasites that can infect the human body.The most common diseases are given as an example.

Why are parasites dangerous?

In most clinical pictures, residents of large cities are infected with common helminths, roundworms and tapeworms.Pathogenic microorganisms lead to a decrease in immunity and absorb nutrients from their host.But roundworms and "banal" worms are not as scary as they may seem at first glance.

People who live in tropical countries and tourists who go on vacation to South America, Australia or Africa face really "terrible" helminths.

The most dangerous parasites:

1. Filaria leads to the blockage of blood vessels, as a result of which the coordination of movements is impaired and the internal organs may fail.
2. Schistosomes are a special type of helminth that lives in human blood.It leads to severe damage to the functionality of the liver, gastrointestinal tract and bladder.

These parasites are found in countries with a tropical climate;in our realities, pathologies are relatively rarely diagnosed.Science knows more than 200 types of parasites that can lead to the development of acute and chronic pathologies:

• Chronic giardiasis leads to breakdown of the liver, cirrhosis develops;
• Trichomonas can cause cancer, myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis;
• Roundworms with prolonged parasitism significantly worsen the condition of the gastrointestinal tract and affect the lungs;
• Trichinella.The development of parasites leads to severe pain and convulsions;
• Toxoplasma during pregnancy disrupts the intrauterine development of the child to the point of mental retardation.

Important: anyone without exception can be infected;hundreds of thousands of helminth larvae lie in wait for every person: in water, soil, on tree leaves, in public transport, a clinic, a store, in food, etc.Therefore, it is necessary to respect all hygiene measures and to show children as early as possible the importance of observing basic hygiene rules.

The penetration of parasite larvae into the body occurs unnoticed.In the early stage of infection, there are no symptoms;when the disease becomes chronic, the symptoms are more pronounced.If characteristic signs are detected, you should be treated - otherwise there is a high probability of serious complications that you will have to deal with throughout your life.