Worm infection

Worm infectionorhelminthiasis– Parasitic diseases that mainly damage the digestive organs. Worms, parasites, can live in many parts of the gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal tract), including. In the large intestine, in the rectum. Diagnosis and treatment of colonic manifestations of helminth infection are performed jointly by a physicianparasitologistandcolorectal surgeon.Helminthiasis infections have the following characteristics:

• In the chronic course of the disease, nutrients and protection are gradually depleted;
• More commonly, the body is invaded by hookworms, roundworms, Toxocara, and Trichocephala;
• Pathology is studied and treated not only in pediatrics and therapeutics, but also in gastroenterology, surgery, dermatology, allergology and other fields.

The disease affects a small portion of the country's population, but it tends to spread in areas with poor infrastructure and medical development.

Causes and mechanisms

There are three types of worms that live in the large intestine:

1. Roundworms (nematodes): roundworms, pinworms (pinworms), whipworms (trichotillomatosis), nematodes (strongyloidiasis), hookworms, toxocara.
2. Tapeworms (Tapeworms): Elongated tapeworm, Bovine and Pork tapeworm.
3. Flukes (trematodes): Schistosoma.

mostwormComplex development cycles. Between eggs and adults there are intermediate stages: larvae, cystic forms (cysts or fins). Eggs are resistant to harsh conditions and can survive in soil and water for long periods of time. They enter the body through raw water, unwashed hands, and soil-contaminated fruits and vegetables.Younger children are more susceptiblehelminthiasisDue to the habit of putting hands and foreign objects into the mouth. Animals are often carriers of worms. Meat, fish, and shellfish contain eggs, larvae, or fins. These raw or inadequately heat-treated foods are also sources of infection.Parasites cannot survive in the aggressive acidic environment of the stomach. But their shells resist the effects of gastric juices. Additionally, worms in food remain in the stomach only briefly. They then pass into the intestines along with the food bolus, where they continue their life cycle and form adults.The small and large intestines create more favorable conditions for worms to live. The environment is slightly alkaline, there are many food residues, and the mucosal blood supply is sufficient. Many adaptive mechanisms (hooks, suckers, well-developed muscles) help the worm stay in the lumengastrointestinal tract, attached to the intestinal mucosa and not excreted with feces.Their presence in the large intestine leads to local inflammatory processes - appendicitis, colitis, sigmoiditis, proctitis. In the course of life they are releasedtoxin. Many of these are strong allergens.Some parasites penetrate the pancreatic ductal system, biliary tract, and liver, causing damage to these organs. Additionally, the larvae of many worms are capable of burrowing through the intestinal wall. As blood and lymph fluid travel, they enter the muscles, lungs, eyes, and brain and cause damage to these organs.

Classification of helminthiasis

Based on group affiliation, parasitic infections can be divided into the following types:

• Cysticercosis - hydatid, taeniasis, taeniasis;
• Nematodes - Trichocephalosis, Ascariasis, Nematodes;
• Trimatodes – Opiodiasis, Fascioliasis.

Depending on how they survive in the environment, parasites are divided into:

• worm;
• biological worms;
• Exposure to parasites.

Classified according to the method of transmission to the host:

• water;
• food;
• Transcutaneous.

There are 2 types of parasites depending on their area of distribution.

1. intestinal. They enter the host through the oral cavity and gradually spread along the gastrointestinal tract. The permanent habitat is the intestines. These parasites include strongyloidiasis, hookworm, and coccidiosis.
2. parenteral form. Infiltration can also develop through the gastrointestinal tract, but then the parasite migrates through the intestinal wall to other organs. Such as blood vessels, subcutaneous fat, liver, brain. Opisthorchiasis, fascioliasis, and trichinellosis all share this property.

Parenteral forms are considered the most dangerous; they can cause serious complications.

symptom

Helminthiasis may remain asymptomatic for long periods of time. Subsequently, nonspecific symptoms of intestinal disease appear:

• nausea;
• decreased appetite;
• abdominal pain or cramping;
• abdominal bloating;
• flatulence;
• Diarrhea, constipation, their alternation.

Characteristic symptomspinworm disease: Itching and burning sensation in the anus and perianal area. This symptom is due to sexually mature womenPinwormCome out and lay eggs. This mostly happens at night.If the course of the disease is unfavorable, the intestinal lumen may become clogged with swarms of worms. In these cases, there are typical clinical manifestations of mechanical intestinal obstruction, with severe abdominal pain, bloating, recurrent vomiting, and fecal and gas retention. Obstruction was complicated by peritoneal inflammation, and the patient's systemic condition was extremely severe.Extraintestinal diseases include:

• Headache;
• weakness, decreased performance;
• Changes in emotional background: depression, irritability, insomnia;
• thin;
• Pale skin, rash, visible pale and dry mucous membranes;
• dry cough;
• Frequent colds;
• Presence and frequency of bronchial asthma;
• Bruxism – grinding of teeth during sleep;
• Muscle and joint pain.

These symptoms are caused by organ and tissue damage, intoxication, immune deficiencies, allergies, and vitamin deficiencies. If helminthiasis is not diagnosed, other causes may be related.

diagnosis

diagnosisDiagnosis is based on laboratory tests of blood and stool. General blood tests show decreased hemoglobin and red blood cell levels. Increased levels of eosinophils. should be taken into considerationanemiaand eosinophilia are characteristic of other diseases and therefore can only indirectly indicate helminthiasis.Blood immunodiagnostics are designed to detect specific antibodies in parasite tissue. Be sure to check your stool for hidden blood and eggs. To diagnose pinworms, a scrape is taken from the perianal area. When scraping, use cotton swabs or tape. Diagnosis of intestinal mucosal injuries using endoscopic methods - sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy.There are other diagnostic tests that can help determine the type of pathogen, how far it has spread, and the extent of the damage:

• Allergy skin test with added helminth antigen;
• Ultrasound examination of abdominal organs to evaluate the condition of the intestines, liver, spleen, and pancreas;
• Fiberoptic gastroduodenoscopy - a visual examination of the upper part of the digestive tract with a specific device introduced through the mouth;
• Colonoscopy - a visual examination of the wall of the large intestine by inserting a probe with a camera;
• Endoscopic biopsy – A section of tissue is removed during an endoscopy and is then subjected to microscopic examination and histological analysis;
• Radiographic or CT scans of internal organs with the addition of contrast media to assess the morphological properties of the tissue, detect foreign matter, and identify the integrity of the organ wall;
• Liver scintigraphy - Introduces a radioactive tracer that accumulates in the liver and emits radiation that is displayed on a monitor (can assess the organ's morphology, size, location, presence of defects).

Research methods were developed based on the symptoms present and the physician's suspicion of the extent of helminthiasis transmission.

treat

helminthiasisUndergoing medication. Treatment is planned using specific treatment options based on the type of parasiteanthelminticsdrug. Many of these further strengthen the immune system. In addition to specific treatments, patients take vitamin and mineral complexes and digestive enzymes. Pay high attention to personal hygiene. If an intestinal obstruction occurs, emergency surgery is required. In severe cases, just treating the worms with medication isn't enough. It's best to use products that target specific types of parasites:

• anti-cystic drugs;
• Resistant to nematodes;
• Resistant to flukes;
• Has a wide range of effects targeting different groups of parasites.

In addition to specific treatment, it is necessary to take symptomatic drugs to eliminate the symptoms caused by worms:

• Antimicrobials, which cause additional complications of the condition by activating the pathogenic microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract;
• Adsorbents that encapsulate and remove worm poisoning products before they are absorbed into the systemic bloodstream;
• Enzymes that improve the digestive process, especially when helminthiasis is complicated by diarrhea;
• Probiotics – necessary when using anthelmintic and antibacterial drugs to restore normal intestinal flora;
• Cardiac glycosides treat complications of helminthiasis and cardiovascular disease;
• NSAIDs inhibit the active inflammatory process caused by the action of parasites;
• Glucocorticoids used to activate the immune system and develop acute allergic reactions.

Surgery is considered a last resort treatment. It is prescribed for complications. For example, when parasites move from the intestines to other organs.

prevention

To prevent worms from invading the human body, it is recommended to take the following measures:

• Wash hands and food frequently before eating;
• Maintain basic personal hygiene;
• administration of antiglycemic drugs to animals;
• heat treatment of meat and fish;
• Antihelmintics are used prophylactically, especially when characteristic symptoms occur or when the patient is at risk.

Preventative methods can reduce the risk of worm infection but cannot completely eliminate it. Therefore, doctors recommend regularly donating stool for analysis.

forecast

Forecast depends on the following factors:

• Type of parasite;
• Worm distribution area;
• degree of poisoning;
• Complications of internal organs and systems.

Prompt recognition and treatment of parasitic infections ensures a positive prognosis. If treated in the early stages, complications will not occur. If it is lacking or incorrectly prescribed, lesions can begin to appear, worsening the health condition. In severe cases, organs in the abdomen and chest are damaged, and the infection can spread all the way to the brain. Such conditions worsen quality of life and may result in the inability to work. Death may occur from anaphylactic shock to the central nervous system and helminthiasis. Therefore, timely diagnosis is important in this case.