Analysis For Worms - Types Of Tests, How To Prepare And Take

2023 Author: Riley Dean | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 09:15

Analysis for worms - types of tests, how to prepare and take an analysis for worms are assigned to both children and adults. This method is an accurate and rapid diagnostic indicator of the disease. An analysis for worms allows you to identify a group of parasites and helps your doctor prescribe the correct treatment. In this article, we will consider what tests are taken for worms, and how to prepare for the procedure. Uninvited guests - worms Worms are parasites living in human organs. After acute respiratory infections and influenza, the incidence of helminthic invasions takes the leading second place, and one person can simultaneously carry several types of parasites. Since helminths are very fertile, tenacious and capable of extremely easily adapting to the body's defensive reactions, they can live inside a person for decades, moreover …

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An analysis for worms is prescribed for both children and adults. This method is an accurate and rapid diagnostic indicator of the disease. An analysis for worms allows you to identify a group of parasites and helps the doctor to prescribe the correct treatment. In this article, we will consider what tests are taken for worms, and how to prepare for the procedure.

The content of the article:

1 Uninvited guests - worms
2 Man and parasites
3 Analysis for worms - blood
4 Signs of illness
5 When it is necessary to pass an analysis for worms
6 Worms: find and neutralize
7 Indications for the appointment of tests for worms
8 What tests are taken for worms and how to prepare for the study
- 8.1 Analysis for eggs of worms (helminths)
- 8.2 Analysis for enterobiasis
- 8.3 Analysis for ascariasis
- 8.4 Analysis for opisthorchiasis
- 8.5 Analysis for trichinosis
- 8.6 Test for strongyloidosis

Uninvited guests - worms

Worms are parasites that live in human organs. After acute respiratory infections and influenza, the incidence of helminthic invasions takes the leading second place, and one person can simultaneously carry several types of parasites. Since helminths are very fertile, tenacious and capable of extremely easily adapting to the body's defenses, they can live inside a person for decades, and the worm will practically not give itself out.

Such parasites not only take away the nutrients and vitamins that a person receives from food, but also have a destructive effect on leukocytes, which leads to a sharp decrease in immunity.

Also, helminths secrete specific enzymes leading to disruption of the digestive process and the development of toxic-allergic reactions - urticaria, atopic dermatitis, bronchial asthma. Therefore, it is simply necessary to undergo an analysis to identify parasites!

Man and parasites

In humans, worm-like parasites are very common. To become infected with helminthic invasions, an adult does not need to actively learn about the world around him, trying everything to taste, as small children do. You can get infected with worm eggs with dirty fruit or poorly processed meat products, often infection occurs from person to person. The most common types of helminthic infestations in humans are pinworms, roundworms and toxocaras.

Pinworms parasitize in the lower intestine and leave the anus at night to lay eggs. The main symptoms are complaints of itching and irritation in the anus, restless sleep and the appearance of dark circles under the eyes.

Roundworms are another common parasite. They cause ascariasis and are much more dangerous than pinworms. It is roundworms that often cause the development of severe allergies. Also, being quite large, such parasites can block the bile ducts and cause obstructive jaundice or bowel obstruction.

No less dangerous for humans are toxocars, which can be carried by pets. The eggs of these helminths are spread throughout the body by the blood stream, getting into any organs and tissues, causing inflammation and allergic reactions. Parasites, multiplying in the body, can not only provoke a decrease in immunity and reduce resistance to infections, but also provoke severe attacks of suffocation, persistent headaches, seizures and even paralysis.

Analysis for worms - blood

The analysis for worms is one accurate method for diagnosing parasitic infestations. This study identifies in the blood material special substances secreted by helminths, which indicates infection. Test material is taken in the morning on an empty stomach. Blood is taken from a vein. Modern enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the presence of antibodies and antigens to various parasitic infestations is highly sensitive and specific. The result of the analysis allows not only to establish the type of parasites, but also to track the dynamics of the development of the disease.

Signs of the disease

The most famous species among the many parasites are pinworms, and enterobiasis is the most common parasitic disease. Symptoms of the disease from the moment of infection begin to appear at 12-14 days. This is how long the incubation period lasts. This disease is often diagnosed in both adults and children.

The main signs of worms are:

Decrease in body weight. A person consumes the same amount of food, maybe even more, but loses weight. This is due to the fact that parasites impoverish the human body, absorbing nutrients and vitamins.
Itching in the anal area. This happens as a result of the movement of parasites through the intestines.
Persistent feeling of tiredness, increased fatigue. This is due to the fact that a person lacks useful substances, vitamins, which "steal" helminths.
Problems in the digestive system. The patient complains of unpleasant symptoms such as diarrhea, flatulence, pain and nausea.
Constant headache. A similar condition occurs due to the intoxication of the body with the waste products of worms.
Allergy appearance. The body suffers from worms, their waste products and reacts to foreign presence with allergic reactions: rash, cough, rhinitis.
Decreased body defenses. A person often begins to catch colds and get sick for a long time. The body cannot cope with the attacks of viruses and bacteria, as it did before infection.

Such symptoms in the human body may not be constantly observed if there are few worms in the intestines. However, as the number of parasites increases, symptoms and discomfort become permanent.

In humans, tapeworm manifests itself in the same way as other parasites: nausea, stool disturbance, headaches, fatigue. Menstrual pain with worms may intensify, a violation of the cycle is noted, as well as other complications. The coprogram during pregnancy is very important.

When they must be tested for worms

There are circumstances when the analysis of feces for worms must be surrendered, such an examination is carried out:

when opening a sick leave;
during pregnancy;
periodically tests for worms in children are taken in kindergarten;
taking scrapings from children is mandatory when enrolling in school;
an analysis of enterobiasis is required for the pool, the price of which is available to everyone (how much the doctor notes is valid);
for the diagnosis of parasitic diseases.

Worms: find and neutralize

If it was not possible to avoid infection with worms, you need to start treatment without delay.

For the diagnosis of helminthiasis, special tests are required. Children are usually prescribed fecal tests for eggs of worms and scrapings for enterobiasis. Please note results may not be accurate. To find eggs, you need to catch the moment when the parasites multiply. To do this, it is necessary to pass a three-time analysis for worms with an interval of several days. Concomitant examinations can also confirm helminthiasis - an analysis for dysbiosis (suppression of normal E. coli) and a complete blood count (low hemoglobin, increased number of eosinophils and ESR indicators). It is advisable to donate blood for the determination of immunoglobulins for the main types of helminths. If in adults this disease is usually asymptomatic, then in a child the disease most often manifests itself as an allergy.

Modern medicine has a whole arsenal of drugs for the treatment of worms: chemotherapy, herbal medicine, homeopathic medicines, and ozone therapy. But only a doctor can prescribe treatment, because each drug has its own indications and contraindications.

Indications for the appointment of tests for worms

Most often, helminth infection occurs during a meal. Unwashed vegetables and fruits, touching food with dirty hands, poorly purified water, insufficient heat treatment of fish and meat - all this causes parasites to appear in the body. Helminth eggs are also transmitted through bedding and underwear.

The presence of pets in the house requires strict adherence to the rules of hygiene: cats and dogs are often carriers of worms, and by stroking a pet that comes up to you during dinner, you can become a carrier of parasites.

Small children are also at risk: their fragile body is more vulnerable to helminths than an adult. Even if your baby does not forget to wash his hands before eating, he risks getting infected from his peers in child care.

In addition to household, there are more "exotic" ways of spreading parasites: for example, some types of helminths can penetrate the human body directly through the skin. After the appearance of worms in one of the household members, the rest of the family usually becomes ill.

For the timely detection and destruction of helminths, it is necessary to undergo studies that detect the presence of parasites in the body. Usually a simple and painless analysis is sufficient for this.

The analysis for worms, depending on the reasons for the appointment, is conventionally divided into the following types:

An analysis for worms can be carried out as prescribed by a doctor, tests are:

Preventive - carried out in order to timely detect the presence of parasites, even in the absence of symptoms. The procedure is carried out both on their own initiative and as part of a clinical examination. The recommended frequency is at least once a year.
Barrier - prevent the spread of disease in populations. So, when a child enters a kindergarten or swimming pool, he will need a certificate, including information about the absence of helminths. Workers in the field of sale and production of food must be tested for worms annually when registering a medical book. As with preventive tests, the examination usually consists of a laboratory examination of the stool.
According to the doctor's prescription - when contacting the clinic with symptoms such as weight loss, itching in the anus, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, or when diseases often caused by parasites appear, the patient is prescribed an analysis of feces for helminth eggs, as well as a blood test for antibodies. In these cases, the examination is carried out more carefully, if there are doubts about the reliability of the results, the tests are prescribed again.

Regularly checking all family members for worms is an important part of staying healthy.

This is especially important if there are risk factors: the presence of children and animals in the house, gardening, swimming in natural reservoirs, drinking water from springs, wells and wells, eating food without proper heat treatment (steaks with blood, bacon, sushi, stroganin, etc.).

The consequences of untimely detection of the presence of helminths in the body can be very serious: some types of these parasites damage the intestinal walls, causing sepsis, cause disruption of the central nervous system and destroy internal organs.

What tests are taken for worms and how to prepare for the study

There are several types of tests that can reliably identify the presence or absence of parasites in the body: analysis of feces for helminth eggs, scraping, blood test for antibodies. Also, indicators of a general blood test can indicate the presence of helminths - the patient has increased hemoglobin and ESR.

Analysis for eggs of worms (helminths)

This type of analysis is the most popular way to determine the presence of worms (parasites of all types) in the body. When examining feces, a specialist sees not the parasites themselves, but only helminth eggs.

In general, the delivery of an analysis of feces for eggs of worms does not require special preliminary preparation. The only limitation: it is not recommended to take antiparasitic drugs, antibiotics, and medicines for diarrhea before him. A special sterile container for biomaterial can be taken in advance from a laboratory, clinic or regular pharmacy. Immediately after defecation, the feces are collected in a jar, which must be immediately transferred for examination or kept in the refrigerator for no more than 8 hours.

Analysis for worms - With a good test result (normally eggs of worms should not be found in feces), it is better to take the sample twice more on other days. The accuracy of the first study for many parasites is only 50%, while the same result obtained three times indicates 99% absence of helminths.

Despite its simplicity and popularity, the analysis of feces is inferior in its information content to a more modern method - the study of blood for antibodies. Below we will consider in what ways it is more effective to recognize the presence of the most common types of parasites.

Analysis for enterobiasis

Enterobiasis occupies the leading position among helminthiases in terms of prevalence. It is caused by pinworms - small white worms. The disease is especially common in children of preschool and primary school age. The main symptom is severe itching in the anal area, especially in the evening and at night.

The most effective way to detect enterobiasis is to take a swab with a cotton swab or scraping with a special spatula from the area near the anus, the usual analysis of feces is not effective. The procedure is carried out in the morning, as at night the pinworms come to the surface to lay eggs. It is important to carry out the procedure before going to the toilet and without rinsing the perineum first. You can store the resulting biomaterial in the refrigerator for no more than 8 hours, but it is better to immediately transfer it to the laboratory.

Analysis for ascariasis

Analysis for worms - Ascariasis is also widespread in children and adults: up to 20% of the world's population suffer from it. Ascaris worms, like pinworms, belong to the group of nematodes, but they look much more terrible: their body length can reach 30-40 centimeters. The source of the disease is usually fresh vegetables and fruits: in the soil, roundworm eggs can survive for up to several years, getting “on the table” right from the garden. The symptoms of ascariasis are weakness, fatigue, itching in the anal area.

Roundworms are able to spread throughout the body, causing damage to the liver, respiratory tract, gallbladder - in this case, secondary symptoms caused by organ diseases are added to the primary signs.

The development of ascariasis can even lead to the death of the patient.

The most effective for detecting ascaris in the body is a blood test for antibodies. It does not require special preparation, but it is advisable to refrain from eating for four hours before the analysis.

Analysis for opisthorchiasis

Opisthorchiasis is caused by flat worms - cat fluke. The disease has a pronounced local distribution: the majority of patients live in Russia and the CIS countries. You can get sick with opisthorchiasis by eating infected fish, which is the intermediate host of the parasite. Worms develop in the bile and pancreatic ducts, causing infections, allergic reactions, liver disease, flank pain, and fever. Lack of timely treatment can lead to damage to the central nervous system, chronic gastritis, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer.

The most effective method for detecting feline fluke is a blood test for specific IgG antibodies. A reliable result can be obtained when conducting a study in the period from the sixth to the eighth week after infection. With the transition to the chronic stage, the indicators may return to normal, in this case it will not be possible to determine opisthorchiasis by this method.

Analysis for trichinosis

Analysis for worms - Trichinosis is caused by Trichinella - helminths that enter the human body with contaminated meat and lard. Food in large stores must be tested for the presence of the parasite, so private farmers, hunters and people who buy meat in unverified places usually fall prey to Trichinella. The eggs of this parasite cannot be destroyed by ordinary heat treatment, and salting and smoking do not help either. One small piece is enough for infection.

Symptoms of the disease in the first two to three weeks are allergic reactions of the body, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting. Then there is a disease of the organ in which the worms have developed: parasites can select any part of the body and destroy it over the course of many years. Ultimately, trichinosis can lead to the death of the patient or to irreversible disruptions in the body.

If you suspect the presence of Trichinella, the patient is sent for a blood test for specific antibodies. With a negative result and continuing symptoms, it is recommended to undergo a second examination in a couple of weeks: in the early stages, the disease may not be detected, high accuracy is obtained by a blood test from the second to fourth weeks after infection.

Strongyloidosis analysis

Strongyloidiasis is caused by white worms called intestinal acne. This parasite lives mainly in places with a tropical climate; gardeners and farmers very often suffer from it. Helminth can penetrate the human body through any contact of open skin with the ground, for example, when walking barefoot or when weeding a garden.

Once in the body, acne leaves a red mark on the skin, which lasts up to several days and causes severe itching. Subsequent symptoms can be either classic (itching in the anus, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain), or completely unexpressed. The parasite can live in the host's body for many years without causing severe discomfort. However, with weakened immunity, strongyloidosis leads to the death of the patient in more than half of the cases.

To identify strongyloidosis, feces analysis is effective: when examining feces, not the eggs of the worms, but the larvae are visible. A blood test for antibodies, however, gives more accurate results - up to 85%.

Helminthiases are parasitic diseases dangerous to health and life that can lead to disability or even death. A timely visit to a doctor and subsequent treatment are the guarantee that the patient will avoid possible complications. Tests for worms must be taken at least once a year and only in a modern laboratory, where the most effective research methods are used.

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