Worms In Adults: Signs, Symptoms And Treatment

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

Worms in adults are much less common than in children. The symptoms of this disease are a source of bad mood and well-being: weakness, eating disorders, skin reactions, anxiety, etc. There are many ways to get rid of parasites in the body: this can be done with the help of medical means or folk methods.

The content of the article:

1 Uninvited guests are parasites
2 Worms in adults - how you can get infected with worms
3 The main mechanisms of the spread of worms
4 What are the signs to recognize helminthic invasion
5 Worms in adults - diagnosis of helminthic invasion
6 In which organs can parasites live
7 Symptoms of worms depending on the type of parasite
8 How to get tested for the presence of worms in the body
9 Worms in adults - how to recover from parasites

9.1 Worms in adults - treatment of nematodes (pinworms, roundworms, etc.)
10 What will happen if you do not treat worms or how helminthiasis ends

Uninvited guests are parasites

In the body of an adult healthy person, parasites will have several protective barriers. In the mouth there are enzymes that are harmful to the eggs of worms. If they break through the first barrier, they will be stopped by the aggressive acidic environment of the stomach. And the local intestinal immunity, which produces antibodies, will destroy the most persistent representatives. In a child's - not yet formed - organism, these protective barriers may not work, as in a weakened adult organism.

The further life path of the helminth depends on the type of pathogen. For example, ascaris parasitizes in the intestines. But first it goes through the blood vessels, liver, bronchi and lungs, causing the corresponding symptoms. Then the helminths enter the oral cavity through the respiratory tract, are swallowed again, and only then develop in the intestines into adults, settling for a permanent place of residence. This is where reproduction begins. A female roundworm can lay up to 25,000 eggs per day.

The clinical manifestations of helminthiasis are also more pronounced in children than in adults. Using nutrients for their development, as well as disrupting their absorption in the intestines and poisoning the child's body with metabolic products, helminths negatively affect the child's health. Over time, a cheerful and active child can become lethargic and moody.

He quickly gets tired, allergic reactions appear, including skin reactions, such as rash, hives, redness and irritation.

Allergists say that more than half of all allergic reactions are the result of existing or once experienced helminthiasis. Parasites negatively affect the body's defenses, and this leads to a decrease in immunity, which in turn leads to an increase in the frequency of acute respiratory and infectious diseases, prolongation and complication of their course.

Parasites are usually divided into intestinal and extraintestinal helminths. As the name implies, in the first case, adult worms and their larvae live in the intestine, and in the second - outside it: in the muscles, lungs, liver and other organs. With the flow of blood, they can spread to any corner of the human body and settle there for a long time.

The most common helminthic diseases are intestinal: enterobiasis (pinworms), ascariasis (roundworms) and toxocariasis (toxocaras).

Worms in adults - how can you get infected with worms

To protect yourself, you need to know about 4 ways of spreading and infection with worm eggs:

Through soil and water - geohelminthiases. They develop in sand, soil and water, then enter the human body and begin to lay eggs there. Further, the eggs of the worm get into the external environment together with excrement and wait in the wings to infect a new person. Eating poorly washed vegetables and fruits, dirty hands, dust on food can lead to human infection with geohelminths.

Some parasite eggs enter the human body through the skin of the feet and ankles.
Through direct contact. H sheets in pets and humans are transmitted through hand contact, games, and joint activities.
Through the use of contaminated food of animal origin - biohelminthiasis. Eating raw and poorly processed meat (shashlik, bacon, meat preserves, home-made game) and fish (sushi, dried fish, fish preserves) is potentially dangerous. There is a possibility of infection with intestinal infections and biohelminths.
With insect bites. This type of infection is rare. This includes intestinal myiasis, cantariasis, and scoleciasis. Do not confuse the eggs of parasites and insect larvae, which are also deposited under the skin of animals and the skin of people (for example, gadfly larvae)

The main mechanisms of the spread of worms

Soil, sand and other types of soil are the most fertile habitat for worm eggs. Fruiting plants are in continuous contact with the ground. When harvesting, greens, fruits and vegetables come into contact with the hands of workers, with the dusty shelves of vegetable stores, and trucks. In such conditions, food contamination with parasite eggs is highly likely. Therefore, it is necessary to thoroughly wash products of plant origin under running water, and then pour over with boiling water.

You should be especially vigilant in rural areas where pets walk around the yard and then go into the house. It is not difficult to imagine what kind of sewage a cat or dog can put into the house after a night walk. Flies and cockroaches are also carriers of helminth eggs. When sitting on food, insects can infect your food. Any contact with soil and sand can lead to the entry of parasites into the human body. Therefore, it is necessary to wash your hands thoroughly, especially under the nails. This applies in particular to children.
From person to person. This infection mechanism is highly efficient. For example, pinworms lay eggs at night in the area around the anus. A child, in a state of sleep, scratches the place where the eggs are laid, as itching begins there. Thousands of eggs fall on clothes, on the bed, and in the morning on doorknobs and on everything that a little fidget touches in the morning even before washing hands and washing. As a result, the whole family is at risk of infection.
By contact with water. Open bodies of water contain a huge number of types of worms. Bathing and accidental ingestion of water is a serious risk of infection

Children are much more likely than adults to be susceptible to helminthic invasion. This is due to the fact that the child's body is poorly protected (defense mechanisms are just being formed), and the child is actively in contact with the external environment. It is worth an incredible effort for parents to accustom him to basic rules of personal hygiene. A baby under 6 years old is at high risk of infection. According to statistics, about 95% of children under 4-5 years old are infected with worms. Therefore, it is necessary to pay special attention to prevention.

Most types of worms are inside the body, only there they lay eggs, and after a certain period of time they die. For example, pinworms live 6-8 weeks, roundworms - up to 1 year. The number of parasites in the body increases only with the ingress of new eggs from the outside. Treatment allows you to get rid of worms much faster and stop the laying of eggs in the intestines. It is almost impossible for children with helminthic invasion to recover without medication. New eggs will constantly enter the oral cavity, replenishing the ranks of adults in the child's body.

What are the signs to recognize helminthic invasion

Signs of the appearance of worms in humans are obvious and hidden. The obvious ones include "unreasonable" weight loss, pale appearance (anemia of the skin), chronic fatigue, nighttime itching in the anal area. These manifestations are well known and are indicative of contamination.

Cases of helminthic invasion are not uncommon, in which diseases of the internal organs are aggravated, diseases that have not previously manifested themselves occur. These are considered hidden signs. A person is taken to the treatment of many diseases, and the cause is ignored. At the same time, therapy does not bring results.

Here are examples of such cases:

Infectious diseases as a result of decreased immunity. Parasites, being in the human body, consume many nutrients and release toxic substances. Such circumstances significantly reduce the patient's immunity. An exacerbation of chronic diseases, various inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx may begin. Treatment of sinusitis or stomatitis in the standard way is pointless. It is important to rule out the cause. In girls and women, inflammatory processes of the uterine appendages, vulvovaginitis, vaginosis of various origins can often begin.

Popular signs say: if a person snores or grinds his teeth in a dream, it means that he needs to be treated for parasites. But this information is not confirmed by medical science.
General malaise as a result of intoxication of the body. The more serious the helminthic invasion of the patient, the more harmful substances the parasites release. This has a detrimental effect on the well-being and the nervous system of adults and children. An example of this is migraine, dizziness, joint pain. Overcoming the nausea, the person takes painkillers, but the pains return after a short time: the cause of the discomfort was ignored. In children, disorders of the nervous system are accompanied by irritability, apathy, and aggressiveness. If your child begins to sleep poorly, to talk in a dream, to have nightmares, or has slipped into school, then it's time to start preventing helminthiasis.

Allergic reactions, pathologies of the skin. The waste products of worms are perceived as triggers of allergens. Skin reactions (rash, itching, rashes, peeling of the skin) are the minimum of symptoms that can occur with the onset of an allergy. There is a possibility of general reactions of the body: exacerbation of asthma, rhinitis, cough.

Sometimes helminthic invasion is accompanied by fragility and hair loss, cracking of the skin on the heels, and peeling of nails.
Gastrointestinal disorders. Depending on the severity of the infection, symptoms can vary from mild to severe forms of the disorder. From mild nausea and diarrhea, to chronic flatulence, constipation, vomiting, pain in the navel and hypochondrium. Worms in adults in tissues do not affect the gastrointestinal tract as strongly as intestinal parasites.

Worms in adults - diagnosis of helminthic invasion

With any suspicion of helminthic invasion, you should definitely consult a specialist, and not self-medicate. The diagnosis is confirmed by routine analysis of feces for worm eggs. If, during the first analysis of feces, eggs of worms are not found in a person, but the probability of infection is high, the tests are repeated several times in a row.

In what organs can parasites live?

Worm parasites are divided into two categories, which correspond to the site of activity in the donor's body.

Cavitary - worms that live in various parts of the gastrointestinal tract. There are about 100 varieties of intestinal parasites, and there are a couple of dozen species for each section of the intestine. The small intestine is ready to accept roundworm, antilostomy, broad tapeworms and other less common "brethren". The small intestine "will share living space" with pinworms, dwarf tapeworm and others.

The medical literature describes cases when one person was simultaneously infected with several types of parasites.
Tissue - worms localized in organs, tissues and even in the blood. Modern medicine successfully copes with paragonimiasis (lungs), cysticercosis (brain), echinococcosis (liver) and filariasis (lymphatic vessels). Some larvae of worms move through the body through the circulatory system and randomly attach to any organ. If many eggs are introduced, the entire body may be infected.

Symptoms of worms depending on the type of parasite

Symptoms will differ for different types of worms in humans. It is also worth considering the duration and strength of the infection with parasites, the general condition of the patient before infection. The table below summarizes the main symptoms of the presence of worms in humans by their type.

Parasite type (disease)	Method of infection	Symptoms	Time of onset of symptoms
Pinworms (enterobiasis)	With food of plant origin.	Nocturnal itching around the anus, the presence of parasites in the feces, sharp short-term pain in the navel.	2-3 days after infection
Vlasoglav (trichocephalosis)	With contaminated food prepared in unsanitary conditions.	Symptoms are expressed only with severe invasion: diarrhea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, inflammation of the appendix. In children, the growth of the body can be delayed and even rectal prolapse may occur.	Few weeks
Broad tapeworm (diphyllobothriasis)	When eating infected river fish.	This parasite can live up to 25 years inside the patient. Mechanical damage to the intestines, vitamin deficiency, intestinal obstruction, intoxication of the body, allergies.	Few weeks
Roundworm (hookworm)	When walking barefoot on charged soil.	Itching, swelling of the feet and legs where the parasite enters. Cough, phlegm, bronchial and lung damage. Weakness, dizziness. The menstrual cycle in women is disturbed. Men have impotence.	Several days
Ascaris (ascariasis)	With food of plant origin.	Pain in the intestines, peritonitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, liver disease, pancreas. May cause suffocation by crawling from the gastrointestinal tract into the esophagus or airways.	About 3 months
Trichinella (Trichinosis)	Poorly processed meat, lard.	Nausea and bouts of heartburn, diarrhea.	2 days
Hepatic and giant fluke (fascioliasis)	Plant food and water.	Fever, dry cough, loss of appetite, abdominal pain.	2-4 weeks

How to get tested for the presence of worms in the body

There are several ways to know if an infection is present. In the clinic, you will be offered to take tests of saliva, feces and blood.

An infectious disease specialist and a parasitologist deal with parasites.

You can get a referral to them from a general practitioner. For a child, it is issued by a pediatrician. At home, you should focus on your well-being. The list of infection factors below is compiled in such a way that if 7 points coincide, there is a high probability of helminthic invasion.

Count the points that match your situation:

Often itching in the anus;
The appearance of a rash on the skin;
More frequent cases of headache, dizziness;
Sudden frequent bouts of nausea. Vomiting without poisoning;
The intestines are out of order (gas, pain, diarrhea, constipation);
Sleep disturbances, insomnia;
Sudden swelling of the legs;
Allergies in the form of cough, bronchitis, asthmatic attacks, skin reactions;
Lymph nodes are inflamed or enlarged;
Sudden pain that goes away quickly
Bitter taste in the mouth between meals
Weakness, fatigue for no particular reason
If you are in contact with preschool children, visit childcare facilities;
A sudden rise in temperature without concomitant diseases;
Skin and mucous tissues appear yellower than usual;
Do you have pets that you are in constant contact with;
Pain in muscles and joints in the absence of overexertion;
Night snoring and clenching of teeth during sleep;
You have eaten dried fish, bacon and other poorly processed meat products in the last couple of months;
You have lost weight without any changes in diet or lifestyle;
You sometimes eat vegetables and fruits straight from the garden or from the store, without washing them or scalding them with boiling water.

If the likelihood of infection with worms is present, then it is urgent to engage in prevention and treatment. Read more about this below.

Worms in adults - how to recover from parasites

Self-medication is not recommended. In our country, about 60 types of worms are widespread, and for each it is necessary to select the appropriate preparations. Usually, doctors use 10 types of drugs and their analogues, according to the type of helminths. These medicines have a mild detoxifying effect on the patient's body.

Therefore, taking medications should be carried out for sure, when all tests have been passed and the identification of parasites has been passed.

Some drugs, acting on the eggs of worms, do not affect adults. And vice versa. Therefore, with self-medication, you need to carefully read the instructions for the medicine.

Usually, with helminthic invasions, 2-3 repeated courses are prescribed at once. This is due to the high likelihood of reinfection (reinfection).

Worms in adults - treatment of nematodes (pinworms, roundworms, etc.)

Basic medicine (active ingredient)	Release form	Price	Analogue	Release form	Price
Piperazine (as Piperazine adipate)	pills	from 9 rub.	Piperazine-Darnitsa	Oral solution [for children], tablets	From 30 rubles.
Pirantel.	Oral suspension, film-coated tablets	From 29 rubles.	(1) Helmintox, (2) Combantrine, (3) Nemocide	(1) Oral suspension, film-coated tablets. (2) Oral suspension, film-coated tablets. (3) Oral suspension, film-coated tablets	(1) From 69 rub. (2) From 20 rubles. (3) From 150 rubles.
Mebendazole	Tablets, suspension, baby syrup	From 20 rubles.	Vermox, Vermacar, Mebex, Vero-Mebendazole, Thermox, Wormin	Tablets, suspension, baby syrup	From 20 rubles.
Albendazole	pills	From 195 rub.	Nemozol, Gelmodol-VM, Vormil	Tablets, suspension, baby syrup	From 166 rub.
Levamisole	pills	From 100 rubles.	Dekaris	pills	From 80 rubles.
Carbendacim	pills	From 80 rubles.	Medamin	pills	From 80 rubles.

What will happen if you do not treat worms or how helminthiasis ends

Some people are so embarrassed or too lazy to go to the doctor on this delicate matter that they seriously argue and consider the option of not being treated, but enduring the disease.

But let's be serious, this is the wrong decision, for many reasons. The most important of these are:

You will start infecting other people. At home, at work, at school, on public transport, when shopping. In general, in any communication where you touch a person or alternately touch one thing (when transferring a book or money, for example).
Mild symptoms will get worse. If you just had a headache before, you will soon have constant dizziness, and migraines will haunt you even in a dream.

Parasitic organisms are not only pain in the head, but also diarrhea, abdominal pain, insomnia, weakness throughout the body.
Significant weight loss. And no, this is not the type of weight loss that every girl dreams of. Losing weight with worms looks painful, the skin becomes ugly pale, and bags appear under the eyes.
Fatal outcome. Yes exactly. If not treated for parasites in the body, especially from dangerous species that settle not only in the gastrointestinal tract, but also in soft tissues throughout the body, a person can face a fatal outcome.

As you can see, it is not worth delaying the treatment of helminths. And if already now you are tormented by pain and worms come out with feces, then you should not hesitate, rather consult a doctor.

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