Helminths In Children - Symptoms And Methods Of Treatment Of Helminths, Doctor's Advice

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Helminths In Children - Symptoms And Methods Of Treatment Of Helminths, Doctor's Advice
Helminths In Children - Symptoms And Methods Of Treatment Of Helminths, Doctor's Advice

Video: Helminths In Children - Symptoms And Methods Of Treatment Of Helminths, Doctor's Advice

Video: Helminths In Children - Symptoms And Methods Of Treatment Of Helminths, Doctor's Advice
Video: Helminths: Cestodes and Trematodes (transmission, clinical importance, and treatment) 2024, March
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Last updated on October 21, 2017 at 01:58 PM

Reading time: 5 min

One of the most common, highly contagious diseases is helminthiasis, in which almost all organs and systems of the body are involved in the pathological process.

The most common are the following helminths in children - enterobiasis, ascariasis, toxacorosis, amebiasis, pinworm, tapeworm and others.

Helminthic invasion is caused by worms - parasites, which most often settle in the gastrointestinal tract - intestines, biliary tract, liver, as well as in the lungs, brain, lymphoid tissue.

Content

  • 1 Types of helminths that infect humans
  • 2 The mechanism of the damaging effect of helminths
  • 3 Clinical picture
  • 4 Diagnostics of helminthiasis
  • 5 Treatment
  • 6 Alternative treatment
  • 7 Disease prevention

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Types of helminths that infect humans

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There is a kind of helminths, called geohelminths, because their eggs, along with feces, fall into the ground. After that, with unwashed vegetables, fruits, or by contact through the ground and poorly washed hands, the parasite enters the body and causes illness in the child.

The second variety is biohelminths, which, unlike the first, go through the larval stage in the body of animals - intermediate hosts. The final host is a person who receives a worm by eating meat that is infected with these parasites.

Contact helminths - pinworms, dwarf tapeworm enter the body by contact through contaminated clothing, common items.

Tissue worms are those that in the adult stage live in any organ other than the intestinal lumen, for example, in the lungs, brain, subcutaneous fatty tissue. The number of parasitic worms can be from ten to a thousand, depending on the type and size of the worm.

The mechanism of the damaging effect of helminths

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Depending on the organ in which the parasite is currently located, a clinic of helminths appears in children, the various symptoms of which range from hemoptysis to itching around the anus.

Damage to the intestinal wall with bleeding occurs as a result of injury to the mucous membrane by hooks or suckers of the oral cavity of the parasite. When entering the bile duct, symptoms of blockage may occur.

A sign of a violation of the bile outflow in this case is jaundice. Large tangles of worms in the intestinal lumen lead to the development of intestinal obstruction.

Helminths cause urticaria symptoms in children and treatment must necessarily include desensitizing therapy. However, allergic reactions are not limited to skin rashes.

The appearance of a wide variety of symptoms is also noted, ranging from dizziness, shortness of breath, headache, to chills and nausea. Pollinosis, bronchial asthma, Quincke's edema, a decrease in the number of platelets, an increase in the number of eosinophils and other manifestations may develop.

With a parasitic invasion, a child's immunity always suffers. This leads to frequent colds, infectious diseases, and a decrease in antibody production after vaccinations.

All of the above phenomena are explained by the fact that helminths absorb nutrients and vitamins from the host, irritate nerve endings, and reduce the activity of enzymes and immunocompetent cells.

Children especially suffer from helminths. The child develops disorders of the central nervous system, which is manifested by excitability, imbalance, and poor sleep. As a result, a pronounced protein, vitamin deficiency develops, which leads to a delay in psycho-speech development, growth retardation.

Clinical picture

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The clinical picture of the disease is very diverse and depends on the type of helminth, the massiveness of the lesion, the presence of concomitant pathology. One can highlight a number of common syndromes.

Intoxication syndrome in a child is manifested by a decrease in body weight, fever, night sweats, lack of appetite, weakness, lethargy. When the gastrointestinal tract is involved in the process, the phenomena of dyspepsia develop, which are manifested by unstable stools, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.

Anemia gradually joins. Respiratory syndrome is manifested by cough, shortness of breath with little physical exertion, up to eosinophilic pneumonia, obstructive bronchitis.

The phenomena of cholestasis in violation of the outflow of bile are characterized by an increase in the amount of hepatic enzymes, pain in under the right costal arch. The liver, spleen, and lymph nodes are enlarged.

Thus, the clinical picture of helminths in children is not very specific. When one of the above symptoms appears, you should always consult a doctor in order to undergo a correct examination and receive adequate treatment.

Diagnosis of helminthiasis

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Along with the assessment of the clinical picture, epidemiological data, feces are prescribed for eggs, worms and enterobiasis. There are the following serological methods for the diagnosis of parasitic invasion - ELISA, RIF, RPHA, RNGA.

In order to effectively cure helminthiasis, it is necessary to remember about differential diagnosis with diseases such as bronchial asthma, intestinal infections, dermatoses, typhoid, paratyphoid fever, biliary dyskinesia, viral hepatitis, pneumonia.

Treatment

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Antiparasitic drugs are prescribed depending on the type of pathogen, the stage of invasion, the duration of the process, the presence of allergic reactions, and concomitant somatic pathology.

Albendazole or Sanoxal kill parasites by disrupting their nutritional cycle.

Mebendazole is not absorbed in the human intestine, accumulates in adipose tissue, liver, larvae. It is excreted by the kidneys. Levamisole, pyrantel, nemosol are prescribed once, have low toxicity. Allowed for admission even to pediatric patients.

A feature of the treatment of opisthorchiasis is that it is carried out in stationary conditions, since duodenal intubation is required. Choleretic agents are used along with the antihelminthic drugs praziquantel or chloxil.

Alternative treatment

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A large number of herbal remedies have the ability to remove parasites from the body and restore immunity, the rest of the adverse effects of helminthic invasion.

St. John's wort, wormwood, coriander, rosemary, laurel have a pronounced anthelmintic effect. Radish, Manchurian nut, centaury, buckthorn, immortelle, chamomile, echinacea, licorice are recognized remedies for worms. Also destroy parasites and contain a large amount of vitamins black currant, meadowsweet, bucco.

Herbal medicines are highly effective medicines with their own side effects and complications. Therefore, be sure to consult with your doctor before taking herbal and conventional medicines.

For example, St. John's wort causes photosensitization of the body, therefore, it is extremely undesirable to use it for white-skinned people in the summer.

Prevention of the disease

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To prevent the spread of helminthic infestation, employees of decreed institutions and children are examined 2 times a year. When a helminthic invasion is detected, it is necessary to treat the members of the entire family of a sick person. Depending on the route of spread of the infection and the area of residence, there are special antiparasitic measures.

The Far East and southern part of Russia are considered the most unfavorable regions. Disinfection of water supply sources, cleaning them from molluscs, sanitization of settlements, places for collecting feces, kindergartens, school institutions, public catering associations are carried out.

It is necessary to explain about the need to observe personal hygiene measures, wash hands, subject fruits, vegetables, meat and fish products to heat treatment. It is forbidden to use sliced wood for people and feeding it to pets if the manufacturing technology of the product is violated.

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