Parasites are creatures whose existence is directly linked to their host. In other words, parasitic organisms live at the expense of the host, exploit it in their own interests, and at the same time negatively affect it. These creatures are extremely durable and reproduce at a high rate, so fighting them is quite a difficult task. This type of living things includes: viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoa. In particularly severe cases, parasites deprive their owner of all juices, poison him with the products of their vital activity and cause serious damage to his health. How to recognize parasites in the human body?
Who are parasites
Parasites are organisms that exist solely thanks to the host organism and at the same time negatively affect it. These include different types of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and worms. Bacteria have the smallest size. Despite this, they can be the cause of quite serious diseases, including:
- the plague
- typhus
- tuberculosis
- tetanus
- meningitis, etc.
Fungal parasites are the next most evolved organisms of this species. There are up to a hundred species of pathogenic fungi. They are slightly larger in size than bacteria and, unlike them, have excellent protection against environmental factors, and are also endowed with good adaptation to changing environmental conditions. They are divided into two groups: filamentous and yeast fungi. The most prominent representative of this type of parasite is the fungus Candida. They also affect the host's skin, nails and mucous membrane and are the cause of candidiasis.
The most popular parasites are helminths. They include many species that live in different host systems. The roundworm, trichinella, causes a disease called trichinosis. This disease can affect both humans and pigs. Tapeworms, which belong to the class of flatworms, are intestinal parasites. They live in the digestive system of the host organism and feed on it.
Most often, their hosts are vertebrates: humans, cats, dogs, fish. The tapes have special suckers with which they are attached to the walls of the intestine. They absorb nutrients throughout the body, because their primitive structure does not provide either a digestive tract or any sense organs.
There are a lot of tapeworms. The length of these parasites varies from tens of centimeters to nine meters. The structure of their body is also diverse: they can be either a whole organism or consist of segments connected to each other in a chain. Flatworms are hermaphrodites - each representative of this species is both male and female at the same time.
An equally common type of parasitic roundworm is the nematode. The most famous among them: roundworms, pinworms, trichinella. Unlike tapeworms, they have an oral cavity, through which they feed on nutrients stolen from the host. They are mostly heterosexual, but just like tapeworms, there are hermaphrodites among them - organisms that have sexual characteristics of both sexes.
Parasites are organisms that live exclusively at the expense of the host. Unlike other organisms that live in symbiosis with the human body, they cause constant damage to it as a result of their vital activity. Parasites include: protozoa, bacteria, fungi, helminths.
Ways of parasite infection
There are many ways that parasites can enter the human body, the main ones being:
- nutritional– through contaminated food, water;
- contact-household- infection occurs through contact with contaminated objects, family members, pets;
- portable– infection that occurs through insects that feed on blood;
- active– the parasite enters the human body during interaction with contaminated soil or while swimming in a pond.
Nutritional
Among the helminths that are transmitted through food, it is necessary to single out those that are transmitted through meat products. The most dangerous of them are pork and beef tapeworms. Bovine tapeworm can live in the human body for up to ten years, reaching three to ten meters in length. The pig tapeworm, after settling in the intestines and starting to reproduce, infects the entire human body with the help of its cysticer larvae.
In addition, the meat of some animals may be contaminated with trichinella. A few days after trichinella enters the human body, a serious disease develops - trichinosis. It often ends in death. When buying meat, you should always pay attention to the seller. Since he is a person directly related to nutrition, his duties include regular medical examinations and strict adherence to sanitary standards. Unfortunately, in our time, few people follow this, which is why such foci of the disease arise.
Also, from the point of view of helminth infection, freshwater fish is a dangerous product. For example, cyprinids can cause a disease such as opisthorchiasis. The eggs of this parasite enter the fish through river molluscs and have practically no effect on the fish itself - it simply serves as a carrier of the parasite.
Dried, smoked or cured fish is a serious hazard. Raw pike caviar, for example, can become infected with broad tapeworm. Diphyllobothriasis is a disease caused by this worm. A broad tapeworm can reach up to ten meters in length and parasitize in the small intestine for decades.
Contact and housekeeping
The most famous helminths that spread in this way are pinworms and roundworms. Violation of hygiene rules is the main cause of enterobiasis and ascariasis. A child infected with pinworms scratches the anus during sleep, because the female pinworm comes out to lay eggs, after which various household items and clothes are infected.
If the infection is not detected quickly, all family members can get the disease. Giardiasis can be contracted by drinking contaminated water. This parasite can survive even in chlorinated water. Also, household items: toys, dishes can serve as a source of infection with these parasites.
Transmissible route of infection
Filariasis is a type of helminthiasis that can be transmitted by certain species of mosquitoes common in tropical and subtropical climates. Malaria or yellow fever is a deadly disease transmitted by mosquitoes. Filaria can live in blood and lymph, causing various negative reactions in the host.
Active route of infection
In this case, parasites infect a person through direct contact with contaminated water or soil. For example, hookworm is a parasite that can be contracted simply by walking barefoot on contaminated soil.
There are many ways to become infected with parasites, among which there are four main ones. In order to somehow protect yourself from infection, you must carefully follow the rules of personal hygiene and try not to eat suspicious food, especially meat.
How to recognize parasites in the body
Symptoms when the body is infected with parasites can be very different. Parasites can be recognized when the following signs appear:
- Prison. Due to their size and large number, some types of worms can cause blockage of various body systems: bile ducts, intestines. These blockages lead to a certain type of disease and, in particularly severe cases, require surgical intervention.
- Diarrhea. Parasites, which by their vital activity produce substances similar to prostaglandin, cause frequent and infrequent stools in the host.
- Flatulence. During their lifetime, worms can often cause inflammation in the intestines. These inflammatory processes cause excessive gas production, leading to bloating.
- Allergy. Damaged linings of the gastrointestinal tract can cause undigested food molecules to enter the blood. In this case, the immune system enters the scene and as a result of its reaction, a large number of eosinophils, cells that cause inflammation, are released into the blood, which indicates an allergic reaction in the body.
- Bad skin. Many different skin diseases can be caused by parasitic organisms on the skin.
- Weight problems. Weight deviations from the norm, both up and down, can serve as a sign of the presence of parasites in the body. Weight loss occurs due to poor digestion and loss of appetite. Some helminths reduce blood sugar levels, causing the host to experience uncontrollable hunger, leading to obesity.
- Chronic fatigue. Weakness, flu-like conditions, apathy, poor concentration and memory are signs that often occur with poor nutrition. In the case of helminth infection, the function of the digestive system is impaired, and thus the absorption of various nutrients, which leads to chronic fatigue.
- Inflammation of the airways. Some types of worms move through the human body, including the respiratory system. In some cases, they cause lung dysfunction, causing cough and fever. Roundworms can even cause illness such as pneumonia.
- Nervousness. The human nervous system can be severely damaged as a result of exposure to helminth waste products. Various nervous disorders are a sign of helminth poisoning in the body.
Identifying parasites in the human body is not entirely easy. Although the signs of their presence in the body are quite obvious, they can still be misinterpreted and attributed to a completely different disease. Therefore, the best way to detect parasites in the body is to consult a doctor and undergo the necessary tests.
Parasites are different organisms that live by parasitizing another living being. As a result of their vital activity, the vitality of the host is significantly reduced. There are many ways to become infected with parasites; they literally surround the person. The symptoms of infection are quite varied and if you suspect an infection with parasites, you should consult a doctor and undergo an examination.