Types of parasites in the human body is exceptionally diverse. One of them, along with Metazoa and protozoa are also viruses, bacteria and fungi that parasitize the human body, although in the medical traditions of viruses and bacteria are not considered parasites.
Let us consider the main types of endoparasites of man. The appearance of many of them can only be seen under a microscope, and some, especially helminths, affect its size. Let's start with the simplest:
- Giardia along with the liver also cause of hypovitaminosis, anemia and General intoxication of the organism.
- Toxoplasma affect the brain, eyes, heart muscle, nervous system, but the special danger they pose to pregnant women because of the risk of fetal death or severe lesions.
- The amoeba can cause amoebic dysentery, amoebic encephalitis and other dangerous diseases.
- Trichomonas are sources of infectious diseases of the genitourinary system.
The most common parasites
The most common endoparasites are, of course, helminths (worms), which, according to various estimates, infected more than 80% of the world population.
A huge number of these parasites are divided into basic types:
- nematodes – round worms (roundworm, pinworm, Trichinella, whipworm, etc.);
- cestodes – tapeworms (lantecy, pork and beef tapeworm, tapeworm, etc.);
- trematodes – worms-flukes (liver, blood, lung, and flukes that live in the intestines).
Sometimes you can find a more General classification, according to which all types of parasites people are divided into:
- luminal (intestinal), parasitic in the intestine;
- tissue, localized in other organs and tissues.
However, most of the worms at different stages of their life cycle and are tissue, and intestinal development period with the corresponding symptoms.
Consider a brief description of the most common types of worms.
Roundworms (nematodes)
- Roundworm – roundworms are the most common length from 20 to 40 cm, parasites in the small intestine, but first migrate in the human body, affecting the blood and respiratory system. Along with these intestinal parasites can be detected in the liver and gall bladder, heart and lungs. A common symptom of ascariasis and allergic reaction.
- Pinworms – small worms, up to 1 cm, affecting the intestines and lead to enterobiasis disorder of the gastrointestinal tract, exhaustion, sleep disorders, etc. the Characteristic symptom of pinworms is itching in the anus, where they lay their eggs.
- Trichinella – these microscopic worms (their size only a few millimeters) lead to severe diseases – trichinosis, which can if untreated lead to death. Adult species live in the human body in different types of muscles (respiratory, face, etc.), causing muscle pain, fever, swelling, allergic skin rash.
- Vlasoglavy – worms small (length up to 4.5 cm, with the front part of the body
in the form of a thread), larvae of which cause trihozefalez with diarrhea, acute abdominal pain and other symptoms resembling appendicitis. As a result of intoxication anemia.
Tapeworms (cestodes)
- A tapeworm, the body length of which reaches up to 10 m, leads to the development of difillobotrioz with nausea, weakness, vomiting, unstable chair, asthenia and anemia.
- Pork tapeworm has a length of from 3 to 8 m, a parasite mainly in the small intestine and causes two diseases: taeniasis with dyspeptic, asthenic-neurotic and abdominal syndromes, and cysticercosis with intoxication, intestinal, allergic and respiratory symptoms. Depending on the localization of cysticerci affects the muscles, brain, heart, eyes, etc.
- Beef tapeworm, the length of which can reach up to 18 m, and causes the beef tapeworm infection is considered to be one of the most dangerous types of worms. If you do not do deworming, it can stay in the body for up to 18-20 years! Is localized in the large intestine, causes severe intoxication with their waste products, as well as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, anemia, allergic reactions and problems with the nervous system.
- Dwarf tapeworm length of only 1.5-5 cm source gimenolepidoz with diarrhoea, pain and astheno-neurotic syndromes affecting primarily the digestive and nervous system, and liver.
- Echinococcus is considered to be the smallest tape worm – its length is from 2.5 to 8, rarely 9 mm, but the infection it has terrible consequences such as liver and lung, where they form cysts and tumors causing dysfunction of these organs.
Worms-flukes (trematodes)
- Liver Fluke or the liver Fluke is shaped like a sheet with a length of 30-50 mm and a width of 8-13 mm, has a suction Cup. It damages the sheath of the liver and clog the bile ducts that is able to completely block the flow of bile. Can lead to cirrhosis, jaundice and liver cancer.
- Cat (Siberian) - sucker or cat Fluke, flat worm with a length of 4-13 mm. Localization – the ducts of the gallbladder, liver and pancreas. Causes opisthorchiasis with the development of gastritis, ulcers, pancreatitis, cholecystitis until liver cancer, which can lead to death.
- The lung Fluke has an ovoid shape, red-brown body with small spines, length from 7.5 to 12 mm with a width of 4-8 mm. Affects the lungs, causing inflammation, pleural effusion, focal fibrosis, and lung cancer. When the penetration into the brain causing encephalitis and meningoencephalitis.
- Shistosoma (blood flukes) – dioecious worms with a size of 1-2 cm, the eggs of which cause an increase in liver, spleen and lymph nodes, the formation of polyps in the intestine, diarrhea, granulomatous inflammation, leading to cancer of the bladder.
Sources of infection
Helminthiasis, like other intestinal diseases, is often a "disease of dirty hands", which leads to accumulation of eggs and larvae of helminths in the human body:
- when you do not wash their hands after using the toilet and before eating;
- do not wash vegetables, fruits and greens that are consumed raw;
- do not put meat and fish sufficient heat treatment;
- with the consumption of improperly cured fish and bacon;
- leave food accessible to flies and cockroaches;
- use the feces as fertilizer on garden plots;
- swimming in the ponds;
- contact with stray animals.
However, from your pet can also be infected with worms, because often animals serve as intermediate hosts for helminths, but the primary host is man.
Methods of struggle
- From a very early age to instill in children the habit of washing hands. They need to do more, as they constantly play in the sand, the ground, puddles, where the most favorable conditions for eggs and larvae of parasites, and contact with Pets and street animals.
- If you experience any discomfort, we cannot exclude the bot, so it's recommended to perform appropriate tests for parasites to identify a particular species of helminth (against most of them there are medications.
- If parasites are detected in one family member, the drugs from the bot needs to take all.
- Folk medicine knows many ways how to get rid of the worms, and they give a good effect.
- Do not leave open cooked meals, bread, pastries, etc. that flies or cockroaches carry eggs of intestinal worms – not left them on the products.
- Carefully observe the temperature regime in the process of cooking: meat and fish, which are often found helminth eggs, to boil/fry/bake.
- Rinse well in tap water vegetables, fruits, greens that are consumed raw.
- Regularly deworming Pets.
- To abandon the use of faeces as fertilizer in their garden plots.
- When traveling to exotic countries extremely wary of the local cuisine, especially the street – there is no guarantee that with them you don't catch some exotic worms.
Types of parasites in the human body
For many centuries, humans have settled and successfully parasitized malicious beings who ate at the expense of valuable waste products, for a long time dwelt in organs and tissues, literally sucking from the host vitality. There are various kinds of parasites in the human body, inside the body can live many billions of different individuals.
The type of localization
Enteric (live in the gastrointestinal tract, affecting the small intestine):
- Round worms.
- Tapeworms.
Extraintestinal (live in different areas of the body, often the liver, brain):
By way of infection
Contagious (transmitted from infected person to a healthy one through contact with him or with means of personal hygiene (towels, toothbrush, tableware, toys)):
- Dwarf tapeworm.
- Pinworms.
Bio-helminth (infection occurs through contact with animals or eating infected meat that has not passed proper heat treatment):
A variety of parasites in the human body
- The bovine tapeworm.
- Pork tapeworm.
Geohelminths (infection occurs through unwashed vegetables, fruits, herbs):
According to biological characteristics
This group of parasites include:
- Tapeworms.
- Roundworms.
- The flukes.
Prevention of infection
Simply good hygiene will help to avoid the infection of parasitic worms.
We should not forget about washing your hands with antibacterial soap, especially after visiting the streets and public places, toilets and before preparing food. You must cut your nails and clean them regularly.
A hot iron is able to cope with the already established worms. Personal belongings need to be sure to wash and iron, and also not to forget about the wet cleaning of the house.
Creatures living in the body of animal, human, birds and fishes and fed by its host are called parasites.
The activity of such organisms in the human body does not lead to anything good, parasites can cause serious complications and even be fatal.
Consider the types of parasites in the human body in more detail. Below is a detailed classification of parasites.
Worms
- Roundworms in humans are well accustomed roundworm and pinworms
- Flatworms – the human body is an excellent place to dwell pork and beef tapeworm, liver Fluke etc.
Insects
To deal with these types of parasites is difficult, because in the course of their life they are securely settled and attached to the walls of the organs with a special suction cups and hooks.
Some individuals can even live on the cellular level and in tissues, and from there their output is practically impossible. This applies to worms. With insects the situation is a bit easier as they are usually located on the surface of the body where they can be found in time to destroy.
Some parasites live in the intestines? So, let us examine each of their species and the places inhabited by parasitic worms and protozoa.
The simplest
Completely invisible to the naked eye parasites. Among the simplest is harmless and representatives from the green euglena, the Paramecium, the slipper etc.
The most dangerous to humans are:
A carrier of this type of parasites is the mosquito, inhabiting the territory of South America and Central Africa, where a warm and humid climate. Such conditions are favorable for the life of the Plasmodium.
Clinical symptoms within a day once the organism begins to live in man, or rather, in his liver. The first signs of malarial Plasmodium infection include: severe headache, nausea and vomiting.
After a few days the infected person rises sharply body temperature, diarrhea begins, there is a rapid dehydration.
- Giardia and Entamoeba histolytica.
These types of parasitic protozoa live in the intestinal tract. The carrier can be a person or any animal. Favorite places where parasites can live their entire life cycle, it's the small intestine and the upper section of the large intestine.
Sources of this type of parasites in the body are dirty fruits and vegetables, raw water. The first symptoms appear fairly quickly. The main sign of infection with Giardia or amoeba dysentery is a plentiful liquid chair. Then fever, starts vomiting. If time does not take measures, there is the risk of death from severe dehydration.
Flat worms
This kind of parasites in the human body is also very dangerous. These are called flat worms because their body shape reminiscent of a flat tape. There are the most harmless to the human flatworm is a ciliated worms. But the threat of parasites – flukes and tapeworms – they talk some more.
Size flat worms of this species is small, but attached to the walls of organs very strongly with its suckers.
Fluke, a parasite mainly in the liver and the intestine, cause anemia, constant headaches and severe weight loss.
This helminth may, in the course of their life to penetrate into the lungs and even the brain, causing serious consequences. The source of the flukes are dirty water and plants.
Representatives tapeworms – bovine and pork tapeworm can reach a length up to 10 meters. Parasites live in the intestines of humans, namely, thin.
The most dangerous form of tapeworm is the tapeworm, which can affect the brain and lungs.
Weight loss with normal appetite is the main symptom of infection of tapeworms.
Prevention
Prevention is an integral part in the fight against parasites. It was said above, what are parasites in humans. With regard to worms and protozoa, modern medicine offers a great choice of drugs for the prevention and control of pests.
But it is not necessary to prescribe the drug themselves, must first to consult a specialist, especially if you are concerned about any symptoms. After the necessary tests the doctor he will prescribe the correct medication on the basis of some parasites live in the human body.
Because each drug affects certain types of parasitism, universal, unfortunately, does not exist. And that specialist will help you choose the medicine that is relevant in this case, fighting with a certain kind of parasites in man.