Review of human parasitic diseases

Parasites are microorganisms that penetrate the human body, affect internal organs and systems and lead to various clinical manifestations.Parasitic diseases are not the only disease.This phrase implies a separate group of pathologies provoked by unicellular and multicellular pathogenic microorganisms.An unpleasant “neighborhood” can be temporary or permanent.The life cycle of worms has certain characteristics;In some situations, to form a full individual, it is necessary to exchange three hosts.

Symptoms and pathogens of parasitic diseases

The main causative agents of parasitic pathologies include worms, leading to helminthiasis infection.Helminthiases, depending on the type of helminth, are classified as follows:

• Trematodes.This group of diseases involves infection with worms.For example, damage to internal organs by lungworm, liver fluke, cat fluke, etc.;
• Nematodes are a parasitic infection caused by round helminths.The source of infection is a sick person.Pathogens include roundworm, pinworm, Toxocara, Trichinella, whipworm;
• Cestodoses develop as a result of parasitism by tapeworms.Among them, the most common helminths include bovine and pork tapeworms, dwarf tapeworms, broad tapeworms, alveococci and echinococci.

In addition to helminthiasis, parasitic diseases can be protozoal - infection with protozoan parasites - Giardia, the causative agent of malaria, toxoplasma, trichomonas.Also ectoparasites - include lice (body, head and pubic lice), bedbugs and ticks.Dermatoses occur due to the parasitic activity of certain insects.

For your information, the clinical picture against the background of parasitic infection is often confusing - in most cases there are no symptoms, or they manifest themselves sharply and violently, which indicates severe intoxication.

Human parasitic diseases have the following symptoms:

1. Allergic manifestations are caused by the proliferation of parasites in the body, during which their waste and toxic substances enter the human circulatory system, which leads to intoxication.Symptoms: red spots on the skin, hives, itching, rash, lichen-like plaques, etc.
2. Increased body temperature.In some patients, against the background of severe helminthic infestation, a febrile state is observed.Normally the temperature varies from 38 to 40 degrees, sometimes it stays within subfebrile values for a long time.An increase in temperature indicates the acute phase of the disease.

3. Lymphadenitis is a common symptom of human parasitic diseases.This condition is manifested by enlargement and inflammation of the lymph nodes.They can ignite one at a time or all at once.In addition, the patient experiences a headache, decreased appetite and general malaise.In most cases, the lymph nodes closest to the site of invasion become inflamed.
4. Pain in muscles and joints is an echo of immunological reactions in the human body.The immune system perceives helminth larvae as foreign objects and begins to attack them.Muscle and joint pain develop due to tissue damage caused by helminth suckers.
5. Pulmonary syndrome manifests as an unproductive cough.The patient complains of shortness of breath due to lack of physical activity, pain in the chest area.Ascariasis usually occurs with sputum mixed with blood.
6. Swelling can be localized or spread throughout the body.Angioedema is especially dangerous.In the absence of medical care, the probability of death is high.
7. When infected with helminths, abdominal syndrome is often detected.This symptom involves alternating constipation and diarrhea, increased gas formation, abdominal distension and disruption of the digestive tract.
8. Painful sensations in the abdomen of various types.Some patients complain of constant pain, others of intermittent pain.For some, the pain is pronounced and intense, while others describe it as a dull pain syndrome.
9. In the chronic course of helminthiasis, intoxication occurs, accompanied by severe weakness, a significant deterioration in general health, respiratory problems and frequent colds, and sharp weight loss.

The clinical picture of a parasitic disease is always different.Symptoms are based on the location of the helminths, the specific type of pathogen, and the age of the patient.And also about the state of the immune system, the degree of dysfunction of internal organs and other aspects.

List of parasitic diseases

Parasitic diseases are divided into protozoa – malaria, giardiasis, toxoplasmosis, amoebiasis, balantidiasis – the most common;for helminthiasis, acrosis (scabies) and dermatoses.In medical practice, helminthic infestations are most often encountered.

Parasitic infections:

• African trypanosomiasis.Infection occurs due to the penetration of the bacteria Trypanosoma brucei.Transmission route: tsetse fly bite.The main clinical manifestations include fever, headaches, myalgia;
• Amebiasis develops due to the penetration of parasites into the human body along with food and water.Pathogens: amoeba or dysenteric amoeba;
• Ascariasis.Parasites - roundworms.The infection is caused by the consumption of contaminated food products;
• Babesiosis is caused by helminths that live in the bloodstream.Infection occurs due to a tick bite;
• Chagas disease (transmitted by the bite of blood-sucking insects);
• Trichinosis is an acute or chronic parasitic disease caused by nematodes;
• Teniarinhoz is a parasitism of the bovine tapeworm.The invasive parasite mainly affects the gastrointestinal tract.Symptoms: severe abdominal pain, allergic reactions, headaches, general malaise.The incubation period varies from 2 to several years;
• Teniasis.The causative agent is pork tapeworm.A parasitic infection is fraught with numerous complications due to the passage of helminth segments, up to irreversible brain damage;
• Opisthorchiasis (helminth – cat worm).The worm “lives” in the liver, bile ducts, pancreas and gallbladder.Infection occurs due to consumption of raw or undercooked fish;
• Clonorchiasis.The reason is the reproduction of the Chinese worm in the body.In addition to humans, the helminth affects cats, dogs and pigs;
• Enterobiasis.The causative agent is worms.The parasitic disease is often diagnosed in childhood.Treatment has its difficulties, as secondary self-infection occurs in 99% of cases.

Worth knowing: pathologies caused by ectoparasites – pediculosis, scabies, coliomiasis, demodicosis, etc.

In fact, the list of parasitic diseases can continue for a long time, since there are many parasites that can infect the human body.The most common diseases were given as an example.

Why are parasites dangerous?

In most clinical pictures, residents of large cities are infected with common helminths, round and ribbon parasites.Pathogenic microorganisms lead to decreased immunity and absorb nutrients from their host.But “banal” roundworms and pinworms are not as scary as they might seem at first glance.

People living in tropical countries and tourists going on vacation to South America, Australia or Africa face truly “terrible” helminths.

The most dangerous parasites:

1. Filaria leads to blockage of blood vessels, resulting in impaired coordination of movements and failure of internal organs.
2. Schistosomes are a special type of helminth that lives in human blood.It leads to severe impairment of the functionality of the liver, gastrointestinal tract and bladder.

These parasites are found in countries with a tropical climate;In our realities, pathologies are diagnosed relatively rarely.Science knows more than 200 types of parasites that can lead to the development of acute and chronic pathologies:

• Chronic giardiasis leads to rupture of the liver, cirrhosis develops;
• Trichomonas can cause cancer, myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis;
• Roundworms with prolonged parasitism significantly worsen the condition of the gastrointestinal tract and affect the lungs;
• Trichinella.The development of parasites causes severe pain and convulsions;
• Toxoplasma during pregnancy disrupts the intrauterine development of the child up to mental retardation.

Important: anyone, without exception, can be infected;hundreds of thousands of helminth larvae await every person: in water, in the soil, on tree leaves, in public transport, in the clinic, in the store, in food, etc.

The penetration of the parasite larvae into the body occurs unnoticed.In the initial phase of the infection, there are no symptoms;when the disease becomes chronic, the symptoms are more pronounced.If characteristic signs are detected, you need to be treated - otherwise there is a high probability of serious complications that you will have to deal with throughout your life.