Preventing parasitic infestations

Looking at unpleasant pictures of parasites on the Internet and in magazines, many people think that this problem will definitely not affect them.But that's not the case, anyone can be infected by parasites!It has been proven that throughout life, almost every person at least once becomes a “home” for helminths and protozoa.

How then?The solution to the problem is competent prevention, which we will discuss in this article.

About parasites in facts and figures

Despite the development of modern medicine, the prevention of parasitic infections remains relevant to this day.The need for preventive measures is proven by the following figures and facts:

1. According to the WHO, there are more than 4.5 billion people in the world who suffer from parasitic infections.Parasites cause 16 million deaths every year.
2. In Europe, one in three residents is affected by parasitic infestations.
3. More than 70% of people in our country are infected with toxoplasma – parasites that can cause vision loss and neurological disorders.
4. Every year, at least 20% of children attending educational institutions become ill with helminthiasis.
5. A person can be simultaneously attacked by up to 15 species of protozoa and more than 250 different species of worms.Helminthiasis is responsible for around 89% of all parasitic infestations.

Parasites can affect not only the digestive tract but also other vital organs – the heart, liver, kidneys and brain.Traveling throughout the body, they cause mechanical damage to organs and tissues, blockage of bile ducts and inflammatory processes.Furthermore, they can cause decreased immunity, allergic and oncological reactions.

What are the types of parasites?

There are many parasitic diseases.The most common include:

• geohelminthiasis- diseases caused by parasites that spend one of their life cycles in the soil.The eggs of these parasites can survive in the soil for up to 7 years, surviving hard frosts and remaining invasive;
• zooanthroponosis— parasitic infestations affecting people and animals;
• pure anthroponoses- diseases characteristic only of humans.

Separately, among parasitic infestations, contagious diseases are distinguished, in which parasites can be transmitted from person to person.

How can a person become infected with parasites?

Sources of parasitic diseases can be:

• household items in the apartment, public places, transport;
• food - poorly washed vegetables, fruits, raw or insufficiently processed meat, fish.Infection with parasites is especially common in summer, when we enrich the diet with vitamins: fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs.These products may contain grains of earth and, therefore, parasite eggs;
• tap water, water from rivers, lakes.When swimming in a lake, parasites can enter the human body through the skin, mucous membranes, as a result of ingestion of water;
• pets.All pet owners have a high probability of becoming infected with zooanthroponosis;
• children's sandboxes.For example, children's sandboxes may contain animal feces, which means there is a possibility of helminth infection.

A common cause of parasitic infection is poor personal hygiene.Infection can occur if you do not wash your hands after visiting public places, using the bathroom, handling money, working in the garden, preparing fish, meat or salads.

There are several professions in which people, due to the nature of their activities, have a high probability of being infected by parasites.These specialists include plumbers, workers on livestock farms, agricultural businesses, the food industry and cleaners.

There are also parasites carried by insects.For example, flies, mosquitoes.

Principles of parasite prevention at a social level

In our country, around 1 million patients with parasitic diseases are registered annually.In this sense, preventive measures were developed to prevent the spread of parasitosis.Basic prevention principles include:

1. Identification and timely treatment of patients with parasitic disease.A person cured in time does not pose a threat to others.
2. Timely destruction of pathogens of parasitic infestations using disinfection and disinfestation methods.This includes disinfecting wastewater, food and treating insects in public places.For example, treating resting areas for mosquitoes can prevent diseases like heartworm disease.
3. Protection of the environment against contamination by substrates containing parasites.First of all, this concerns the timely disinfection of cesspools and the prevention of the use of fresh animal feces as fertilizer in agriculture.These requirements are enshrined in law and require strict implementation.
4. Prevention of parasitic infestations using chemotherapy agents.For example, when traveling to the tropics or places where malaria is endemic, it is necessary to use antimalarial medicines.These medicines prevent the development of malaria even with a possible infection.The same can be said about professional groups in the population.During certain periods, chemoprophylaxis against parasitic infestations is recommended for workers on livestock and agricultural farms.
5. Immunoprophylaxis or immunization of the population in areas where parasitic infestations develop.This measure is more concerned with preventing infection by protozoa than by helminthiasis.
6. Improve the general health culture of the population.

Personal parasite prevention measures

There is no magic medicine that can protect a person from all parasitic infestations.Prevention of parasitic infection is multifaceted and includes many aspects.Prevention measures depend on the type of parasite, its development cycle and the way it enters the human body.

However, we can highlight basic rules that can reduce the risk of developing parasites:

• personal hygiene: careful washing of hands after visiting public places, contact with pets, before eating;
• regular wet cleaning of the apartment with disinfectants;
• regular boiling of bed linen and underwear;
• purchase meat products in authorized stores;
• sufficient heat treatment of meat and fish, which should last at least 30 minutes.Another effective way to combat parasites is to pre-freeze fish and meat;
• wash and carefully treat vegetables, fruits and herbs with boiling water;
• drink bottled and boiled water;
• protect food from insects;
• regular parasite screening.

Plants that can protect against parasites

An effective measure to prevent infection with helminths and protozoa is to enrich the diet with plants and spices with antiparasitic effects.Today, more than 50 species of plants are known that have a detrimental effect on parasites:

• calamus roots.The plant is capable of infecting the nervous system with parasites and expelling them from tissues and organs;
• marshmallow roots.It acts on parasites that live in the blood and muscle tissue;
• basil leaves and stems.The antiparasitic effect of basil is similar to that of marshmallow;
• berries, stems, leaves, roots of barberry.The plant is especially effective against parasites that attack the liver;
• clove.The effectiveness of cloves against parasites has been known since ancient times.Clove is destructive to flatworms, tapeworms, roundworms and protozoa.Furthermore, it is effective against bacteria and viruses;
• pomegranate.Not only pomegranate fruits, but also the peel have an antiparasitic effect.Pomegranate peels can be used to make tea;
• roots, elecampane flowers.They kill parasites that infect the digestive tract and nervous system.Additionally, the plant removes toxins from the body;
• the aerial part of oregano, used to make teas.The plant has a detrimental effect on protozoa, fungi and opportunistic microorganisms;
• St. John's Wort. Actively combats luminal parasites that live in the interstitial space of the colon;
• ginger roots.Able to expel parasites from the respiratory system and gastrointestinal tract.The plant not only has antiparasitic properties, but also anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties;
• fruits, seeds, viburnum flowers.The plant expels parasites from the bronchopulmonary tree, urogenital and gastrointestinal tracts.Furthermore, it has an anti-inflammatory effect;
• cardamom seeds.They have a powerful effect on the larval stages of parasites and protozoa and have an antifungal effect;
• Coriander (coriander) seeds are a common plant often used in salads.Good for expelling intestinal parasites;
• cinnamon.Does not lose antiparasitic properties even after heat treatment;
• nettle.Effective against parasites that affect the skin, intestines and respiratory organs;
• incense.It has a particularly harmful effect on parasites of the respiratory system and the nervous system;
• roots, leaves, stems of common burdock.Helps eliminate parasites located in the bronchopulmonary tree and lymphatic system.

Watercress, red pepper, sesame, alfalfa, raspberry, juniper, birch, mint, wormwood, dandelion, parsley, tansy, chamomile, rhubarb, walnut leaves, fennel and garlic also have a detrimental effect on parasites.

Plants with antiparasitic properties should only be used in prophylactic doses.For example, plants such as St. John's wort, yarrow and tansy in large quantities are poisonous and an overdose of them is dangerous.If you are unsure about the safety of a particular plant, consult an expert.

Separately, it is worth dwelling on the effect of garlic.Among folk remedies for parasites, garlic enemas occupy one of the first places.But in fact, this method is ineffective and very dangerous.Most parasites live in the small intestine, which is not affected by the enema.A possible complication after a garlic enema is a burn to the intestinal mucosa.