Many of us end our summer vacations thinking about the existence of worms (worms).
Some believe that we must get rid of them at all costs, while others, on the contrary, believe that these parasites are even very beneficial to the body.Who will tell us the truth?
Many people must be familiar with the famous Dr. House.In one of the series, there was a case where a teacher fell ill in class.The children were scared and the doctors had no idea what was wrong with her because her condition was so serious.Every doctor preaches his or her own theory.Some people think that the patient has a tumor, while others think that she has inflammation of the blood vessels in the brain.The TV series' protagonist, Dr. House himself, solves this problem by finding the culprit behind the teacher's suffering.It was a tapeworm that was tormenting the woman.Later, the teacher prescribed a course of medicine for her and she recovered.
Although this series may seem like a fantasy, the scripts for this series were crafted by real professionals.Real cases of worm infections also parallel the myth, but, unfortunately, the consequences are not always correctable as in the cases of this series.How do we know if we are infected?Are we in danger?
About worm prevention
When people hear about all the miraculous remedies to get rid of these parasites, they forget everything just to get rid of them.
We develop such a strong dislike for these animals that we feel sad even when we think about them.We are ready to test ourselves with the most "abnormal" drugs, drink all kinds of questionable herbs and even take garlic enemas.
It is very important not to overdose on any medication and to stop promptly.For parasitic diseases, everyone must be cautious when choosing drugs to treat parasites, because if you do not take the correct drugs, the situation may even become more complicated.Don't grab anything to heal!It's important to know what you're struggling with, what medications can help, what the optimal dose is, and what contraindications it has.So it could be a complete detective story against parasites.
There are over 300,000 species of helminths known to affect vertebrates on our planet.There are 300 species of worms observed in humans (more than 12,000 species according to other sources).So treating it with anything is ineffective.At least it's a good thing most of them are in the tropics.But only if we don’t bring these “tourists” from the tropical countries where we like to vacation (Türkiye, Cyprus, Egypt, Thailand).
Every region of the world has specific worms.And everyone enters the body differently.
How many types of worms are there on Earth?
Schistosoma
Africa and Asia are famous for schistosomiasis.You can easily become infected if you swim in a local body of fresh water or drink water from a local source.Schistosomiasis enters the body mainly through the urogenital organs.
How to avoid schistosomiasis infection?
If you don't swim in fresh water and only use boiled water to clean, you can in principle avoid this situation.
Filariasis and elephantiasis (filariasis)
You can also “familiarize yourself” with heartworms on vacations to Fiji, Mozambique, Goa, Tahiti and Egypt.The main carriers of these parasites are mosquitoes (native mosquitoes).
Heartworms are dangerous because they cause filariasis (elephantiasis), which affects the lymph nodes and is difficult to treat.
Mosquitoes are also dangerous because they can be carriers of leishmaniasis (caused by Leishmania) and malaria.Leishmaniasis affects mucous membranes and skin.
How to avoid heartworm infection?
The main rule is don't let mosquitoes get close to you, and don't let them bite you.Use curtains, insect repellent and special mosquito nets.
When in the tropics, avoid running or walking barefoot on local trails or beaches.In fact, you can catch other types of parasites this way.In the "harmless" sand, there are often various parasitic larvae hidden, which can penetrate the body very quickly, even through the skin of the feet!So sometimes you come back from a trip and find some kind of larvae under your skin.Just like something out of a horror movie!
How to avoid contracting this type of parasite?Wear only shoes for walking, lying on sand or grass without a mat is not recommended.
Fluke
The most dangerous foods are raw and undercooked fish.
Flukes are one of several parasites found in raw fish:
- China;
- Japan.
Having tried a piece of such fish (which means it is infected), after 1/2 - 1 month you will feel an unpleasant sensation in the liver area and a rash will appear.
Flukes are not the only viruses spread this way.Many worms are waiting for their next owner to bite raw fish.People who enjoy caviar, sushi, salted and dried fish are also at risk of fluke infection.
How to avoid fluke infection?
First, exclude any exotic dishes made from raw fish from your menu.If you still can't resist eating these dishes, at least eat them only in quality restaurants that are certified.
If you buy raw fish at the market or from a stranger, be sure to cook it first or you risk it.
Trichinella spiralis and trichinellosis
Do you think there are other worms out there?No doubt we find them in other well-known products as well.
Europeans are very fond of rare steaks.There is another danger here - trichinellosis.
Other worms don’t even come close to this as Trichinella spiralis is one of the most dangerous worms!They can be deposited in muscle tissue and cause death.
In addition to Trichinella spiralis, such European meals can "breed" other parasites: pork and cattle tapeworms.
How to avoid getting trichinellosis and taeniasis?
Only eat well-cooked meat dishes in good restaurants.
Roundworms and pinworms
Even as we eat our vegetables and fruits, we need to consider the looming threat of another infection: roundworms and pinworms.This is why our mothers taught us to wash fruits and vegetables before eating them.Most often, the threat comes from herbs (green vegetables) brought to us from southern regions.
How to avoid getting infected with roundworms and pinworms?
If you buy vegetables at the market, be sure to wash them well.First, place the grass in water for an hour to allow the worm eggs on the leaves to sink to the bottom of the container, then rinse each leaf individually.Like this!
Positive aspects of worms
I don't think the idea of such a "pet" wandering around is very heartwarming.But we have to be optimistic because life is beautiful.
The microscopic world around us is full of all kinds of surprises:
- bacteria,
- Virus,
- Parasites.
But there's nothing pathological about having a full kilogram of this biomass in our bodies.We are not born to live in absolutely sterile environments, where we will simply die.
Some of these organisms have a positive effect, since they are involved in improving immunity, the synthesis of certain vitamins, and thanks to them, digestion works differently.
I don't want to call worms useful to humans, but some are safe (intestinal parasites) but particularly dangerous (parasites that live in other organs: lungs, liver, eyes, even the brain!).In the latter case, everyone is thinking about how to recover quickly because the problem is very serious.
Parasites sometimes leave the owner's body even if he is unaware that the parasite is present in his body.
For example, you can use a head of garlic to get rid of worms, or due to hormonal changes (for pregnant women), anything is possible.If you decide to fight against these parasites, not knowing what you're fighting may irritate them.Therefore, they can complicate the situation by penetrating the bile ducts and causing liver abscesses.So, remember that regular prevention doesn’t always help!It is best to go to the hospital to check whether there are parasites.
Symptoms of worm infection
what to do?Worms are everywhere and we can easily become infected; treating them without diagnosis is not recommended, and identifying worms with diagnosis is not the easiest task.Worms are very good at masquerading as other diseases.
The most interesting thing is: the bigger the worm is (some giant worms can reach 10 meters), the calmer its behavior is.Therefore, analyzing only certain symptoms does not always lead to the correct diagnosis.This cannot be done without an examination by a parasitologist.
Of course, no one can help you better than your doctor.Here are a few situations in which you may need to be tested:
- On recent vacations around the world, you've eaten all kinds of questionable local delicacies, swam in hotel pools with unchlorinated water, walked barefoot on the beach, laid naked on the sand and grass, and petted local dogs and cats;
- You develop high fever, hives, redness, itching, body rash, chills, bloating, and abdominal pain.
If you discover this in yourself, then you need to see a parasitologist.
Follow personal hygiene rules to avoid contracting worms
food
- First of all, you can only drink bottled water in a foreign country.
- Fruit, even if it looks appetizing, must be peeled or cooked.It is not recommended under any circumstances to use them in their simple form.
- Other problematic products include
- undercooked meat;
- Raw fish (any form, even sea fish).
- Freshly squeezed juices are also banned.Fruit used for juicing does not always go through a thorough cleaning process.
Avoid consuming such products.
beach
Don’t risk walking barefoot on sand, grass, or trails in a foreign country.Please use sun loungers and slippers.
swim
Swimming is prohibited in freshwater bodies in India, Central Africa, and South America.There are so many parasites there that even the movie "Alien" looks like a children's fairy tale in comparison.
mosquito
Mosquitoes (or mosquitoes) are very dangerous parasites as they are serious carriers of many infections and worms.
Avoid direct contact with them.
You'll need to use insect repellent, wear long-sleeved clothing, and sleep under a canopy.
underwear
In foreign countries, it is strictly prohibited to air-dry clothes.
The problem is that flies from tropical countries like to lay eggs on them, and when you wear swimming trunks, the larvae hatch, causing dermatitis.
Where can I get worm detection?
Testing is only done at specialized government clinics.Such testing is not recommended at the institution in question.
One of the reasons not to contact such clinics is that they can find anything you want even if you have nothing.
Yes, yes, they may prescribe unnecessary treatments to tempt you.They will tell you that modern universal diagnostics see everything, even though standard tests see nothing.Don't trust the charlatans, feel free to go to a standard government clinic.
Now let's talk about so-called universal diagnostics.For worm detection, this is impossible.
If they are in the bladder then you will have to give urine, if they are in the intestines you will have to give stool, if they are in the muscles then you will have to do an X-ray of the muscles, and if they are in the liver you will have to do an ultrasound.
What do you think?Positive results from such tests can only alert people so they can be deported quickly.Take only medications recommended by a parasitologist, as accuracy and precision are very important in this regard.
What should you remember about worms?
Theoretically, you can get worms almost anywhere - in the city, on vacation, in tropical countries, in the forest.But as statistics show, even in this case, not everyone is infected.In general, people who follow basic hygiene rules can reduce their risk of infection.
- The most important thing is not to panic or take any medication to prevent it, as there is no universal treatment for worms.Even worm pills have their own classification based on the different forms of worms.It turns out that some pills help get rid of certain parasites, while others don't.Your doctor is the best person to determine your diagnosis and prescribe the right medication.If you take regular deworming medication to care for your pets (cats and dogs) and none of the above symptoms bother you, then you have nothing to worry about.
- If you have questions about this problem, see your doctor.Don't forget to tell us what you ate and where you were.
- As I told you before, examination is only necessary in a good professional clinic.In a bad clinic you can spend a lot of money but not get treatment.
- Any medication used for prevention will only cause harm.Do not use them "just for prevention", otherwise you will destroy the intestinal flora and even "earn" toxic hepatitis.Echinococcus is very dangerous, which is why doing something like this yourself could explode the cysts in which the larvae are located.This can be fatal.
- If "some clinic" recommends to you "some dietary supplement for worms," that doesn't mean you'll get better.Many of these products contain toxins that may cause allergies, and you may not receive any results.
The most common misconceptions about worms
Marine fish does not contain parasites
Who told you this?Most worms are contained in fish that have not undergone the necessary treatment or have not been cleaned immediately after being caught before freezing.This is why the chances of getting infected increase.
Dogs are more susceptible to worms than cats.
Indeed, dogs have a habit of tasting the feces of their relatives.The most dangerous worm to “get” from a dog is Echinococcus – a very dangerous parasite of the liver and lungs.For prevention, animals are prescribed 4 courses of treatment per year.Therefore, dogs may be more dangerous in this regard than cats.
Only children can get worms
Do you believe it?This seems to be simply because children are less careful, wash their hands less frequently and sometimes fail to follow hygiene rules.Therefore, hygiene rules are important for everyone!
People infected with worms can infect others
Of course it's true.By getting close to a "patient" like this, you're taking a risk, but you might not even know it.So wash your hands after shaking hands, just in case.You are particularly susceptible to pinworms (pinworms) because they are the most common type of worm.Also, dirty children often infect their parents, so teach your children the rules of hygiene.