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 disease is not the only disease.This phrase implies a separate group of pathologies that are 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, in order to form a full-fledged individual, it is necessary to change three hosts.

Symptoms and pathogens of parasitic diseases

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

• Trematodes.This group of diseases involves infection with flukes.For example, damage to internal organs by pulmonary fluke, 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 helminthiases, parasitic diseases can be protozoal - infection with protozoan parasites - Giardia, the causative agent of malaria, toxoplasma, trichomonas.Also ectoparasites - these include lice (body lice, head and pubic), bedbugs and ticks.Dermatoses occur due to the parasitic activity of certain insects.

For your information, the clinical picture against the background of parasite infection is often blurred - in most cases there are no symptoms, or they manifest themselves acutely 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 products and toxic substances enter the human circulatory system, which leads to intoxication.Symptoms: red spots on the skin, urticaria, itching, rash, lichen-type plaques, etc.
2. Increase in body temperature.In some patients, against the background of severe helminthic infestation, a feverish state is observed.Usually 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 become inflamed one at a time, or all at once.Additionally, the patient experiences headache, decreased appetite, and general malaise.In most cases, those lymph nodes that are 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 develops due to tissue damage by helminth suckers.
5. Pulmonary syndrome manifests itself as a nonproductive cough.The patient complains of shortness of breath due to lack of physical activity, pain in the chest area.Ascariasis often 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 likelihood of death is high.
7. When infected with helminths, abdominal syndrome is often detected.This symptom implies alternation of constipation and diarrhea, increased gas formation, bloating, 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, frequent respiratory and colds, and a sharp weight loss.

The clinical picture of a parasitic disease is always different.Symptoms are based on the localization of helminths, the specific type of pathogen, and the age of the patient.And also on 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, acarosis (scabies) and dermatoses.In medical practice, helminthic infestations are most often encountered.

Parasitic infections:

• African trypanosomiasis.Infection occurs due to the penetration of Trypanosoma brucei bacteria.Route of transmission: 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.Infection is caused by 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 through the bites 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 primarily affects the gastrointestinal tract.Symptoms: severe abdominal pain, allergic reactions, headaches, general malaise.The incubation period varies from 2 to several years;
• Taeniasis.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 fluke).The worm “lives” in the liver, bile ducts, pancreas, and gall bladder.Infection occurs due to the consumption of raw or poorly cooked fish;
• Clonorchiasis.The reason is the reproduction of the Chinese fluke in the body.In addition to humans, the helminth affects cats, dogs and pigs;
• Enterobiasis.The causative agent is pinworms.Parasitic disease is often diagnosed in childhood.Treatment has its difficulties, since in 99% secondary self-infection occurs.

Worth knowing: pathologies provoked by ectoparasites - pediculosis, scabies, cochliomyasis, demodicosis, etc.

In fact, the list of parasitic diseases can be continued for a very 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 become infected with common helminths, round and tape parasites.Pathogenic microorganisms lead to a decrease in 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 who go on vacation to South America, Australia or Africa face truly “terrible” helminths.

The most dangerous parasites:

1. Filaria lead to blockage of blood vessels, as a result of which coordination of movements is impaired and internal organs can fail.
2. Schistosomes are a special type of helminth that lives in human blood.Lead to severe impairment of the functionality of the liver, gastrointestinal tract, and bladder.

These parasites are found in countries with tropical climates; 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 disruption 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 leads to severe pain and convulsions;
• Toxoplasma during pregnancy disrupts the intrauterine development of the child up to mental retardation.

Important: anyone without exception can become infected; hundreds of thousands of helminth larvae lie in wait for every person: in water, soil, on tree leaves, in public transport, a clinic, a store, on food, etc.Therefore, it is necessary to observe all hygiene measures and tell children as early as possible about the importance of observing basic hygiene rules.

The penetration of parasite larvae into the body occurs unnoticed.At the early stage of 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.