Pictures and videos of symptoms of subcutaneous parasites in humans are not a pretty sight. Unlike pinworms, the existence of which a person may not even know, epithelial infections are easy to see. In this case, a person feels constant discomfort due to the symptoms that accompany the injury. This helps to begin diagnosing the disease and beginning treatment as soon as possible. A photo of subcutaneous parasites in humans evokes emotions close to disgust, but the symptoms of infection are much more unpleasant. The image does not convey the sensations of a person realizing that someone is crawling through her body. But epithelial infections are not only a nuisance, but also a significant danger to the health of the entire organism. The toxins secreted by the parasite's body can affect all organ systems, and helminths love to spread throughout the human body. Therefore, the manifestation of dermatological problems can be a sign of danger to the patient's life due to the presence of helminths in the brain, the organs of vision or the heart.
What parasites live on the skin?
Dermatological problems can cause a wide variety of infections. If, during intestinal infection, the presence of worms is diagnosed more often, insects and protozoa can also be found under the skin. Mosquitoes, ticks, and other blood-sucking parasites often feed unnoticed and separate from humans, but some continue to live and reproduce in the body.
Each of these types of infections has its own ways of entering the human body. The symptoms and effects of the infection also vary widely. Consequently, the treatment of the disease will be carried out in different ways. But to distinguish one parasitic infection from another and determine who lives in the body, it is necessary to undergo a long diagnosis. The doctor, knowing the characteristics and habitats of the different parasites, will indicate the most likely option even before the start of the tests, focusing only on the symptoms and the patient's travel map around the world.
Parasitic microorganisms
The most common disease of this type is leishmaniasis. It is caused by the simplest parasites, which gave the pathology its name. 9 out of 10 infections occur in just a few countries:
- Syria;
- Iran;
- Saudi Arabia;
- Afghanistan;
- Peru;
- Brazil.
The disease is transmitted by mosquitoes and some species of flies. Pathogenic microorganisms do not survive in temperate climates, so you can only become infected with leishmaniasis after resting in hot countries with a tropical climate.
When infected, the infection forms ulcers at the site of insect bites. Over time, it heals and leaves a messy scar. With multiple foci, leishmaniasis can resemble leprosy. The danger of this disease is that it passes from the skin to the lymphatic system and can affect the internal organs, gradually destroying them. At the same time, parasites live inside cells, so immune bodies are of little use in fighting protozoa. But after a single experience of fighting leishmaniasis, immunity is formed.
Insects among subcutaneous parasites
Diseases caused by such an invasion are called entomoses. There are several varieties of these subcutaneous parasites in humans:
- Sarcopsillosis (tungiasis).Named for the tropical sand flea. It is enough to walk barefoot on the beach or lie down in the sun for the insect to crawl onto the body. It hides imperceptibly under the outer layer of the epithelium until the blood is drunk. The flea then "gets fat" and begins to press on the surrounding tissues, causing discomfort. When it dies, it is excreted from the body with dead peeled skin. If this does not happen, the tissue can become infected and form an abscess.
- Dermatobiasis.The South American human horsefly injects larvae under the human skin. When fully developed, they tear tissue and leave the body, leaving an open wound. In the event of damage to the eyelid and the skin over the cartilage, potentially life-threatening consequences are possible.
- Acariasis.These diseases are caused by ticks. The most famous scabies, which lives and reproduces under the skin, feeding on its cells. The symptoms of scabies can be easily distinguished from itchy urticaria by the filamentous stripes, channels in the epithelium gnawed away by the female parasite. Another mite, Demodex, causes dermatitis and baldness.
Very often, insects that settle on the human body live in southern countries, because their development requires a stable warm climate. But in some cases, it is enough to visit the sea in summer and then fight against subcutaneous parasites for several months.
Parasitic roundworms and more
Subcutaneous worms in humans are not difficult to detect. They usually reveal their location in the same way as other infections: redness, itching, and burning. But in some cases, the epithelium is only an intermediate stop, and the main development of the pathology continues in the internal organs:
- Dirofilariasis.There are several types of these helminths. Some prefer to settle on internal organs, but there are those that affect the skin and eyes. The larvae of the parasite are carried by mosquitoes and are found in warm regions. A tender, mobile, tender lump swells at the injury site. It is not dangerous if the infection does not affect the organs of vision. But it requires surgery for its treatment.
- Dracunculosis.The Rishta worm enters the body with water that contains tiny crustaceans that store larvae in its stomach. Through the intestines, helminths penetrate the abdominal cavity, where they mate and lay eggs in the muscle tissue in the area of the joints and the bones of the legs. When the new worm matures, the larvae break through the skin and emerge. The only way to relieve the burning sensation and pain is to place the limb in water. Other methods to get rid of the parasite that has settled in the body have not yet been invented.
- Schistosomiasis.Not all worms found under human skin get there with food. To become infected with schistosomes, it is enough to swim in the fresh waters of the tropical countries of South America, the Caribbean, Africa or Southeast Asia. The skin lesion resembles scabies and is accompanied by tingling. But after a while, the larvae make their way into the body, after which the epithelial symptoms disappear and the next stage of the disease develops.
- Gnatostomosis.Humans are not natural hosts for this parasite. Therefore, the worms cannot reproduce in the body. Therefore, the Asian parasite enters the body with insufficiently thermally processed fish, frogs or birds. The larvae begin to migrate after a month. Moving under the skin, they cause itching, redness, and pain. The appearance in the abdomen is accompanied by edema.
Once the first signs of life of helminths appear under the skin, the patient should undergo an examination and begin treatment. Many parasites can significantly worsen health, including disability, if they are not removed in time.
Diagnostic Procedures
Considering all the variety of parasites that live under the human skin, there is no universal method that helps to identify the cause of the disease. Also, we must not forget that insects and worms are not the only possible sources of dermatological problems. Allergic reactions, fungal growth, and bacterial infections are much more likely to cause hives and dermatitis.
The first stage of searching human skin for parasites begins with an examination. The doctor conducts a survey, examines the affected areas, and asks about other symptoms. Therefore, she will be able to reduce the search area, and in some cases, for example, with guinea worm and heartworm, she will immediately prescribe treatment.
If the physical examination did not help to fully clarify the image, laboratory and hardware diagnostic methods are assigned:
- Blood test.The general analysis reveals the picture of the body's reactions to infection. Then a specialist can determine the nature of the disease. When conducting biochemistry, it is worth paying attention to indicators of erythrocyte sedimentation rate and eosinophil content. If they are elevated, it means that helminthiasis is quite likely. The ELISA is the most accurate. It will help determine by the presence of antibodies including the exact type of parasite, if it is present in the body.
- Stool analysis.Many subcutaneous worms are initially found within the intestines. By examining the stool, you can find helminth eggs and begin treatment.
- Biopsy.Analysis of the affected tissues, the content of purulent abscesses and blisters, swollen lymph nodes can also reveal a picture of the disease.
- Ultrasound, X-rays, CT and MRI.Various hardware methods of "scanning" the body will help locate the source of infection under the skin and in internal organs. In some cases, this is the only effective diagnostic method.
Some infections can only be diagnosed after treatment, when the parasite is shed from under the skin.
Treatment of parasitic diseases
Depending on the type of parasite, doctors must use different methods to get rid of the infection:
- The simplest microorganisms are killed by a course of antibiotics. It is necessarily accompanied by symptomatic treatment.
- You can get rid of ticks using specialized ointments and tablets. At the same time, dermatobiasis can only be cured by surgery, removing the larvae from under the skin.
- The helminthiasis treatment method depends directly on the type of parasite. So heartworm is treated only by surgery. Anthelmetics will help eliminate schistosomes and intestinal parasites. And the treatment of guinea worm is not provided at all. A person has to wait for the worm to leave the body on its own and fight the symptoms - pain and inflammation.
In any case, it is necessary to undergo a complete examination by a doctor and begin treatment under his guidance to ensure complete elimination of the parasites.