Human parasitic diseases (from the Greek parasites - "parasite") are a large group of diseases in the section "infectious diseases", caused by unicellular and multicellular parasites.
A parasite is a living organism that lives or is in the host's body and receives food from him or on his behalf, that is, he leads a parasitic lifestyle. All of them know how to live in the human body, some completely imperceptibly, and others can cause serious damage to health.
Causative agents of parasitic diseases.
There are three main classes of parasites that can cause disease in humans:
Protozoa are microscopic single-celled organisms that can be free-living or parasitic in nature. They are capable of reproducing in humans, which contributes to their survival and also allows serious infections to develop from a single organism.
Helminths (from the Greek helmins - "worms") are large multicellular organisms that are usually visible to the naked eye during adulthood. Like protozoa, helminths can be free-living or parasitic in nature. In their adult form, helminths cannot reproduce in humans.
Ectoparasites: This term is generally used more strictly to refer to organisms such as ticks, fleas, and lice that attach or hide on the skin and remain there for an extended period (weeks to months). Arthropods can cause infection on their own, and they can carry other diseases.
List of parasitic infections: amoebiasis, ascariasis, hymenolepiasis, diphyllobothriasis, clonorchiasis, cryptosporidiosis, giardiasis, malaria (imported cases), opisthorchiasis, teniarinhosis, taeniasis, toxocariasis, toxoplasmosis, trichitocepshocytosis.
Signs of parasitic diseases.
Its manifestations can be varied and depend on the type and location of the parasite, as well as the level of immunity of the person who is its host.
Protozoa often cause diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Helminth infections can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea (diarrhea), muscle pain, cough, skin lesions, malnutrition, weight loss, impaired coordination of movement and speech, seizures, and many other symptoms, depending on the individual and the severity. of infection.
Diagnosis and treatment of parasitic diseases.
Diagnosis of parasitic diseases includes:
- Clinical blood test.
- Blood test for specific antibodies and parasite antigens.
- Blood smears.
- Stool analysis for worm eggs and parasites.
- Endoscopic investigation methods (for example, colonoscopy, in the case of complex diagnoses).
- X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) for severe damage to internal organs by parasites.
The treatment plan will depend on the specific diagnosis. As a rule, drugs are prescribed in the form of tablets, sometimes hospital treatment is required, up to surgical intervention.
Other treatments may also be recommended to relieve your symptoms (diet, water intake).
Prevention of parasitic diseases.
Prevention is always easier than cure, and there are simple ways to protect yourself.
Do not eat:
- undercooked fish, crabs and shellfish;
- undercooked meat;
- raw aquatic plants;
- raw vegetables that may have been contaminated with human or animal feces.
Parasites can live in natural water sources, so while swimming:
- do not swallow water;
- prevent babies from defecating in the water, taking babies to the bathroom and checking diapers every hour, changing diapers in the bathroom or in the diaper changing area rather than in the pool to prevent germs from entering the pool;
- do not swim or allow children to swim if they have diarrhea;
- do your mini-inspection (contamination);
- shower for at least 1 minute before soaking it in water.
Pets can carry parasites and pass them on to humans. Zoonotic disease is a disease that is transmitted between animals and humans. Sometimes people with zoonotic infections have no symptoms. Other people may have symptoms such as diarrhea, muscle aches, and fever.
Regular veterinary care will protect your pet and your family. There are simple steps you can take to protect yourself and your family from diseases that can be transmitted by animals. Make sure your pet is cared for by a veterinarian.
Practice the four rules:
- Collect animal droppings quickly and dispose of properly. Be sure to wash your hands after handling household waste.
- Wash your hands frequently, especially after handling animals, and avoid contact with animal feces.
- Follow proper food handling procedures to reduce the risk of contamination with contaminated food.
- For people with weakened immune systems, take special care when dealing with animals that can transmit these infections.