When cough appears due to parasites, almost all people think of viral or infectious diseases that affect various parts of the respiratory tract. But there are parasites that cause cough with the same symptoms. Laboratory tests and instrumental examination methods performed by a therapist or infectious disease specialist will help understand the conditions.
Types of parasites that cause cough
Main types of parasitic infection:
- Giardia;
- flukes;
- toxocara;
- Intestinal worms.
Most often, the infection is localized in the lower digestive tract, but in the absence of treatment it spreads to other organs and systems, including parts of the respiratory system.
Pathways through which parasites can migrate:
- with blood flow through the vessels (some worms are small, so they penetrate through the endothelial wall into the bloodstream);
- fecal-oral method (after defecating, people forget to wash their hands, so when eating food, bacteria penetrate into the oral cavity);
- through food or water.
Many people do not know that parasites and cough are compatible concepts. Pathogens can penetrate any part of the body and cause symptoms of inflammation.
trematodes
The structure of the pathogen resembles a coffee bean. There are small spines on its body. At the bottom there are suction cups with which it moves and feeds. All individuals are hermaphrodites, that is, they can reproduce independently. But there are also cross-fertilization options.
The main stages of the life cycle go through:
- pond snail;
- larva;
- metacercaria.
It takes no more than 2 days for the helminth to go through all the stages, causing the onset of infection. This is due to the fact that the membrane of the respiratory tract is a favorable environment for the development of trematodes.
When the parasite enters the body, symptoms are not detected immediately. Initially, microorganisms multiply and spread throughout the tissues.
giardiana
Giardia is a parasite that most often causes cough in children. In adults, pathology also occurs, but rarely.
Giardia are single-celled microorganisms that have flagella necessary to move through tissues. Reproduction occurs by division; Within 1 day after infection, their number increases several times.
If the pathogen is outside the body, its body is covered by a membrane that helps it survive in the environment. With its help, you can exist up to 12 hours on various objects. If fed dairy products, survival time is extended to 3 months.
The main route of entry into the human body is oral. The main carriers are animals and birds. Giardia disease is often found in schools and kindergartens. Microorganisms settle on all household items, but for a short time.
Intestinal worms and how they affect the respiratory system
The parasite enters the host's body via the fecal-oral route through contaminated products, such as food or water. The larva is located in the digestive tract and is not affected by gastric juice and other unfavorable factors. Then eggs with processes appear, which adhere to the intestinal mucosa.
The small worms make holes in the mucous membranes and penetrate through the vascular endothelium into the blood. Through it they spread to the heart, the alveoli of the lungs and the bronchi. In the respiratory tract they go through stages of development over a period of 3 weeks.
Cause of cough:
- damage to alveolar tissue;
- strong sensitizing effect, the immune system is activated, sending many lymphocytes to the site of inflammation with the formation of an infiltrate;
- bronchial obstruction, areas of infiltration and accumulation of helminths cause blockage of various parts of the bronchi;
- During coughing, helminths spread from the bronchi to the pharynx and return to the digestive tract.
This is how a chronic disease is formed. The larvae constantly penetrate the respiratory and digestive tracts, forming a repeated infection.
Toxocara and its effects on the human body.
Toxocara is the pathogen that causes the disease toxocariasis. The disease affects people and animals. Children who go to school get sick more often. The epidemiological peak is observed in summer.
The worm has a life cycle of egg, larva and adult. Parasites enter the human body through contaminated food and water and spread to the intestines. When they migrate into the circulatory system, they travel to various organs, including the lungs. They lay eggs in the tissues, from which repeated helminthic infestations form.
Eggs and larvae enter the environment through animal feces and from there can even spread to water. The parasite is stable in the environment and survives in soil. Therefore, it remains contagious for years.
The main danger of the pathogen is the possibility of penetration through the placenta of a pregnant woman to the fetus. The infection is also transmitted through breast milk.
enterobiasis
Enterobiasis develops as a result of the entry of helminths into the body. The disease occurs only in humans because pinworm larvae enter the esophagus. Children are often susceptible to the disease due to a weak immune system.
Nematodes, which are intestinal worms, penetrate the child's body. The maximum length of the parasite is 1 cm. In the body they spread through the intestines, laying eggs in the anus; After this, the adults die. The parasites enter the child's underwear, as well as under the nails when scratching the anus. A repeated cycle of infection occurs through contaminated hands.
Symptoms:
- anal itching, more intense at night;
- redness and inflammation of the anus;
- in complicated cases, eczema and dermatitis occur in the anus;
- Sleep disturbance;
- bruxism (teeth grinding);
- urinary incontinence;
- cutting pain in the abdomen like contractions;
- loss of appetite;
- periodic changes in stool (diarrhea, constipation);
- nausea, vomiting, weight loss;
- in severe cases - developmental disorders;
- emotional instability, increased fatigue and loss of concentration.
When a pathogen enters the respiratory tract,The condition is complicated by symptoms:
- cough, asthma attacks;
- bronchial asthma;
- Frequent viral diseases due to suppression of the immune system.
The parasite spreads not only in the digestive tract and pulmonary system. It can penetrate the urogenital tract. Therefore, girls are often diagnosed with vulvitis and vulvovaginitis.
opisthorchiasis
The causative agent is a worm from the trematode group. It penetrates through the digestive tract to the pulmonary system and liver, causing clinical symptoms.
The pathogen is not immediately transferred to a person. The first guest is seafood and the second is fish. Only after this can you migrate to mammals. The larvae enter freshwater bodies and become infected through them.
Symptoms:
- increased body temperature;
- discomfort in the form of weakness, fatigue, drowsiness, abdominal pain;
- intoxication of the body, which manifests itself as pain in muscles and joints;
- hepatosplenomegaly;
- dyspeptic disorders;
- bronchial asthma with severe cough and asthma attacks;
- toxic allergic damage to the brain and heart;
- inflammation of various parts of the gastrointestinal tract, gallbladder, pancreas;
- pneumonia, pleurisy.
Lack of treatment leads to death.
paragonimiasis
The causative agents are trematodes. It is a lung fluke that is located mainly in the respiratory tract (bronchi, lungs, trachea). It goes through a complex development cycle. It does not immediately reach humans, but first develops in the organs of animals. The transmission mechanism is fecal-oral. The eggs fall to the ground with feces and then pass into the water.
Symptoms (no symptoms for the first 3 weeks):
- inflammation of the esophagus and liver;
- acute stomach;
- rash and itchy skin;
- tracheitis, bronchitis, pneumonia;
- increase in body temperature to critical values;
- suffocation, cough, hemoptysis;
- increased heart rate, cardiac arrhythmia;
- If the pathogen is found in the central nervous system, it is accompanied by meningitis and encephalitis.
A few months after the pathogen enters the human body, the symptoms disappear. A chronic disease is formed that can develop for many years with exacerbations.
Complications of the respiratory system due to parasitic infestations.
If the cough and infection are left untreated, the condition gradually worsens and complications develop:
- bleeding from the mucous membranes of the digestive and respiratory tract;
- in the lungs, tissue necrosis, empyema, cysts and abscesses are possible, which can only accompany a dry cough;
- if the pathogen moves to the upper parts of the respiratory tract and blocks them completely, asphyxiation and death occur;
- penetration into the central nervous system accompanied by paralysis, intracerebral hemorrhage, epilepsy;
- Intestinal obstruction, appendicitis, cholangitis and hepatitis form in the gastrointestinal tract.
Necessary diagnosis
The therapist or infectious disease specialist determinesWhat diagnostic methods are sufficient to make a diagnosis:
- general clinical analysis of urine and blood, blood biochemistry;
- bacteriological analysis and PCR of sputum;
- scraping of the anus followed by microscopy;
- expanded coprogram;
- X-ray light;
- Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity.
A greater number of immune cells are detected in the blood. X-rays of the lungs can show lumps that could be mistaken for tuberculosis or cancer. Analysis of sputum and scrapings from the anus reveals helminths.
Treatment and preventive measures.
The main method of treatment is antiparasitic drugs, which are taken in several stages.
Use symptomatic therapy with the following agents:
- antihistamines;
- antipyretics;
- analgesics;
- corticosteroids;
- bronchodilators.
After completing the first time taking anthelmintic drugs, the course is repeated. This is due to the fact that some eggs and larvae could survive by turning back into worms.
If parasites cause cough, it is not recommended to use syrups to suppress it, as it can cause suffocation. For prevention, hands, vegetables and fruits should be washed frequently.
Clinical picture
Most often, the patient is worried about:
- Stomachache;
- dyspeptic disorders (nausea, vomiting, changes in stool);
- itching in the anus;
- increased body temperature;
- signs of respiratory infection with dry or wet cough;
- rash, itchy skin.
Parasites that cause cough in children and adults show an atypical pattern in disease formation. It can be easily confused with appendicitis, intestinal infection, bronchitis, pneumonia.
What doctors say about parasites
Doctors advise taking special care in summer. At this time, parasites actively develop and penetrate into the soil and water. Therefore, it is recommended not to drink liquids from bodies of water and wash fruits and vegetables well.
Experts tell us which parasites cause cough: toxocara, lamblia, trematodes. All of them cause a symptom in the form of cough when they enter the respiratory tract.