Human parasitic diseases (from the Greek parasitos - “freeloader”) are a large group of diseases from the “infectious diseases” section, they are caused by unicellular and multicellular parasites.
A parasite is a living organism that lives or is in the body of the host and receives food from it or at its expense, that is, it leads a parasitic life.All of them can live in the human body, some completely unnoticed, and some can cause serious harm to health.
Agents responsible for parasitic diseases
There are three main classes of parasites that can cause disease in humans:
Protozoa are single-celled microscopic 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 the development of serious infections from a single organism.
Helminths (from the Greek helmins - "worms") are large multicellular organisms usually visible to the naked eye in the adult stage.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 narrowly to refer to organisms such as ticks, fleas, and lice that attach to or burrow into the skin and remain there for long periods of time (weeks or even months).Arthropods can cause infestations themselves or carry other diseases.
List of parasitic infections: amoebiasis, ascariasis, hymenolepiasis, diphyllobothriasis, clonorchiasis, cryptosporidiosis, giardiasis, malaria (imported cases), opisthorchiasis, teniarinchiasis, taeniasis, toxocariasis, toxoplasmosis, trichinosis, trichocephalosis, cysticercosis, enterobiasis, echinococcosis.
Signs of parasitic diseases.
Their 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 most commonly cause diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms.Heartworm infections can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea (diarrhea), muscle pain, cough, skin lesions, malnutrition, weight loss, difficulty coordinating movement and speech, seizures, and many other symptoms, depending on the individual organism and the severity of the infection.
Diagnosis and treatment of parasitic diseases
Diagnosis of parasitic diseases includes:
- Clinical blood test.
- Blood test for parasite-specific antibodies and antigens.
- Blood smear.
- Analysis of stools for worm eggs and parasites.
- Endoscopic research methods (for example, colonoscopy, in case of complex diagnosis).
- X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) for severe damage to internal organs caused by parasites.
The treatment plan will depend on the specific diagnosis.Typically, medications are prescribed in tablet form, sometimes hospital treatment is required, including surgery.
Other treatments may also be recommended to help relieve your symptoms (diet, water consumption).
Prevention of parasitic diseases
It is always easier to prevent than to cure and there are very simple ways to protect yourself.
Don't eat:
- undercooked fish, crabs and shellfish;
- undercooked meat;
- raw aquatic plants;
- raw vegetables that may have been contaminated by human or animal feces.
Parasites can live in natural water sources, so while swimming:
- do not swallow water;
- not letting children defecate in the water, taking children to the toilet and checking diapers every hour, changing diapers in the bathroom or changing area rather than in the pool to avoid introducing germs into the pool;
- do not swim or let children swim if they have diarrhea;
- do your mini-inspection (contamination);
- Take a shower for at least 1 minute before submerging yourself in water.
Pets can carry parasites and transmit them to humans.A zoonotic disease is an illness that spreads between animals and humans.Sometimes people with zoonotic infections have no symptoms.Other people may experience symptoms such as diarrhea, muscle pain, 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 animals can transmit.Make sure your pet is under the care of a veterinarian.
Practice four rules:
- Collect animal waste promptly and dispose of it properly.Be sure to wash your hands after handling household waste.
- Wash your hands often, especially after touching animals, and avoid contact with animal feces.
- Follow proper food handling procedures to reduce the risk of contamination from contaminated food.
- For people with weakened immune systems, be especially careful when coming into contact with animals that can transmit these infections.