How to recognize parasites in the human body?

Parasitic organisms are not something abstract and distant. Many people do not even think that they do not live "on their own". Whole colonies of microorganisms live on the skin and inside the human body. Some of them are dangerous and harmful, while others are necessary for a healthy life and the proper functioning of the organism. The normal microflora is an armor againstthe reproduction of pathogens; beneficial microorganisms help create the necessary acidity of the environment and participate in many chemical processes in the body. In addition to microbes, there can also be dangerous protozoa or parasitic worms in the human body. As they develop and multiply, they negatively affect human health, suppress the immune systemand interfere with the smooth functioning of all systems. How to recognize parasites in the human body if parasitic infestations are often asymptomatic? Often a person gets sick and disappears, but this does not in any way connect with the presence of parasites.

Symptoms of a dangerous neighborhood

Parasites in the human body are in most cases small in size, they live all or part of their life cycle in the host's body. Modern science has studied more than three hundred types of parasites that can live in the human body. Once inside, helminths affect the intestines, suppress the immune system and negatively affect vital organs. Timely detection of parasites and adequate treatment can prevent serious health problems: allergies, kidney and liver dysfunction. With modern diagnostic methods, you can find out whether uninvited guests are present in the body. There are a number of symptoms that indirectly indicate an infection. If you carefully monitor your health, a person should notice new unpleasant changes and not ignore them. The main manifestations of parasitic infection are the following symptoms:

1. A decrease in body weight often occurs against the background of a decrease in appetite, but often a person notices an increase in appetite while losing weight.
2. The development of anemia occurs due to a massive infestation of parasites and, as a result, a lack of nutrients in the human body.
3. Indigestion, the person notes frequent diarrhea, which alternates with constipation.
4. Development of problems associated with digestive tract disorders.
5. Constant discomfort under the ribs on the right side.
6. Symptoms of arthritis that manifest in the form of pain in the muscles and joints.
7. Deterioration of appearance, skin lesions in the form of rash, redness or peeling is observed.
8. Increase in the number of infectious diseases due to reduced immunity.
9. Allergic reactions due to poisoning by waste products of parasites.
10. Deterioration of character, appearance of irritability, aggressiveness as a result of lack of important microelements and vitamins.
11. Decreased performance, feeling of constant fatigue, sleepiness.
12. Sleep disturbance, reduced ability to concentrate.

The above symptoms are characteristic of a large number of diseases, so it is impossible to say 100% that a person is infected with parasites. The diagnosis is made by a specialist after an examination.

How does parasite infection occur?

A person can become infected with parasites in different ways. Knowing the routes of transmission, you can significantly reduce the risk of infection with parasites:

1. Eat insufficiently processed vegetables, fruits and greens. A large number of parasites are transmitted to humans by consuming poorly processed plant food. This occurs due to the transfer of infection from contaminated soil. To protect yourself, it is important to handle vegetables and fruits carefully and wash your hands before eating.
2. I drink dirty water. To reduce the risk of infection, it is important to drink only boiled water. When visiting developing countries, you should only drink bottled water. You can not swim in unknown waters, especially if there is a ban on swimming in certain springs by the sanitary service.
3. Consumption of semi-raw meat and fish products. There are parasites that are transmitted this way. In order to protect yourself, it is important to avoid eating insufficiently processed meat, to eat only those products that have a quality certificate and have been tested by sanitary services. During cooking, you should adhere to the temperature regime and thoroughly fry (boil) the product.
4. Contact with an infected person. Some helminth infections are transmitted by contact in the household. The most popular group that people get infected from a sick person are pinworms. A disease such as cysticercosis is also widespread. To protect yourself from infection, you need to wash your hands before every meal or after going around crowds and do not eat food prepared by strangers in spontaneous markets or in questionable restaurants.
5. Contact with feces or skin parasites of infected animals. To protect yourself, it is important to carefully monitor hygiene and systematically treat your pets against fleas.

Diagnostic methods: traditional methods

The classic way of diagnosing parasites in the body is stool analysis. Collect it in the morning just before delivery in a glass container with an airtight lid. The maximum possible storage of feces is no longer than ten hours in a cold place. The analysis reveals worms of different groups.

It is considered to be the most effective method used in the identification of parasites such as:

• round worms;
• whips;
• tapeworm;
• tapeworms;
• flukes;
• schistosomes.

The presence of pinworms is diagnosed by night itching. A scraping is used to diagnose enterobiasis. It is made using a special adhesive tape. The efficiency of the technique is very high, the main thing is to perform the procedure correctly. The expert takes a scraping before washing the genitals. To get an accurate result, it is recommended to retest a few days after the initial collection.

Stool donation is not always effective, some people do not like this simple procedure, considering it extremely unpleasant. For this reason, it is necessary to know how to detect parasites in other ways.

Diagnostic methods: new options

If you notice the appearance of unusual symptoms, the person should visit a specialist and undergo an examination. This will help to find the source of the problem and identify the type of helminth. There are a number of diagnostic measures that enable precise determination of the presence of parasitic organisms, determination of their type, quantity and location.

Some time ago, the presence of helminths was diagnosed by taking a stool sample. The method is simple and painless, but it is low. Often the result is false negative, and the person still suffers from helminthiasis or parasitic infestation. To get the most accurate result, you will need to urinate at least ten times a month. Only in this case can you get the correct answer. This is due to the characteristics of life activity and developmental cycles of parasites.

Modern medicine offers more accurate ways to identify dangerous neighbors in the human body:

1. x-rayorendoscopy (biopsy)helps to identify parasites in internal organs.
2. PCR. To determine the DNA of the parasite, a sample of saliva, blood or secretions is taken. The analysis allows us to determine the type of parasite.
3. Linked immunosorbent assayenables the identification of antigens. The technique allows you to get very high results. In addition to the identification of the parasite, the analysis helps to determine the type of parasite, the number and developmental characteristics of the pathogenic individual.
4. Bioresonance research. The technique allows you to confirm the presence of parasites in the body, but cannot determine their type, location or number.

Correct behavior when infected

If a person suspects that he is infected with helminths, he should not start self-treatment, he must visit a specialist. The therapist will make a referral to a parasitologist or infectious disease specialist to clarify the diagnosis. Self-medication is not only ineffective, but can also cause the condition to worsen.

Medicines against parasites are characterized by high toxicity and have a specific application. When diagnosing parasites, the doctor prescribes a drug that acts on a certain type of helminth. Having no idea what organisms coexist with people, it is forbidden to undergo therapy, taking antiparasitic drugs will not affect the problem.

Thanks to the availability of many research methods, it is possible to easily determine not only the type of parasite, but also its location and degree of infection of the body. Do not ignore the problem, timely and competent treatment guarantees recovery without serious consequences for the body.