There are several parasites that live in the human body, disrupting the functioning of internal organs and the entire body as a whole. People knew about helminths in ancient times, and for the first time Hippocrates described them and the diseases associated with them.
Today, science knows many parasites, but some of them are especially common in the human body. They differ from each other in structure and forms of existence, but for their development and reproduction they need to enter the human body.
Depending on the type of structure, all human parasites are divided into several categories:
- Intestinal worms;
- flukes;
- tape
Let us consider in more detail the listed types of parasites in the human body.
Characteristics of roundworms
These parasites are called nematodes. Outwardly, they resemble earthworms, but differ in their sharper ends. Their sizes vary from one millimeter to 130 centimeters.
Many roundworms have a simple life cycle. After infection of the human body with nematodes, parasite eggs emerge from the intestine, which are invisible to the naked eye.
When released into the environment, the eggs mature and then return to the human body through food, water, or dirty hands. Intestinal worms are born from them and begin to actively develop.
All parasites of the human body are divided into several subspecies, including:
- pinworms. The most common parasite that is easily transmitted between people through shared objects. The development of these nematodes in the body causes serious discomfort in the form of itching around the anus.
- Intestinal worms. When massively infected, they are dangerous to health. They are worms that reach a length of 25 cm and, after maturing, the larvae spread throughout the body and internal organs through the blood.
- Trichinella. These small roundworms are up to 5 mm long. When they develop in the intestines, they lay larvae. Subsequently, they penetrate the blood vessels and spread throughout the body.
- filaria. They are distributed mainly in warm countries and their carriers are insects.
Parasites - trematodes
The so-called trematodes are parasites of the human body whose symptoms are not always clearly visible. These are flat worms up to 8 centimeters long, which have suction cups on their bodies to feed parasites.
Trematodes have a complex life cycle and change hosts several times. The eggs develop in bodies of water, after which they enter the body of the mollusk to carry out their metamorphosis. When the modified larvae emerge from the mollusks, they enter the body of the crustacean or fish, where they are modified again.
Trematodes enter the body of their final host, which is a person, with raw or undercooked meat of cancerous species or fish.
Among the most popular trematodes are:
- Opisthorchis. People become infected with these parasites by eating lightly salted or undercooked/undercooked carp or stroganina.
- chinese coincidence. It affects many fish and crustaceans living in Primorye and the waters of Japan. The parasite affects the bile and bile ducts, pancreas and liver.
- paragonimiasis. It causes a dangerous disease that affects the lungs, liver, pancreas, kidneys and even the brain. People who eat undercooked freshwater crabs and crabs become infected.
- schistosomiasis. The parasites are usually found in tropical countries and the larvae actively enter through human skin when swimming, as well as when water from a reservoir enters the mouth.
Ribbon parasites (worms)
We have almost figured out what parasites are in the human body, but there are still tapeworms, which are also of different types:
- I had a bull. It can reach 10 meters in length and people become infected by eating beef that has undergone low heat treatment. Housewives sometimes become infected by checking the amount of spices or salt added in raw minced meat. After entering the body, the larva turns into saltpeter, which adheres to the intestinal wall and causes weight loss, loss of appetite, insomnia and dizziness in humans.
- pork tapeworm. It is smaller in size (up to 2 meters long) and can become infected by eating undercooked pork.
- had wide. The length of this parasite varies between 6 and 15 meters. It is usually contracted by eating raw freshwater fish. Weakness, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and other symptoms occur.
- echinococcus. A dangerous helminth that can be contracted from cats and dogs carrying the parasite. In the human body, the larvae emerge from the eggs and are transported with the blood to various organs, especially the liver. Later, echinococcal cysts form, which are dangerous to health and require surgical intervention.
We look at which parasites live in the human body, but not all of them are known helminths. Study the symptoms of a parasite infestation and if you find any, go to the doctor for a diagnosis.