Parasitic diseases are a large group of diseases caused by helminths, some arthropods and protozoa.
Despite all the achievements of modern medicine and developed hygiene, according to statistics, about 90% of people around the world at least once in their life face these pathologies. How to suspect an ailment and what tests parasites should take, you can learn from this article.
Types of parasites
Parasites are organisms that survive thanks to the vital activity of living beings. Settling in the human body, in the process of its growth and reproduction, they lead to a deficiency of trace elements, vitamins, proteins and other nutrients. Both can cause relapses and exacerbations of chronic pathologies and cause damage to internal organs on their own.
There are the following types of parasites that can cause disease in humans:
- protozoa (amoeba, lamblia);
- pathogenic microorganisms (chlamydia, mycoplasma and others);
- helminths (intestinal worms, pinworms, bovine and porcine tapeworms, etc. );
- parasitic arthropods (scabies mite, demodex).
The main characteristic of the pathologies they cause is asymptomatic evolution or few long-term symptoms. Parasites cleverly conceal their existence, trying to "squeeze everything out of the host's body" until their reserves are depleted and the organ or tissue is seriously damaged.
Symptoms of parasitic diseases
Parasitic pathologies usually mean helminthiasis, diseases caused by the presence of worms in the body. In most cases they are found in children, however, they can develop in adults in case of neglect of hygiene rules. For a long time after infection, they do not manifest themselves in any way or are accompanied by subtle symptoms that are often left unattended.
Each disease is characterized by certain characteristics, but there are also common symptoms:
- Headache, dizziness, increased weakness, and fatigue. These manifestations are the result of intoxication from intoxication by the waste products of parasites.
- Exacerbation of bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis, dermatitis, urticaria. They arise as a result of hypersensitivity to helminth cells and their excretion products.
- Alteration of the digestive system (abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, constipation and diarrhea). Helminths that parasitize in the intestinal lumen cause inflammation, intestinal obstruction due to the blockage of the intestinal lumen.
- Anemia, vitamin deficiency, weight loss. It occurs due to a deficiency of proteins, vitamins and minerals, a decrease in the production of hormones.
- Sleep disturbances, chronic fatigue, irritability, nervousness, muscle and joint pain.
Detection of most types of helminths requires stool testing or donating blood for the presence of specific antibodies. You can carry out a study in the clinic of your place of residence, upon admission to the hospital, as well as in any of the private laboratories. Some medical centers offer to undergo an extended examination, during which it is possible to diagnose the presence or absence of several types of parasites in the body at once.
Parasite Testing
What tests should be done if a parasitic disease is suspected, the attending physician will tell you based on the complaints, anamnesis and clinical manifestations of the disease.
Diagnosis begins with a complete blood count. The most typical changes in helminthiasis will be:
- Decreased hemoglobin levels and decreased number of red blood cells (due to protein and iron deficiency).
- Increased number of leukocytes, acceleration of ESR (these are signs of inflammation of the internal organs, particularly the gastrointestinal tract).
- Increased eosinophils (a characteristic allergy symptom that occurs in response to the irritating effects of helminth waste products).
For more accurate diagnosis, stool tests are used for eggs and helminth scrapings. By examining the feces, it is possible to detect the causative agents of enterobiasis, ascariasis, hymenolipedosis, and also to detect the presence of protozoan microorganisms (lamblia).
It is important to remember that with a single study, the probability of detecting worm eggs in feces is 30%. Therefore, to clarify the diagnosis with the first negative result, the study is carried out two more times with an interval of 2-4 days.
To improve the precision of the study, it is important to carefully prepare for the delivery of stool for analysis. Collect biological material only in a special sterile container, which can be purchased at the pharmacy. A few days before the analysis, you need to stop eating coloring products (beets, red berries, exotic fruits, sweets and drinks with dyes), do not use laxatives, as well as rectal suppositories.
Immunoassay
With the help of ELISA analysis in adults and children, it is possible to detect antibodies produced by the human body in response to the presence of foreign objects in it. To do this, blood is drawn from a vein, in which, under laboratory conditions, specific IgG antibodies can be detected against lamblia, trichomonas, porcine and bovine tapeworms, trichinella, echinococcus, toxocara, roundworm and pinworms. With the help of this study, it is possible to detect the presence of almost all parasites in the human body.
Preparing for investigation is not difficult. It is necessary to take the analysis in the morning, fasting after 8-10 hours of fasting. On the eve of the study, it is advisable not to take antibacterials and antihistamines, and also not to eat allergenic foods (honey, shellfish, exotic fruits and red fruits, nuts). Immediately before donating blood, experts recommend relaxing in the laboratory waiting room for 10-15 minutes.
The results of the investigation are known after 1-2 days. These studies are carried out as a primary diagnosis and as a control of ongoing treatment.
Early detection and modern and effective treatment of parasitic diseases help to avoid dangerous health complications.