Often, when we hear about parasites, we certainly imagine helminths, but in fact their number is large today.
Many of them may exist in the upper layers of the epithelium and in the subcutaneous fat, remaining invisible to the wearer.
The subcutaneous worm can enter the human body: through tactile contact with infected people; of blood-sucking insects that carry larvae of animal parasites.
The main feature of such an invasion is the difficulty in recognizing the pathology, since at first the infection can be disguised as other somatic diseases.
The main signs of the presence of this type of parasite in the body are severe weakness, decreased performance and a constant desire to scratch the skin. When these signs appear, it is advisable to look for specialists: a therapist, a dermatologist, an allergist, an infectious disease specialist. The joint work of physicians and the diagnostic methods used by them in their work help to recognize in time the presence of subcutaneous invasion in the body.
types of helminths
There are several subcutaneous worms that can cause a lot of problems with your appearance. It is possible to detect its presence if you pay attention to certain symptoms. With the timely diagnosis of the disease, it will be much easier to get rid of unwanted guests.
To get an idea of how to quickly recognize their presence, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the most popular representatives:
Filariasis
This type of helminthiasis is found exclusively in tropical areas. So when traveling, be as careful as possible, it will not be difficult to pick you up.
Pathogens are a great danger as the duration of the incubation period can reach 5 to 7 years, while they actively reproduce. They show no sign of their presence, continuing all these years to absorb nutrients and vitamins into the body.
Dracunculiasis
The parasitosis can overtake the future carrier in water infected with helminths. It is impossible to determine the presence of the larvae of this parasite in the water with the naked eye; furthermore, neither the device nor special analyzes will be able to determine. The danger lies in the fact that an inconspicuous larva can reach a meter in its mature state. As a rule, infection with dracunculiasis leads to death.
It should be understood that death is due to the fact that an adult helminth of meters in length occupies a large part of the stomach and easily penetrates the lungs, blocking access to the oxygen supply. But, as a rule, pathogens are located in the lower extremities, therefore, cases of death are quite rare in modern medicine.
Scabies
This type of illness is by far the most popular. It will not be an exaggeration that, perhaps, every second inhabitant of the planet has encountered this unpleasant disease. The main symptom of this disease is constant itching of the skin.
If you look closely, you can determine exactly where the worms are located, at the place of their location, you can observe noticeable redness and irritation on the skin. In addition to intense itching, no more unpleasant symptoms are observed in an infected person.
On a note.Transmission is made from the sick to the healthy, through physical contact as well as the use of the same things.
Diagnosis is almost impossible without the availability of special equipment; it is possible to determine, as mentioned earlier, only the place of mass accumulation. The cause of irritation is explained by the fact that parasitic mites get under the epithelium disturbing the upper layer of the epithelium, leaving visible traces.
demodicosis
Pathogens prefer sebaceous glands as a habitat. Its appearance is accompanied by purulent formations on the face, which are easily confused with acne. The more intense the parasite develops, the more noticeable it is on the face. In addition to abscesses, it should be said about another symptom that may seem even more unpleasant - loss of eyelashes.
Heads up.Diagnosing this parasite is quite simple compared to other species. An experienced doctor will not even prescribe special tests to check for the presence of helminthiases, it is enough that he only performs a visual examination of the patient. The fact that the treatment is prolonged for several years is also unpleasant. Getting rid of the disease is quite difficult, so even with constant treatment it can take more than a year.
heartworm
These parasites are transmitted to humans through physical contact with an infected animal, usually carried by our pets. Roundworms enter the human body very quickly, one of the carriers can be a mosquito.
To realize this is very simple, the bite becomes dense, inflammation and itching appear. The parasite settles in the body and begins active life. The most important symptom that will allow you to immediately establish an accurate diagnosis is the feeling of agitation.
This is due to the fact that adults can move freely. Cases have been recorded when infected people see a helminth under the skin and it can also come out through the mucous membrane of the eye.
strongyloidiasis
The larvae of this parasite easily penetrate the epidermis, for this it is enough to walk on the ground barefoot.
In addition to severe itching, redness, and noticeable inflammation, the infected person's skin becomes covered in red blisters.
schistosomiasis
The pathogen is found in Africa and Asia, it lives exclusively in fresh water. Easily penetrates the human body. It prefers to be on human skin or in the genitourinary system. In the course of its life, it releases toxic products to humans. Toxins seriously disturb the body and cause severe poisoning.
The appearance of this or that parasite is accompanied by certain symptoms, so an experienced doctor will usually diagnose it even before receiving the results of a thorough medical examination. The survey aims not only to confirm their presence, but also to determine their exact location, as well as the approximate number of individuals.
Symptoms
Which symptoms appear depends on which parasites the person is infected with. There are significant differences, but most symptoms are typical of subcutaneous worms. Let's highlight the main symptoms:
- Skin injury. It can manifest itself in the form of a severe rash, redness, acne, intense itching, in some cases traces of worms are visible.
- General malaise. Not only can toxic residues affect the general condition of the patient, it should be understood that worms feed on nutrients from the carrier's body, while the carrier's body does not receive useful substances. In this regard, weakness increases, a person gets tired quickly, fever and insomnia can be observed.
- Often, the worms penetrate other vital organs, thus interrupting their work.
- Among subcutaneous helminths, individuals are found quite often, whose movement is well felt by the carrier.
Filariasis
Primary symptoms, which can last for the first few years, include:
- urticaria, with the appearance of extensive red spots;
- intense itching;
- temperature increase;
- feverish state.
After a while, the primary symptoms are replaced by more severe manifestations, such as:
- eczema, warts, ulcers;
- sleep disorders (increased drowsiness, insomnia);
- continuous migraine;
- subcutaneous nodules;
- some individuals become noticeable when examining the patient's eye.
For your information.Such a condition requires serious medical intervention, as the prolonged presence of the pathogen can lead to loss of vision, the development of a tumor.
Scabies
Accompanied by the following symptoms:
- the appearance of a rash and redness;
- blisters may appear on the affected areas;
- when applying iodine to the affected area of the skin, the worm passages become noticeable;
- constant itching;
- severe peeling of the skin.
schistosomiasis
Accompanied by the following symptoms:
- rash;
- persistent itching;
- increased sweating, especially at night;
- hyperthermia;
- the size of the liver increases.
heartworm
Accompanied by the following symptoms:
- allergic reaction of the body;
- temperature increase;
- severe fatigue, weakness;
- nausea.
demodicosis
Accompanied by the following symptoms:
- severe acne;
- eyelash loss.
Dracunculiasis
Accompanied by the following symptoms:
- there is inflammation of the joints of the lower extremities;
- gangrene;
- blood poisoning.
The appearance of such a disease brings a considerable threat to human life and health. Many pathogens are carefully hidden for several years after infection, but their size increases markedly and manifestation under the skin becomes noticeable.
The location of the subcutaneous worm can be not only in the upper layers of the epithelium and sebaceous glands, it is much more dangerous when helminths move freely through the body, as vital organs can be affected.
Treatment
To date, there are many effective recommendations for the treatment of such diseases. It is important to understand that the doctor must prescribe the treatment, after receiving the necessary results of a complete medical examination of the patient. In some cases, complications and the appearance of secondary diseases caused by helminths are observed.
Important.As a treatment, complex drug therapy can be prescribed, but you should be aware that most drugs are very toxic, so you can see a significant deterioration in the condition caused by the treatment.
Surgical intervention is often required to get rid of subcutaneous helminths. Most often, hydrochloric acid and sulfuric soap are used for scabies.
Treatment for subcutaneous worms can cause a lot of problems, spend a lot of time and money. Therefore, it is easier to prevent infection, for this you just need to follow the rules of personal hygiene. It is recommended not to have physical contact with an infected person.
