Human parasitic diseases (Greek parasitos - "parasite") are a large group of diseases from the "infectious diseases" stage, caused by unicellular and multicellular parasites.
A parasite is a living organism that lives in or is in the body of a host and receives food from it, or at its expense, i. e. , pursues a parasitic lifestyle. They all know how to live in the human body, others can go completely unnoticed and others can cause serious damage to health.
Pathogens of parasitic diseases
There are three main classes of parasites that can cause disease in humans:
Protozoa are microscopic unicellular organisms that can be free-living or parasitic in nature. They are able to reproduce in humans, which contributes to their survival and allows serious infections to develop from a single organism.
Helminths (from Greek helminths - "worms") are large, multicellular organisms that are usually visible to the naked eye during the leisure phase. Like protozoa, helminths can be free-living or parasitic. In their adult form, helminths are unable to reproduce in humans.
Ectoparasites: This term is usually used more narrowly for organisms such as ticks, fleas, and lice that stick to or hide in the skin and stay there for a long time (weeks or months). Arthropods can cause infection on their own and can carry other diseases.
List of parasitic infections: amebiasis, ascariasis, hymenolepiasis, diphyllobothriasis, clonorchiasis, cryptosporidiosis, giardiasis, malaria (imported cases), opisthorchiasis, teniarinhosis, teniasis, toxocariasis, trichinosis, toxoplasmosis, toxoplasmosis
Signs of parasitic diseases.
Their manifestations can vary and depend on the type and localization of the parasite and the level of immunity of their recipient.
Protozoa most commonly cause diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Helminth infections can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea (diarrhea), muscle pain, cough, skin changes, malnutrition, weight loss, impaired coordination of movement and speech, seizures, and many other symptoms, depending on the individual and the severity of the infection.
Diagnosis and treatment of parasitic diseases
The diagnosis of parasitic diseases includes:
- Clinical blood test.
- Blood tests for specific antibodies and parasitic antigens.
- Blood smear.
- Analysis of the feces of eggs of worms and parasites.
- Endoscopic research methods (e. g. colonoscopy, for complex diagnostics).
- Radiography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) for severe damage to internal organs by parasites.
The treatment plan depends on the specific diagnosis. Medications are usually prescribed in the form of tablets, sometimes requiring hospitalization, even until surgery.
Other treatments are recommended to relieve symptoms (diet, water intake).
Prevention of parasitic diseases
Prevention is always easier than cure, and there are simple methods of protection.
Do not eat:
- undercooked fish, crustaceans and mussels;
- undercooked meat;
- raw aquatic plants;
- raw vegetables that may be contaminated with human or animal feces.
Parasites can live in natural water sources while swimming:
- do not swallow water;
- prevent babies from defecating in water, take babies to the toilet and check diapers every hour, change diapers in the bathroom or diaper change area, not by the pool, to prevent bacteria from entering the pool;
- do not swim or allow children if you have diarrhea;
- perform the mini-check (dirt);
- shower for at least 1 minute before immersing in water.
Pets have the ability to carry and transmit parasites to humans. Zoonotic disease is a disease that spreads between animals and humans. Sometimes zoonotic infections have no symptoms. Other people may have symptoms such as diarrhea, muscle aches and fever.
Regular veterinary care protects your pet and family. There are simple steps you can take to protect yourself and your family from animal-borne diseases. Make sure your vet takes care of your pet.
Practice the four rules:
- Collect animal feces quickly and dispose of properly. Be sure to wash your hands after disposing of household waste.
- Wash hands frequently, especially after touching animals, and avoid contact with animal feces.
- Follow appropriate food handling procedures to reduce the risk of contamination with contaminated food.
- In people with a weakened immune system, special care should be taken with animals that are able to transmit these infections.