Often, when we hear about parasites, we certainly think of helminths, but in reality their number is large today.
Many of these may be present in the upper layers of the epithelium and subcutaneous fat, remaining invisible to the carrier.
The subcutaneous worm can enter the human body: through tactile contact with infected individuals. from blood-sucking insects that carry parasitic larvae from animals.
The main feature of such an invasion is the difficulty in recognizing the pathology, since initially the infection can be disguised as other physical diseases.
The main signs of the presence of this type of parasite in the body are severe weakness, reduced performance and a constant desire to scratch the skin. When these signs appear, it is advisable to consult a specialist: therapist, dermatologist, allergist, infectious disease specialist. The joint work of doctors and the diagnostic methods they use in their work help in the timely recognition of the presence of subcutaneous invasion in the body.
Types of helminths
There are a number of subcutaneous worms that can cause many problems with their appearance. Their presence can be detected if you notice certain symptoms. With early diagnosis of the disease, getting rid of unwanted visitors will be much easier.
To get an idea of how to quickly recognize their presence, we suggest you familiarize yourself with the most popular representatives:
Filariasis
This type of helminth is found exclusively in the tropics. Therefore, when traveling, be as careful as possible, it will not be difficult to pick it up.
Pathogens pose a great risk, as the duration of the incubation period can reach from 5 to 7 years, while they reproduce actively. They do not show any sign of their presence, continuing all these years to absorb nutrients and vitamins in the body.
Dracunculiasis
The parasite can overwhelm the future carrier in water contaminated with helminths. It is impossible to determine the presence of the larvae of this parasite in the water with the naked eye; in addition, neither the device nor the special analyzes will be able to determine. The danger lies in the fact that an indistinguishable larva can reach one 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 in length occupies a large part of the stomach and easily penetrates the lungs, thus preventing access to oxygen supply. But, as a rule, pathogens are located in the lower extremities, so deaths are quite rare in modern medicine.
Scabies
This type of disease is by far the most popular. It would not be an exaggeration to say that perhaps every second inhabitant of the planet has contracted this nasty 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, in the place of their location, you can notice noticeable redness and irritation of the skin. Apart from the intense itching, unpleasant symptoms are no longer observed in an infected person.
On a note.Transmission takes place from the sick to the healthy, through physical contact, and when the same things are used.
Diagnosis is almost impossible without the availability of special equipment; it is possible to determine, as mentioned earlier, only the place of their mass accumulation. The cause of the irritation is explained by the fact that the parasitic mites penetrate under the epithelium, disturbing the upper layer of the epithelium, thus leaving noticeable traces.
demodicosis
Pathogens prefer the sebaceous glands as a habitat. Their appearance is accompanied by purulent formations on the face, which are so easily confused with acne. The more intense the parasite grows, the more noticeable it is on the face. In addition to abscesses, it must be said about another symptom that may seem even more unpleasant - the loss of eyelashes.
Caution.The diagnosis of this parasite is quite simple compared to other species. An experienced doctor will not even prescribe special tests to detect the presence of helminthiasis, as long as he only performs a visual examination of the patient. The fact that the treatment lasts for several years is also unpleasant. Getting rid of the disease is quite difficult, so even with continuous treatment, it can take more than a year.
dirofilariasis
These parasites are transmitted to humans through physical contact with an infected animal, which is usually transmitted by our pets. Roundworms enter the human body fairly quickly, one of the vectors may be a mosquito.
To notice this is very simple, the bite becomes dense, inflammation and itching appear. The parasite settles in the body and begins an active life. The most important symptom that will allow you to immediately make an accurate diagnosis is the sensation of agitation.
This is due to the fact that adults can move freely. Cases have been reported where infected individuals have seen a helminth under the skin, and it can also come out through the mucous membrane of the eye.
Rounding
The larvae of this parasite easily penetrate the skin, so it is enough to just walk on the ground barefoot.
In addition to intense itching, redness and noticeable inflammation, the skin of the infected person is covered with red blisters.
Schistosomiasis
The pathogen is found in Africa and Asia, lives exclusively in fresh water. It easily penetrates the human body. It prefers to be found on human skin or in the urogenital system. During its life, it releases products that are toxic to humans. Toxins seriously disrupt 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 complete medical examination. The research aims not only to confirm its presence, but also to determine its exact location, as well as the approximate number of people.
Symptoms
What symptoms occur depends on the parasites that the person is infected with. There are significant differences, but most of the symptoms are typical of subcutaneous worms. Let's point out the main symptoms:
- Skin damage. It can manifest itself in the form of a severe rash, redness, acne, intense itching, in some cases visible traces of worms.
- General malaise. Not only toxic waste can affect the general condition of the patient, it must be understood that the worms feed on nutrients from the body of the carrier, while the body of the carrier does not receive useful substances. In this regard, weakness increases, a person gets tired quickly, fever and insomnia may be observed.
- Worms often infiltrate other vital organs, disrupting their function.
- Among the subcutaneous helminths, there are quite often individuals, whose movement is well felt by the body.
Filariasis
Primary symptoms, which may last for the first few years, include:
- urticaria, with the appearance of extensive red spots.
- severe itching;
- temperature rise;
- feverish condition.
After a period of time, the primary symptoms are replaced by more serious manifestations, such as:
- eczema, warts, ulcers;
- sleep disorder (increased drowsiness, insomnia).
- persistent migraine;
- subcutaneous nodes;
- Some people become aware when they examine the patient's eye.
For your information.Such a condition requires serious medical intervention, as the prolonged presence of the pathogen can lead to vision loss, tumor growth.
Scabies
It is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- the appearance of a rash and redness.
- bubbles may appear in the affected areas.
- when iodine is applied to the affected area of skin, the worm's passages become noticeable.
- constant itching;
- intense peeling of the skin.
Schistosomiasis
It is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- skin rash;
- persistent itching;
- increased sweating, especially at night.
- hyperthermia;
- the size of the liver increases.
dirofilariasis
It is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- allergic reaction of the body;
- temperature rise;
- severe fatigue, weakness.
- motion sickness.
demodicosis
It is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- severe acne;
- eyelash loss.
Dracunculiasis
It is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- there is inflammation of the joints of the lower extremities.
- gangrene;
- blood poisoning.
The occurrence of such a disease is a significant threat to human life and health. Many pathogens are carefully hidden for several years after infection, but then their size increases significantly and the manifestation under the skin becomes noticeable.
The location of the subcutaneous worm can be not only the upper layers of the epithelium and the sebaceous glands, but it is much more dangerous when the helminths move freely in the body, as vital organs can be affected.
Treatment
To date, there are many effective recommendations for treating such diseases. It is important to understand that the doctor should prescribe the treatment after receiving the necessary results of a complete medical examination of the patient. In some cases, complications and the appearance of lateral diseases caused by helminths are observed.
Great.As a treatment, complex drug therapy can be prescribed, but you should be aware that most drugs are very toxic, so you may notice a significant worsening of the condition caused by the treatment.
Surgery is often required to get rid of subcutaneous helminths. Most often, hydrochloric acid and sulfur soap are used for scabies.
Treatment for subcutaneous worms can cause a lot of problems, cost a lot of time and money. Therefore, it is easier to avoid infection, so you just have to follow the rules of personal hygiene. It is recommended that you do not have physical contact with an infected person.
