There are various parasites that live in the human body, disrupting the work of internal organs and the whole body as a whole. People knew about helminths in ancient times, and the diseases associated with them were first described by Hippocrates.
Today, science knows about many parasites, but some of them are especially common in the human body. They differ from each other in their structure and way of existence, but for development and reproduction they must enter the human body.
Based on the type of structure, all parasites in humans are divided into several categories:
- round worms;
- flukes;
- tape
Let's consider in more detail the listed types of parasites in the human body.
Characteristics of roundworms
These parasites are called nematodes. From the outside, they resemble earthworms, but differ in sharper ends. Their sizes vary from a 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.
Once released into the environment, the eggs mature and then return to the human body through contaminated food, water or dirty hands. Roundworms hatch from them and begin to actively develop.
All round parasites in 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 creates severe discomfort in the form of itching around the anus.
- Roundworms. When they are massively infected, they are dangerous to health. These are worms that reach a length of 25 cm. After maturation, the larvae spread through the blood throughout the body and internal organs.
- Trichinella. These small round worms are up to 5 mm long. Developing in the intestines, they lay larvae. After that, they penetrate the blood vessels and spread throughout the body.
- Filaria. They are mainly distributed in hot countries, and their carriers are insects.
Parasites - flukes
So-called trematodes are parasites in the human body, whose symptoms are not always clearly visible. These are flatworms up to 8 centimeters long, which have suckers on their bodies for feeding parasites.
Butterflies have a complex life cycle and change hosts several times. The eggs develop in water bodies, after which they enter the body of the mollusk for metamorphosis. When the modified larvae emerge from the mollusk, they enter the body of a crustacean or fish, where they are modified again.
Butterflies enter the body of their final host, which is a person, with raw or undercooked meat of carcinogenic species or fish.
Among the most popular trematodes are:
- Opisthorchis. People become infected with these parasites by eating lightly salted or undercooked/undercooked carp fish or stroganin.
- Chinese fluke. It affects many fish and crustaceans that live in the coast and waters of Japan. The parasite affects the bile and bile ducts, pancreas and liver.
- Paragonimiasis. It provokes a dangerous disease that affects the lungs, liver, pancreas, kidneys and even the brain. People who eat undercooked crabs and freshwater crabs become infected with it.
- Schistosomiasis. Parasites are usually found in tropical countries, and the larvae actively enter through the human skin when swimming, as well as when water from the tank enters the mouth.
Tapeworms (worms)
We have almost figured out what parasites exist in the human body, but there are still tapeworms, which also come in different types:
- Bull tapeworm. It can reach 10 meters in length, and people become infected by eating beef that has been subjected to low heat treatment. Housewives sometimes get infected by testing raw minced meat for the amount of added spices or salt. After entering the body, the larva turns into saltpeter, which attaches 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 in length), and can be infected by eating poorly cooked pork.
- Broad tapeworm. The length of this parasite varies between 6-15 meters. It is usually contracted by eating raw freshwater fish. Weakness, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and other symptoms occur.
- Echinococcus. Dangerous helminths that can be contracted from cats and dogs that carry the parasite. In the human body, the larvae emerge from the eggs and are transported with the blood to various organs, especially the liver. After that, echinococcal cysts form, which are dangerous to health and require surgical intervention.
We looked at which parasites live in the human body, but these are not all known helminths. Study the symptoms of parasite infestation and if you find them, see a doctor for diagnosis.