How can parasites be identified in the human body?

Parasitic organisms are not something abstract and distant. Many people do not even think that they do not live "on their own. "Entire colonies of microorganisms live on the skin and inside the human body. Some of them are dangerous and harmful, while others are necessary for a healthy life and the proper functioning of the body. Normal microflora is armor against the proliferation of pathogens, beneficial microorganisms help create the necessary acidity of the environment and participate in many chemical processes in the body. In addition to microbes, dangerous protozoa or parasitic worms may exist in the human body. As they develop and multiply, they negatively affect human health, inhibit the immune system and interfere with the proper functioning of all systems. How to identify parasites in the human body if parasitic infestations are usually asymptomatic? Often a person becomes ill and faints, but in no way does he associate this with the presence of parasites.

Symptoms of a dangerous neighborhood

Parasites in the human body in most cases are small in size, they live all or part of their life cycle in the host's body. Modern science has studied more than three hundred species of parasites that can live in the human body. Once inside, helminths affect the intestines, inhibit the immune system and negatively affect vital organs. With the timely detection of parasites and appropriate treatment, serious health problems can be prevented: allergies, kidney and liver dysfunctions. You can find out if there are uninvited guests in the body using modern diagnostic methods. There are a number of symptoms that indirectly indicate an infection. If you pay close attention to your health, a person should notice new unpleasant changes and not ignore them. The main manifestations of a parasitic infection are the following symptoms:

1. A decrease in body weight, often this occurs against the background of a decrease in appetite, but often a person notices an increase in appetite while losing weight.
2. The development of anemia occurs due to a massive infestation of parasites and, as a result, a lack of nutrients in the human body.
3. Indigestion, a person notes frequent diarrhea, which alternates with constipation.
4. Development of problems associated with dysfunctions of the digestive tract.
5. Constant discomfort under the ribs on the right.
6. Symptoms of arthritis, which manifests itself in the form of pain in muscles and joints.
7. Deterioration of appearance, skin lesions in the form of rashes, redness or peeling are observed.
8. An increase in the number of infectious diseases due to decreased immunity.
9. Allergic reactions due to poisoning by parasite waste products.
10. Deterioration of character, appearance of irritability, aggressiveness as a result of a lack of important microelements and vitamins.
11. Decreased performance, feeling of constant fatigue, drowsiness.
12. Sleep disturbance, decreased ability to concentrate.

The mentioned symptoms are inherent in a large number of diseases, so it is impossible to say 100% that a person is infected with parasites. The diagnosis is made by a specialist after an examination.

How does parasitic infection occur?

A person can become infected with parasites in different ways. By knowing the transmission routes, you can significantly reduce the risk of contracting a parasitic infection:

1. Eat vegetables, fruits and lightly processed vegetables. A large number of parasites are transmitted to humans through the consumption of poorly processed plant foods. This happens due to the transmission of infections from contaminated soil. To protect yourself, it is important to handle vegetables and fruits carefully and wash your hands before eating.
2. Drink dirty water. To reduce the risk of infection, it is important to drink only boiled water. When visiting developing countries, you should only drink bottled water. You cannot swim in unknown bodies of water, especially if the health service prohibits swimming in certain water sources.
3. Consumption of semi-raw meat and fish products.. There are parasites that are transmitted in this way. To protect yourself, it is important to avoid the consumption of poorly processed meat, consume only those products that have a quality certificate and have been tested by health services. During cooking, the temperature regime must be observed and the product should be fried (boiled) well.
4. Contact with an infected person. Some helminth infections are transmitted through household contact. The most popular group that people become infected with from a sick person is pinworms. A disease such as cysticercosis is also widespread. To protect yourself from infections, it is necessary to wash your hands before each meal or after visiting crowded places and not eat food prepared by strangers in spontaneous markets or in dubious restaurants.
5. Contact with feces or skin parasites of infected animals.. To protect yourself, it is important to carefully observe hygiene and systematically treat your pets for fleas.

Diagnostic methods: traditional methods.

The classic way to diagnose parasites in the body is stool analysis. Collect in the morning immediately before delivery in a glass container with a tight lid. The maximum possible storage period for feces is no more than ten hours in a cold place. The analysis detects worms from different groups.

The most effective method is considered to be used to identify parasites such as:

• Intestinal worms;
• whipworms;
• had;
• had;
• chance;
• schistosomes.

The presence of pinworms is diagnosed by nocturnal itching. A scraping is used to diagnose enterobiasis. It is made with a special adhesive tape. The effectiveness of the technique is very high, the main thing is to perform the procedure correctly. A medical professional performs a scraping before washing the genitals. To obtain an accurate result, it is recommended to retest a few days after the initial collection.

Donating feces is not always effective, some people do not like this simple procedure and consider it extremely unpleasant. For this reason, it is necessary to know how to detect parasites in other ways.

Diagnostic methods: new options.

If you notice the appearance of unusual symptoms, a person should visit a specialist and undergo an examination. This will help find the source of the problem and recognize the type of helminth. There is a set of diagnostic measures that allow you to accurately identify the presence of parasitic organisms, determine their type, quantity and location.

Some time ago, the presence of helminths was diagnosed by taking a stool sample. The method is simple and painless, but its precision is low. Often the result is false negative and the person continues to suffer from helminthiasis or parasitic infestation. To get the most correct result, you will need to defecate at least ten times a month. Only in this case you will be able to get an accurate answer. This is due to the characteristics of the vital activity and development cycles of parasites.

Modern medicine offers more accurate ways to identify dangerous neighbors in the human body:

1. bone scaneitherendoscopy (biopsy)Helps identify parasites in internal organs.
2. PCR. A sample of saliva, blood or secretions is taken to determine the parasite's DNA. The analysis allows us to determine the type (type) of the parasite.
3. Linked immunosorbent assayallows identification of antigens. The technique allows you to obtain very high results. In addition to identifying the parasite, the analysis helps determine the type of parasite, the number and the developmental characteristics of the pathogenic individual.
4. Bioresonance research. The technique allows confirming the presence of parasites in the body, but cannot determine their type, location or number.

Correct behavior when infected.

If a person suspects that he is infected with helminths, he should not self-medicate, he should visit a specialist. The therapist will refer you to a parasitologist or infectious disease specialist to clarify the diagnosis. Self-medication is not only ineffective, but can also worsen the condition.

Drugs against parasites are characterized by high toxicity and have a specific application. When diagnosing parasites, the doctor prescribes a medication that affects a specific type of helminth. Having no idea what organisms coexist with a person, it is prohibited to undergo treatment, since taking antiparasitic medications will have no effect on the problem.

Thanks to the availability of many research methods, it is possible to easily determine not only the type of parasite, but also its location and the degree of infection of the body. Do not ignore the problem, timely and competent treatment guarantees recovery without serious consequences for the body.