Today, helminthiasis is the most common parasitic disease, the causative agents of which are helminths - two types of worms: flat and round.A characteristic feature of helminthic infection in the human body is the non-specificity of the symptoms, that is, the signs of the disease match many other pathologies.People are interested in the following questions: "How to determine the presence of parasites in the body, and can I recognize intestinal worms at home?"
Signs of helminthiasis
The clinical course of the disease is divided into two stages - acute and chronic.The acute stage begins from the moment the helminth enters the human body and lasts from several weeks to several months.The symptoms of the acute stage develop due to sensitization of the body - an allergic reaction to the introduction of a foreign substance (parasite) and the following:
- Increased body temperature.
- Violation of general health.
- Dyspeptic symptoms - diarrhea, constipation, nausea and vomiting.
- Pain in joints and muscles.
- Abdominal pain in different places.
- Apathy, loss of appetite, constant fatigue.
- Rashes, itching in different parts of the body.
- Enlarged lymph nodes.
The chronic stage is characterized by a wide range of symptoms, which depend on the type of worm, its location and the intensity of reproduction.It is characterized by increasing disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, weakened immunity, frequent allergic reactions, nervousness, irritability, weight loss, and sleep disorders.Patients often complain: "I often have diarrhea and abdominal pain, I feel exhausted" - these symptoms make the doctor think of a helminthic infection.
Even the most experienced doctor cannot make a correct diagnosis based on the symptoms alone, so it is hardly possible to detect worms at home.
Scatological methods for diagnosing the disease
All methods for diagnosing helminthiasis can be divided into two types of tests:
- Direct - allows doctors to directly detect the helminth itself, fragments of its body, as well as eggs or larvae.They examine the feces, urine, bile, sputum, or blood of an infected person, as well as tissues and scrapings.
- Indirect - identify the pathological changes in the human body that are the result of the presence of helminths.The method allows the doctor to check the blood count, the state of the immune system, structural and functional abnormalities of the affected organs.Among the indirect methods, doctors often use X-ray and immunological diagnostic methods, as well as morphological blood tests.
A common direct method of diagnosing helminthiasis is scatological examination, which can be micro- and macrohelminthoscopy.
Macrohelminthoscopy diagnostics allows the detection of a whole helminth or its parts - segments, cestodes, scolex.The doctor prescribes such an examination if the eggs of the parasite are not excreted with the feces or their number is not sufficient for detection, for example, when identifying pig or cattle tapeworm, segments of the intestinal worm are visible in the feces, and in the case of enterobiasis, entire fungal worms are visible.
By examining the feces with the naked eye, you can detect parasites or their parts.If it is necessary to differentiate the diagnosis, or there are doubts about the reliability of the findings, the stool is also examined with a magnifying glass or a microscope.
Due to the use of a microscope, the microhelminthoscopy is calledIt allows the identification of parasite larvae or eggs in the feces, which are prepared in a special way on a slide before microscopic examination.The study is quite reliable and allows the doctor to distinguish certain types of helminthiasis from each other.
Special diagnostic methods for various forms of helminthiasis
Using special diagnostic methods, you can find out if there are certain types of parasites in your body.The method is selected by the doctor based on clinical data.
Diagnosis of taeniadoses
Detection of pig or cattle tapeworms is quite difficult today, because the segments of the parasite are often not excreted from the body in the feces.The doctor can use a scraping of the perianal area and a microhelminthoscopy of the stool.
Diagnosis of enterobiasis
How can I recognize enterobiasis-causing parasites in my body?The examination is performed in the morning, without washing the perianal area.The simplest method is perianal scraping with a wooden spatula or a cotton pad dipped in glycerin solution.The resulting material is placed on a slide, which is then examined under a microscope.
The modern type of scraping is the recording of the material with adhesive tape, such as scotch tape, cut into strips 9-10 cm long.The sticky side of the tape is applied to the perianal folds and smoothed with a spatula, then carefully pulled off and placed on a slide.It is important to paste carefully without air bubbles to avoid distortion of the research results.
Microscopic examination of the intestinal contents allows not only the identification of intestinal parasites, but also those localized in the liver and gall bladder during opisthorchiasis, fascioliasis and other invasions.
Sputum examination for the diagnosis of pulmonary forms of helminthiasis
To identify parasites localized in the lungs and trachea, sputum is examined, which is placed on a special plastic plate or glass and covered with another glass on top.First of all, the material is examined with the naked eye, and only then a microscope is used.
Examination of muscle tissue in trichinosis and cysticercosis
To identify the larval forms of trichinella, a small piece of the gastrocnemius or biceps muscle is surgically removed, divided into individual fibers in the laboratory, and placed between two glass slides with the addition of glycerol.Trichinella larvae are clearly visible when a tissue sample is examined under a microscope.
Identification of cysticerci is also performed after taking muscle or subcutaneous tissue.A small bubble up to 2 cm in size can be seen with the naked eye.This bubble is broken, its contents placed between beakers and examined under a microscope to determine the viability of the resulting parasites.
Diagnosis of schistosomiasis
For the detection of schistosomes, urine collected in the middle of the day is used as a material.
In addition to urine, the substance can also be excrement, which is subjected to certain processing and microscopic examination.
Immunological methods for the diagnosis of helminthiasis
The most modern methods of identifying helminths today are various immunological tests.Similar diagnostic methods are suitable for helminthiasis, the pathogens of which are localized in the tissues themselves or are in the early stages of development and spread through the bloodstream in the human body.Skin and intradermal tests are informative and can detect the presence of parasite antibodies.
Direct immunological diagnostic methods are as follows:
- Immunofluorescent antibody reaction (IFA) for the detection of cysticercosis and trichinosis.
- Ring precipitation reaction in the diagnosis of trichinosis.
- Latex agglutination reaction for the diagnosis of alveolococcosis and echinococcosis.
- Immunoenzyme reaction in the diagnosis of echinococcosis, opisthorchiasis, trichinosis and alveolococcosis.
Self-diagnosis of helminthiasis - is it possible?
Is it possible to test the presence of parasites in the body at home, without the help of specialists?The answer to this question is clear - no.All existing methods of computer diagnostics of the body, advertised on the Internet, as well as other uncertified and scientifically unsupported methods cannot identify the causative agent and establish a correct diagnosis.In addition, refusal of medical care in favor of "non-traditional" diagnostic and treatment methods can have dangerous consequences, including disability and death of the patient.You should not ignore scientific results and try to make a diagnosis yourself - it can be dangerous.At the first suspicious symptoms, it is better to consult a doctor.