Organisms existing at the expense of other organisms (hosts) are called parasites. They feed on living plants, blood, animal or human cells. Ectoparasites are creatures that parasitize on the surface of the skin or external organs, in contrast to endoparasites living inside organisms or host tissues.
Varieties
Distinguish between temporary and permanent ectoparasites depending on their ability to live in the environment:
- Permanent, can only exist parasitizing on the surface or inside the host organism, multiplying in a given environment.
- Temporary use the skin, hair or coat of animals, as well as the external organs only for food. Most often, it is blood or skin flakes.
Most relate to the type of arthropods with special devices for fixing on the body of the host. The photos of ectoparasites presented in the article clearly show that they are equipped with special claws (louse) or spikes on the hypostome (ixodid tick) to stay on the surface. Most parasites belong to the class of insects or arachnids (ticks). But other types of animals are represented , for example, leeches.
Lice
Permanent ectoparasites of humans and other animals are, first of all, lice. Tiny wingless insects have a mouth organ that can pierce the host’s skin, feeding on its blood. They were first discovered in the feathers of a bird living millions of years ago. Depending on the habitat emit:
- Winged louse (constantly gaining in underwear).
- The head, the legs of which are adapted to exist in hair with a circular cross section.
- Pubic, for holding which the most suitable medium is the hair of the lower body with a triangular section.
Lice live up to 40–45 days, but each female is able to lay up to 15 eggs every day. Having an oblong shape, they differ in white and reach a length of up to 1 mm. Live eggs are nits, are firmly glued to the fabric or hair, having a healthy shine. If preventive measures are not followed, the spread of ectoparasites occurs very quickly and leads to a disease (worsening) called pediculosis. Lice are carriers of infections, the most dangerous of which is typhoid.
How to get rid?
The main source of infection is patients with pediculosis. Pets are not carriers of this disease. Ectoparasites are organisms that adapt well to the environment and gradually adapt to certain poisons. The elimination of lice should take place in two stages:
- Removal of blood-sucking insects.
- Combing nits.
When using folk remedies, it should be remembered that at home it is impossible to get rid of ectoparasites in one day. The best means are hellebore water (a solution of plant poison available in the pharmacy network), onion-garlic mask, kerosene, 9% vinegar, half diluted with water, and tar soap. Boys can shave their heads, adult women can apply hair dye containing hydrogen peroxide.
The nits are combed out mechanically using a small comb (frequency - 0.3 mm) using a solution of vinegar. Cotton wool soaked in a solution should be threaded between the cloves. The combing must be carried out on paper or cloth, so that after the procedure they are immediately removed or disinfected. The fight against ectoparasites is a specialized area of specialized medical centers, so if you need to urgently solve the problem, you can resort to their services. They have the most advanced chemicals.
Temporary ectoparasites
Insects and arachnids that land on the host’s body for food only (mosquitoes, ticks, horseflies, bedbugs) are temporary ectoparasites. Why are they dangerous?
- The bloodsuckers suffer a number of serious diseases: malaria, tropical fever, encephalitis, Lyme disease and others. They are often difficult to recognize, because the symptoms at the first stage resemble acute respiratory infections. In the United States, a species of "kiss bug" that infects Chagas disease has been identified . With it, the heart, intestines and other important organs are affected. The bug got its name because it bites on the lips or eyelids of a person, simultaneously committing an act of defecation. When combing the wound, involuntarily a person brings the infection into the blood. Presumably, up to 300 thousand Americans can be infected with this disease.
- Insect bites cause allergic reactions, wasps, bees, midges are especially dangerous.
- Combing the affected areas due to the toxic effect of saliva can provoke skin diseases: eczema, dermatitis.
Ectoparasites include ticks, which are most difficult to remove from the human and animal body. If a mosquito or midge can be slammed, then the ixodid tick should be removed in compliance with the rules.
Tick removal
There are several myths about how to get rid of a dangerous arachnid. The most common among them:
- The tick must be lubricated with vegetable oil or paraffin so that it pulls out the proboscis, experiencing a lack of oxygen.
- It is necessary to remove the bloodsucker only in a medical facility.
The most dangerous part of the body of the tick is its head, in which the virus is concentrated. Through saliva, it enters the wound, so any pressure on the arachnid's body can provoke an acceleration of the infection process. Do not tear in parts or squeeze out an arthropod creature. Ectoparasites are organisms that have hooks, claws or suction cups that cannot be left in the host’s body. With a lack of oxygen, they may die, but pulling them out will be more difficult.
It is best to remove the tick with a thread, forming a loop that needs to be tightened. The ends should be pulled up with confident movements. If the head still remains in the wound, it must be removed with a needle treated with an antiseptic. The body of the tick within two days must be delivered to the infectious disease specialist for research in the laboratory. According to statistics, 20% of arachnids are carriers of infectious diseases.
Fleas
Up to 400 flea species are common in the country. Their feature is that for each animal there are own varieties. Ectoparasites of dogs - Ctenocephalides canis. Insects are secondly wingless, having adapted to parasitization on the skin. They are dangerous in that they pass from animals to humans and vice versa, being blood-sucking arthropods. About 10% of the population can be found in dog hair. Black crumbs (residues of digested blood) on the back are evidence of infection with fleas that have left their excrement.
Insects are less active in the cold season, but in summer and spring they cause huge troubles to animals: allergic itching, the appearance of painful wounds on the body, infection with endoparasites, as well as infectious diseases, including plague, which is dangerous for people. Fleas live up to two years, laying eggs in the litter and mink of rodents. White larvae resemble worms. Therefore, the treatment of pet hair must be combined with the disinsection of the home. A new generation of insecticides is low toxic for pets and is sold in the form of drops, shampoos, collars and sprays.
Lice eaters
The most common ectoparasites of cats are lice-eaters, although they are found in all pets with hair. Insects of yellowish-gray color with a large quadrangular head and flat body reach a maximum size of 2 mm, but reproduce at a very fast pace: the female is able to lay up to hundreds of eggs tightly attached to the hairs. In a month, adult individuals are formed from larvae after triple molting, which are not adapted for prolonged stay outside the animal's hair. Their food is skin flakes and wool. They do not dig into the blood, but do not disdain their clots, I am located on the edges of wounds or scratches.
Lice-eaters do not survive on human skin because they love warmth. Thanks to this feature, they are easy to spot on a pet. It is enough to bring an incandescent lamp to the cat, and after a few minutes ectoparasites will begin to gather at the tips of the hairs, reaching for heat. Even an animal that does not leave the dwelling can become infected with lice-eaters: through rodents, in the absence of sanitation, proper nutrition and keeping in a damp room. Lice-eaters are carriers of hemobartenellosis, tapeworms and a whole series of infections that threaten the pet's life. To remove them, it is necessary not only to apply insecticides, but also to comb out the larvae by analogy with humans.
Scabies mite
Ectoparasites are not only organisms that live on the surface of the skin, but also arthropods that penetrate the epidermis. A prominent representative is the scabies mite, or itch itch. Due to its small size, it is impossible to see it with the naked eye, but the paths that it leaves when moving in the stratum corneum of the epidermis and traces of eczema are confirmation of a person’s disease with scabies. Ways of infection are contact with the patient or common household items. Obvious signs requiring medical attention include:
- Itching, worse at night.
- Subtle lines on the skin (up to 8 mm) with traces of a rash at the ends.
- Combs.
- The formation of purulent crusts.
- Localization in places of the thinnest skin areas (in a child - throughout the body).
It is impossible to remove the tick without treatment. Antiparasitic drugs treat the whole body of the patient. Antihistamines are taken inside, and all clothing and household items are boiled or exposed to steam.
Mandatory treatment of ectoparasites
What does this include?
- Preventive measures (vaccinations, planned disinsection of the home, preventive treatment of animal hair with special sprays every month from April to November, regardless of the pet's walk).
- Compliance with sanitary standards of the home and animal welfare.
- Periodic inspection of the coat and skin of the pet, especially after walking.
- The course of treatment of contact persons with infectious forms of the disease in the family (scabies, pediculosis).
- Scrubbing after treatment for infection with lice or lice. Mandatory sanitation of the entire home.