What is opisthorchiasis and why it is dangerous, you need to know everyone who loves fish. The cause of infection is a flat worm that parasitizes in the gallbladder and pancreas, gradually destroying the liver and mucous membranes.
Infection occurs when raw river fish or fish dishes that have not undergone a good heat treatment are consumed. To prevent the entry of parasites into the body, you need to properly process the products, as well as observe basic precautions.
What fish can be opisthorchiasis
Helminthic infestations can be very dangerous for humans, since they affect the internal organs, which leads to dangerous diseases. In what types of fish there is opisthorchiasis, it is very important to know in order to avoid infection. Often, fish of the cyprinid family are considered to be carriers of infection, in particular, such as:
- crucian carp;
- bream;
- roach;
- carp;
- carp;
- tench.
The most common carriers of opisthorchiasis are perch and ide. Red and sea fish can also be carriers of larvae. Worst of all, the parasite survives in the body of predatory fish, however, this type of helminth is increasingly found in pike meat. That is why you need to heat-treat any kind of fish, since there is a risk of infection with other parasitic diseases.
How does infection happen?
Knowing which fish opisthorchiasis is most often found in and how to avoid infection, you can protect yourself from the penetration of worms into the body. The parasite lives exclusively in fresh water, where there are all the necessary conditions for it and suitable food. The life cycle of a helminth is divided into several stages.
Initially, the eggs of parasites, along with the feces of humans and animals, enter the sewers, and then into the sewage. Further, the liquid along with parasites is swallowed by mollusks, in the body of which the eggs become larvae. Their development continues for 2 months. Then the larvae enter an open reservoir with fresh water, where they penetrate under the scales, and then into the body of the fish. Final carriers of worms become infected after consumption of infected fish meat.
Many are interested in what opisthorchiasis looks like in fish and how it can be detected. It is worth noting that in the body of the fish the opisthorchia look like larvae, however, a month after it enters the human or animal body, they are released from the membrane and begin to move along the bile ducts, penetrating the liver, where they lay their eggs a month later. The only way to become infected is to consume fish infected with helminthic infestations, which is why you need to know in which fish there is no opisthorchiasis. These parasites do not settle in the body of marine fish, as they simply do not survive in salt water.
Symptoms of opisthorchiasis
Regardless of which fish the opisthorchiasis is in, the symptoms of infection are the same and may not appear for a long time. However, from the moment of activity, detecting them is very simple.
Symptoms of opisthorchiasis in humans begin to appear immediately after the active reproduction of larvae. After the onset of the first signs, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive diagnosis and subsequent treatment.
Despite the fact that the symptoms of opisthorchiasis in humans are life-threatening, timely treatment will avoid many problems, and the treatment process is much faster. Signs of the presence of worms in the body can be different, it all depends on the stage of the course of the disease.
Acute stage
What is opisthorchiasis and how it manifests itself, everyone needs to know so that it is possible to recognize the presence of the disease in a timely manner and conduct complex treatment. In the acute stage of the course of the disease, the following symptoms appear:
- soreness in the joints and muscles;
- loss of appetite;
- pain in the right hypochondrium;
- temperature rise;
- allergy.
The clinical picture of the course of the disease in the acute period is characteristic of very many infectious diseases, which is why complex diagnostics are required to identify worms. The acute stage lasts for about 10-14 days, and then the main symptoms gradually decrease and the disease goes into a more dangerous, chronic stage.
Chronic course of the disease
If you are interested in the symptoms and treatment of opisthorchiasis, you need to take into account the characteristics of the clinical picture of the chronic type. With this form of helminthic invasion, patients have a strong allergy and signs of intoxication. The presence of worms in the body can be determined by the following signs:
- damage to the central nervous system;
- persistent muscle and joint pain;
- eating disorder of the heart muscle;
- fever;
- sharp weight loss;
- skin allergy.
The signs of the disease in adults and children are almost identical and differ only in their intensity. Since the skin is more delicate in children, the allergy is especially severe. In the chronic course of the disease, children begin to lag strongly behind in physical and mental development, as well as disturbances in the activity of the nervous system.
With the onset of the chronic stage of the disease, signs characteristic of diseases such as pancreatitis, hepatitis, cholecystitis can occur.
Features of the course of the disease in children
Many people are interested in which fish opisthorchiasis, how infection occurs and how the disease manifests itself in a child. In children living in areas where the disease is common, it is usually almost asymptomatic. Often it can be determined only a few years after infection.
In the acute form of infection in a child aged 1-3 years, a slight increase in temperature is noted, abdominal pains appear. Inflammatory reactions in the upper respiratory tract, impaired stool, and nausea are also possible. In some cases, children have an increase in lymph nodes and liver.
In older children, more severe signs of the course of the disease are noted:
- temperature rise;
- skin rash;
- weakness;
- pneumonia;
- myocardial damage.
With a more severe course of opisthorchiasis, hepatitis with jaundice joins and the spleen increases. With a chronic course, the child has pain in the right hypochondrium, nausea, worsening stool, decreased appetite. A slight increase in the liver is noted, and the spleen has normal sizes.
Diagnostics
You need to know not only in which fish the opisthorchiasis is, but also how the disease can be diagnosed. Since from the moment the clinical signs of the disease appear until the eggs of the parasites are excreted together with feces, it takes up to 6 weeks, the diagnosis of the disease in the early stages is quite difficult.
Initially, an anamnesis is collected, during which it is determined whether the patient lived in places where opisthorchiasis is often diagnosed. Then a general blood test is performed to determine the level of leukocytes and the degree of increase in ESR. A biochemical blood test in case of infection can show a decrease in the level of protein in the blood, a change in liver enzymes.
An ultrasound diagnosis is also carried out, thanks to which it is possible to detect diffuse pathologies of the liver, expansion of the bile ducts.
Fecal analysis is recommended to be performed three times, with the same interval of several days. This is due to the fact that it is not always immediately possible to detect eggs of the pathogen of infection. The detection of parasite DNA using a polymer chain reaction is considered more modern diagnostic methods. This method is used for children and adults.
Drug treatment
Depending on the symptoms of opisthorchiasis, and the appropriate treatment is selected. With the course of the acute form of the disease, it is initially necessary to eliminate the signs of intoxication and allergies. 3 weeks after this, anthelmintic therapy is performed.
In the chronic form of the disease, anthelmintic treatment is performed. For this, the drug "Biltricid" is used, which is available in the form of tablets. The dosage is 1 tablet per 10 kg of human body weight. This drug is quite toxic, and with its use there is a risk of hepatitis and encephalopathy, therefore it is advisable to carry out treatment in a hospital. The drug paralyzes the nervous system of the worms, but does not kill them, therefore, gall bladder stimulation is additionally carried out. In this case, choleretic drugs are used.
It is not always possible to completely remove parasites from the body, which is why it is advisable to conduct a course of therapy after 3 months.
In the chronic course of the disease, anthelmintic chemotherapy is performed, due to which allergic reactions are eliminated. For this, antihistamines are used.
Traditional medicine methods
There are also quite effective methods of alternative therapy. In particular, garlic and celandine will help get rid of helminths. For treatment in children, rectal tampons with garlic juice are used. After this, a course of choleretic herbs is recommended.
All these measures are aimed at stimulating the gallbladder and normalizing intestinal motility. However, it is worth remembering that conducting therapy with folk remedies may not be effective and dangerous enough, which is why it is advisable to consult with your doctor first.
Diet
During the treatment, diet No. 5 is observed, as with other intestinal diseases. During the period of drug therapy, as well as six months after recovery, therapeutic nutrition is indicated, which will contribute to a speedy recovery.
According to the peculiarities of this diet, patients are advised to consume steam, boiled and baked dishes that have undergone very good heat treatment. From your diet, you must definitely exclude rich dishes, sweets, salty and spicy dishes.
Prevention
In order to prevent infection, it is necessary to follow measures for the prevention of opisthorchiasis. Larvae of the parasite are able to withstand high and low temperatures, which is why it is difficult to remove helminths from the body.
You must know at what temperature the opisthorchiasis in the fish dies in order to prevent infection when it is consumed in food. The parasite is very tenacious, and if you need to eliminate it, then deep freezing is used, and it is necessary that the fish lie in the freezer at a temperature of -12 degrees for at least 3 weeks. If you lower the temperature to -32 degrees, then the larvae will die in 3 days.
You can kill the parasite with the proper preparation of fish. It is necessary to fry it for a long time, after cutting it into small pieces. It is best to boil it initially, and then just fry or bake it.
In addition to the proper preparation of fish, you must follow the rules for its cutting. This requires a separate board and knife. This is a very insidious disease, which is why when the first signs of the disease appear, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive examination.
What is dangerous opisthorchiasis
The main danger of infection with parasites is that helminths can parasitize in the human body for 20 years, while the patient himself may not even suspect the presence of worms.
If parasites are not detected for a long time, their number will increase all the time, which can lead to death. In addition, they parasitize in the body and provoke the occurrence of such diseases:
- cirrhosis of the liver;
- rotting processes in the liver;
- hepatitis;
- impaired liver function;
- malignant neoplasms;
- inflammatory processes of the stomach and intestines;
- inflammation of the bladder and pancreas.
Complications can be avoided if a parasite is detected in the body in a timely manner and timely drug treatment is carried out under the strict supervision of a doctor.