A wide ribbon is a helminth that parasitizes in the human body. It is very easy to get such helminthic invasion, infection occurs when eating fish, which is the carrier of larvae. The parasite causes a serious illness - diphyllobothriasis, in which serious malfunctions in the work of internal organs and severe depletion of the body occur. Especially dangerous infection for young children. A constant lack of nutrients due to invasion leads to a delay in the development of the child.
What does an adult parasite look like
Wide ribbon refers to tapeworms. It looks like a long flat helminth of light color, consisting of the following parts:
- Head (scolex). Its length is about 5 mm. On the sides there are two special suction cups with which the helminth is attached to the intestines of a person or animal.
- Neck. This is the intermediate part between the head and body. It consists of ring-shaped parts and ensures the growth of the worm.
- Body (strobe). It consists of segments (proglottids), in each of which there are male and female reproductive organs. The body length of the worm can reach 15 m, and the width is only 3 cm. Eggs form in the joints. Proglottids can separate from the body and exit the intestines. So the eggs get into the environment.
Photos of the wide ribbon can be seen below.
The life expectancy of the worm is quite large - about 20 years. If you do not expel the helminth from the body, then it can dwell and parasitize in the human intestine throughout this time. The internal structure of the worm is primitive, it has neither the digestive system nor the nervous system. His body is adapted exclusively to parasitic life. However, this helminth is very difficult to remove. For example, if the head remains in the body, then it can re-grow the body and again produce eggs.
Parasite eggs
The eggs of a wide ribbon are oval and yellowish in color. On one side there is a cap through which the larva emerges. Every day, an infected person secretes about a million eggs with feces. But these are immature forms. Their final development takes place in fresh water. A photo of the egg under the microscope is presented below.
Often patients are interested in: is it possible to independently detect worm eggs in feces? It is impossible to see them with the naked eye, since they have microscopic dimensions. In feces, only outgoing segments can be detected; they look like a white tape.
Parasite development
The development cycle of a wide ribbon is rather complicated and takes place in several stages. This helminth changes several hosts before it enters the intestines to humans. However, not only people are infected, but also dogs, cats, bears, martens. Many warm-blooded animals are susceptible to invasion.
The following stages can be distinguished in the cycle of a wide ribbon:
- An infected person or animal secretes fecal eggs to the environment.
- Together with sewage, eggs fall into the pond. Further development of helminth is possible only in fresh water (lake, pond, river) at a temperature of at least +10 degrees.
- Within 1 month, the larva ripens in the egg. She goes outside and can swim. If the reservoir conditions are unfavorable for the embryo, then the development of the larva may freeze. But this does not mean that she will perish. After 6 months, the development of a wide ribbon can resume.
- Small crustaceans (cyclops, daphnia) swallow the larva. They become one of the intermediate hosts of the helminth. In the body of crustaceans, it continues to develop to the stage of the procercoid. Its size becomes about 0.5 mm.
- Fish eat small crustaceans, after which the larvae already live in their bodies. Parasites settle in the muscles, internal organs, as well as in the calf. Helminths reach the stage of plerocercoid, their size is already about 4 cm, they have a head. Worms are ready to settle in the intestines of animals or humans.
- Humans and mammals get helminthic invasion by eating fish infected with plerocercoids. Man and animals are the ultimate hosts of this parasite. The worm attaches to the intestinal wall and turns into an adult within 15-30 days.
- Man and animals excrete worm eggs with feces into the environment, and the cycle of the broad ribbon is repeated.
Usually only some species of fish eat crustaceans. People rarely eat them. However, large fish can eat small infected individuals and receive an invasion from them, which then passes to humans.
Infection methods
A person cannot become infected with a wide ribbon from sick dogs, cats and other animals. It is also impossible to get invasion from other people. No contamination occurs when food or drinking water is contaminated. There is only one way of infection - this is eating fish from freshwater bodies. In this case, a product with insufficient heat treatment is a danger. If the fish is well cooked or boiled, then it can be eaten without fear. At high temperatures, the parasite quickly dies.
Harm to the body
When a wide ribbon is entered into the intestine, the disease diphyllobothriasis develops. Helminth primarily affects the digestive tract. In places of suction of the worm, inflammation and ulcers form on the walls of the intestine. If the body contains not one but several parasites, then they can clog the intestinal lumen, resulting in obstruction. Helminth constantly irritates the walls of the digestive tract, which leads to disruption of the digestive processes. In addition, it poisons the human body with waste products, which causes allergies. With a long stay of the parasite, severe anemia and a deficiency of vitamin B12 develop in the body.
Initial signs of infection
For some time, a person may not notice changes in well-being. The incubation period for diphyllobothriasis is from 20 to 60 days. Then the first symptoms of a wide tape are associated with a gastrointestinal tract lesion:
- pain and discomfort in the abdominal cavity;
- nausea;
- diarrhea;
- bloating and increased flatulence;
- loss or increase in appetite.
Most often, a person takes these manifestations for signs of food poisoning or gastritis. And the parasite continues to poison the host organism with waste products.
Late symptoms of invasion
In the later stages of the disease, a person feels signs of anemia and vitamin B12 deficiency. The following unpleasant symptoms are noted:
- weakness;
- constant feeling of tiredness;
- dizziness;
- darkening in the eyes;
- drowsiness;
- decrease in blood pressure;
- heart palpitations;
- fainting.
In humans, hemoglobin in the blood is greatly reduced, most of the manifestations of invasion are associated with this. In addition, the patient is disturbed by discomfort in the abdomen. It seems to him that someone is moving in his intestines. However, this is not due to the movement of the worm. Helminth secretes special toxins that cause intestinal contractions. Because of this, patients have a feeling of movement in the abdominal cavity.
In sick children, behavior changes dramatically. Psychoemotional disturbances arise due to poisoning of the body by neurotoxins, which the helminth secretes. A sick child becomes irritable, often cries. His school performance is declining due to memory impairment. Children with diphyllobothriasis do not sleep well, they often have a headache.
Diagnostics
During the examination and medical history, the doctor identifies the symptoms characteristic of helminthic invasion. To clarify the type of parasite, the following studies are prescribed:
- Fecal analysis helps identify worm eggs.
- Serological blood tests determine the presence of specific antibodies.
- Analysis using a poly-dimensional chain reaction allows the detection of parasite DNA in feces.
- A general blood test reveals a decrease in hemoglobin, neutrophils and basophils.
Based on the results of these analyzes, the specialist makes a diagnosis. Therapy of diphyllobothriasis is carried out by infectious disease doctors and parasitologists. If the patient's joints leave the intestines during bowel movements, then it is necessary to save them and take them to the study. This will help the doctor determine the type of parasite.
Drug treatment
Treatment of a wide ribbon is carried out using anthelmintic drugs. It is necessary to remove the parasite from the body as soon as possible. To do this, prescribe drugs containing toxic substances for worms:
- Praziquantel;
- "Niclosamide";
- "Biltricid."
These drugs cause paralysis in the worm. It detaches from the walls of the intestine and goes outside with feces.
The patient is also prescribed prebiotics and probiotics to restore intestinal microflora. With severe symptoms of anemia and vitamin deficiency, the introduction of vitamin B12 and the ingestion of iron preparations are indicated. After six months, the diagnosis is repeated. If the presence of a parasite is again detected in the body, then treatment must be carried out again.
Folk remedies for helminth
In diphyllobothriasis, folk remedies should be used only after consulting a doctor. They should not replace drug treatment, but can only complement it. The most commonly used recipe is with pumpkin seeds.
Pumpkin seeds are detrimental to many helminths, including tapeworms. They contain cucurbitin - a substance that destroys parasites. The seeds are crushed with a coffee grinder or blender, then diluted with water to a mushy state. For adults, 300 g of seeds will be required, and for children - from 50 to 100 g. The prepared product is consumed in the morning on an empty stomach for 1 hour. After that, you should not have breakfast. After 3 hours, you need to take a laxative, and after another 30 minutes, make an enema.
When the parasite comes out with feces, it must be examined. You should pay attention to whether there is a head at one of the ends of his body. If it is not present, it means that only the segments have left, and the parasite will be able to grow the body again and secrete eggs. In this case, the treatment should be repeated.
How to prevent infection
What to do in order not to get infected with a wide tape-holder? Since the parasite is transmitted exclusively through fish, it is necessary to subject this product to thorough heat treatment. The tapeworm dies at temperatures above +55 degrees. Therefore, freshwater fish should be cooked for about 20-30 minutes, after cutting it into pieces. If the product is used salted, then in the preparation you need to use a strong saline solution. This helminth can live only in freshwater conditions. Salt water destroys it. When frying, you need to flatten the fish in a pan so that it is better baked.
It is also useful to know about the species of fish that are most susceptible to tapeworm infection. This ruff, burbot, perch, pike, roach, carp, pike perch, carp. Such fish should be processed especially carefully. It is important to remember that an individual infected with helminths does not have any alarming external signs. It is impossible to determine helminthic infestation by the type of product. It is periodically useful to undergo examination for eggs of worms and consult a doctor at the first signs of anemia or problems in the digestive tract.