Currently, there are many diseases of the digestive system, the cause of which is difficult to establish, based only on the clinical picture. Examination of such patients includes many tests and instrumental studies in which the pathogen can be detected. There is a large group of pathologies caused by helminthic infestations; one of the representatives is tapeworm - a worm (tapeworm), which is a type of flat tape parasite. This species can parasitize both in animals and in humans.
The concept of tapeworms
Tapeworm is a worm, the length of which ranges from a few centimeters to 8 meters. Chains most often affect the digestive organs of animals; distinguish between bovine and pork tapeworm. The first type of parasite when it enters the human body causes a disease called teniarinhoz, the second type - teniosis. The differences between tapeworms are in their
length (the length of a bovine tapeworm is 2 times that of a pig) and the ability to lay larvae in the small intestine of the host. Because of this feature, parasites are divided into 2 groups: the “armed” and “unarmed” species. A separate species are tapeworms, affecting the children's body. In children, the size of the tapeworm is only a few centimeters (a “dwarf" tapeworm). Diseases caused by these pathogens are most common in developing countries (Africa, India, etc.).
Penetration and persistence in the body
By transferring the tapeworm, it is alimentary - that is, the pathogen enters the human body with food, more precisely, with the meat of infected animals. After the tapeworm passes through the digestive tract, it settles on the walls of the small intestine and adheres to them using special suction cups located on the head of the worm. Due to the fact that the tapeworm body consists of individual segments, the tapeworm can move freely throughout the body. Due to the ability to lay eggs in large quantities in a short time, the pathogen often penetrates into various organs of the body. A tapeworm in humans can be found not only in the small intestine, but also in other digestive organs, the brain, eyes, etc.
Human tapeworm: symptoms
Both types of tapeworms cause similar symptoms with disease progression. In some cases, teniarinhiasis and teniosis can be asymptomatic, and the patient does not even suspect the existence of parasites in his body. As the tapeworm grows, characteristic manifestations begin to come to light:
- Dyspeptic disorders, that is, the appearance of diarrhea or constipation, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting.
- Asthenovegetative syndrome - general weakness, headache, loss of appetite.
- The appearance of allergic reactions.
- Nervous system disorder: irritability, apathy, sleep disturbance, memory loss, cramps, etc.
- Intestinal obstruction syndrome - occurs when the tapeworm is large, while tapeworm closes the lumen of the small or large intestine and food cannot be removed. When obstruction of the digestive tract requires immediate surgical intervention to remove the pathogen from the body.
Determination of tapeworm in the human body
To make a diagnosis of teniosis or teniarinchinosis, it is necessary to undergo a complete examination prescribed by a parasitologist. First of all, the specialist should study the patient's complaints, already at this stage it can be suspected that the patient has a tapeworm in the body. The worm can be of different sizes, so the symptoms can be different. After collecting complaints, it is necessary to carefully question the patient: what does he associate the disease with (after staying in contaminated places, eating meat products). The next step is to identify the pathogen in the feces. For an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to do an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, on which a large tapeworm will be determined.
Human tapeworm treatment
In order to get rid of tapeworm, it is necessary to establish its value. If the tapeworm is parasitic in the child's body or has a small size, then conservative therapy is prescribed. In some cases, drug therapy is replaced by folk remedies: the use of pumpkin seeds, fern extract, etc. Antiparasitic drugs include: niclosamide, praziquantel. In addition to etiological treatment, it is necessary to prescribe symptomatic therapy: antiepileptic and anti-inflammatory drugs, laxatives, the use of cleansing enemas for congestive feces. If the tapeworm - the worm is large (several meters) and is not amenable to medical treatment, then surgical intervention is required to remove the parasite from the body. If tapeworm enters the body, it is imperative to see a doctor to prevent serious complications.