What are Parasitic Worms?
Parasites are organisms that live in and feed off a living host. There is a range of parasitic worms that can take up residence in human beings. Amongst them are flatworms, thorny-headed worms, and roundworms. The risk of parasitic infection is higher in rural or developing regions. The risk is great in places where food and drinking water might be contaminated and sanitation is poor.
Intestinal tract worms, or parasitic worms, are simple organisms that feed off the body. Many people recognize the more common varieties, such as tapeworms and hookworms, however may be less knowledgeable about the others. Intestinal worms can cause numerous symptoms in the body, some of which resemble the signs of other gut disorders. A quick and comprehensive diagnosis is essential in each case to avoid issues.
Worms that commonly cause infections in Humans
There are many different types of intestinal tract worms that can impact people. Below, we take a look at some of them in more information.
Tapeworm
A tapeworm is a type of flatworm that lives in the intestine, where it connects itself to the intestinal wall. Most people with tapeworm experience either no signs or very mild symptoms. Here are a couple of different kinds of tapeworm. Some tapeworms live in water, and drinking unclean water might allow them into the body. Other tapeworms reside in meats, such as beef, and consuming unclean or raw meats may expose the individual to them. Tapeworms are flat and tend to be long, normally between 3 and 10 meters depending upon the kind of worm.
Hookworm
Hookworm is a worm that typically enters an individual’s body through unsanitary soil. The name of the worm describes the way that one end of its body tapers off into a needle or hook shape. Hookworms use up space in the small intestine, where they lay eggs, which pass out of the body through the feces.
When the eggs hatch, the larvae can potentially go through the skin of another individual. Individuals are at risk if they enter contact with the fecal matter or with soil containing infected feces as fertilizer. Most people with a hookworm have no symptoms. Some individuals might reveal typical intestinal symptoms, and this might be more typical with new infections.
Fluke
Flukes are another type of flatworm. Flukes might be more typical in animals, although it is possible for human beings to contract these parasitic worms as well. Flukes are little and have a rounded leaf shape. Human beings get them by mistakenly eating or ingesting them, either in drinking water or freshwater plants, such as watercress.
When inside the body, adult flukes occupy the bile ducts and liver.
Pinworm
A pinworm is a little, thin roundworm that is about the size of a staple. Pinworms are reasonably safe and sometimes live in the colon and anus of human beings. Somebody who has the worms can pass them onto someone else through direct contact or by sharing a contaminated item with them. Pinworms typically cause itching around the anus, which can be seriously adequate to make sleeping difficult. Signs appear during the night as this is when the female pinworms crawl out of the rectum to lay their eggs on the surrounding skin.
Ascariasis
Ascariasis resembles a hookworm, although it is only a few inches long. It resides in infected soil, so it only goes into the body when people ingest the eggs. Inside the body, this worm lives in the intestines.
Trichinella
Trichinella worms are another type of roundworm that may pass to humans who consume undercooked or raw meats which contain live larvae. The larvae then grow in the intestines. On reaching their full size, the Trichinella worms might leave the intestines and reside in other tissues, such as the muscles.
Causes
One method to become infected with digestive worms is eating undercooked meat from an infected animal, such as a cow, beef, or fish. Other possible causes causing intestinal tract worm infection to consist of:
- intake of polluted water
- consumption of infected soil
- contact with infected feces
- poor sanitation
- poor hygiene
GeneralSymptoms
Common symptoms of intestinal worms are:
- stomach pain
- diarrhea, queasiness, or vomiting
- gas/bloating
- fatigue
- weight-loss
- inflammation
Treatment
Although digestive worms sound a bit frightening, treatment is often straightforward. Sometimes, the person may not need any treatment at all. A healthy immune system may be sufficient to manage some kinds of tapeworm without the need for medication.
In other cases, doctors will use one or more antiparasitic medications to get rid of the digestive tract worm. Doctors will in some cases choose to keep an eye on the individual initially to see if their body can take care of the worm before moving on to medication. During this duration, the individual ought to report any signs to the medical professional.
Preventions
To prevent intestinal worms, regularly clean your hands with soap and warm water before and after utilizing the toilet and before preparing or eating foods.
- You should likewise practice food safety
- prevent raw fish and meat
- thoroughly cook meat to a temperature of a minimum of 145 ° F (62.8 ° C) for whole cuts of meat and 160 ° F(71 ° C)for ground meat and poultry
- freeze fish or meat to– 4 ° F (– 20 ° C) for a minimum of 24 hr.
- wash, peel, or prepare all raw fruits and vegetables
- wash or reheat any food that falls on the flooring