Today, helminthiasis are the most common parasitic diseases, the causative agents of which are helminths - two types of worms: flat and round.A characteristic feature of helminth invasion in the human body is the non-specificity of the symptoms, i.e.the signs of the disease correspond to many other pathologies.People are interested in the questions: "How to determine the presence of parasites in the body and can I recognize helminths in the intestines at home?"
Signs of helminthiasis
The clinical course of the disease is divided into two stages - acute and chronic.The acute stage begins from the moment the helminth enters the human body and lasts from several weeks to several months.Symptoms of the acute stage develop due to sensitization of the body - an allergic reaction in response to the introduction of a foreign agent (parasite) and include:
- Increased body temperature.
- Impairment of general health.
- Dyspeptic symptoms - diarrhea, constipation, nausea and vomiting.
- Joint and muscle pain.
- Abdominal pain of different localization.
- Apathy, loss of appetite, constant fatigue.
- Skin rashes, itching on different parts of the body.
- Enlarged lymph nodes.
The chronic stage is characterized by a wide variety of symptoms that depend on the type of helminth, its location and the intensity of reproduction.It is characterized by increasing disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, weakened immunity, frequent allergic reactions, nervousness, irritability, weight loss and sleep disorders.Patients often complain: "I am often bothered by diarrhea and abdominal pain, I feel exhausted" - such symptoms should make the doctor think about a helminthic invasion.
Even the most experienced doctor cannot make a correct diagnosis based on symptoms alone, so it is hardly possible to detect worms at home.
Scatological methods for diagnosis of the disease
All methods for diagnosing helminthiasis can be divided into two types of research:
- Direct - allows doctors to directly detect the helminth itself, fragments of its body, as well as eggs or larvae.The feces, urine, bile, sputum or blood of the infected person, as well as tissues and scrapings, are examined.
- Indirect - identify pathological changes in the human body that are the result of the presence of helminths.The method allows the doctor to check the blood count, the state of the immune system, structural and functional disorders of the affected organs.Among the indirect methods, doctors often use X-ray and immunological diagnostic methods, as well as morphological blood tests.
A common direct method for diagnosing helminthiasis is the scatological examination, which can be micro- and macrohelminthoscopic.
Macrohelminthoscopy allows to detect a whole helminth or its parts - segments, cestodes, scolexia.Such a test is prescribed by a doctor if the eggs of the parasite are not excreted together with the feces or their number is insufficient for detection, for example, when identifying a pig or beef tapeworm, the segments of the helminth are visible in the feces, and in the case of enterobiosis, whole pinworms are visible.
You can find parasites or their parts by examining the feces with the naked eye.If it is necessary to differentiate the diagnosis or there are doubts about the reliability of the results, the feces are further examined using a magnifying glass or a microscope.
Microhelminthoscopy is so called because of the use of a microscope.It allows you to identify larvae or parasite eggs in feces, which are prepared in a special way on a glass slide before microscopy.The test is quite reliable and allows the doctor to distinguish some types of helminthiasis from each other.
Special diagnostic methods for various forms of helminthiasis
You can find out if you have certain types of parasites in your body by using specific diagnostic methods.The choice of method is made by a doctor based on clinical data.
Diagnosis of tapeworms
Detecting pork or beef tapeworm today is quite difficult, as the segments of the parasite are often not excreted from the body in the feces.The doctor can use the method of scraping from the perianal area and microhelminthoscopy of feces.
Diagnosis of enterobiosis
How can I identify the parasites in my body that cause enterobiosis?The examination is carried out in the morning, without washing the perianal area.The simplest method is perianal scraping using a wooden spatula or a cotton swab dipped in glycerin solution.The resulting material is transferred to a glass slide, which is then examined under a microscope.
A modern type of scraping is to take material using an adhesive tape, for example, scotch tape, cut into strips 9-10 cm long. The tape is applied with the sticky side to the perianal folds and smoothed with a spatula, then carefully peeled off and moved to a glass slide.It is important to place it carefully, without air bubbles, to prevent distortion of the test results.
Microscopy of intestinal contents allows to identify not only intestinal parasites, but also those that are localized in the liver and gall bladder during opisthorchosis, fascioliasis and other invasions.
Examination of sputum for the diagnosis of pulmonary forms of helminthiasis
To identify parasites localized in the lungs and trachea, sputum is examined, which is applied to a special plastic plate or glass and covered with another glass on top.First, the material is examined with the naked eye, and only then a microscope is used.
Studies of muscle tissue in trichinellosis and cysticercosis
To identify larval forms of Trichinella, a small piece of the gastro-intestinal or biceps muscle is surgically removed, which is separated into individual fibers in the laboratory and placed between two glass slides with the addition of glycerol.Microscopy of a tissue sample clearly visualizes Trichinella larvae.
Identification of cysticerci is also carried out after taking muscle or subcutaneous tissue.With the naked eye, you can see a small bubble up to 2 cm in size. This bubble is crushed, its contents are placed between glass slides and microscoped to determine the viability of the resulting parasites.
Diagnosis of schistosomiasis
For the detection of schistosomes, urine collected in the middle of the day is used as material.
In addition to urine, the material can also be feces, which undergo certain processing and microscopic examination.
Immunological methods for the diagnosis of helminthiasis
The most modern methods for identifying helminths today are various immunological studies.Similar diagnostic methods are suitable for helminthiasis, the causative agents of which are localized in the tissues themselves or are in an early stage of development and spread in the human body through the bloodstream.Skin and intradermal tests are considered an informative method that can reveal the presence of parasite antibodies.
Direct immunological diagnostic methods include:
- Immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) reaction for the detection of cysticercosis and trichinellosis.
- Ring precipitation reaction in the diagnosis of trichinellosis.
- Latex agglutination reaction for diagnosis of alveolococcosis and echinococcosis.
- Immunoenzymatic reaction in the diagnosis of echinococcosis, opisthorchosis, trichinellosis and alveolococcosis.
Self-diagnosis of helminthiasis - is it possible?
Is it possible to do a test for the presence of parasites in the body at home, without the help of specialists?The answer to this question is unequivocal - no.All existing methods of computer diagnostics of the body advertised on the Internet, as well as other uncertified and scientifically unfounded methods, are unable to identify the pathogen and make a correct diagnosis.In addition, the refusal of medical assistance in favor of "non-traditional" methods of diagnosis and treatment can lead to dangerous consequences, including disability and death of the patient.You should not ignore scientific advances and try to make a diagnosis yourself - it can be dangerous.At the first suspicious symptoms, it is better to consult a doctor.