Worms in the stomach in children and adults: what they look like, causes, symptoms


WHO believes that at the moment about four and a half billion people in the world are constantly affected by various parasitoses. According to the Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector-Borne Diseases named after. E.I. Martsinovsky,” it is believed that more than twenty million people in Russia are constantly infected with parasitosis.

This problem is also very pressing because it is very difficult to diagnose parasitosis. A helminthic infestation (a large collection of parasitic diseases) is present in humans even when the parasite has already passed away. And if the patient notices this, then in this case he himself will of course come to the medical facility. Also, during preventive examinations, parasitosis may be detected. But unfortunately, these cases are a drop in the bucket.

Causes of helminthiasis

Worms can affect not only the intestines, but also the stomach, lungs, liver, cardiovascular system, and brain. Often the cause of invasion is failure to comply with personal hygiene rules.

Usually this:

  • lack of habit of washing hands before eating, after going outside, contacting the ground, or street animals;
  • eating raw dirty vegetables and fruits;
  • drinking unboiled contaminated water;
  • consumption of thermally unprocessed fish and meat.

In a child, infection can occur while playing in the sandbox. Often the peak of infection occurs during the warm season. Parasite eggs can enter the home through:

  • pet hair;
  • shoes;
  • dust;
  • insects

It is impossible to see helminth eggs; you can only adhere to certain rules to prevent invasion.

What are worms in the stomach called and which ones are most common?

Helminths or worms are the main name for all types of worms that parasitize the human body. You can see what a particular type of parasite looks like in the photo.

Parasite nameShort description
PinwormsSmall roundworms, grey-white in color. The intestines are often affected. Usually the female bulges out at night to lay eggs around the anus, which is accompanied by severe itching.

RoundwormsRepresentatives of nematodes are quite large, capable of growing up to 40 cm in length. The main feature is the ability to migrate throughout the body, affecting all internal organs.

Ascaris

WhipwormIt enters the body through food and causes trichuriasis. The disease is accompanied by severe symptoms, which are often confused with manifestations of appendicitis.

Wide tapewormOne of the representatives of tapeworms. It is one of the most dangerous types of worms, which reach sizes of up to 10 m and often lead to the death of their carrier. It usually enters the body when eating poorly processed fish.

HookwormsThey enter the body through the skin upon contact with contaminated soil. May affect the intestines and lungs. They feed on human blood, which entails a significant deterioration of the condition and symptoms similar to diseases of the respiratory system.

Hookworm

TrichinellaIt is also one of the most dangerous types of helminths. Penetrates into the body when eating poorly processed meat. It affects almost all internal organs, muscle and bone tissue. The first symptoms of infection appear 2 weeks after infection. Without treatment, death is possible.

Liver flukeThe cause of the invasion is infected fish. Affects the stomach and intestines, gall bladder, and liver. Invasion is accompanied by severe negative symptoms; without timely treatment, death is possible.

EchinococcusA representative of tapeworms reaching sizes up to 5 m. They are often found in wolves and dogs. Human infection occurs through contact with animals. The helminth initially affects the intestines, and subsequently all internal organs. During diagnosis, cystic neoplasms are found in the places where the helminth is localized.

Echinococcus

Contraindications to endoscopy

As you noticed, the endoscopic method is associated with the mechanical penetration of a probe into the patient’s stomach. And such manipulation may be contraindicated for the patient in a number of cases:

  • Hypertensive disease.
  • Angina pectoris.
  • Myocardial infarction.
  • Esophageal ulcer.
  • Hemophilia.
  • Esophageal spasm.
  • Aortic aneurysm.
  • Varicose veins passing through the esophagus, stomach, etc.

If the patient has contraindications to gastroscopy, then this manipulation is replaced by ultrasound and radiography. But these methods will be inferior in their information content and functionality to endoscopy.

Symptoms of invasion in children and adults

Symptoms of infection appear the same in both children and adults. Its intensity may only differ, and the baby’s reaction to infection may be more pronounced, since the child’s body is still weak and less resistant to various diseases.

The main symptoms of infection include:

  • dysfunction of the digestive system;
  • attacks of nausea, vomiting;
  • stool disorders;
  • worsening or increased appetite;
  • sudden change in weight;
  • increased body temperature;
  • the appearance of an allergic rash like urticaria;
  • dark circles under the eyes;
  • unstable psycho-emotional state;
  • sleep problems;
  • itching in the anorectal area;
  • bad breath;
  • grinding teeth during sleep;
  • swelling;
  • general fatigue, increased fatigue.

Take a test for worms

What is the treatment?

Therapy for helminthiases is comprehensive. Treatment methods are selected individually based on the general condition of the patient and the form of invasion. Typically the treatment regimen includes:

  • antihistamines;
  • anthelmintics;
  • immunomodulators, vitamin-mineral complexes;
  • sedative;
  • antibacterial drugs;
  • preventive measures;
  • in some cases, folk recipes are allowed;
  • sorbents and enterosorbents.

It is prohibited to make changes to the treatment regimen on your own. If taking any medications causes side symptoms, it is better to stop taking them and consult a doctor to adjust the therapy.

Without timely medical attention, helminthiasis can cause serious health problems and can cause death!

Bancroft's string (Wuchereria bancrofti)

Appearance . White thread nematode, females 10 cm long, males 4 cm long (Fig. 12).

Rice. 12. Bancroft's filaria

Spreading. Tropics, subtropics of Asia, Africa, Central and South America.

Life cycle. Adults usually occur in the lymph glands and vessels, obstructing the drainage of lymph and causing persistent swelling. Females produce larvae - nocturnal microfilariae, which appear in the peripheral blood at night, and during the day go deep into the body (into the pulmonary vessels and kidneys). This is due to the fact that the intermediate host is mosquitoes, which usually suck blood in the evening and at night. The larvae enter the stomach of the mosquito, then into the body cavity, where they grow, after which they accumulate near the proboscis, from which they are transmitted to humans by sucking blood. Bancroft's filaments cause elephantiasis, or elephantiasis, or elephantiasis. It is worth noting that this disease can also be caused by other nematodes.

Clinical picture and treatment of elephantiasis. An enlargement of any part of the body occurs (Fig. 13) due to hyperplasia (painful growth) of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, which is caused by inflammatory thickening of the walls of the lymphatic vessels and stagnation of lymph, which occurs due to clogging of the lymphatic vessels by adult Bancroft's filamentosa. The skin on the diseased part of the body becomes covered with ulcers.

Treatment of elephantiasis is aimed at improving fluid outflow. The use of anthelmintic drugs such as avermectin is effective. In later stages, surgery may be required.

Rice. 13. A patient suffering from elephantiasis (according to Brunt)

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Read further:

What worms look like in children: roundworms, pinworms, flukes and tapeworms

What do worm larvae look like: round and tapeworms, flukes

What does scabies look like in humans: symptoms on the hands, fingers, feet, face and abdomen

Class tapeworms: characteristics of representatives and their lifestyle

Does the stomach hurt due to worms in children and adults: symptoms and manifestations

Something is twitching in the stomach, could it be worms?

Diagnostics

Diagnostics combines studies to identify larvae or eggs of worms. Biological material for diagnosis is:

  • feces;
  • urine;
  • sputum;
  • contents of the duodenum;
  • bile duct secretion;
  • scrapings from the rectum;
  • smear from the perianal space;
  • muscle fibers;
  • blood.

Based on the fact that helminths and their particles are detected macroscopically, eggs and larvae can only be identified through laboratory examination using a microscope.

The acute phase of helminthiases caused by parasites in tissues, or by larvae of parasitic forms of toxocariasis, trichinosis, cystocercosis, trichocephalosis, involves the use of serological tests, such as:

  • RSK - complement fixation reaction;
  • NA - indirect agglutination;
  • ELISA - immunofluorescent analysis;
  • AHL—agglutination lysis.

In some cases of helminthiasis, a reliable diagnosis can only be established with the help of special ultrasound examinations, computed tomography, radiographic examination and endobiopsy.

Bibliography

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Brucellosis. Parasites. Link
  • Corbel MJ Parasitic diseases // World Health Organization. Link
  • Young EJ Best matches for intestinal parasites // Clinical Infectious Diseases. — 1995. Vol. 21. - P. 283-290. Link
  • Yushchuk N.D., Vengerov Yu.A. Infectious diseases: textbook. — 2nd edition. - M.: Medicine, 2003. - 544 p.
  • Prevalence of parasitic diseases among the population, 2009 / Kokolova L. M., Reshetnikov A. D., Platonov T. A., Verkhovtseva L. A.
  • Helminths of domestic carnivores of the Voronezh region, 2011 / Nikulin P. I., Romashov B. V.

An article for patients with a doctor-diagnosed disease. Does not replace a doctor's appointment and cannot be used for self-diagnosis.


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This service is a small help in finding cures for parasites. To start using it, select the type of parasite. If you don’t know what kind of parasite you are infected with, this parasite identification tool will help you by symptoms.

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Since worms in the stomach are considered one of the mildest forms of helminth infestation, many believe that in this case, simple folk remedies can be used. We advise you not to ignore the recommendations of a professional doctor when using this method of treatment.

What you can use from this category:

  • Onions or garlic. It is enough to eat this product periodically for its negative effect on the worms that have settled in the stomach. Garlic or onions are eaten either alone or in combination with raw pumpkin seeds or milk for the best effect.
  • A herbal decoction of three components - crushed tansy flowers, which are mixed with wormwood and cloves. But be careful - the method is not recommended for pregnant women and nursing mothers.
  • Walnuts and birch leaf decoction. Mild products that are particularly suitable for pregnant women and young children.

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