Vlasoglea

Representatives of this genus are characterized by a special body structure. Thanks to the thread-like part, the whipworm easily penetrates the esophagus. There it begins its harmful activity.

Whipworm structure

The worm got its name for a reason. The thing is that its body has a special structure. So, its first part resembles a thin thread or hair, but it thickens sharply towards the back end. This is explained by the fact that the thread-like section contains only the mouth and a long esophagus. The remaining organs are located in the back thickened part. This unique structure allows the whipworm to quickly penetrate the human intestine. They attach themselves to blood vessels and drink blood.

In appearance, they resemble white worms. Their length does not exceed 5 cm. Trichuris differ from other intestinal worms by their back part, because it is much larger than the front. This is a very interesting and atypical structure. Thanks to its thin head, the trichuris, like a needle, pushes apart the thin walls of the human cecum. The back part simply hangs down. The lifespan of the parasite is extremely rare equal to 5 years.

Life cycle

The whipworm is capable of producing an incredible number of eggs per day. Their number reaches 60,000 pieces. They are released into the lumen of the intestine and come out together with all the feces. They have a barrel shape with a peculiar plug, which is located at each of the poles. The stage of larval formation occurs without an intermediate host. In moist soil, the eggs begin to develop into a larva, at a temperature of 30 degrees. After a month, it becomes invasive, but this is not the end of the parasite's life cycle.

Once the larva enters the large intestine, the development cycle continues. After a few weeks, sexually mature worms are already in the human body. After the embryo's development is complete, the parasite attaches to the intestinal mucosa thanks to its thread-like part. The period of penetration into the intestine from development takes about 3 months.

Whipworm eggs

They resemble a lemon in shape, which has plugs at all poles. Thus, whipworm eggs have a simple life cycle. A fertilized female is able to lay eggs directly in the human intestine. Then, together with feces, everything gradually comes out. This leads to the risk of infection among other people.

The development of larvae occurs from eggs, but only in the external environment. Nothing happens in the human body. Optimal conditions for development should include a special temperature regime, no more than 30 degrees Celsius. It takes about 4 weeks for the larva to appear. Trichuris has no intermediate host.

The parasites themselves enter the human body through dirty hands, water and unwashed vegetables. People who fertilize the soil in the garden with manure are susceptible to infection. The eggs enter the intestines and gradually reach the cecum, where they begin to turn into mature individuals. The parasite can live in the human body for about 5 years.

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Whipworm larva

Rhabditiform larvae begin to develop only under favorable conditions. For this, the temperature regime must be observed. The optimal temperature for the development of the whipworm larva is 28-30 degrees Celsius. The egg becomes infectious after 28 days.

Observations of the parasite have shown that by day 41, maturation occurs only by 19%. Certain conditions must also be met for this. The optimal temperature is 22 degrees. If the temperature is increased to 30 degrees, then maturation will be faster and by day 41 will be 64%.

The invading larva of the parasite is characterized by dry mouth. The developed larvae can remain alive under the shell for several months. The eggs open only after they enter the human body. When the larvae are released, they begin to settle in their typical habitats. At the same time, migration throughout the human body is not observed.

Whipworm infestation

The source of the invasion is an infected person. After all, it is with feces that the parasite eggs enter the environment. The mechanism of infection with whipworm is fecal-oral. It is enough to swallow the parasite eggs to get infected. They can be found on dirty vegetables, fruits and in water. Most often, the parasite affects fruits and vegetables that are grown in gardens and orchards, with soil fertilized with feces.

The risk of infection through common household items with a sick person is practically impossible. Because there are no specific conditions for their development. The peak of the whipworm activity is observed in the spring-autumn period. Getting into the soil in the fall, the parasite reaches the invasive stage only by the spring of the following year.

Children between the ages of one and fourteen are most susceptible to infection. In general, people of any age can suffer. In recent years, it has become known that dog parasites can penetrate the human body.

Diseases caused by whipworm

Whipworms can cause the development of the disease Trichuriasis. This pathology is characterized by an asymptomatic course. If there is a severe invasion, then gastrointestinal disorders manifest themselves. Trichuriasis is the only disease that causes whipworms. This disease is common in tropical and subtropical regions. Most often, it occurs among children.

In severe cases of the disease, abdominal pain manifests itself, appetite is significantly reduced, diarrhea with mucus or blood is observed. The course of the disease is similar to non-specific ulcerative colitis. The development of the parasite in the body occurs over 3 months. The lifespan of whipworms is several years.

The introduction and fixation of the parasite into the intestinal mucosa leads to the formation of edema and hemorrhages. This contributes to the defeat of the microflora by bacteria. Long-term irritation causes systematic disorders of the functionality of the stomach, duodenum and central nervous system. The allergic component also plays a special role.

When a large number of whipworms infest, diarrhea and stool with mucus and blood may develop. Changes in the digestive and nervous systems are possible. Patients often complain of pain in the side, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and severe salivation. Stomach acidity may increase, insomnia and irritability are noted.

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Symptoms

At the early stage of development of whipworms, no signs appear. Most often, the invasion is subclinical. With intensive invasion, the first symptoms begin to appear one and a half months after infection. The gastrointestinal tract begins to suffer.

Patients suffer from decreased appetite, nausea, and often vomiting. There may be disturbances in the digestive system, often diarrhea, constipation, and flatulence. The pain is severe, spasmodic, and manifests itself in the right iliac region.

In some cases, appendicitis may develop. Most often, isolated typhlitis is interpreted as chronic appendicitis. If the syndrome is too pronounced, severe hemocolitis or rectal prolapse may be observed.

Severe intoxication contributes to sleep disturbance, headaches, and decreased performance. Some children may experience seizures. Moderate or significant eosinophilia is observed in the hemogram. In severe cases of the disease, anemia may develop.

Diagnostics

The first step is to take a general blood test. When examining it, moderate eosinophilia and hypochromic anemia are detected. Their degree completely depends on the intensity and duration of the presence of parasites in the human body. Another diagnostic method is to examine feces for the presence of parasites. Enrichment methods increase the effectiveness of research. Moreover, they must be carried out in a certain order.

The presence of infection is indicated by some basic signs. Thus, there is an epidemiological anamnesis. It implies frequent consumption of vegetables and fruits that were grown in one's own garden using fertilizers. Periodic pain of a paroxysmal nature, for which an increase in leukocytes is not characteristic, may indicate the presence of infection. Unstable stool, persistent course of the disease, the treatment of which does not lead to relief, indicates a parasitic infection. Paleness of the skin and mucous membranes is also a symptom of the disease. Therefore, diagnosis is made after examining a person, collecting anamnesis and testing blood and feces.

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Treatment

Elimination of the disease should occur in several stages. First of all, it is necessary to establish organizational and regimen measures. They are used in hospital conditions. The main indications for hospitalization include diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as damage to the nervous system. But this is only the first stage of high-quality treatment.

The second stage is represented by antiparasitic therapy. For this, such drugs as Vermox, Quantarel and Difesil are used. They should be used one tablet per day one hour before eating. The third stage includes drug therapy. It includes the use of B vitamins, as well as iron preparations. Probiotics are prescribed to restore intestinal functionality. Antispasmodics are not used, they can lead to difficulty in diagnosis.

Treatment control is carried out using special coproscopic examinations. They must be carried out 4 weeks after the end of the course of treatment. If the effect is not observed, then therapy with other drugs must be carried out.

The medical examination is carried out for 2 years, but it is necessary to conduct the examination at least 3 times. It is worth noting that the medical examination is possible only after complete recovery.

Treatment with tablets

The most effective remedy for treating parasites is Vermox. Analgesics are also used, including Difesil. Medamin and Naftamon give an excellent effect. In fact, treatment with tablets is the most effective.

• Vermox. The product is used once, just one tablet per day is enough. Duration of use is 3 days. As a preventive measure, the product should be used again after 2 weeks. The drug should not be used in case of hypersensitivity, as well as for children under 2 years of age. It can lead to the development of dyspeptic disorders, allergic reactions.
• Difesil. The drug is used 3 times a day, one tablet at a time. The course of treatment is 5 days. The drug should not be used in case of liver failure and hypersensitivity. May cause nausea and vomiting.
• Medamin. The dose is calculated based on 10 mg per kilogram of weight. The resulting dose should be divided into 3 doses. The duration of use is prescribed by a doctor. Do not use in case of individual intolerance and during pregnancy. May cause general weakness and nausea.
• Naftamon. The drug is used in high doses, up to 10 tablets per day. The duration of use is 5 days. If necessary, the treatment is repeated after 2 weeks. Do not take if you have liver dysfunction. May cause nausea, vomiting and frequent stools.

Treatment with folk remedies

Traditional medicine has managed to prepare several effective recipes for this case. All of them are based on the use of various substances that have a detrimental effect on parasites. Despite this, treatment with folk remedies should be carried out with caution.

When fighting whipworms, it is recommended to stick to a vegetarian diet. A diet without meat or other animal products will undermine the parasites' strength. This will weaken them and allow for rapid removal.

Traditional medicine recommends using enemas based on garlic and milk. Boil a head of garlic in a glass of milk. Then strain and cool everything. The volume of an enema for an adult is one glass, for a child - half or a quarter of the vessel.

An effective way to get rid of parasites is to use an infusion of onions. To prepare it, you need to chop a medium onion and pour a glass of boiling water over it. It is better to do the procedure after 7 pm and leave the remedy until 7 am. Then it is filtered and drunk on an empty stomach, half a glass at a time. The duration of treatment is 4 days. Eating raw carrots and fresh juice from it perfectly helps to cope with the problem. Melon juice has a similar effect.

Prevention

Preventive measures should be carried out according to the same principles as against infection with roundworms. To do this, it is necessary to constantly maintain cleanliness. You cannot eat with dirty hands, eat unwashed vegetables and fruits. Especially if all the fruits are grown in your own garden using human feces as fertilizer. In addition, prevention includes drinking only boiled water. Raw liquid may contain whipworm eggs.

It is worth noting that a temperature of 52 degrees Celsius can kill a large number of whipworm eggs. It is enough to hold fruits and vegetables in water of this temperature for 5 minutes. There are no other preventive measures. You just need to follow all the rules of general hygiene. The parasite is not transmitted through shared objects, so if someone in the family is sick, there is no need to create special conditions for its existence. It is enough to simply resort to effective treatment.

Forecast

If treatment was started on time, nothing terrible can happen. In most cases, the prognosis is favorable. If an intensive invasion has developed, complications may occur. The most severe consequence is considered to be the manifestation of anemia.

The prognosis depends entirely on the person. As soon as the main symptoms are noted, it is necessary to immediately seek help from a doctor. Correct treatment is a guarantee of a favorable prognosis.

There were no cases with unfavorable outcome. In some cases, a person may develop a serious condition. It is associated with a large content of parasites in the body. This can lead to intoxication of the body. All this can be corrected with the help of special treatment, which was described above. A person must register and be observed in a dispensary for 3 years. This will allow achieving the maximum positive effect.