What Are Colon Parasites?

Diseases caused by parasites in the human intestine are collectively referred to as intestinal parasitic diseases. Common protozoa and worms (including roundworms, hookworms, roundworms, roundworms, whipworms, amoeba, giardia, trichomoniasis, etc.). There are many types of intestinal parasites, and the parasitic process in the human body is complicated, and the lesions caused are not limited to the intestine. The clinical symptoms and signs vary according to the type and location of the infected parasite and the immune status of the human host.

Basic Information

Visiting department

Gastroenterology, Infectious Diseases

Common locations

Intestine

Common causes

Hygienic conditions, living habits, health awareness, economic level and family gathering, etc.

Common symptoms

Lower abdominal pain and tenderness, chronic diarrhea, stool with blood or occult blood, abdominal distension, weight loss, anemia, etc.

Causes of intestinal parasites

Most intestinal parasitic infections are related to factors such as local sanitary conditions, living habits, health awareness, economic level and family aggregation. Natural temperature, rainfall and people's production and living habits are important factors in epidemiology.

Clinical manifestations of intestinal parasitic disease

Different intestinal parasites can cause different symptoms such as:

Whipworm

It is a common parasite in the human intestine. Mild infections usually have no obvious symptoms. When the infection is severe, the patient may have lower abdominal pain and tenderness, chronic diarrhea, blood in the stool or occult blood. Severely infected children can develop prolapse, anemia, malnutrition, and weight loss.

2. Amoebic dysentery

It is a common protozoan disease in the human intestine. Most of the infected people are carriers of asymptomatic pathogens, and a few can have typical clinical symptoms, which are manifested by abdominal cramps, pus and bloody mucus, which can reach dozens of times a day. May be accompanied by abdominal distension, weight loss, anemia and so on. Amoebic dysentery can also be accompanied by intestinal bleeding, intestinal perforation, and abscesses of the liver, lung, brain, urogenital tract and adjacent skin.

3. Giardiasis

It is a common protozoan disease in the human intestine. Infected people are mostly asymptomatic carriers. The typical symptoms of the acute phase are fulminant watery diarrhea, with a foul odor, often accompanied by abdominal distension, stinking butt and belching, nausea, anorexia, vomiting, fatigue, and middle and upper abdominal colic. If it is not treated in time, it usually develops into chronic, with intermittent loose stools, yellow foam, and foul odor. The disease can recur for several years. Pediatric patients can cause anemia and malnutrition due to diarrhea. When the parasite is in the biliary system, it can cause cholecystitis or cholangitis.

4. Ascariasis

It is a common parasitic disease of the human intestine. Patients may not develop any symptoms, but children, frail or malnourished people have more chances of symptoms. Recurrent umbilical pain is more common. Sometimes accompanied by loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. People with severe infections, especially children, can often cause malnutrition, mental retardation, and developmental disorders. There are fashions that can cause mental restlessness, irritability, bruising, itching, convulsions, etc. Some patients may have allergic reactions, such as angioedema, refractory urticaria, and so on. In addition to the above symptoms, sometimes it can cause serious complications, such as biliary ascariasis, intestinal obstruction, intestinal perforation, and peritonitis.

5. Hookworm disease

It is a common and serious intestinal parasitic disease of the human body. At the beginning of the infection, there is a strange itching and burning sensation in the infected area, followed by small bleeding points, pimples or herpes. Can disappear within a few days. Scratching can be secondary to bacterial infection and local lymphadenopathy. 3 to 5 days after infection, patients often have cough, itchy throat, hoarseness, etc. In severe cases, there are severe dry cough and asthma and other respiratory symptoms. Most of them disappear on their own for several days, and the elderly can reach 1 to 2 months. In the early stage of the disease, there are still upper abdominal discomfort and faint pain. In the later stage, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, refractory constipation, or fecal occult blood are often present due to anemia. Some patients like to eat raw rice, raw beans, and even dirt, shredded paper, etc., often called "heterophilia." Anemia is the main symptom of hookworm disease. Patients with severe anemia have waxy yellow skin and pale mucous membranes, and can cause symptoms of heart dysfunction such as dizziness, fatigue, palpitations, and edema. Children with severe illness can cause developmental disorders.

6.Pork Ascariasis and Cysticercosis

Patients generally also have no obvious symptoms, and a few have abdominal pain, indigestion, diarrhea, and weight loss. White flakes (segments) found in stool are the most common cause of medical attention. When humans inadvertently eat the eggs of Ascaris lumbricoides, which develop into larvae (cysticercosis) in the human body, they will develop cysticercosis. Cysts are mainly parasitic in subcutaneous, muscle, eye and brain tissues. It is much more harmful to people than tapeworms. Cysts that invade the skin or muscles form nodules, which can be perceived as muscle soreness, weakness, and swelling; parasitic on the brain can cause seizures, headaches, dizziness, memory loss, limb numbness, hearing impairment, mental disorders, etc. Can cause vision loss or even blindness.

7. Ascariasis

Ascaris, thread-like, milky white, is a small nematode parasitic in the intestine and can cause ascariasis. After a person sleeps, the female migrates to the outside of the anus and ovulates a lot, and the excluded eggs adhere to the skin around the anus, causing itching of the anus and perineum, and secondary inflammation caused by it. In addition, patients often have irritability, insomnia, loss of appetite, night terrors and other manifestations. If the female worms enter the vagina, uterus, fallopian tube, urethra or abdominal cavity, pelvic cavity and other parts after spawning from the anus, it can cause vaginitis, endometritis, salpingitis and other inflammations.

Intestinal parasitic disease examination

Examination of parasite eggs and protozoa in feces is the method and important basis that we commonly use to diagnose intestinal parasitic diseases. It can not only observe the infection of parasites, assess the efficacy of antiparasitic drugs, but also carry out these parasitic diseases. An important means of medical investigation.

Intestinal parasitic disease treatment

It is recommended that regular hospitals find out the source of the disease. Because the source of the disease is different, use the corresponding anthelmintics. It should be noted that pregnant women should not take anthelmintics. Young children need to be treated according to the doctor's instructions.

Intestinal parasitic disease prevention

1. Do not drink cold water, eat raw food and unclean fruits;

2. Wash your hands and cut your nails before and after meals;

3. Cook food thoroughly, especially when grilling or eating hot pot;

4. Educate children to change the habit of eating fingers and biting nails;

5. It is best to wear dead crotch underwear for children to prevent them from scratching the anus;

6. Regularly clean toys, or scrub toys with 0.05% iodine solution;

7. Strengthen water source management to avoid water source pollution;

8. Do not urinate anywhere, strengthen the harmless treatment of feces, do not use fresh feces to fertilize;

9. Rural areas should promote the decontamination of feces and wear shoes when working in the fields;

10. Strengthen livestock management, cities do not raise chickens, ducks and geese;

11. Childcare institutions and schools should regularly check the feces and detect children with parasites as early as possible in order to thoroughly deworm them.