What is dangerous toxocarosis in adults and how to treat it?

Toxocarosis in adults is a severe parasitic disease caused by migratory roundworm worms of Toksokara. This helminth is not typical for humans, the full life cycle of its development takes place only in the body of animals: cats or dogs. If the helminth eggs are found in the human body, it can parasitize only in the stage of the larvae, since in this case there are no conditions for the full development of the parasite in the mature adult, capable of reproduction.

For the same reason, toxocarosis is not transmitted from one person to another. But it is characterized by a long, recurrent course, accompanied by a variety of clinical symptoms associated with the distribution of larvae to different organs and tissues. We learn more about how the disease manifests itself, what methods are used to diagnose parasitic infection and how to treat toxocariasis in adults.

Toxocarosis in Adults - Causes of

Disease There are several main causes of toxocariasis infection:

• contact with the coat of a sick animal or with soil infected with helminth eggs;
• consumption of raw water;
• non-compliance with personal hygiene standards;
• eating poorly washed vegetables and fruits.

Helminths can be infected at any time of year, as the larvae are extremely stable in the external environment. Veterinarians, workers of dog nurseries, owners of hunting dogs, young children( often playing with sand and soil, in which eggs of parasites may be present), vegetable sellers, gardeners - amateurs who are in direct contact with the ground are at risk for toxocarosis.

There are two types of parasites:

1. Tocsocara canis - canine toxocara;
2. Toxocara mystax is the cat of Toxocara.

The most common type of dog is toxocara in a person. This species of helminths affects all breeds of dogs. Even puppies in a sick mother are already born infected. Parasites that accidentally fall into the human body cause severe damage to the internal organs.

Their masters are animals, so they are not adapted to life in the human body. In it, they can not complete a full cycle of development and go into a form safe for the owner. As a result, helminth larvae penetrate into a large circle of blood circulation and settle in different organs and tissues.

Here they are covered with a dense capsule, which protects them from an unfavorable environment and goes into an inactive form. In this condition, toxocar larvae can persist for years, since a healthy immune system prevents their further progress. But as soon as the defenses of the body weaken, the helminth becomes active and provokes the appearance of characteristic symptoms of toxocariasis.

Symptoms: forms of the disease

In an adult, several forms of toxocarias are distinguished:

• manifested - accompanied by the appearance of pronounced clinical signs of helminthiosis;
• erased - for the disease are characterized by minor, weakly expressed signs, for which it is difficult to correctly diagnose;
• latent - any symptoms disturbing the patient, with medical examination can not be identified.

The disease can occur in acute and chronic form. With chronic toxocariasis in adults, the periods of remission are replaced by exacerbations. In the acute period, helminths activate and migrate in the body, causing a wave of characteristic clinical symptoms.

In this case, the immune system tries to fight parasites, which can lead to allergic reactions( accompanied by rashes, skin itching) or the appearance of symptoms of bronchial asthma, with attacks of suffocation and excruciating cough. In addition, the systemic manifestations of toxocarias include an increase in the liver or spleen and changes in blood levels associated with an increased content of eosinophils and immunoglobulin.

Acute form of the disease is accompanied by weakness, headache, fever, lack of appetite, muscle and joint pain. A characteristic feature is an increase in the number of lymph nodes that can remain painful and mobile for a long time.

Depending on the kinetic manifestations, specialists distinguish the following forms of toxocariasis:

Visceral form of the disease

Leaks with internal organs. The symptoms are directly related to the organ that is affected by helminth larvae. It can be liver, lungs, brain. Most of the larvae affect the liver tissue, from where they penetrate the pancreas, the bile ducts, the small intestine and cause diseases such as cholecystitis, pancreatitis. As a result, outflow of bile is broken, intestinal walls are injured and characteristic symptoms appear:

• sensation of heaviness in the right hypochondrium;
• stitching in the side;
• bloating, flatulence;
• bitterness in the mouth;
• disorders of stool( alternating constipation and diarrhea);
• weight loss.

Helminth larvae can damage the walls of the intestine and regularly cause small bleeding, which eventually leads to the development of anemia and is expressed in the weakness, pallor of the skin.

If parasites settle in the respiratory system, this can cause shortness of breath, accompanied by the appearance of a dry cough with a small amount of sputum, suffocation attacks. If the larvae settle in the heart valves, symptoms of heart failure are observed: permanent weakness, bluish skin tone in the nasolabial triangle, cough in the supine position, or symmetrical edema on the legs and abdomen.

Eye form

This form of toxocarias is rare and develops when internal structures of the eye are affected. The main symptoms of such a condition are: raspirating pain in the eye socket, redness of the conjunctiva, bulging of the eyeball, swelling and hyperemia of the eyelids. In severe cases, strabismus develops, optic nerve neuritis, or there is a sharp loss of vision( most often in one eye).

The neurological form of toxocariasis is considered the most dangerous. Larvae of helminths penetrate into the brain tissue and cause inflammation of the meninges. The following symptoms occur:

• attacks of severe headache, dizziness;
• nausea, indomitable vomiting;
• painful tension of the muscles of the back and neck;
• intolerance of loud sounds, bright set, touches;
• muscle weakness, numbness of the limbs;
• impaired coordination of movements, loss of balance;
• mental disorders( excessive aggression, decreased intelligence);
• in severe cases, there are convulsions, loss of consciousness( up to coma).

The cutaneous form of toxocarias is manifested by excruciating itching, irritation, sensation of stirring under the skin. Such manifestations arise as a result of migration of larvae under the skin. In the area of ​​invasion, skin can become inflamed, rashes of various nature, inflammatory manifestations appear on their surface.

Thus, toxocarosis has quite a few specific symptoms, which in no case can not be ignored and attributed to malaise. If anxiety signs appear, you should seek medical help and undergo a complete examination that will help confirm or disprove the parasitic infection.

Diagnostics of

If, after taking standard tests in the patient's blood, an increased content of immunoglobulin and eosinophils indicating the presence of a parasitic infection is found, an infectious disease specialist is connected to a further examination.

Laboratory methods of investigation include general and biochemical blood analysis, serum analysis for antibodies to toxocaram, analysis of feces for helminth eggs, microscopic examination of sputum. One of the most modern and informative methods is the enzyme immunoassay, which allows you to accurately establish a variety of parasite.

To assess the scale and extent of intestinal worms, additional hardware diagnostic methods are used:

• chest x-ray;
• ultrasound of internal organs;
• methods of CT and MRI;
• ophthalmoscopy.

The results of a comprehensive survey will help the infectious disease doctor to diagnose correctly and to select the optimal therapy regimen that will get rid of parasites.

Treatment of toxocarias in adults

Therapy for any parasitic infection should be comprehensive. The scheme of treatment of toxocarias in adults, in addition to the use of special antiparasitic drugs, includes the appointment of drugs aimed at restoring the body and normalizing the work of internal organs affected by infection with helminthic invasion.

For each patient, the physician individually selects the necessary medications taking into account the severity of the lesion, the general health condition, the presence of concomitant disease and possible contraindications. If necessary, other specialists( ophthalmologist, neurologist, gastroenterologist) are connected to the treatment.

Treatment of toxocariasis in adults is carried out with antinematode drugs, including:

• Vermox( Mebendazole);
• Albendazole;
• Mintesol( Thiabendazole);
• Medamin.

Albendazole is needed for 2-3 days, it is used mainly to treat the eye form of toxocariasis. The doctor calculates the optimal dose of the drug based on the patient's body weight. Take the pill every 12 hours.

Mintesol is prescribed at the rate of 25-30 mg per 1 kg of body weight and taken for 5-10 days.

The maximum daily dose of Vermox is 300 mg for an adult patient, the medication is taken within 5-7 days. If necessary, the doctor can prolong the course of therapy or prescribe a repeated intake of drugs after a certain period of time.

Almost all medications for parasites are toxic and cause such unpleasant side effects as headaches, lack of appetite, nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, discomfort and painful abdominal cramps. The exception is Vermox, it is the least toxic, practically does not cause adverse reactions and is recommended for liver damage.

Symptomatic treatment of toxocarias is aimed at alleviating the patient's condition in an acute period. To this end, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drugs( ibuprofen, indomethacin) are used, which eliminate febrile condition, relieve arthritis in the joints and muscles. To relieve discomfort in the abdomen, pain syndrome, which occurs when spasmodic contraction of the bile ducts, prescribe antispasmodics( papaverine, no-shpu).

If the patient is suffering from nausea and vomiting, use means that normalize the motility of the gastrointestinal tract and have an antiemetic effect( Domperidone, Metoclopramide).When skin symptoms( rash, itching, hyperemia) occur, antihistamines and antiallergic agents are used( Ketotifen, Citirizin).In severe cases, glucocorticosteroids( prednisolone or dexamethasone) are used that exhibit powerful anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory effects.

After the course of antiparasitic therapy, medicines are used, the action of which is aimed at restoring the functions of the affected organs. To eliminate the symptoms of intoxication, electrolyte solutions are introduced, in order to restore the intestinal microflora, prescribe drugs containing lacto- or bifidobacteria. Normalize the stool and remove from the intestine toxic waste products of helminths will help enterosorbents( Enterosgel, Smekta, Enterol).

Criteria for the recovery of a patient are considered to be the absence of clinical symptoms of infection and normalization of blood counts. The fact that the patient is recovering is indicated by a decrease in body temperature, the disappearance of symptoms of intoxication and allergic manifestations, an improvement in the general condition, and a decrease in the number of antibodies to toxocaram in the blood.

When a properly selected drug is received, the death of the larvae occurs within a few days. But traces of parasites can persist in the blood much longer. Therefore, repeated tests, which must confirm the absence of infection in the body, are performed one week after the end of the course of antiparasitic therapy.

You need to start treatment as early as possible. At first unsuccessful symptoms it is necessary to address to the doctor for statement of the diagnosis and passage of a high-grade course of an anthelmintic therapy.

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Treatment with folk remedies

Folk methods with toxocarosis are used as a supporting and auxiliary therapy, supplementing the main methods of treatment. Before using them, consult a doctor to avoid complications.

The excretion of parasites from the body is facilitated by the consumption of raw pumpkin seeds. Eat them together with a green film, which is directly under the skin. In day to the adult person it is possible to eat no more than 150 g of pumpkin seeds.

Get rid of larvae will help decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs containing natural bitterness( tansy, wormwood), and restore the affected tissue will help plants with tonic and anti-inflammatory effect( yarrow, St. John's wort).

• Decoction of wormwood. To prepare a decoction of 2 tbsp.l.dry wormwood pour 600ml of boiling water, insist for an hour, drain. To the prepared broth add 2 tbsp.l.liquid honey, stir until it is completely dissolved and take a therapeutic mixture of 50 ml three times a day before meals for 2 weeks.
• Pomegranate infusion. Dry the skin of the pomegranate( 10g), chop, pour 150 ml of boiling water, insist under the closed lid for half an hour. Ready extract infuse and take 1 tsp.up to 4 times a day.
  
• Onion infusion. Cut the onion head, grind it, place it in a glass jar, pour 200ml of vodka and put it in a dark place for 9 days. Ready tincture to filter and take before eating 1 small spoon.
• Infusion of garlic. Cut the garlic head, chop and pour boiling broth of chamomile( 500ml).The composition should be infused for 12 hours, then filter and drink this volume during the day. Treatment continue for 10 days.
• Decoctions for enema. For the procedure of enema, instead of water, it is recommended to use a decoction of tansy, a thousand-acres or sea-buckthorn. Leaves of tansy( 10 tablespoons) pour 500ml of water and cook on low heat for 15 minutes. Ready-made broth is cooled, filtered and used for the intended purpose.
• To completely remove the toxocara larva from the body, it is recommended to adhere to a certain diet. The basis of therapeutic nutrition should be vegetables, fruits, greens, nuts, cereals. It is useful to use garlic, onions, spicy herbs, and add ready-made dishes to bitter and burning spices and seasonings. Helminths do not like bitter pepper, cloves, turmeric, ginger, coriander, mustard. But regularly use these spices for gastrointestinal diseases( gastritis, ulcers, colitis) is contraindicated, so before using folk recipes, be sure to consult a doctor beforehand.

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Prevention of

Toxocarosis in adults is a dangerous disease that can lead to serious consequences. Avoid infection with helminths only if you follow preventive measures. They are as follows:

• Careful personal hygiene. Wash your hands often after contact with animals, soil, minimize communication with stray cats and dogs.
• Be sure to rinse fresh vegetables and fruits in several waters and rinse them with boiling water, so you protect yourself from getting into the body of helminth eggs.
• Carry disinfection of premises, fight with insects, especially with cockroaches that are carriers of toxocar eggs.
• Keep clean for dishes, bedding and other household items.
• Do not let dogs guide pets in sandboxes and playgrounds.
• Remember that all pets have to undergo veterinary examination and deworming twice a year.
• The helminths are transported by animals, but the person who ignores the basic sanitary and hygienic standards becomes the culprit of infection. Only the correct maintenance of animals and attentive attitude to one's own health will become a good prevention of toxocarias in adults and help avoid helminth infection.

Feedback on treatment

Review No.1

The child is seven years old, a strange dry cough has appeared recently, which was accompanied by shortness of breath. Then suddenly the temperature rose sharply, the eyes turned red, and a runny nose appeared. We thought that this is an ordinary ORZ, called a doctor and he prescribed an antibiotic.

The temperature was brought down, but the condition did not improve. On the skin there was an incomprehensible rash, the child began to gnaw on his nails and itch, all the while complaining of itching. As a result, we were sent to an infectious disease specialist. We passed the tests, and it turned out that the child is infected with toxocarp. The reason, I think, could be street animals, the daughter can not easily pass by stray cats and dogs, seeks to pat and feed.

I had to be treated, the doctor prescribed Vermox and a lot of drugs for the removal of unpleasant symptoms. After treatment, they passed the tests, while everything is clean. Now the main thing is to observe preventive measures and carefully monitor the cleanliness of the hands, especially after contact with animals. Recently I learned that there is a more effective remedy for toxocariasis. Here you can read real reviews about the preparation Gelmifort.

Nadezhda, Moscow

Review No.2

We have an old cat at home who is used to street walking. At home he does not shit, he does all his work on the street. But it does not come home at its best, the wool is dirty, but it does not like to swim. Recently he fell ill, he was vomited several times, had to be carried to the veterinary clinic. The doctor said that the animal had toxocarosis and prescribed drugs from the worms. Now I'm sitting and thinking, maybe we also got it from him? While no manifestations are present, but I think, it is necessary to undergo examination, whether that is not enough. After all, getting infected with toxocar is very easy.

Ulyana, Chelyabinsk