This group includes such human diseases as necatoriasis which activator is Necator americanus (New World hookworm), and hookworm infection caused by Ancylostoma duodenale (krivogolovka duodenum ).
Pathogens hookworm and necatoriasis belong to one family Ancylostomatidae. Large biological similarity of these helminths parasitizing frequent joint, uniformity of the pathological effect on the body, the clinical manifestations of diseases and, finally, the complexity of the differential diagnosis of the cause of that hookworm and necatoriasis generalize entitled ancylostomiasis.
What it is?
Hookworm disease develops in humans, provided they infected the larvae of a helminth. The sick person, the body that has the nematode is not contagious to others, because in order to become contagious, helminth eggs need to pass a certain life cycle.
At the same time the eggs helminth parasite in the intestine of a sick person, get into the environment with feces, and due to its mobility can contaminate the surrounding soil. In soil, they ripen in a few weeks, but it should be favorable conditions (high humidity and heat). That is why ancylostomiasis common in countries with hot climates, such as South America, Africa, Australia and so on. D.
Ways of getting into the human body infectious larvae - fecal-oral and transdermal. That is, the body worms can get as a result of the use of poorly washed foods (berries, fruits, vegetables), as well as with dirty hands. As for the American hookworm, apart from the fecal-oral route of entry into the human body, it can also be absorbed through the skin, when a person walks barefoot on the ground, or performing agricultural work hand in soils contaminated nematodes.
symptoms
The incubation period is 40-60 days. In most cases, hookworm disease are asymptomatic. However, in the process of maturation of the parasite larvae in the intestine, it may be a violation robots gastrointestinal tract.
Early symptoms of the acute phase:
- muscle pain;
- headache;
- general weakness, fatigue;
- lymphadenopathy.
When the parasite penetration through the skin revealed a number of features which are absent in enteral mechanism of infection:
- cough, sometimes streaked with blood;
- dyspnea;
- transient febrile fever (38-40 ° C);
- rash erythematous or exudative character, swelling of the skin and itching at the site of introduction.
Symptoms of chronic phase:
- epigastric pain with different intensities (from minor to severe, cramping);
- headaches, episodes of dizziness;
- pale skin and visible mucous membranes;
- reduced tolerance to habitual physical activities;
- nausea, vomiting;
- discomfort in the abdominal cavity;
- flatulence;
- loose stools, sometimes mixed with mucus and blood;
- general weakness, fatigue;
- concentration reduction;
- violation of the "sleep - wakefulness" (insomnia, somnolence).
Diagnostics
Diagnosed by detection hookworm eggs in the intestines by means of duodenal intubation and fecal analysis. latex - - agglutination, hemagglutination results of serological reactions are also watching.
How to treat hookworm?
Causative treatment of hookworm held anthelmintics drugs prescribed by the physician infectious disease specialist (Parasitology). The following drugs are used for dehelminthization: pyrantel, befeniya hydroxynaphthoate, levamisole, mebendazole.
3-4 weeks after anthelmintic treatment is carried out monitoring of the effectiveness of treatment - 3-hkratnoe examination of feces at intervals of 1 month. Symptomatic and pathogenetic treatment involves administering ankilostomidoze iron supplements, vitamin B12, folic acid, and other antihistamines.
prevention
The foci of hookworm diseases should not walk barefoot and lying on the ground without bedding. Careful washing and scalding with boiling water fruits, vegetables, berries before using them for food, you can not drink unboiled water.
What happens if you do not treat hookworm?
In chronic ankilostomidoze a person observed weakness, epigastric pain, dizziness, edema, and weight loss. parasitic worms have teeth that they destroy the intestinal mucosal wall. As a result, these areas form an ulcer, which reach up to 2 cm in diameter.
Due to chronic blood loss in humans arises hypochromic Iron-deficiency anemia and reduces the number of white blood cells. The most vulnerable in this situation are pregnant women, the elderly and people with poor health.
In addition, the long duration of the disease affects the central nervous system - the person observed weakness and backwardness of mental and physical development. In severe cases, the disease can lead to death, but this is rare.