Helminthosis caused by flatworms
Helminthiasis caused by flatworms develops as a result of ingestion of food or water contaminated with eggs or larvae of flatworms. If the eggs are swallowed, they can pass outside the intestines and form larval cysts in body tissues and organs (invasive infection). If you swallow the larvae, they develop into adult flatworms in the gut (intestinal infection)
An adult flatworm consists of a head, a neck and a chain of segments called proglottids When you have intestinal helminthiasis, the flatworms attach their heads to the intestinal wall, and the proglottids grow in size and produce eggs. An adult flatworm can live in the host's body for up to 30 years Intestinal infection is often mild, but invasive larval infection can cause serious complications
Helminthiasis caused by flatworms begins after ingestion of flatworm eggs or larvae.
Swallowing eggs Flatworm eggs are found in the feces of an infected person or animal When you eat contaminated food or drink, you swallow the microscopic eggs For example, a pig infected with flatworms excretes eggs in its feces, which remain in the soil. You can become infected by drinking water from a contaminated source After entering the intestine, the eggs transform into larvae Larvae have the ability to move Once outside the gut, they form cysts in various tissues, including the lungs, central nervous system, and liver.
Ingestion of meat or muscle tissue contaminated with larval cysts An animal infected with roundworms has larvae in the muscle tissue If you eat raw or undercooked meat from an infected animal, you ingest the larvae, which transform into adult flatworms in the gut. An adult flatworm can be over 15 meters long and can live in its host for over 30 years Some flatworms attach to the intestinal wall and cause irritation and inflammation, while others are passed out in the stool.
Most people with intestinal helminthiasis have no symptoms Symptoms depend on the type of flatworm and its location The symptoms of invasive infection depend on the migration site of the larvae
Intestinal infection Signs and symptoms of an intestinal infection are:
- Nausea
- Weakness
- Loss of appetite
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
Signs and symptoms include: - Fever
- Cystic masses or bumps
- Allergic reaction to larvae
- Bacterial infections
- Neurological signs and symptoms, including palpitations
