12 popular myths about helminthoses

Helminthosis is one of the most widespread diseases. Statistically, any species of helminths infected every third inhabitant of the planet. Most of specialists even consider these data strongly underestimated: some uninvited "cohabitants" do not cause the carriers serious troubles, and patients just do not see doctors. The situation is aggravated also with the fact that people know about specifics of similar illnesses very little. At many presence of worms strongly is associated with children's age or a marginal way of life. Unfortunately, it not so: everyone can get sick with helminthosis. Therefore it is extremely important to dispel the most hardy and dangerous delusions connected with pathologies such.

1. Helminthosis does not threaten the one who often washes hands

The habit to purity imparted since the childhood, undoubtedly, a fine thing. It is really useful to health and, to some extent preserves the person against infections and helminthic invasions. However frequent washing of hands does not guarantee full protection against helminthoses. Helminths and their eggs can get to an organism and in a different way. It is possible to catch:

• Having eaten badly washed up crude vegetables or fruit. In this sense spicy herbs (fennel, parsley), sheet vegetables, soft berries (strawberry, raspberry etc.) are the most dangerous;
• Having eaten in places of public catering. The hygienic norms shown to process of cooking in such institutions are very strict, but from this does not follow that they are never broken. For example, there is no guarantee that the fresh juice ordered in cafe was squeezed out of well washed up fruits or that the cook at restaurant accidentally did not use that board which is intended for crude meat for cutting of salad vegetables;
• Having eaten products offered by fast-food establishments. Sellers of street "points" not always respect all hygienic rules. The products which are on such counters can be available to flies who transfer eggs of helminths on the pads;
• Having bathed in an open reservoir. It is almost impossible to avoid hit of water in a mouth, and with it a digestive tract parasites can get. However, bathing in the public pool in this sense is unsafe too, nobody from his visitors demands references from parasitologists and helminthologists.

The travelers visiting the tropical countries quite often bring from issue of the helminths widespread in places of their temporary stay. Diagnosis of similar diseases is, as a rule, connected with big difficulties as not all domestic physicians are well familiar with displays of exotic helminthoses.

2. The negative take of the analysis on eggs a worm guarantees that there is no helminthosis

More than 150 species of intestinal parasites are known. About 20 of them are widespread in our country. The standard analysis the calla yields results on 2-3 types of helminths, but even this result cannot be considered reliable as for exact definition of existence of eggs the studied material has to be warm, and it is possible only in that case when the patient is placed in a hospital.

Blood test on specific antiserum capacities gives more exact data, but such research runs into money and it is not possible to make it on antibodies to all known parasites.

3. Treatment of helminthosis begins with vitaminization of an organism

Improvement of an organism has to begin with its cleaning of parasites. Otherwise the person, how many his unpleasant "cohabitants" will get vitamins which will be adopted by the patient not so much.

When worms are expelled, reception of vitamins is a reasonable and obvious way of stabilization of a metabolism, rise in vitality and strengthening of protective forces in which the organism which transferred a disease is in great need.

4. Infection with worms always causes pallor of skin and leanness

Emergence of painful pallor and loss of weight accompany helminthoses often, but not always. The probability of change of appearance at infection with helminths depends on features of an organism of the patient, a species of worms, degree and duration of an invasion and other factors. At the same time, leanness and pallor can be symptoms of other pathologies. Therefore it is impossible to judge existence at the person of helminthosis only on external signs.

5. At helminthosis the stomach usually hurts

Unpleasant feelings in a stomach or intestines are not always a sign of a helminthic invasion. Similar symptoms are characteristic of a set of pathologies. Not without reason often mistakenly make to the people who caught helminths the diagnoses connected with defeats of bodies of a GIT.

On the other hand, helminthosis can proceed asymptomatically, or be shown by headaches, cough, tendency to colds, increased fatigue, irritability, skin rashes and other symptoms of the general intoxication of an organism.

6. The person infected with helminths grits the teeth in a dream

Very widespread, but not always right opinion. The matter is that convulsive compression of jaws demonstrates during sleep that the person suffers from the increased nervous irritability. It can be a consequence of a number of pathologies including intoxications waste products of helminths.

The creak can be considered by teeth in a dream as a helminthosis symptom only in that case when it is combined with other signs of neurotoxic defeat, and also with positive takes of clinical trials.

7. Helminthoses only children have

Children are exposed to invasions more often than adults. It occurs mainly because kids, learning the world, everything aim to taste. A considerable role in incidence is played by close interaction of children in children's collectives. It turns out that for kids their mobility, inquisitiveness and sociability act as risk factors of receiving a helminthic invasion.

For adults the probability of infection with helminthosis is rather high too (especially if they conduct active life, work hard and can not always scrupulously trace quality of the consumed food).

8. It is impossible to catch worms from products from the kitchen garden

Extremely harmful and persuasive delusion. Actually the summer resident who is fond of gardening is capable to grow up a harvest without use of harmful "chemistry", but it cannot expel from beds of helminths. On the site not only dogs and cats, but also rodents (rats, domestic mice, voles, moles) constantly run. All of them successfully transfer helminths and their egg. Besides, in water with which plants water there live many parasites too.

All know about it, but, unfortunately, draw the correct conclusions seldom. Under the pretext of purity of with own hand grown up harvest, to children allow to eat dirty berries and vegetables directly from beds, and even adults quite often try the fruit and vegetable products offered in the markets. Such behavior is unreasonable and dangerous.

9. Domestic cats and dogs cannot give worms to owners

Existence in a family of pets well influences a psychological microclimate and human health, helps to transfer household disorders easier. The children growing near animals behave more reasonably and more quietly than the peers deprived of such communication, show the best results in study.

Nevertheless, owners of cats, dogs and other moustached and having a tail have to remember that their pets can have helminthoses and transfer eggs of parasites to body surfaces. Therefore domestic animals need to be kept clean, to periodically carry out anthelmintic prevention. Children need to explain that after communication with the favourites they have to wash hands.

10. Is not crude more hotly

For fans of meat with blood, the dishes supporting crude fish and to that similar delicacies the risk of helminthic invasions is extremely high. At the same time not only the food given in catering establishments but also home-made food is dangerous if it cooked or fried insufficiently long.

Time of heat treatment depends on a type of products, their state (the steam rooms cooled or frozen) and many other factors. The experienced hostess will always distinguish hot from ready and, therefore, safe, and inexperienced technologies of preparation of dishes, especially meat have to adhere accurately.

11. Boiled water is noxious to health

Naive delusion that boiling does water "dead", and the benefit to an organism is brought by only unboiled water, exists long ago. Truly in this statement only one: a considerable part of the mineral salts which are contained in water at boiling is besieged. It, however, does not do harm to health of the person as microelements, necessary for an organism, and their connections we can receive from food.

The fact that unboiled water almost always contains eggs of helminths which perish when heating is much more essential. Therefore tap or well water can be used only after boiling.

12. The food falling to the ground becomes soiled not at once

Some people sincerely consider that the food which lay on the earth is less than 10 seconds, does not manage to become soiled. It is quite misleading. Any product (and also a children's pacifier or a toy) which fell to a floor has to be washed carefully up in order to avoid receiving through it a helminthic invasion.

Nobody is guaranteed against infection with helminthosis. Illnesses such are treated by both medicamentous, and folk remedies, but quite difficult diagnosed therefore it is especially important to be careful and carry out sanitary and hygienic rules. At emergence of symptoms of the general intoxication of an organism, loss of weight and other unpleasant symptoms it is necessary to see a doctor immediately.