Most often, various parasitic organisms affect the organs of the digestive tract: the stomach or intestines.But these organs are not the only place where worms and other parasites live;they can also affect other areas of the body, including the liver.
The symptoms of infection are the same for all infections: pain in the flank, itching, rash, jaundice of the skin and mucous membranes of the organs and so on.Therefore, identifying parasitic infections is not easy, as the symptoms are similar to other liver diseases.
What parasites can live in the liver
Most often, the following types of parasites settle in the liver:
- Nematodes– these parasites enter the liver through the bile ducts from the intestine.The disease is caused by ascariasis, which is characterized by itching and rash, discomfort in the liver area, and in some cases nausea and vomiting.
- Giardia- another common type of parasite that affects the liver.With giardiasis, the patient experiences pain in the hypochondrium, nausea and vomiting, yellowing of the skin, itching and rash.
- Echinococcus– these organisms cause the disease echinococcosis, in which numerous cystic formations containing worms form in the affected organ.The disease is accompanied by nausea and vomiting, yellowing of the skin, and as the disease progresses the cysts begin to increase in size.
- Opisthorchis– this type of parasite is common in South Asian countries, so it is recommended to get vaccinated before visiting them.Opisthorchis parasitize the ducts of the liver and gallbladder and cause serious diseases of these organs.
- Schistosomes– also common in South Asian countries, they live mainly in aquatic environments, so they can become infected by swimming in a pond.Schistosomes cause the dangerous disease schistosomiasis, which often causes cirrhosis and other diseases.
- Strongyloides– if ingested they contribute to the development of strongyloidiasis, characterized by pain in the hypochondrium, lack of appetite, yellowing of the skin and bitter taste in the mouth.
- Amoeba– with amoebiasis, the liver increases in size several times, abscesses form.An infected person experiences severe flank pain, nausea, vomiting and fever.
- Ciliates– if ingested they cause balantidiasis, a rarely diagnosed but very dangerous disease.With balantidiasis, painful sensations occur in the affected area, aggravated by palpation, the presence of blood in the stool, dryness and yellowing of the skin.
- Liver shot– a worm that affects the liver ducts and causes disruption of the functioning of the biliary system, including a disease such as cholangitis.A sick person loses his appetite, loses a lot of weight, feels pain in the abdomen and hypochondrium, increased body temperature, rash and itching of the skin.
Routes of infection
Worms can enter the body in the following ways:
- When you eat dirty fruits and vegetables.
- When eating raw and undercooked meat.
- When drinking raw, unboiled water.
- Upon contact with an infected person.
- Through the feces of infected animals.
- Through dirty hands.
- When playing with pets (or street animals).
- In contact with the soil, the soil contains a huge number of parasitic worms and their larvae.
- When swimming in a body of standing water.
The main reason worms enter the body is through the mouth;some types penetrate the skin.
Diagnostics
To identify parasitic infections in the liver, you need to undergo a series of tests:
- General blood test.
- Biochemical blood test.
- Urinalysis.
- Bile analysis.
- Biochemical analysis of feces.
- A blood test for the presence of antibodies against parasites: their increased content indicates that the body is trying to fight worms on its own.
- Scatological analysis of feces.
- Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity and liver will show the presence of cystic formations, abscesses, liver size and other factors indicating the presence of parasites.
Treatment
When getting rid of helminths you need to remember one important rule:no self-medication!The necessary therapy is prescribed only by the doctor, based on the type of parasites, the extent of damage and other indications.Self-medication is fraught with serious complications and death.
Therapy for helminthiasis is aimed at:
- Elimination of the consequences of poisoning of the body.
- Removing parasites from the body.
- Improve the enzymatic activity of the liver and intestine.
- Prevention of subsequent infections.
Regardless of the type of disease, an infected person must follow a diet.Fatty, fried, spicy, highly salty, floury and sweet foods should be excluded from the diet.
It is necessary to consume as much fiber as possible, which is found in cereals, lean meat, pre-processed vegetables, stewed and dairy products.Drink plain, clean, filtered or boiled water as much as possible.
The patient is prescribed drug therapy:
- Anthelmintics– kill and remove parasites from the body, preventing further infections.
- Enterosorbents– these products “collect” all the toxic substances that poison the body and remove them from the body.Thanks to this, the entire system of the gastrointestinal tract is completely cleansed, including the liver and its ducts.
- Antidiarrheals– Diarrhea often occurs with helminth infestations, so antidiarrheal drugs are prescribed to eliminate it.
- Antiallergic drugs– when infected with parasites, various allergic reactions occur in the form of rash, burning, itching of the skin.To eliminate allergies, antihistamines are prescribed.
- Drugs that normalize liver function– consolidate the cleansing effect of the liver and promote the regeneration of damaged cells of the organ and normalize its functioning.
- Vitamins and mineral complexes: restore the balance of nutrients in the body.
Prevention of infection
It is very easy to contract parasites, so to prevent infection you need to remember the following important rules:
- Wash your hands as often as possible, especially after playing with animals, working with the earth, after going to the bathroom and after going out.
- When working with soil, wear only protective gloves.
- Consume only carefully washed fruit and vegetables.
- Don't drink raw water.
- Boil or fry the meat thoroughly.
- Do not swim in stagnant or unfamiliar bodies of water.
- Before visiting other countries, get vaccinated against parasites common in the area.