Most often, various parasitic organisms affect the organs of the digestive tract - stomach or intestines.But these organs are not the only place where worms and other parasites live;they can also affect other parts of the body, including the liver.
The symptoms of infection are the same for all infections – pain in the side, itching, skin rash, jaundice of the skin and mucous membranes of the organs, etc.Therefore, recognizing parasitic infections is not easy, because the symptoms are similar to other liver diseases.
What parasites can live in the liver
The following types of parasites are most often found in the liver:
- Roundworms– these parasites enter the liver through the bile ducts from the intestine.The disease is caused by ascariasis, which is characterized by itching and rashes on the skin, discomfort in the liver area, and in some cases, nausea and vomiting.
- Giardia- another common type of parasite that affects the liver.With giardia, the patient feels pain in the hypochondrium, nausea and vomiting, yellow tint of the skin, itching and rash.
- Echinococcus- these organisms cause the disease echinococcosis, in which several cystic formations containing worms are formed 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 vaccination before visiting is recommended.Opisthorchizas parasitize in the ducts of the liver and gall bladder and cause severe diseases of these organs.
- Schistosomes- they are also common in the countries of South Asia, they live mainly in the water environment, so they can be infected by swimming in a pond.Schistosomes cause the dangerous disease schistosomiasis, which often causes cirrhosis and other diseases.
- Strongyloides- when swallowed, they contribute to the development of strongyloidiasis, which is characterized by pain in the hypochondrium, lack of appetite, yellowing of the skin and a bitter taste in the mouth.
- Amoeba- in amebiasis, the liver enlarges several times, abscesses are formed.An infected person feels severe pain in the side, nausea and vomiting, and fever.
- Ciliates– when swallowed, they cause the disease balantidiasis, which is rarely diagnosed, but is very dangerous.In case of balantidiasis, painful sensations occur in the affected area, which are aggravated by palpation, the presence of bloody stools, dryness and yellow skin.
- Liver fluke– a worm that infects the liver ducts and causes biliary system dysfunction, including disease such as cholangitis.The sick person loses his appetite, loses a lot of weight, feels pain in the abdomen and hypochondrium, elevated body temperature, rash and itchy skin.
Routes of infection
Worms can enter the body in the following ways:
- When you eat dirty vegetables and fruits.
- When you eat raw, undercooked meat.
- When you drink raw and unboiled water.
- In contact with an infected person.
- Through the feces of infected animals.
- Through dirty hands.
- When playing with domestic (or street) animals.
- After contact with the soil, the soil contains a huge number of parasitic worms and their larvae.
- When swimming in stagnant 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 must undergo a series of examinations:
- General blood test.
- Biochemical blood test.
- Urinalysis.
- Bile analysis.
- Biochemical analysis of feces.
- A blood test for the presence of antibodies to parasites - their increased content indicates that the body is trying to fight the worms on its own.
- Scatological analysis of stool.
- Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity and liver will show the presence of cystic formations, abscesses, the size of the liver and other factors that indicate the presence of parasites.
Treatment
When getting rid of helminths, you must remember one important rule:no self-medication!The necessary therapy is prescribed exclusively by the doctor, based on the type of parasite, the degree of damage and other indications.Self-medication is fraught with serious complications and death.
Treatment of helminthiasis is aimed at:
- Elimination of the consequences of body poisoning.
- Removal of parasites from the body.
- Improvement of enzyme activity of the liver and intestines.
- Prevention of subsequent infections.
Regardless of the type of disease, the infected person must follow a diet.Fatty, fried, spicy, highly salty foods, flour and sweets should be excluded from the diet.
You need to consume as much fiber as possible, which is found in cereals, lean meat, previously thermally processed, stewed vegetables 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 toxic substances that poison the body and remove them from the body.Thanks to this, the entire system of the gastrointestinal tract is completely cleaned, including the liver and its channels.
- Antidiarrheals- Diarrhea often occurs with helminthic infestations, so antidiarrheal drugs are prescribed to eliminate it.
- Antiallergic drugs- when infected with parasites, various allergic reactions occur in the form of rashes, burning, itching of the skin.Antihistamines are prescribed to eliminate allergies.
- Medicines that normalize liver function- they consolidate the effect of cleaning 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 become infected with parasites, so to prevent infection, you must remember the following important rules:
- Wash your hands as often as possible, especially after playing with animals, working with the earth, after visiting the toilet and going outside.
- Wear only protective gloves when working with soil.
- Consume only well-washed fruits and vegetables.
- Do not drink raw water.
- Boil or fry the meat well.
- Do not swim in stagnant or unfamiliar waters.
- Before visiting other countries, get vaccinated against parasites that are common in the area.