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 side, itching, skin rash, jaundice of the skin and mucous membranes of the organs, etc.Therefore, the identification of parasitic infections is not easy, since 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:
- Roundworms– these parasites enter the liver through the bile ducts from the intestines.The disease is caused by ascariasis, which is characterized by itching and redness of 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 giardiasis, the patient experiences pain in the hypochondrium, nausea and vomiting, yellow skin color, itching and rash.
- Echinococcus– these organisms cause the echinococcosis disease, 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 it is recommended to get vaccinated before visiting them.Opisthorchises parasitize the ducts of the liver and gall bladder and cause severe diseases of these organs.
- Schistosomes– also common in South Asian countries, they live mainly in aquatic environment, so they can become infected by swimming in a pond.Schistosomes cause the dangerous disease schistosomiasis, which often causes cirrhosis and other diseases.
- Strongyloides– when ingested, they contribute to the development of strongyloidiasis, characterized by pain in the hypochondrium, lack of appetite, yellowing of the skin and a bitter taste in the mouth.
- Amoeba- with amoebiasis, the liver increases several times in size, abscesses are formed.An infected person experiences severe flank pain, nausea and vomiting, and fever.
- Ciliates- when swallowed, they cause the disease balantidiasis, which is rarely diagnosed, but is very dangerous.With balantidiasis, painful sensations appear in the affected area, aggravated by palpation, the presence of bloody stool, dryness and a yellow tint on the skin.
- Liver enlargement– a worm that affects the hepatic ducts and causes disruption of the functioning of the biliary system, including a disease such as cholangitis.A sick person loses appetite, loses a lot of weight, experiences pain in the abdomen and hypochondrium, increased body temperature, redness 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, undercooked meat.
- When you drink raw and unboiled water.
- In contact with an infected person.
- Through the faeces of infected animals.
- Through dirty hands.
- When playing with pets (or roads).
- In contact with the soil, the soil contains a large number of parasitic worms and their larvae.
- When swimming in a stagnant body of water.
The main reason why worms enter the body is through the mouth;some types penetrate the skin.
Diagnosing
To identify parasitic infections in the liver, you should undergo a series of examinations:
- General blood test.
- Biochemical blood test.
- Urine analysis.
- 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 itself.
- Scatological analysis of feces.
- 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 should remember an important rule:no self-medication!The necessary therapy is prescribed only by the doctor, based on the type of parasites, the degree of damage and other indications.Self-medication is fraught with serious complications and death.
Therapy for helminthiasis aims to:
- Elimination of the consequences of poisoning the body.
- Removal of parasites from the body.
- Improving the enzymatic activity of the liver and intestines.
- Prevention of subsequent infections.
Regardless of the type of disease, an infected person must follow a diet.Fatty, fried, spicy, very salty foods, flour and sweets should be excluded from the diet.
You should consume as much fiber as possible, which is found in cereals, lean meats, boiled vegetables and pre-heated dairy products.Drink regular, clean, filtered or boiled water as much as possible.
The patient was 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 cleaned, including the liver and its channels.
- Antidiarrheal- Diarrhea often occurs with helminthic infections, so antidiarrheal medications are prescribed for its elimination.
- Antiallergic drugs- when infected with parasites, various allergic reactions appear in the form of redness, burning, itching of the skin.To eliminate allergies, antihistamines are prescribed.
- Medicines that normalize liver function- 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 get infected with parasites, so to prevent infection, you should remember the following important rules:
- Wash your hands as often as possible, especially after playing with animals, working with soil, after visiting the toilet and going outside.
- When working with soil, wear only protective gloves.
- Consume only well-washed fruits and vegetables.
- Do not 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 that are common in the area.