There are a number of protozoa that can only exist in the host's body.For most of them, the main carrier is people.And having penetrated the human body, these creatures can live anywhere, but subcutaneous parasites are considered the most common.They are the ones that cause the most unpleasant moments, including the development of complications, and therefore at the first signs of infection you should consult a doctor.
Types of parasites that live under the skin
Protozoa, the main carrier of which is man, are divided into two main groups:
- Leather
- Subcutaneously.
The first includes insects such as lice, fleas, bed bugs.They live in human hair and skin, feed on his blood and are capable of transmitting various dangerous diseases.But still, skin parasites are considered less dangerous than subcutaneous ones.The latter, living in the human skin, not only feed on its cells, but also raise their offspring inside it.Therefore, the control of skin parasites in humans is much more difficult than the control of skin parasites.
Many protozoa and helminths live under the human skin, which can lead to the development of various diseases, such as:
- Filariasis
- Dracunculosis
- Schistosomiasis
- Hookworm
- cysticercosis
- scabies.
And the most unpleasant thing about this is that making a correct diagnosis is often very difficult, since the symptoms of such diseases often resemble a simple allergic reaction.Therefore, the treatment of dermatoses takes a long time.
To give you an idea of what kind of subcutaneous parasites a person may have and how it manifests itself, let's look at the signs of infection with each of the above.
Filariasis
This species does not live in our country, but it is easy to get infected when visiting Africa, South America and Asia.Infection occurs when a person is bitten by a blood-sucking insect, such as a mosquito.As for the incubation period, for this type of dermatosis it can reach 7 years.
The initial symptoms of this parasitic skin disease often include a mild fever and hives, so they are often overlooked.
And after only a few years on the skin begin to appear:
- ulcers
- Warts
- Nodules
- papules.
Over time, eczema may develop.In some cases, they may be accompanied by mild malaise, headache and fever, which leads to the conclusion that the patient has contracted filariasis.This disease is caused by filamentous nematodes.
But if measures are not taken in time, parasitic skin diseases can lead to complications in the form of arthrosis and vision problems.
Using mosquito repellent will help avoid infection.Treating the exposed parts of the skin with it and thus protecting yourself from the bites of blood-sucking insects, you will protect yourself from contracting filariasis.
Dracunculosis
This disease is caused by round subcutaneous helminths - guinea worms.Adult specimens of these parasites, living under the human skin, can reach a length of more than a meter.The peculiarity of this species is that not only people, but also pets: cats, dogs can serve as carriers for them.These parasites are most commonly found in Central Asia.
Guinea worm larvae enter the human body by eating raw, untreated water.After 2 weeks, they begin their journey through the host's body and after 1.5 months they penetrate the subcutaneous areas.The larva will develop into an adult in just one year.
Symptoms of guinea worm infection are difficult to confuse with any other disease.Initially, an elongated, swollen area resembling a small lace appears on the skin in the leg area.After that, a bubble is formed in its place, inside which there are helminth eggs.And when water hits, it ruptures, allowing new larvae to emerge into the environment.
If the treatment of the disease is not started on time, complications appear in the form of:
- Inflammation of the joints
- gangrene
- Sepsis, which is caused by abscesses that form on the skin.
As for the fight against this human skin parasite, it consists in removing it from the skin tissue.In addition, this process can last several days if a large individual parasitizes the patient's body.The only condition is not to break the worm.
To avoid contracting dracunculosis, you should drink only disinfected water and not swim in open water.
Schistosomiasis
This disease is also caused by helminths.They live in the waters of Asia and Africa, so swimming in them puts you at risk of infection.This type of helminths parasitizes not only on the human skin, but also in the genitourinary organs.In the initial stage of development, the disease manifests itself as rashes, itching and dermatitis.Subsequently, signs of kidney damage appear and the liver may become enlarged.
This disease is treated with drugs based on antimony.But it is better to avoid infection by following simple rules: avoid swimming in stagnant water bodies and drink only boiled water.
Hookworm
These parasites enter the skin through cracks on the soles of the feet or wounds on other parts of the body.But most often they still affect the lower limbs and remain there without migrating throughout the body.
Hookworm is expressed by the following symptoms:
- strong itching in the place where the parasite is located;
- skin changes;
- the appearance of anemia.
The most unpleasant thing about the infection is the fact that this disease is quite difficult to treat and it is not always possible to achieve a positive result.
cysticercosis
Larvae of the pig tapeworm can also parasitize under the human skin.The main habitats of these parasites in the human body are the internal organs, where they penetrate with food or water infected with helminths.But there are still frequent cases of their development under the skin, and there they can live for years.
Symptoms of a cysticercosis infection are swelling and new formations in the area where the parasite has penetrated.They become denser over time.In rare cases, the infection may be accompanied by hives.
The only way to get rid of them is through surgery and taking anti-parasitic drugs.
scabies
Today this disease is quite rare, but literally 50 years ago it was one of the most common among those caused by parasites.Its appearance is caused by the penetration of microscopic scabies under the skin of a person.In addition, it prefers to settle in the deep layers of the skin, where it feeds on the epithelium and lays eggs in it.
The life cycle of an adult is no more than two months.But during this time, the female manages to lay more than a dozen eggs.Most often, the tick affects the hands, folds, armpits and feet.But it can also be found on the mammary glands and genitals.
Infection with this parasite leads to the development of scabies, which is expressed in obvious signs, such as clearly visible passages, crusts on the places where they are scratched, rashes and itching that worsens at night.If not treated promptly, scabies can lead to the development of dermatitis and eczema, which worsen in autumn.
This disease is treated with sulfur ointment or hydrochloric acid solution and use of sulfur soap.For extensive lesions, antibiotics may be prescribed.But to avoid re-infection, it is necessary to boil the patient's underwear and clothes and iron them with a hot iron on both sides.Therefore, it is easier to maintain personal hygiene and avoid contact with an infected person - this will help not to get sick.
Detection and diagnosis of subcutaneous parasites
Most often, you can determine whether a person is infected or not visually.However, in any case, the patient will be prescribed an examination that will more accurately help determine the location of the lesion and the number of parasites.
Parasitic skin diseases are diagnosed:
- Taking scrapings and smears from the mucous membrane;
- A blood test to check the presence of antibodies.
And only after receiving all the results, the doctor can determine a treatment regimen and prescribe drugs that can destroy the parasite.
Treatment options depend on the type of disease.In some cases, even surgery may be required.But most often it is possible to get it by using different drugs.
Disease prevention
Since the removal of some types of helminths from the human body can take several years, it is easier to prevent parasitic skin diseases.To do this, you should avoid drinking raw water, poorly fried meat products and close contact with infected people.