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.
Symptoms of infection are the same for all infections - pain in the side, itching, skin rash, jaundice of the skin and mucous membranes of 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:
- 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 rash 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 tint, itching and rash.
- Echinococcus– these organisms cause the disease echinococcosis, in which several cystic formations containing worms form in the affected organ.The disease is accompanied by nausea and vomiting, yellowness 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 be 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 the countries of South Asia, they live mainly in the 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, yellowness of the skin, and a bitter taste in the mouth.
- Amoeba– with amoebiasis, the liver increases in size several times, abscesses form.An infected person experiences severe pain in the side, nausea and vomiting, and fever.
- Ciliates– when ingested, they cause the disease balantidiasis, which is rarely diagnosed, but is very dangerous.With balantidiasis, painful sensations occur in the affected area, aggravated by palpation, the presence of bloody stool, dryness and a yellow tint to the skin.
- Liver fluke– 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, rash and itching of the skin.
Routes of infection
Worms can enter the body in the following ways:
- When eating dirty vegetables and fruits.
- When eating raw, undercooked meat.
- When drinking raw and unboiled water.
- Upon contact with an infected person.
- Through the feces of infected animals.
- Through dirty hands.
- When playing with domestic (or street) animals.
- Upon contact with the ground, the soil contains a huge number of parasitic worms and their larvae.
- When swimming in a stagnant body of 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 number 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 itself.
- Scatological analysis of stool.
- 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 a doctor, based on the type of parasites, the degree of damage and other indications.Self-medication is fraught with severe complications and death.
Therapy for helminthiases is aimed at:
- Elimination of the consequences of poisoning of the body.
- Removing 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, 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, pre-heat-treated, stewed vegetables, and dairy products.Drink regular, 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 gastrointestinal tract system is completely cleansed, including the liver and its ducts.
- 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 a rash, burning, itching of the skin.To eliminate allergies, antihistamines are prescribed.
- Drugs that normalize liver function– they consolidate the effect of cleansing 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 need to 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, only wear protective gloves.
- Consume only thoroughly 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.