Symptoms of parasites under the human skin

26 February 2022

Often when we hear about parasites, we certainly imagine helminths, but in fact their number is large today.

Many of them can exist in the upper layers of the epithelium and in the subcutaneous fat, remaining invisible to the wearer.

The subcutaneous worm can enter the human body: through tactile contact with infected people; of blood-sucking insects that carry larvae of animal parasites.

The main feature of such an invasion is the difficulty in recognizing the pathology, since at first the infection can be disguised as other somatic diseases.

The main signs of the presence of this type of parasite in the body are severe weakness, decreased performance and a constant desire to scratch the skin. When these signs appear, it is advisable to go to specialists: a therapist, a dermatologist, an allergist, an infectologist. The joint work of doctors and the diagnostic methods used by them in their work help to recognize the presence of subcutaneous invasion in the body in time.

types of helminths

There are a number of subcutaneous worms that can cause a lot of problems with your appearance. It is possible to detect its presence if you pay attention to certain symptoms. With timely diagnosis of the disease, it will be much easier to get rid of unwanted guests.

To get an idea of how to quickly recognize their presence, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the most popular representatives:

filariasis

This type of helminthiasis is found exclusively in tropical areas. Therefore, when traveling, be as careful as possible, it will not be difficult to collect it.

Pathogens are a great danger, since the duration of the incubation period can reach 5-7 years, while actively reproducing. They show no signs of their presence, continuing all these years to absorb nutrients and vitamins into the body.

Dracunculiasis

Parasitosis can overtake the future carrier in helminth-infected water. It is impossible to determine the presence of larvae of this parasite in water with the naked eye, moreover, neither the device nor special analyzes will be able to determine it. The danger lies in the fact that an inconspicuous larva can reach a meter in its mature state. As a rule, infection with dracunculiasis leads to death.

It should be understood that death is due to the fact that a meter-long adult helminth occupies a large part of the stomach and easily penetrates the lungs, thereby blocking access to the oxygen supply. But, as a rule, pathogens are found in the lower extremities, so cases of death are quite rare in modern medicine.

Scabies

This type of disease is by far the most popular. It will not be an exaggeration that perhaps one in two inhabitants of the planet has encountered this unpleasant disease. The main symptom of this disease is constant itching of the skin.

If you look closely, you can determine exactly where the worms are located, at the place of their localization, you can notice noticeable redness and irritation of the skin. Apart from intense itching, more unpleasant symptoms are not observed in an infected person.

In a note.The transmission is made from sick to healthy, through physical contact, as well as by using the same things.

Diagnosis is almost impossible without the availability of special equipment, it is possible to determine, as mentioned above, only the place of its massive accumulation. The cause of irritation is explained by the fact that parasitic mites get under the epithelium by disturbing the upper layer of the epithelium, leaving visible traces.

demodicosis

Pathogens prefer sebaceous glands as a habitat. Their appearance is accompanied by purulent formations on the face, which are so easily confused with acne. The more intense the parasite develops, the more noticeable it is on the face. In addition to abscesses, another symptom should be mentioned that may seem even more unpleasant: the loss of eyelashes.

Attention.The diagnosis of this parasite is quite simple compared to other species. An experienced doctor will not even prescribe special tests to determine the presence of helminthiasis, it is enough for him to conduct only a visual examination of the patient. The fact that the treatment drags on for several years is also unpleasant. It is quite difficult to get rid of the disease, so even with constant treatment, it can take more than a year.

symptoms of subcutaneous parasitosis demodicosis

heartworm

These parasites are transmitted to humans through physical contact with an infected animal, usually carried by our pets. Roundworms enter the human body quite quickly, one of the carriers can be a mosquito.

Noticing this is quite simple, the bite becomes dense, inflammation and itching appear. The parasite settles in the body and begins active life. The most important symptom that will allow you to immediately establish an accurate diagnosis is the feeling of agitation.

This is due to the fact that adults can move freely. Cases have been recorded when infected people saw a helminth under the skin, and it can also come out through the mucosa of the eye.

strongyloidiasis

The larvae of this parasite easily penetrate the epidermis, for this it is enough to walk barefoot on the ground.

In addition to the severe itching, redness, and noticeable swelling, the infected person's skin is covered with red blisters.

strongyloidiasis in subcutaneous parasites

schistosomiasis

The pathogen is found in Africa and Asia, lives exclusively in fresh water. Easily penetrates the human body. It prefers to be on human skin or in the genitourinary system. In the course of its life, it releases products that are toxic to humans. Toxins severely disrupt the body and cause severe poisoning.

The appearance of this or that parasite is accompanied by certain symptoms, so an experienced doctor usually diagnoses it even before receiving the results of a full medical examination. The survey aims not only to confirm their presence, but also to determine their exact location, as well as the approximate number of individuals.

schistosomiasis with subcutaneous parasites

Symptoms

The symptoms that appear depend on the parasites with which the person is infected. There are significant differences, but most symptoms are typical of subcutaneous worms. Let's highlight the main symptoms:

skin lesionIt can manifest itself in the form of a severe skin rash, redness, acne, severe itching, in some cases traces of worms are visible.
General discomfort. Not only toxic waste products can affect the general condition of the patient, it should be understood that the worms feed on nutrients from the carrier's body, while the carrier's body does not receive useful substances. In this regard, weakness increases, a person quickly gets tired, fever and insomnia can be observed.
Often the worms penetrate other vital organs, thereby disrupting their work.
Among the subcutaneous helminths, individuals are often found, the movement of which is well felt by the carrier.

filariasis

Primary symptoms, which can last for the first few years, include:

hives, with the appearance of extensive red spots;
severe itching;
temperature increase;
feverish state.

After a certain time, the primary symptoms are replaced by more serious manifestations, such as:

eczema, warts, ulcers;
sleep disturbance (increased drowsiness, insomnia);
continuous migraine;
subcutaneous nodes;
some individuals become noticeable on examination of the patient's eye.

For your information.Such a condition requires serious medical intervention, since the prolonged presence of the pathogen can lead to loss of vision, the development of a tumor.