What is trichocephalosis? Causes of the disease, diagnosis, treatment

In the human body, over 250 species of helminths can parasitize, which provoke the development of many diseases. One of them is trichocephalosis. This pathology is quite common. Although many people do not even guess what is trichocephalosis, what are the causes of infection and the ways of transmission of this disease. And only some patients understand, what symptomatology testifies about a pathology.

Characteristics of the disease

So, what is trichocephalosis? This is an intestinal nematode. Pathology is characterized by chronic leakage. In this case, the patient develops asthenic, dyspeptic and anemic syndromes.

The main carrier of the disease is a round worm - withered head. Trichocephalosis develops in the host after penetration of the parasite into the intestinal mucosa. It causes damage to it. Through the formed wounds, toxins and pathogenic microorganisms begin to enter, which becomes a source of inflammation. Damage to the walls of the intestine leads to the development of anemia.

However, this is not the only negative effect of the parasite. It should be understood what is trichocephalosis. This pathology, in which vaginal head, leaving the secondary substances of its vital activity, affects almost all organs. It has a harmful effect on the nervous system. Therefore, the patient develops nervous and functional disorders.

This pathology is common in the tropics, subtropics. Quite often they face it in the Central Chernozemye and Northern Caucasus. In terms of the number of patients, the disease trichocephalosis takes 2nd place, second only to ascariasis.

Causes of pathology

The main way of infection is eating infected meat. Quite often there is a trichocephalosis of animals, especially in carnivorous animals, such as foxes, bears, walruses. In the human body, the larvae of the parasite penetrate when eating poorly cooked meat.

In addition to the above-mentioned animals, Trichinella can be found in pigs, wolves, horses. In non-predatory animals this pathology is practically not observed. Disease of trichocephalosis is affected mainly by people and animals that consume meat products.

However, even a vegetarian can become infected with pathology. In this case, infection occurs when entering into the mouth of mature parasite eggs with dirty hands, poorly washed from the ground with fruits, berries, vegetables or with water.

The most commonly diagnosed trichocephalosis in children 5-15 years.

Primary symptomatology of the disease

Primarily infected people initially do not experience certain signs of trichocephalus disease. Symptoms develop in most cases a week later. During this time the larvae of the parasite manage to penetrate into the muscle tissue. The patient has the following symptoms:

• Swelling of the eyelids, face, redness of the eyes ;
• Pain in the muscles;
• heat;
• Photosensitivity;
• conjunctivitis;
• Sometimes there is a cough;
• Migraine, headache;
• General weakness, chills.

Characteristic features

Evidence of the period of parasites in the intestine in the pathology of trichocephalosis symptoms are as follows:

• fatigue;
• Pain in the abdomen;
• nausea;
• diarrhea;
• Vomiting;
• Spasms in the intestine.

The mild stages of the disease, in which there is a small number of trichinella in the body, can not cause any recognizable symptoms. Characteristic signs are manifested only in case of moderate or severe invasion, which is characterized by migration of the parasite along the body.

Neurological signs

In the midst of the disease, along with intestinal symptoms, there is a disturbance in the functioning of the nervous system. The patient may experience:

• Hallucinations;
• sleep disturbance;
• Depressive state;
• Neurological disorders.

Diagnosis of the disease

To suspect the presence of this pathology allows classical symptomatology - puffiness around the eyes, temperature and inflammation of the muscular tissues. Stool analysis, as a rule, is a little informative study. After all, the parasite in the form of cysts is localized in the muscles. In faeces, it can be extremely rare.

For diagnosis, the following diagnosis is used:

1. Blood test. In the case of trichocephalosis, the patient has an increase in certain white blood cells - eosinophils. If several weeks have passed after infection, the analysis will show the presence of antibodies produced by the body to this parasite.
2. Muscle biopsies. The microscopic tissue fragment taken from the patient is studied under a microscope. The analysis reveals the larvae of Trichinella.

To make a diagnosis, it is often enough to study the blood. But sometimes it is recommended to patients such examination, as a biopsy of muscle tissues.

Possible complications

You should know not only what is trichocephalosis, but also what consequences pathology can lead to. The disease can be complicated:

• Pneumonia;
• Myocarditis;
• Renal, hepatic insufficiency;
• Inflammation of the veins;
• Thrombosis;
• Hearing, visual impairment;
• Paresis of limbs;
• Muscular contractures.

Treatment of the disease

The best effect of therapy can be expected if the fight against the disease is started within 2 weeks after infection. At this time, active reproduction and dispersal of parasites are observed in the body. In this case, the larvae still have a sufficiently vulnerable capsule.

It is advisable to put the patient, especially a child, in a hospital to fight a disease called "trichocephalosis". Treatment should take place under the supervision of experienced doctors, since pathology can lead to serious complications.

The therapeutic scheme is selected for the patient individually. The choice is based on the patient's condition, age, symptomatology.

The main drug for the treatment of pathology is an anthelmintic agent. Most often, one of the following medicines is prescribed:

1. "Tiabendazole." The drug is recommended to take 25 mg / kg per day. Such therapy lasts ten days.
2. "Mebendazole." The drug is designed to fight the disease in adults. The daily dose is 300 mg. The duration of therapy lasts for ten days.
3. "Mebendazole" for children. This drug is designed to treat patients from 2 to 20 years. This drug for ten days should be consumed per day at 5 mg / kg.
4. Albendazole. The medicine is taken 10 days a day for 10 mg / kg.

The disease of trichocephalosis causes in the patient's body an inflammatory process and unpleasant painful discomfort. To eliminate this symptomatology, therapy is included in individual doses of NSAIDs. The optimal medicines are:

• "Diclofenac sodium."
• Ibuprofen.
• "Nimesulid."

Antihistamines are in demand in treatment. Antigens of parasites can cause allergic reactions in the patient. These drugs help to fight against them. In addition, they perfectly reduce puffiness, which is an obligatory symptom of this pathology. Among the antiallergic drugs are most in demand with trichocephalus:

• "Tavegil".
• Fenistil.
• Suprastin.

To prevent the development of an infectious-toxic shock, provoked by the destruction of parasites by anti-helminthic medicines, glucocorticoids allow. They must also be used in cases of severe organ damage. Therapy may include medications:

• "Prednisolone."
• Dexamethasone.

The patient will need detoxification treatment. The patient is assigned sorbents. In addition, symptomatic therapy is recommended. It is prescribed according to the testimony. Correction of renal and cardiac insufficiency is required. Some patients will need treatment with certain drugs from mental disorders.