Teniosis
Brief description of the disease
Teniosis is an infectious disease caused by the intestinal worms Taenia saginata or Taenia solium. These parasites and the consequences of their activity have been known to mankind for many centuries, however, as in the case of many other infectious diseases, effective methods of treating teniasis have appeared relatively recently.
Thanks to regular preventive measures, the spread of teniasis can be controlled in almost all regions of the planet. The exceptions to the rule are North China, Africa, some countries in South America and India. This is due to the fact that teniasis, the diagnosis of which in poor countries is difficult due to the low development of medicine, appears after eating the meat of domestic pigs and wild boars, and they are often the only source of food for the local population. However, regular cases of infection are also recorded in relatively prosperous regions. In our country, teniasis is often found in the Krasnoyarsk Territory and regions bordering Ukraine and Belarus.
It should be noted that only humans are the final owner of teniasis. Pigs act as temporary carriers after eating feed and waste contaminated with helminth eggs. The greatest danger is posed by meat that has not passed veterinary control or is cooked in violation of sanitary and hygienic rules and heat treatment technologies.
What happens when worms enter the human body?
Teniosis is caused by pork tapeworms. They are 1.5-2 m long. Hundreds of segments are located along the body of the parasites, which play an important role in the process of life and reproduction of worms. Above, we have already mentioned how teniasis appears (symptoms begin to develop after eating pork meat). Now let's take a closer look at the activity of helminths. Their eggs are destroyed in the human stomach under the action of an acidic environment, after which the parasites enter the circulatory system through the walls of the organ and are carried throughout the body. Their greatest accumulation is observed in the intermuscular connective tissue. Here the larvae are transformed into cysticercus, and then into full-fledged adults. The latter penetrate into the intestine, attach to its mucous membrane and begin to grow, reaching maturity in about 2-2.5 months. At the same time, they cause numerous toxic and allergic reactions, irritate the inner surface of the organs with their suckers and absorb a large amount of nutrients that were originally intended for the owner, that is, for a person infected with teniasis. If there is any suspicion of teniasis, treatment should begin as soon as possible, since permanent poisoning with toxins leads to nervous disorders and other serious complications.since permanent poisoning with toxins leads to nervous disorders and other serious complications.since permanent poisoning with toxins leads to nervous disorders and other serious complications.
Teniosis - symptoms of the disease
Patients have the following symptoms of teniasis:
- bowel disorders;
- weakness;
- dizziness;
- nausea, vomiting;
- recurrent headaches;
- sleep disorders;
- stomach ache
Often, teniasis is accompanied by hypochromic anemia and cysticercosis of the brain, which partly explains the common neurological symptoms of the disease.
Diagnosis of teniasis
Diagnosis of teniasis is carried out on the basis of fecal samples from potential patients. The task of specialists in the diagnosis of teniasis is to identify the segments of the pork tapeworm, which sometimes turns into a rather serious problem, because the parasites are inactive and may not show their presence for a long time.
Treatment of teniasis
In the treatment of teniasis, pumpkin seeds and male fern extract are used. Medicines are used according to the following scheme: 2-3 days before taking the drugs, the patient is given only easily digestible food, and the day before - a saline laxative. On the day of the beginning of the course of treatment of teniasis, a person receives fern extract or pumpkin seeds, after 3 hours - again a laxative, after another hour - a light breakfast. The dose of drugs is selected based on the patient's age and body weight.
In recent years, when diagnosing teniasis, treatment often includes the use of fenasal or vermox. In the case of the latter drug, dietary compliance and the use of any laxatives are not required, which determines its widespread use and the gradual abandonment of outdated methods.
Prevention of teniasis
The most important rule in the prevention of teniasis: you need to buy products only at specially equipped points of sale. Spontaneous markets and even more so the distribution of meat from the hands are not such. Observe other basic precautions:
- check the mark on the meat and the veterinary certificate;
- boil or fry the meat well, since teniasis, or rather its pathogens, persists even with short-term exposure to high temperatures;
- do not try raw minced meat and other processed meat products.
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The information is generalized and provided for informational purposes only. At the first sign of illness, see your doctor. Self-medication is hazardous to health!
