What are Helminths? How many types are there?

Helminths are small creatures that live in the bodies of other animals or humans (Host). They are a type of parasite in the human body. They live in the bodies of living things to find food and grow. The dangerous thing is that they can cause various diseases in the body of the infected person, such as flatulence, bloating, weight loss, and other symptoms depending on the type, location, and pathogenesis in the body. In some cases, it can be as severe as liver cancer. In general, worms can be divided into the following types: 

Roundworms (Nematodes)

For example, roundworms (Ascaris), threadworms (Pinworm), hookworms (Hookworms) are found to cause disease in the intestines and digestive tract. Strongyloides (Strongyloides) and hookworms (Hook worm) are parasites that can burrow into soft tissues, skin and various organs of the body, etc.

Tapeworms and Cestodes

It has a flat body divided into segments, for example, pork tapeworm (Taenia Solium) and beef tapeworm (Taenia Saginata) are transmitte by consuming raw or undercooked food from pork and beef. Inside the muscles of these meats are cysts containing the ufabet https://ufabet999.app larvae of the parasite (Cysticerci). The larvae will develop into adult parasites in the small intestine, visible to the nake eye and can be several meters long. It has found to cause disease in various organs such as the intestines, liver, muscles or brain, etc.

Trematodes (Flukes)

The body is flat and not divided into segments. Examples include blood flukes, liver flukes, lung flukes, and intestinal flukes. They are transmit through consuming raw or undercook fish and freshwater animals.

How do parasites enter the body?

• Oral:  Eating unclean, unheated or undercooked food and water, such as raw meat and raw vegetables, can contaminate eggs or larvae and enter the body, such as tapeworms and liver flukes.
  
• Through the skin,  from contact, touching or walking barefoot on soil, sand, ground that has parasites that can enter through the skin, or touching parasite eggs, through touching objects, infecte people then touching their mouths without washing their hands at risk of being infected with roundworms or threadworms, etc.

What are the symptoms of worm disease? 

Symptoms of worm disease depend on the type, species, and pathogenicity or abnormality of each worm that enters the body. Generally, symptoms that can found include:

• stomach ache
• diarrhea
• squeamish
• vomit
• Flatulence
• Often hungry
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• There are parasite eggs in the feces.
• Itching around the anus, especially at night, is often cause by threadworm infection. Because the mated female worms come out to lay eggs around the patient’s anus. Sometimes, they may come out to lay eggs in the vagina of girls, causing itching of the vagina. 
• Cough or phlegm 
• Tired and exhausted
• Body aches
• There is a rash or redness on the skin.
• Have hepatitis or jaundice 

Dangers of parasitic diseases 

Parasitic diseases can cause malnutrition, leading to fatigue, weight loss, paleness or anemia  , and can cause chronic gastrointestinal problems, causing chronic diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain or bloating. Meanwhile, some species, such as tapeworms and flukes, can spread to organs such as the liver, lungs and brain, causing inflammation, weakened immunity or potentially life-threatening complications.