Prevention of parasite infestation

Seeing unpleasant images of parasites on the Internet and magazines, many people think that this problem will definitely not affect them.But that's not the case, anyone can be infected with parasites!It has been proven that during the course of life, almost every person at least once becomes a "home" for helminths and protozoa.

How about?The solution to this problem is competent prevention, which we will discuss in this article.

About parasites in facts and figures

Despite the development of modern medicine, the prevention of parasitosis is still relevant today.The need for preventive measures is evidenced by the following figures and facts:

1. According to the WHO, there are more than 4.5 billion people in the world who suffer from parasitosis.Parasites cause 16 million deaths each year.
2. In Europe, every third population is affected by parasitic infestations.
3. More than 70% of people in our country are infected with toxoplasma - a parasite that can cause vision loss and neurological disorders.
4. Every year, at least 20% of children attending educational institutions fall ill with helminthiasis.
5. A person can be attacked simultaneously by up to 15 species of protozoa and over 250 different species of worms.Helminthiasis accounts for approximately 89% of all parasitic infestations.

Parasites can affect not only the digestive tract, but also other important organs - the heart, liver, kidneys, and brain.Traveling throughout the body, they cause mechanical damage to organs and tissues, blockage of bile ducts, and inflammatory processes.In addition, they can cause a decrease in immunity, allergic reactions, and oncology.

What are the types of parasitosis?

There are many parasitic diseases.The most common of them include:

• geohelminthiasis- a disease caused by parasites that spend one of their life cycles in the soil.The eggs of this parasite can live in the soil for up to 7 years, survive severe frosts and remain invasive;
• zooanthroponoses— parasitic infestations that affect both humans and animals;
• pure anthroponoses- diseases characteristic only of humans.

Separately between parasitic attacks, infectious diseases are distinguished, in which parasites can be transmitted from person to person.

How can a person become infected with parasites?

Sources of parasitic diseases can be:

• household items in apartments, public places, transportation;
• food - vegetables, fruits that are not washed well, raw or insufficiently processed meat, fish.Infection with parasites is very common in the summer, when we enrich the diet with vitamins: fresh berries, vegetables, herbs.This product may contain soil particles, and therefore parasite eggs;
• tap water, river water, lake.While swimming in the pool, parasites can enter the human body through the skin, mucous membranes, as a result of swallowing water;
• pets.All pet owners have a high probability of contracting zooanthroponoses;
• children's sandbox.For example, a child's sandbox may contain animal feces, which means there is a possibility of helminth infection.

A common cause of parasitic infections is poor personal hygiene.Infection can occur if you do not wash your hands after visiting a public place, using the toilet, handling money, working in your garden, preparing fish, meat or salad.

There are some professions where people, due to the nature of their activities, have a high probability of contracting parasites.These specialists include plumbers, workers in livestock farms, agricultural enterprises, the food industry and area cleaners.

There are also parasites carried by insects.For example, flies, mosquitoes.

Principles of parasite prevention at the community level

In our country, about 1 million patients with parasitic diseases are registered every year.In this regard, preventive measures have been developed to prevent the spread of parasitosis.The basic principles of prevention include:

1. Timely identification and treatment of patients with parasitosis.A person who recovers in time does not pose a threat to others.
2. Timely destruction of parasitic attack pathogens using disinfection and disinfection methods.This includes disinfection of waste water, food, and treatment of public places from insects.For example, treating resting areas for mosquitoes can prevent diseases such as dirofilariasis.
3. Protection of the environment from contamination by substrates containing parasites.First of all, this is timely disinfection and prevention of the use of fresh animal feces as fertilizer in agriculture.These requirements are enshrined in law and require strict implementation.
4. Prevention of parasitic attacks using chemotherapeutic agents.For example, when traveling to tropical areas or to places where malaria is endemic, it is necessary to use antimalarial drugs.Such drugs prevent the development of malaria even with the possibility of infection.The same can be said about the population's professional group.During certain periods, chemoprophylaxis of parasite attacks is recommended for workers on livestock farms and agricultural farms.
5. Immunoprophylaxis or immunization of the population in the area of development of parasite attacks.This step is more concerned with the prevention of infection with protozoa than with helminthiases.
6. Improve the general hygiene culture of the population.

Personal parasite prevention measures

There is no magic medicine that can protect a person from all parasitic attacks.The prevention of parasitic infections is multifaceted and includes many aspects.Preventive measures depend on the type of parasite, its development cycle, and how it enters the human body.

However, we can highlight basic rules that can reduce the risk of getting parasitosis:

• personal hygiene: wash hands thoroughly after visiting public places, contact with pets, before eating;
• regular wet cleaning of the apartment with a disinfectant;
• regular boiling of bedding and underwear;
• buy meat products at authorized trading places;
• adequate heat treatment for meat and fish, which should be at least 30 minutes.Another effective way to combat parasites is to freeze fish and meat first;
• wash and treat vegetables, fruits, and herbs thoroughly with boiling water;
• drink bottled water and boiled water;
• protect food from insects;
• routine examination for parasites.

Plants that can protect against parasitosis

An effective measure to prevent infection by helminths and protozoa is to enrich the diet with plants and seasonings with antiparasitic effects.Today, more than 50 plant species are known to have an adverse effect on parasites:

• calamus root.The plant is able to infect the nervous system of the parasite and expel it from tissues and organs;
• marshmallow root.Acts on parasites that live in the blood and muscle tissue;
• basil leaves and stems.The antiparasitic effects of basil are similar to those of marshmallows;
• barberry berries, stems, leaves, roots.This plant is very effective against parasites that attack the liver;
• carnation.The effectiveness of cloves against parasites has been known since ancient times.Cloves destroy flatworms, tapeworms, roundworms, and protozoa.In addition, it is effective against bacteria and viruses;
• pomegranate fruit.Not only the pomegranate, but also the skin has an antiparasitic effect.Pomegranate skin can be used to make tea;
• root, flower elecampane.They kill parasites that infect the digestive tract and nervous system.In addition, plants remove toxins from the body;
• the top of the ground oregano, which is used to make tea.The plant has an adverse effect on protozoa, fungi, and opportunistic microorganisms;
• St.John's wort.Actively fights luminal parasites that live in the interstitial space of the colon;
• ginger root.Able to expel parasites from the respiratory system and gastrointestinal tract.The plant not only has antiparasitic properties, but also anti-inflammatory, immunomodulator;
• fruits, seeds, flowers viburnum.The plant expels parasites from the bronchopulmonary, urogenital, and gastrointestinal tracts.In addition, it has an anti-inflammatory effect;
• cardamom seeds.They have a strong effect on the larval stage of parasites and protozoa, and have an antifungal effect;
• Coriander seeds (coriander) are a common herb that is often used in salads.Good at expelling intestinal parasites;
• cinnamon.Does not lose its antiparasitic properties even after heat treatment;
• nettle.Effective against parasites that affect the skin, intestines, and respiratory organs;
• incense.It has a very bad effect on parasites of the respiratory system and the nervous system;
• roots, leaves, stems of common burdock.Helps eliminate parasites located in the bronchopulmonary tree and lymphatic system.

Watercress, red pepper, sesame, alfalfa, raspberry, juniper, birch, mint, wormwood, dandelion, parsley, tansy, chamomile, rhubarb, walnut leaves, fennel, and garlic also have a negative effect on parasites.

Plants with antiparasitic properties should be used only in prophylactic doses.For example, plants such as St. wort.John, yarrow, tansy in large quantities are poisonous and excess is dangerous.If you are unsure about the safety of a particular plant, be sure to consult an expert.

Separately, it is worth thinking about the effect of garlic.Among folk remedies for parasites, garlic enema occupies one of the first places.But in fact, this method is ineffective and very dangerous.Most parasites live in the small intestine, which is unaffected by enemas.A possible complication after a garlic enema is a burn on the intestinal mucosa.