| Parasites |
Parasites have become increasingly the cause of disease in recent years. This is especially true of parasites that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract. Years of poor eating habits, overuse of medication, and increased exposure to these organisms is creating an increase in the number of people suffering symptoms of parasitic invasion. Many Americans think of parasitic infections as something that occurs only in other, less developed parts of the world. This may be true for certain individual parasitic diseases like malaria. Some estimates indicate that as many as 85% of all Americans have at least one kind of parasite and many people are not even aware of their problem. There is an amazing number of parasites that can infest various areas of the human body, even the brain. We will be looking at intestinal parasites, those organisms that invade the digestive tract, particularly protozoa (including giardia, cryptosporidia, and entamoebas) and different types of worms (flatworms. tapeworms, flukes, hookworms, pinworms, and roundworms). All of these parasites live by feeding off the cells and tissue of the infected person |
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The number of symptoms and health problems that can be traced to intestinal and other parasites can be amazing. They include indigestion, constipation, gas, bloating, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, depression, skin rashes, headaches, insomnia, anemia, joint pains, and a feeling of being unwell. There have even been cases in which people with all the symptoms of other disorders- among them allergies, asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), heart disease, and cancer were found really to be suffering from parasites. Giardiasis, or infestation with the protozoan Giardia lamblia, is one of the more common parasitic disorders that afflicts human beings. It can be transmitted through contaminated food or water as well as by direct or indirect contact with body fluids of an infected person. Symptoms, which are usually relatively mild, can include general abdominal discomfort, burping, flatulence, and foul smelling diarrhea. If the infestation is severe, it can lead to problems with the absorption of nutrients. Cryptosporidia are tiny ( a few thousandths of a millimeter in diameter) protozoal organisms that are spread primarily through contaminated water and food, though they can also be spread from person to person. In a previously healthy person, they cause explosive watery diarrhea and abdominal cramping. Symptoms come on quickly and also resolve quickly, usually about a week van later. People who have a depressed immune function, such as cancer patients and people who are HIV-positive, crypasthtosporidia pose a particular problem. In these people, the diarrhea is usually more severe and the condition may even become chronic and life threatening. While most of the municipal water supplies are tested to make sure to they contain no more than "acceptable" levels of these P tracasites levels deemed not likely to make a healthy person sick ... levels lower than that may very well cause illness in a person with low immune function. Numerous cases of cryptosporidiosis are believed to have been caused by drinking supposedly safe tap water. There have also been incidents in recent years in which cryptosporidia in ground water have proliferated beyond the so called acceptable point, causing entire communities to be advised to either boil their tap water before using it or, preferably, to use bottled water instead. Infection with entamoebas is a more chronic problem, even in previously healthy people. While in some people these organisms cause no specific symptoms, others experience periodic flare-ups of gas, abdominal pain, cramping, and diarrhea, often alternating with constipation symptoms that can be confused with those of ulcerative colitis or irritable bowel syndrome. Some people notice blood or mucus in the stools, and the abdomen may be tender to the touch. In severe cases, a fever may be present. Without treatment, symptoms can recur for life and lead to nutritional deficiencies such as anemia. Infestation with any of the various forms of worms most often starts with accidental ingestion of worm eggs, embryos, or cysts (structures containing larvae sealed within a protective shell or envelope), usually a result of contaminated or improperly prepared food. Hookworms, however, are contracted when worm larvae from contaminated soil penetrate the skin. Whatever the port of entry, the organisms eventually migrate to the intestines and attach themselves to the intestinal wall, where they begin to feed. They may or may not cause such symptoms as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. If the infestation is severe enough, weight loss and malnutrition may occur. In particularly severe or long standing cases, the worms can grow so big, they cause blockage of the digestive tract. Pinworms, a comparatively common type of worm infestation that is seen mainly in children, also cause severe anal itching as the female worms migrate to the anus at night to lay their eggs. The egg deposit is itchy and irritating to the delicate tissues in the area. This makes it likely the affected person will scratch, and if some of the eggs end up on the hands, and spread the infection to others or re-infect themselves. Getting an accurate diagnosis of intestinal parasites is made complicated by the fact that the symptoms are so variable and mimic those of other diseases. Many doctors simply do not think of parasites as a cause of health problems unless other possibilities have been exhausted. |
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