Prevention of parasite infestation

Looking at unpleasant pictures of parasites on the Internet and in magazines, many people think that this problem will definitely not affect them.But that is not the case, anyone can become infected with parasites!It has been proven that almost every person becomes the “home” of helminths and protozoa at least once during their life.

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

About parasites in numbers and facts

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

1. According to the WHO, more than 4.5 billion people worldwide suffer from parasitosis.Parasites cause 16 million deaths every year.
2. In Europe, one in three inhabitants is affected by parasite infestation.
3. More than 70% of people in our country are infected with toxoplasma - parasites that can cause vision loss and neurological disorders.
4. Every year at least 20% of children attending educational institutions get helminthiasis.
5. A human can be attacked by up to 15 species of protozoa and over 250 different species of worms at the same time.Helminthiasis accounts for approximately 89% of all parasitic infestations.

Parasites can affect not only the digestive tract, but also other vital organs - heart, liver, kidneys and brain.They migrate through the body and cause mechanical damage to organs and tissues, blockages of the bile ducts and inflammatory processes.In addition, they can cause reduced immunity, allergic reactions and oncological reactions.

What types of parasitosis are there?

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

• Geohelminthiasis- Diseases caused by parasites that spend one of their life cycles in the soil.The eggs of these parasites can survive in the soil for up to 7 years, survive severe frosts and remain invasive;
• Zooanthroponoses— Parasitic infestation that affects both humans and animals;
• pure anthroponoses- Diseases characteristic only of humans.

Parasitic infections also include infectious diseases 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 the home, public places, transportation;
• Food – poorly washed vegetables, fruits, raw or underprocessed meat, fish.Infection with parasites occurs particularly often in summer, when we enrich our diet with vitamins: fresh berries, vegetables, herbs.These products may contain soil grains and therefore eggs of parasites;
• Tap water, water in rivers, lakes.When swimming in a pond, parasites can enter the human body by absorbing water through the skin and mucous membranes.
• Pets.All animal owners are at high risk of becoming infected with zooanthroponoses;
• Sandboxes for children.For example, children's sandboxes may contain animal feces, which means there is a possibility of helminth infection.

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

There are a number of professions in which people are at high risk of becoming infected with parasites due to the nature of their work.These specialists include plumbers, workers in livestock farms, farms, the food industry and surface cleaners.

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

Principles of parasite prevention at a societal level

In our country, about 1 million patients with parasitic diseases are registered annually.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 is healed in time does not pose a danger to others.
2. Timely destruction of pathogens of parasitic infestation through disinfection and disinsection methods.This includes disinfecting wastewater, food and treating public places from insects.For example, treating mosquito resting areas can prevent diseases such as dirofilariasis.
3. Protection of the environment from contamination by substrates containing parasites.This is, first of all, the timely disinfection of cesspools and the prevention of the use of fresh animal feces as fertilizer in agriculture.These requirements are anchored in law and require strict implementation.
4. Prevention of parasite infestation by chemotherapy drugs.For example, if you are traveling to the tropics or places where malaria is endemic, taking antimalarial medication is necessary.Such funds prevent the development of malaria even in the event of a possible infection.The same also applies to the professional groups of the population.At certain times, chemoprophylaxis against parasitic infestation is recommended for workers in animal husbandry and agricultural operations.
5. Immunoprophylaxis or immunization of the population in areas where parasitic infestation occurs.This measure is more about preventing protozoan infections than helminthiasis.
6. Improving the general hygiene culture of the population.

Personal parasite prevention measures

There is no miracle cure that can protect a person from all parasite infestations.The prevention of a parasite infection is diverse 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 developing parasitosis:

• personal hygiene: washing hands thoroughly after visiting public places, contact with pets, before eating;
• regular wet cleaning of the apartment with disinfectants;
• regular boiling of bed linen and underwear;
• Purchase of meat products from authorized trading venues;
• sufficient heat treatment of meat and fish, which should last at least 30 minutes.Another effective way to combat parasites is to pre-freeze fish and meat.
• Wash vegetables, fruits and herbs thoroughly and treat with boiling water;
• drinking bottled and boiled water;
• protect food from insects;
• regular screening 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 spices with antiparasitic effects.Today, more than 50 plant species are known that have a harmful effect on parasites:

• calamus roots.The plant is able to infect the nervous system of parasites and expel them from tissues and organs;
• Marshmallow roots.Acts on parasites that live in the blood and muscle tissue;
• Basil leaves and stems.The antiparasitic effect of basil is similar to that of marshmallow;
• Berries, stems, leaves, roots of barberry.The plant is particularly effective against parasites that attack the liver;
• Clove.The effectiveness of cloves against parasites has been known since ancient times.Cloves are destructive to flatworms, tapeworms, roundworms and protozoa.In addition, it is effective against bacteria and viruses;
• Pomegranate.Not only pomegranate fruits, but also the peel have an antiparasitic effect.Pomegranate peels can be used to make tea;
• Roots, flowers of elecampane.They kill parasites that affect the digestive tract and nervous system.In addition, the plant removes toxins from the body;
• the aerial part of oregano used to make teas.The plant has a harmful effect on protozoa, fungi and opportunistic microorganisms;
• St. John's wort.Actively fights against luminal parasites that live in the interstitial space of the colon;
• Ginger roots.Can expel parasites from the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts.The plant has not only antiparasitic, but also anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory properties;
• Fruits, seeds, flowers of viburnum.The plant expels parasites from the bronchopulmonary tract, genitourinary tract and gastrointestinal tract.In addition, it has an anti-inflammatory effect;
• Cardamom seeds.They have a strong effect on the larval stages of parasites and protozoa and have an antifungal effect;
• Coriander seeds (coriander) are a common plant often used in salads.Good for repelling intestinal parasites;
• Cinnamon.Does not lose antiparasitic properties even after heat treatment;
• Nettle.Effective against parasites that affect the skin, intestines and respiratory organs;
• Incense.It has a particularly harmful effect on parasites of the respiratory and nervous systems;
• Roots, leaves, stems of burdock.Helps eliminate parasites in the bronchopulmonary tree and lymphatic system.

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

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

Regardless, it is worth looking at the effects of garlic.Among folk remedies for parasites, garlic enemas occupy one of the first places.However, in fact, this method is ineffective and very dangerous.Most parasites live in the small intestine, which is not affected by the enema.A possible complication after a garlic enema is a burn of the intestinal lining.