Prevention of parasitic infestations

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

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

About parasites in facts and figures

Despite the development of modern medicine, the prevention of parasitosis remains relevant even today.The need for preventive measures is demonstrated 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 parasites.Parasites cause 16 million deaths every year.
2. In Europe, one in three residents 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 schools 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 vital organs: 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 decreased immunity, allergic reactions and oncology.

What are the types of parasites?

There are many parasitic diseases.The most common 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, surviving strong frosts and remaining invasive;
• zooanthroponosis— parasitic infestations affecting both people and animals;
• anthroponosis as well- diseases characteristic only of humans.

Separately among parasitic infestations, contagious 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, transport;
• food: vegetables, fruit, raw or insufficiently processed meat, poorly washed fish.Infection with parasites is especially common in summer, when we enrich the diet with vitamins: fresh berries, vegetables, herbs.These products may contain grains of earth, and therefore parasite eggs;
• tap water, river water, lakes.While swimming in a pond, parasites can enter the human body through the skin, mucous membranes, as a result of ingesting water;
• pets.All pet owners have a high chance of contracting zooanthroponosis;
• 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 parasite infection is poor personal hygiene.Infection can occur if you do not wash your hands after visiting public places, using the bathroom, handling money, working in the garden, preparing fish, meat or salads.

There are numerous professions in which people, due to the nature of their activities, have a high probability of becoming infected with parasites.These specialists include plumbers, workers on livestock farms, farms, the food industry and cleaners.

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

Principles of parasite prevention at a social level

In our country, approximately 1 million patients suffering from 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 recovered in time does not pose a threat to others.
2. Timely destruction of pathogens of parasitic infestations by disinfection and disinfection methods.This includes disinfection of wastewater, food and the treatment of insects in public places.For example, treating mosquito resting areas can prevent diseases such as heartworms.
3. Protection of the environment from contamination by substrates containing parasites.First of all, it concerns the timely disinfection of cesspools and the 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 infestations using chemotherapeutic agents.For example, when traveling to the tropics or places where malaria is endemic, it is necessary to use antimalarial drugs.These remedies prevent the development of malaria even in the event of a possible infection.The same can be said about professional groups of the population.In certain periods, chemoprophylaxis against parasitic infestations is recommended to workers on livestock and agricultural businesses.
5. Immunoprophylaxis or immunization of the population in areas where parasitic infestations are developing.This measure is more about preventing protozoan infection than helminthiasis.
6. Improve the general health culture of the population.

Personal antiparasitic prevention measures

There is no magic remedy that can protect a person from all parasitic infestations.Prevention of parasitic infection is multifaceted and includes many aspects.Prevention measures depend on the type of parasite, its development cycle and how it enters the human body.

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

• personal hygiene: thorough hand washing after visiting public places, contact with pets, before eating;
• regular cleaning of the apartment with disinfectants;
• regular boiling of bed linen and underwear;
• purchase meat products in authorized retail outlets;
• sufficient heat treatment of meat and fish, which should last at least 30 minutes.Another effective way to combat parasites is to prefreeze fish and meat;
• wash and treat vegetables, fruit and herbs thoroughly with boiling water;
• drink bottled and boiled water;
• protect food from insects;
• regular screening for parasites.

Plants that can protect against parasites

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

• calamus roots.The plant is capable of infecting the nervous system of parasites and expelling them from tissues and organs;
• marshmallow roots.It 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;
• carnation.The effectiveness of cloves against parasites has been known since ancient times.Cloves are destructive to flatworms, tapeworms, roundworms and protozoa.Furthermore, it is effective against bacteria and viruses;
• pomegranate.Not only the 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 infect the digestive tract and nervous system.Furthermore, the plant removes toxins from the body;
• the above-ground part of oregano, which is used to prepare herbal teas.The plant has a harmful effect on protozoa, fungi and opportunistic microorganisms;
• St. John's Wort.Actively fights luminal parasites living in the interstitial space of the colon;
• ginger roots.Able to expel parasites from the respiratory system and gastrointestinal tract.The plant not only has antiparasitic properties, but also anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties;
• fruits, seeds, flowers of viburnum.The plant expels parasites from the bronchopulmonary tree, urogenital and gastrointestinal tracts.Furthermore, it has an anti-inflammatory effect;
• cardamom seeds.They have a powerful effect on the larval stages of parasites and protozoa and have an antifungal effect;
• Coriander (coriander) seeds are a common plant that is often used in salads.Excellent in expelling intestinal parasites;
• cinnamon.It does not lose its anti-parasitic 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 system and nervous system;
• roots, leaves, stems of common burdock.Helps eliminate parasites located in the bronchopulmonary tree and lymphatic system.

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

Separately, it is worth dwelling on the effect of garlic.Among folk remedies against parasites, garlic enemas occupy one of the first places.But in reality 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 to the intestinal mucosa.