Types and symptoms of subcutaneous parasites in humans

There are some parasites that can inhabit human skin. Such worms were first found in India, but now they are found in other latitudes. Parasites under the skin cause a lot of discomfort to a person and require treatment. They are not as dangerous as worms in other organs, but with a long course of the disease can lead to serious complications. In our article we will list all types of subcutaneous parasites, the symptoms of the diseases they provoke.

Varieties of subcutaneous parasites and methods of infection

If you want to know who is crawling under the skin, then the following subcutaneous parasites are found in humans:

1. Dirofilariaza. This disease provokes the larval stage of the nematode. Infection occurs when bitten by a mosquito (louse, flea or tick), which is a carrier of the disease. A sexually mature individual reaches a length of 30 cm, and the larva of this parasite is microscopic. After infection, it develops under a person's skin for 3 months. Cats and pets can also transmit the infection.
2. If we list what parasites live under the skin, then we can not fail to mention filariasis. Infection is caused by several types of nematodes. In this case, various diseases arise: oncocerciasis, dipetalonematosis, loiasis and mansonellosis. Worm carriers and their intermediate hosts are insects (mosquitoes, mice, horse flies, etc. ). They infect human filaria with larvae, as a result of which worms appear on the skin.
3. Another skin parasite in humans is the cysticercus larva. They provoke cysticercosis. Invasion occurs through the intestines, where worms penetrate with dirty hands, water or food. Cysticercus is an oval vesicle that contains the parasite scolex inside. Subcutaneous worms can vary from round to fusiform. Man acts as an intermediate master.
4. Schistosomiasis is a disease provoked by worms in a person from the order of trematodes. These are worms up to 2 cm long. The larvae of this parasite that can swim in water are cercariae. They can penetrate the human body directly through the skin. This infection can live in any organ, including under the skin.
5. Rishta is another worm under the skin. These white worms cause dracunculosis and are classified as large nematodes. Their intermediate hosts are water-dwelling copepods. First, the parasite enters the human stomach, and then from the retroperitoneal space penetrates the skin. Males reach a length of 10 cm, and females - 120 cm.

Symptoms of dirofilariasis

The larvae of this circulating parasite can spread throughout the body and settle in the eyes, pulmonary arteries, heart, serous cavities, perineral and subcutaneous fatty tissues. If there is an infection by a type of worm called Dirofilaria repens, the conjunctiva or subcutaneous fat is affected.

The signs and symptoms of this disease are as follows:

• painful seals appear at the site of insect bites;
• within two days in one-third of patients, there is a displacement of the seal by 20-30 cm from the site of the bite;
• a person may feel distension, burning, and itching at the site of the bite;
• has a feeling of crawling and shaking under the skin;
• periods of remission are followed by episodes of deterioration;
• subcutaneous worm provokes the appearance of abscesses and boils (inside them, a worm lives in the connective capsule);
• sometimes abscesses open on their own and white parasites crawl out of the skin.

If the conjunctiva is damaged, then the following symptoms appear:

• swelling, itching and watering of the eyes;
• the feeling that a foreign body is present in the eye or eyelid;
• a person can not fully open the eyelid;
• vision deteriorates;
• a worm can be seen under the conjunctiva;
• a nodule is visible under the skin of the eyelid;
• the person has a sensation of crawling under the skin or in the eyes;
• if the parasite enters the occiput of the eye, diplopia and swelling of the eye appear.

Important! Dirofilariasis is associated with neurosis, fear and insomnia. Also, the patient develops irritability, headache, general weakness and other signs.

Symptoms of filariasis

After invasion, filariasis can develop over several years. Different symptoms and signs can develop depending on the form of the disease. Common to these parasitic diseases will be the appearance of ulcers and skin rashes, damage to the eyes and lymph nodes, fever, development of elephantiasis of the scrotum and limbs, as it comes to muscle parasites.

Oncocerciza

With oncocerciasis, parasites on human muscles manifest with the following symptoms:

• itchy skin;
• feverish condition;
• weakness;
• dryness and peeling of the skin;
• hyperpigmentation of the skin (genitals, legs, armpits and groin);
• papular rash;
• erysipelas;
• papules can form long-term ulcers;
• under the skin, worms provoke atrophy of hair follicles, sweat glands and epidermis;
• painful fibrous nodules form under the skin;
• with eye damage, glaucoma, iridocyclitis, conjunctivitis, corneal cyst, keratitis and other eye diseases develop.

Dipetalonematosis

These subcutaneous worms in humans provoke the following symptoms:

• enlarged lymph nodes;
• erythematous or maculopapular rash;
• dizziness;
• ethe;
• swelling of the lower extremities, face and genitals;
• joint pain;
• heart pain;
• symptoms of meningoencephalitis.

Loiasis

Parasites that live under human skin, with loiasis, contribute to the appearance of the following clinical picture of the disease:

• skin rash;
• feverish condition;
• parasites on human muscles can provoke muscle abscesses;
• limb pain;
• swelling of the skin in limited areas, which does not go away for a long time;
• if parasites enter the eye, blepharitis or conjunctivitis develops;
• urinary disorder with localization of infection in the urethra.

Important! These subcutaneous parasites in humans can lead to complications in the form of meningitis, heart failure, encephalitis.

Mansoneloza

With this form of the disease, worms under the human skin can provoke the complex of the following symptoms:

• itchy redness;
• joint pain;
• feverish condition;
• swelling of the skin;
• testicular prolapse;
• numbness of the limbs;
• an increase in the inguinal lymph nodes.

Symptoms of cysticercosis

These parasites on human skin can easily penetrate with food into the digestive tract, where the embryonic membrane is dispersed and the larva appears. They enter the bloodstream and are carried throughout the body. After placement in certain organs, the larvae turn into cysticercus and provoke the following symptoms:

• multiple or single, painless, oval-like formations appear under the skin (usually localized on the inside of the shoulders, on the top of the chest, and on the palms of the hands);
• in seals, you can feel the cavity;
• over time, these seals grow;
• new formations appear;
• when performing an education histology, a cisticerk can be found inside;
• koshere;
• Rarely, the joints become irritated, but more often they do not change for many years and occasionally resolve on their own.

Symptoms of schistosomiasis

Schistosome larvae can penetrate human skin directly from the aquatic environment. Within a few hours, they can be in the bloodstream. With skin invasion, the following symptoms appear:

• koshere;
• severe itching;
• spotted rashes appear every other day.

Then comes a period of calm for a few weeks. In the circulatory system, schistosomes reach the stage of sexually mature individuals and migrate to the blood vessels of the genitourinary system. After a couple of months, the patient shows the following symptoms:

• dry cough;
• feverish condition;
• koshere;
• heavy sweating at night;
• enlargement of the liver;
• vaginal bleeding;
• blood in the urine;
• pathology of the prostate, kidneys and bladder;
• nodes in the genitals;
• infertility.

Important! In childhood, schistosomiasis contributes to decreased learning ability, anemia, developmental delay, and memory impairment.

Symptoms of Dracunculiasis

If a person drinks water containing infected copepods, then after their death, helminth larvae are released into the patient's digestive system. They penetrate the retroperitoneal space and migrate through the lymphatic system to the soft tissues. Only after 3 months, the female of this parasite can invade the skin or connective tissues for further development. As the female grows, the patient develops the characteristic symptoms of the disease:

• an allergic reaction to the infection appears only after 10-14 months in the form of urticaria, fainting, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and choking;
• a year later, a rishtosis bladder appears on the skin (its diameter reaches 2-7 cm, but there are no signs of inflammation);
• you can see a helminth in the bladder;
• after a few days, the bubble itself opens and the necrotic masses are rejected;
• at autopsy, the patient feels a burning sensation and sharp pain.

It's worth knowing! Ristose blisters are usually found on the skin of the feet, but can sometimes be on the stomach, arms and other parts of the body. Also, the female can be placed in the connective tissues of the joints. In this case his immobility, contracture and inflammation of the bag appear.

With a secondary infection, there may be phlegm, abscess, sepsis and gangrene. If a patient with an open bladder falls into a reservoir, then thousands of larvae will be swallowed again by cyclops crustaceans, which will cause the infection to spread further.