Types and symptoms of subcutaneous parasites in humans

There are several parasites that can infect human skin. Such worms were first found in India, but are now found in other latitudes as well. Parasites under the skin cause great 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 they can lead to serious complications. In our article, we will list all types of subcutaneous parasites, the symptoms of the disease they cause.

Types of subcutaneous parasites and methods of infection

If you want to know who gets under the skin, then humans have the following subcutaneous parasites:

1. Heartworm disease. This disease causes the larval phase of the nematode. Infection occurs when a mosquito (lice, fleas or ticks) bites, which is a carrier of the disease. The 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. Domestic cats and dogs can also transmit the infection.
2. If we list which parasites live under the skin, then we can not fail to mention filariasis. The infection is caused by certain types of nematodes. In this case, various diseases occur: onchocerciasis, dipetalonematosis, loyasis and mansonellosis. Carriers of worms and their intermediate hosts are insects (mosquitoes, flies, horse flies, etc. ). They infect human filariasis with larvae, which is why worms appear in the skin.
3. Another skin parasite in humans are cysticercus larvae. They provoke cysticercosis. Invasion occurs through the intestines, where worms penetrate with dirty hands, water or food. A cysticercus is an oval bladder that contains a scolex of parasites. Subcutaneous worms can change from round to spindle-shaped. The man behaves like a middle master.
4. Schistosomiasis is a disease caused by worms in a trematode. These are butterflies up to 2 cm long. The larvae of this parasite, which 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 dracunculiasis and are classified as large nematodes. Their intermediate hosts are copepods that live in water. The parasite first enters the human stomach and then penetrates the skin from the retroperitoneal space. Males reach a length of 10 cm, and females - 120 cm.

Symptoms of heartworm disease

The larvae of this parasite can spread through the bloodstream throughout the body and settle in the eyes, pulmonary artery, heart, serous cavities, perirenal adipose tissue and under the skin. If there is an invasion of 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 a few days in one third of patients there is a shift of the seal by 20-30 cm from the bite site;
• the person may feel bloating, tingling, and itching at the site of the bite;
• there is a feeling of crawling and moving under the skin;
• periods of remission are followed by episodes of exacerbation;
• subcutaneous worm causes abscesses and ulcers (inside them the worm lives in a connecting capsule);
• sometimes the abscesses open on their own and white parasites crawl out of the skin.

If the conjunctiva is damaged, then the following symptoms are present:

• swelling, itching and watery eyes;
• feeling that a foreign body is present in the eye or eyelid;
• the person cannot fully open the lid;
• vision worsens;
• below the conjunctiva a worm can be seen;
• a nodule under the eyelid skin is visible;
• the person has a feeling of crawling under the skin or in the eye;
• if the parasite enters the eyeball, diplopia and bulging of the eye occur.

Bitan! Heartworm disease is accompanied by neurosis, fears and insomnia. Also, the patient develops irritability, headache, general weakness and other signs.

Symptoms of filariasis

After invasion, filariasis can develop over several years. Depending on the form of the disease, different symptoms and signs may develop. Common for these parasitic diseases will be the appearance of ulcers and skin rashes, damage to the eyes and lymph nodes, fever, the development of elephant disease of the scrotum and limbs, because they are muscle parasites.

Onchocerciasis

In onchocerciasis, parasites in human muscles are manifested by the following symptoms:

• itchy skin;
• feverish state;
• weakness;
• dryness and peeling of the skin;
• skin hyperpigmentation (genitals, legs, axillary and inguinal folds);
• papular rash;
• erysipelas;
• papules can form long-lasting ulcers;
• under the skin, worms cause atrophy of hair follicles, sweat glands and epidermis;
• painful fibrous nodules form under the skin;
• glaucoma, iridocyclitis, conjunctivitis, corneal cysts, keratitis and other eye diseases develop with eye damage.

Dipetalonematosis

These subcutaneous worms cause the following symptoms in humans:

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

Loiasis

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

• skin rash;
• feverish state;
• parasites in human muscles can cause muscle abscesses;
• limb pain;
• swelling of the skin in limited areas, which does not last long;
• if parasites enter the eyes, blepharitis or conjunctivitis develops;
• urinary disorder with localization of infection in the urethra.

Bitan! These subcutaneous parasites in humans can lead to complications such as meningitis, heart failure, encephalitis.

Mansonellosis

In this form of the disease, worms under human skin can cause the following complex of symptoms:

• itchy rash;
• joint pain;
• feverish state;
• skin swelling;
• testicular mill;
• numbness of the limbs;
• enlargement of 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 dissolves and the larva erupts. They enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body. After settling in certain organs, the larvae turn into a cysticercus and cause the following symptoms:

• multiple or single, tumorous, painless oval-shaped formations appear under the skin (usually localized on the inner side of the shoulders, on the top of the chest and on the palms);
• a cavity can be felt in the seals;
• over time, these seals grow;
• new formations appear;
• when conducting the histology of education, a cysticercus can be found inside;
• hives;
• the nodules seldom fester, 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. They can be in the bloodstream within a few hours. The following symptoms occur with skin invasion:

• hives;
• severe itching;
• freckled rashes appear every other day.

Then comes a period of lull for several weeks. In the circulatory system, schistosomes reach the stage of fully mature individuals and migrate to the vasculature of the genitourinary system. After a few months, the patient develops the following symptoms:

• dry cough;
• feverish state;
• hives;
• heavy sweating at night;
• liver enlargement;
• vaginal bleeding;
• blood in urine;
• prostate, kidney and bladder pathology;
• genital nodules;
• infertility.

Bitan! In childhood, schistosomiasis contributes to learning disabilities, anemia, developmental delays, and memory impairment.

Symptoms of dracunculiasis

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

• allergic reaction to infection occurs only after 10-14 months in the form of urticaria, fainting, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and suffocation;
• a year later a blister with rhizotosis appears on the skin (its diameter reaches 2-7 cm, but there are no signs of inflammation);
• you can see helminths in the bladder;
• after a few days, the bladder itself opens and the necrotic masses are discarded;
• at autopsy the patient feels tingling and sharp pain.

Worth to know! Ristosis blisters are usually found on the skin of the feet, but can sometimes be found on the abdomen, arms and other parts of the body. Also, the female can settle in the connective tissue of the joints. In this case, his immobility, contracture and inflammation of the sac appear.

Phlegmon, abscesses, sepsis and gangrene can occur with secondary infection. If a patient with an open bladder enters the reservoir, cyclops cancers will swallow thousands of larvae again, which will cause further spread of the infection.