Echinococcosis
Causes and symptoms of echinococcosis
What is echinococcosis?
Echinococcosis belongs to the class of rare chronic diseases. This is a parasitic disease that provokes the larval form of the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus.
The adult, or sexually mature, form has the shape of a small cestode, the length of which is from 2.5 to 5.4 mm, the width is 0.25–0.8 mm. It consists of a neck, 3-4 segments and a pear-shaped scolex. In turn, the scolex is equipped with a crown of two rows of 28 to 50 hooks and four suction cups. Segments and a short neck are located behind the scolex. The first two segments are immature, the third is hermaphrodite, and the fourth is already mature.
The length of the mature segment is from 1.27 to 3.17 mm, it is completely filled with the stretched uterus. It is a wide and longitudinal barrel. The uterus is completely filled with eggs, about 400-600 of them. The eggs are no different in their structure from the eggs of pork and bovine tapeworms, which contain a six-hooked larva inside.
The sexually mature form is an echinococcus tapeworm. It parasitizes and develops only in animals: wolves, jackals, dogs, foxes, they are also their final owners.
The larval stage is an echinococcal cyst. It parasitizes the so-called intermediate hosts, these are animals - herbivores and omnivores: sheep, horses, pigs, cattle, goats and so on - and humans.
Man is an intermediate host and biological dead end.
Echinococcosis symptoms
At the moment, there are 4 main stages of echinococcosis:
- the first, or latent (initial asymptomatic) - from the moment of invasion until the first signs appear; - the second - its symptoms are mild, with predominantly subjective disorders; - third - the symptoms of this stage are already sharply expressed objectively; - the fourth stage is characterized by complications.
It is difficult to predict the development of any of the stages of the disease, since the echinococcal cyst develops very slowly. It should be noted only that the increase in the increase in symptoms directly depends on the localization of the echinococcus. For example, we can say that a cyst that begins its development in the peripheral parts of the liver can develop over the course of many years.
In the initial stages of the course of the disease, clinical symptoms are rather scarce. They begin to appear when the tumor reaches a significant size or already in the case when the cyst begins to press on an important organ and disrupt its normal functioning.
Diagnosis of echinococcosis
It is always difficult to diagnose echinococcosis. There are general clinical methods for diagnosing echinococcosis. But in recent years, methods such as selective angiography of the celiac artery, transumbilical portohepatography, scanning using radioactive isotopes, and computed tomography have begun to be added to them. Scanning with radioactive isotopes is used to diagnose liver echinococcosis.
The methods of immunodiagnostics that are used to diagnose echinococcosis are quite wide. The Koni reaction is considered to be a specific laboratory diagnosis. She shows a positive result in 89-90% of cases with echinococcus. Koni's reaction is a procedure for injecting 0.2 ml of sterile echinococcal fluid subcutaneously. If the reaction is positive, then redness will appear at the place where the injection was made, and after that there will be a continuous and intense redness, or, in other words, cutaneous anaphylaxis.
Serological tests are used for diagnosis.
Previously, the reactions of latexagglutination and scolexoprecipitation were used, but at the moment they are not used in the diagnosis of echinococcosis.
Echinococcosis reasons
In human echinococcosis, the dog occupies a key position as the final owner. Dogs can get echinococcosis by eating garbage. Another possible source of infection for dogs can be hunting products. These are the affected organs or corpses of wild herbivores.
In humans, infection occurs mainly from dirty hands. Infection comes from contact with a dog, in which an accumulation of echinococcus tapeworms may be on the coat or tongue. Animals can also be mechanical egg transmitters. They get them from similar contact with a sick dog.
It is possible that a person can become infected with echinococcosis through the consumption of vegetables and fruits that have not been pretreated or washed. Pathogens can get on fruits and vegetables with the feces of dogs, which contained oncospheres.
Wild carnivores can be another source of infection. From them you can get an infection while hunting, as well as when cutting skins and making fur clothing. You can also get infected by eating unwashed forest berries and water from natural reservoirs.
At risk are those people who work in sheep-breeding areas. These are shepherds, shepherds, sheared sheep, and all those who have contact with these people are no exception and their families.
Prevention of echinococcosis
The basis for the prevention of echinococcosis is a complex of veterinary and medical measures. It is specifically aimed at identifying and eradicating the source of echinococcosis infection. The official instructions say about the reduction and registration of the number of service guard dogs, as well as about the registration and destruction of all stray animals.
Farm veterinarians should take preventive measures.
Also, medical measures include the identification of infected decreed groups by examination. An important role is played by sanitary and educational work.
With regard to personal prevention, it should consist in limiting all kinds of contact with dogs, and also prohibiting children from playing with dogs. If contact does occur, you should wash your hands thoroughly. This procedure must be done every time after working with the ground, playing in the yard or garden. Eating unwashed vegetables and fruits should be avoided; it is necessary to heat-treat mushrooms collected in the forest. You should not drink water from natural reservoirs that has not been pre-boiled.
Article author: Mochalov Pavel Alexandrovich | d. m. n. therapist
Education: Moscow Medical Institute. IM Sechenov, specialty - "General Medicine" in 1991, in 1993 "Occupational Diseases", in 1996 "Therapy".
