Types and symptoms of subcutaneous parasites in humans

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

Types of subcutaneous parasites and methods of infection

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

1. Dirofilariosis. This disease causes the larval stage of the nematode. Infection occurs when a mosquito (flea, flea or mite) bites, which is a carrier of the disease. The length of a sexually mature individual reaches 30 cm, and the larva of this parasite is microscopic. It develops under the human skin within 3 months after infection. Domestic cats and dogs can also transmit the infection.
2. If we list what parasites live under the skin, then we can not mention the filariasis. Infection is caused by certain types of nematodes. In this case, various diseases arise: oncocerciasis, diphthalonematosis, loiasis and mansellosis. Carriers of worms and their intermediate hosts are insects (mosquitoes, worms, horse flies, etc. ). They infect human filariasis with larvae, causing worms to appear on the skin.
3. Another skin parasite in humans is the cysticercus larvae. They provoke cysticercosis. Invasion occurs through the intestines, where worms reach through dirty hands, water, or food. Cysticercus is an oval vesicle that contains the parasite scolex inside. Subcutaneous worms can change from round to fusiform. Man acts as an intermediate master.
4. Schistosomiasis is a disease provoked in humans by a series of trematodes from worms. These are worms 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 subcutaneously. These white worms cause dracunculosis and are classified as large nematodes. Their intermediate hosts are water-dwelling copepods. The parasite first enters the human stomach and then penetrates the skin from the retroperitoneal space. The length of males reaches 10 cm, while females - 120 cm.

Symptoms of dirofilariasis

The larvae of this parasite along with blood vessels can spread throughout the body and settle in the eyes, pulmonary artery, heart, serous cavities, peritoneal adipose tissue, and subcutaneously. If an invasive type of worm called the Dirofilaria repens invades, the conjunctiva or subcutaneous fat is damaged.

The signs and symptoms of this disease are as follows:

• Painful rings appear at the site of the insect bite;
• In a few days, a third of patients move the hatch 20-30 cm from the bite site;
• The person may feel bloating, burning, and itching at the site of the bite;
• There is a feeling of crawling and spinning under the skin;
• Periods of remission are followed by episodes of exacerbation;
• Subcutaneous worm provokes the appearance of abscesses and fermentation (inside them the worm lives in the connecting 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 watery eyes;
• The feeling that a foreign body is present in the eye or eyelid;
• A person can not fully open the eyelid;
• Eyesight deteriorates;
• A worm can be seen under the conjunctiva;
• A nodule can be seen under the skin of the eyelid;
• The person has a creeping sensation under the skin or in the eyes;
• If the parasite gets into the eye socket, diplopia and bulging of the eye occur.

ᲛImportant! Dirofilaria is accompanied by neuroses, 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. Different symptoms and signs can develop depending on the form of the disease. These parasitic diseases will be characterized by the appearance of ulcers and skin rashes, damage to the eyes and lymph nodes, fever, the development of scrotum and limb elephants, as these are muscle parasites.

Oncocerciasis

During oncocerciasis, parasites in human muscles are manifested by the following symptoms:

• Itchy skin;
• Fever condition;
• Weakness;
• Dryness and flaking of the skin;
• Skin hyperpigmentation (genitals, legs, groin and groin folds);
• Papular rash;
• Erysipelas;
• Papules can form long-lasting ulcers;
• Under the skin, worms provoke atrophy of hair follicles, sweat glands and epidermis;
• Painful fibrous nodules form under the skin;
• Eye damage develops glaucoma, iridocyclitis, conjunctivitis, corneal cyst, keratitis and other eye diseases.

Diphthalonematosis

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;
• Pain in the joints;
• Pain in the heart;
• Symptoms of meningoencephalitis.

Loias

Parasites living under the skin of a person with lozenges contribute to the following clinical picture of the disease:

• Rash on the skin;
• Fever condition;
• Parasites in human muscles can provoke muscle abscesses;
• Pain in the extremities;
• Swelling of the skin in limited areas that does not disappear for a long time;
• If parasites get into the eyes, blepharitis or conjunctivitis develops;
• Disorder of urination with localization of infection in the urethra.

ᲛImportant! These subcutaneous parasites in humans can cause complications in the form of meningitis, heart failure, encephalitis.

Mansonellosis

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

• Itchy rash;
• Pain in the joints;
• Fever condition;
• Skin swelling;
• Testicular drop;
• Numbness of the limbs;
• Increased lymph nodes in the uterus.

Symptoms of cysticercosis

These parasites on human skin can easily penetrate food into the digestive tract, where the embryonic membrane disintegrates and the larva emerges. They enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body. Once established in certain organs, the larvae turn into cysticercus and cause the following symptoms:

• Multiple or single, tumor-like, painless, oval-shaped growths (usually localized on the inside of the shoulders, upper chest, and wrists) appear under the skin;
• In the rings you can feel hollow;
• Over time, these rings grow;
• New formations appear;
• When conducting education histology, cysticercus may be found inside;
• Urticaria;
• Rarely, the nodules are purulent, but more often they do not change for many years and sometimes break down on their own.

Symptoms of schistosomiasis

Schistosome larvae can penetrate human skin directly from the aquatic environment. In a few hours they may get into the bloodstream. The following symptoms appear when the skin is invaded:

• Urticaria;
• Severe itching;
• Spotted rash appears every other day.

Then a period of calm begins for a few weeks. Schistosomes in the circulatory system reach the stage of sexually mature individuals and migrate into the blood vessels of the genitourinary system. After a few months the patient develops the following symptoms:

• dry cough;
• Fever condition;
• Urticaria;
• Heavy sweating at night;
• Enlargement of the liver;
• Vaginal bleeding;
• Blood in the urine;
• Pathology of the prostate, kidneys and bladder;
• Nodules on the genitals;
• Infertility.

ᲛImportant! Schistosomiasis in childhood contributes to learning disabilities, anemia, developmental delays, and memory impairment.

Symptoms of dracungulosis

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

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

Worth knowing! Normally, rickettsial blisters are located on the skin of the feet, but sometimes they can be on the abdomen, arms, and other parts of the body. Also, females can settle in the connective tissues of the joints. In this case there is its immobility, contracture and inflammation of the pouch.

Secondary infections may include phlegmon, abscess, sepsis, and gangrene. If a patient falls into the reservoir with an open bladder, then thousands of larvae will still swallow the Cyclops crustaceans, causing the infection to spread further.