Types and symptoms of subcutaneous parasites in humans

There are several parasites that can inhabit human skin. For the first time such a worm was found in India, but now it is 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 the 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 trigger.

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 people:

1. Dirofilariasis. The disease gives rise to the larval stage of nematodes. Infection occurs when a mosquito (flea, tick or tick) bites, which is a carrier of the disease. Sexually mature individuals reach a length of 30 cm, and the larvae of this parasite are 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 what parasites live under the skin, then we cannot fail to mention filaria. The infection is caused by several types of nematodes. In this case, various diseases arise: onchocerciasis, dipetalonematosis, loiasis and mansonellosis. Worm carriers and their intermediate hosts are insects (mosquitoes, midges, 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 trigger cysticercosis. Invasion occurs through the intestines, where worms penetrate with dirty hands, water or food. The cysticercus is an oval vesicle that contains the parasitic scolex in it. Subcutaneous worms can change from round to fusiform. Man acts as an intermediary master.
4. Schistosomiasis is a disease provoked by worms in a person of the trematode sequence. These are fluke worms up to 2 cm long. The larvae of this parasite, which can swim in water, are cerkaria. They can penetrate the human body directly through the skin. The 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 host is a copepod that lives in the water. First, the parasite enters the human stomach, and then from the retroperitoneal space it penetrates the skin. Males reach a length of 10 cm, and females - 120 cm.

Symptoms of dirofilariasis

The larvae of this parasite with blood flow can spread throughout the body and settle in the eyes, pulmonary arteries, heart, serous cavity, peri-renal fatty tissue and under the skin. If there is an invasion by a type of worm called Dirofilaria repens, the conjunctiva or subcutaneous fat will be 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 seal displacement of 20–30 cm from the bite site;
• a person may feel distension, burning and itching at the bite site;
• there is a feeling of crawling and swaying under the skin;
• a period of remission followed by episodes of deterioration;
• subcutaneous worms give rise to the appearance of abscesses and boils (in them, the worms live in the connective capsule);
• sometimes the abscess ruptures on its own, and white parasites creep out of the skin.

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

• swelling, itching, and watery eyes;
• the feeling that there is a foreign body in the eye or on the eyelid;
• one cannot open the eyelids completely;
• deteriorating vision;
• worms can be seen under the conjunctiva;
• nodules visible under the skin of the eyelids;
• the person has a sensation of crawling under the skin or in the eyes;
• if the parasite enters the eyeball, diplopia and bulging eyes appear.

Important! Dirofilariasis is accompanied by neurosis, fear and insomnia. Also, patients experience irritability, headaches, general weakness and other symptoms.

Symptoms of filariasis

After invasion, filariasis can develop for several years. Various symptoms and signs can develop depending on the form of the disease. Common to this parasitic disease are the appearance of ulcers and skin rashes, damage to the eyes and lymph nodes, fever, the development of elephantiasis of the scrotum and limbs, as these are muscular parasites.

Onchocerciasis

With onchocerciasis, parasites in human muscle manifest themselves with the following symptoms:

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

Dipetalonematosis

Subcutaneous worms in humans cause the following symptoms:

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

Loiasis

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

• rash on the skin;
• feverish condition;
• parasites in human muscle can trigger muscle abscesses;
• pain in the limbs;
• swelling of the skin in a limited area, which does not disappear for a long time;
• if the parasite enters the eye, blepharitis or conjunctivitis develops;
• urinary disorders with localization of infection in the urethra.

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

Mansonellosis

With this form of the disease, worms under human skin can trigger the following symptom complex:

• itchy rash;
• joint pain;
• feverish condition;
• swelling of the skin;
• dropsy testis;
• limb numbness;
• increase in inguinal lymph nodes.

Symptoms of cysticercosis

These parasites on human skin can easily penetrate with food into the digestive tract, where the membranes of the embryo dissolve and the larvae emerge. They enter the bloodstream and are carried throughout the body. After settling in certain organs, the larvae turn into cysticercus and cause the following symptoms:

• under the skin, multiple or single, like a tumor, not painful, oval -shaped formations appear (usually they are localized on the inside of the shoulder, on the upper part of the chest and on the palms of the hands);
• in seals, you can feel the cavity;
• over time, these seals grow;
• emerging formations;
• when performing educational histology, cysticercus can be found inside;
• itching;
• rarely, the nodes rot, but more often they do not change for years and sometimes resolve on their own.

Symptoms of schistosomiasis

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

• itching;
• severe itching;
• A freckled rash appears every day.

Then a quiet period ensues for a few weeks. In the circulatory system, schistosomes reach the stage of sexually mature individuals and migrate into the vascular of the genitourinary system. After a few months, the patient experiences the following symptoms:

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

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

Symptoms of Dracunculiasis

If a person drinks water containing an infected copepod, then after his death, the helminth larvae are released in the patient’s digestive system. They penetrate the retroperitoneal space and migrate through the lymphatic system into soft tissues. Only after 3 months, the females of this parasite can invade the skin or connective tissue for further development. As women grow older, patients experience symptoms characteristic of the disease:

• allergic reactions to the infection appear only after 10-14 months in the form of urticaria, fainting, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and suffocation;
• a year later, rishtosis bladder 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 bubble itself opens and the necrotic mass is rejected;
• during autopsy, the patient feels a burning sensation and sharp pain.

Worth to know! Usually rishtose blisters are located on the skin of the feet, but sometimes it can be on the abdomen, arms and other parts of the body. Also, women can settle in the connective tissue of the joints. In this case, immobility, contracture and inflammation of the bag appear.

With secondary infections, there may be phlegmon, abscesses, sepsis and gangrene. If a patient with an open bladder falls into the reservoir, then thousands of larvae will once again be swallowed by the crustacean cyclops, which will cause further infection.