Beware of Intestinal Parasites – Health News
Gastrointestinal specialist Dr. Yalçın warned about intestinal parasites. Uzm states that intestinal worms, called “pinworms, worms, tapeworms, ascaris” among the people, are a variety of parasites that live in the intestines and can reach meters in length from a single cell. Dr. Yalçın said: “These are parasites that feed on what we eat and share our food. Intestinal worms are taken into the body through the mouth with fruits and vegetables whose eggs have not been properly washed, meats that have not been cooked enough, i.e. undercooked meat from an infected animal, and food made with this meat. Then they multiply in the intestine, grow and mature. They are also spread through contact with feces, contaminated surfaces. That is why hand hygiene is so important.
One of the reasons why intestinal parasites are mainly seen in children is playing with feces contaminated soil in parks, streets and playgrounds and putting their dirty hands in their mouths. Toilet door handles are one of the places where this infection spreads. Thorough soaping of the hands, thorough washing of fruit and vegetables, sufficient cooking of meat, consumption of healthy and clean water are important measures that can be taken against intestinal parasites. Surfaces such as door handles and taps should be properly cleaned and water of unknown origin and suspected to be healthy should be boiled before drinking.
Loss of appetite and anemia
Emphasizing that intestinal parasites cause loss of appetite, salivation during sleep and teeth grinding, Uzm. Dr. Yalçın continued his words as follows: “Vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea, inability to gain weight, anemia and itching in the anus are other complaints caused by intestinal parasites. Intestinal parasites pose a risk of many different diseases. It should be known that it can cause developmental delay, especially in children. It can also cause diarrhea. The danger that comes to the agenda with diarrhea is fluid loss, that is, dehydration. Dehydration can be serious and life-threatening. The larvae of some parasites can settle in organs such as the lungs and liver and cause organ-specific complaints there; They can cause serious allergic reactions such as pneumonia and bleeding. Where there is no hygiene, there is disease, there are parasites. In order not to surrender our body to parasites, and therefore not get sick, we must pay attention to hygiene and take the necessary precautions.”