Few of us think about how many he alth problems arise due to the presence of parasites that inhabit the human body. Just imagine: there are more than 150 types of helminths in the world! In our country there are already more than 20 species. The picture is sad in the sense that every year scientists find more and more parasites in the most diverse and unexpected places.
The causative agent of opisthorchiasis
Opisthorchiasis, which is the most severe form of helminthiasis, is caused by the feline fluke parasite, the infection of which occurs in the alimentary way (that is, through food). The danger lies in the fact that these are the only worms that live in the bile ducts of the liver, which, as you know, is an important organ and plays a serious role in the life of the body. In our article, we will look at the life cycle of a cat fluke.
Anatomy of a parasite
To understand how the parasite develops and reproduces, it is necessary to pay attention to the structure of the worm. It is pale yellow in color and small in size, only about 10millimeters. In the middle of a small and pale body is the uterus, which wriggles in a loop. Behind it is a rounded ovary and a bean-shaped seminal receptacle. Behind the parasite there are two testicles, between which there is an s-shaped central canal extending from the excretory system.
It's not just fish that are dangerous
It is believed that the cat fluke lives in fish of the carp family. Many mistakenly think that you can become infected with this parasite by eating insufficiently processed river fish. However, this is not the case. The cat fluke, whose developmental cycle deserves special attention, is a very tenacious parasite. It should be noted that this worm parasitizes not only in fish of the cyprinid family, but also in all other river species.
Insidious cysts
In our country, opisthorchiasis is widespread. As mentioned above, this disease is caused by a feline fluke. It infected the Ob River, as well as the inhabitants of the Irtysh basin. It is believed that thermally processed fish eliminates the possibility of becoming infected with a parasite, but not in the case of opisthorchiasis. The larvae of this worm are found in the muscles along the spine of the fish. You can't see them that easily, because they are in the cyst stage. This is one of the forms of existence of parasites, due to which the latter are in a stationary stage for a long time. Then, when exposed to favorable conditions, the cyst begins to germinate. The advantages of the cyst are that it is in a double shell, as in a kind of "spacesuit". Sono heat treatment (boiling and frying), s alting or deep freezing can destroy its shell.
Analogue of opisthorchiasis
Thus, the simplest conclusion suggests itself: do not eat river fish. But here, too, we run into a profound error. It turns out that Thailand ranks first in the incidence of opisthorchiasis. In this state, more than 80% of the inhabitants are infected with the feline fluke parasite. We are considering the stages of development throughout our article. So, an analogue of opistorch lives in sea fish - clonorch. However, the symptoms of clonorchiasis are more pronounced than those of opisthorchiasis.
Parasitic host
But back to the cat fluke. The main host of the parasite is a human, a cat, a dog, and other carnivores.
Freshwater mollusks are the first intermediate host of this worm, and fish are already the second host. A person becomes infected if they eat fish affected by this parasite, in which cysts live.
The "journey" of the larvae
The eggs of these helminths pass through the feces into freshwater reservoirs, and then are swallowed by molluscs. In them, asexual reproduction occurs, as well as the development of the worm. Then parasite larvae are brought into the water, which easily get into carp fish, such as: ide, carp, roach, rudd, bream and others. In the subcutaneous tissue, such a larva turns into metacercariae. And already such larvae, eaten with fish, are released from the shells in the human digestive organs, enterto the liver, then to the gallbladder, and finally to the pancreas.
There after 14 days they become sexually mature. And a month later, the cat fluke begins to lay eggs. Its development, as you can see, is surprisingly difficult. However, this does not prevent him from being in the top lines of the rating for parasitic diseases.
Diagnosis
To identify these helminths, it is necessary to undergo a duodenal sounding procedure, during which bile is taken in order to detect the eggs of such a dangerous parasite as the feline fluke. It is also possible to carry out a procedure in which not only bile is taken, but also the bile ducts are washed with various mineral solutions. Such drainage makes it possible to identify parasites at a more qualitative and reliable level. There are cases when invasions are determined even during the study of feces.
How dangerous is the cat fluke
The parasite causes various chronic diseases such as allergies, diabetes, bronchial asthma, hypertension, eczema, psoriasis and others. The apogee of this disease is the primary cancer of the liver, as well as cancer of other organs.
A few words about healing
The treatment of opisthorchiasis should be comprehensive in order not only to destroy the parasite, but also to cleanse the body of its waste products, clean the bile ducts, restore the structure of various mechanisms and organ systems that wereinfested with helminths. Thanks to an integrated approach to treatment, a person can get rid of long-standing chronic diseases that arose as a result of infection with a cat fluke.
Conclusion
The problem of opisthorchiasis is acute not only in Russia. The inhabitants of the rivers of Kazakhstan and Belarus suffer from it. Fishing enthusiasts need to be very careful, because for cutting the catch you need to have separate kitchen appliances in the form of a cutting board and knives. Tools must be thoroughly disinfected. It is important to remember that dishes and cutlery can be infested with parasite larvae.
Cutting fish should take place on a separate table, because scales, small drops and particles of fish muscle tissue can splash and infect the surfaces of tables, dishes and ready meals. The feline fluke is difficult to treat. Photos of him are presented in the article. In order not to become a victim of the parasite, it is necessary to observe safety measures for the processing of river and sea fish. Remember that at a negative temperature of -3 degrees Celsius, the cyst dies only on the 25th day! Take precautions, teach children about hygiene, and no parasite will harm you!
