Pathophysiology and Gastrointestinal Impacts of Parasitic Helminths in Human Beings

Abstract

This study mainly focus on the major pathologic manifestations of human gastrointestinal impacts of parasitic worms. Background: Helminthes and protozoan are human parasites that can infect gastrointestinal tract of humans beings and reside in intestinal wall. Protozoans are one celled microscopic, able to multiply in humans, contributes to their survival, permits serious infections, use one of the four main modes of transmission (direct, fecal-oral, vector-borne, and predator-prey) and also helminthes are necked multicellular organisms, referred as intestinal worms even though not all helminthes reside in intestines. However, in their adult form, helminthes cannot multiply in humans and able to survive in mammalian host for many years due to their ability to manipulate immune response. Objectives: The objective of this study is to assess the main pathophysiology and gastrointestinal impacts of parasitic worms in human being. Methods: Both primary and secondary data were collected using direct observation, books and articles, and also analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively following standard scientific methods. Results and conclusion: Parasites are organisms living temporarily in or on other organisms called host like human and other animals. Gastrointestinal parasitic helminthes have medical importance and live as endoparasites of human and other animals as host. Such pathogenic parasitic helminths are hookworms (Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus), pinworm (Enterobius vermicularis), roundworm [(Ascaris lumbricoides) and lymphatic filariasis (Wuchereria bancrofti and Brugia timori)], whipworm (Trichuris trichiura), threadworm (Strongyloides stercoralis), heartworms (Dirofilaria immitis), and Guinea worm (Drancunculus medinensis). In addition, intestinal worms can transmit via fecal-oral route, direct contact with infected persons, zoonotic transmission, skin penetration, oral and anal sex, ingestion of contaminated food or water, etc and also factors that promote its transmission includes hot and humid climate, high population density, poor personal hygiene, presence of insects as vectors for carriers of parasites, limited economic resources and some social cultural habits. However, its prevention strategies include use of proper sewage disposal methods, consumption of clean and treated safe drinking water and food, proper hygiene, etc and the main treatment of antihelminthic medications include albendazole, metronidazole, diethylcarbamazine, etc as suggested by physician. Therefore, due to intestinal parasites can be easily transmit and cause great economic, health and social problems, and so prevention methods are greatly advisable.