Parasites living in the human liver

The human liver is completely defenseless against various microorganisms living in the external environment. Today, parasites in the human liver have become much more common and they significantly worsen the health and life of the patient.

Do not forget that the liver is an important organ, because it is here that intensive metabolism occurs. Worms are attracted to hepatocytes, which are rich in nutrients, and the liver always passes through itself all the blood that may contain parasite larvae.

Types of helminths affecting the liver

At the moment, medicine knows almost all the parasites that live in the liver and their characteristic symptoms. Let's look at the main types of helminths that infect the human liver.

1. Amoebas are a very common type of worm diagnosed in children, although the disease also occurs in adults. Small parasites penetrate the intestines, damaging its mucous membrane and walls, sweeping through the bloodstream. Amoebas negatively affect the liver and its cells. After amoebas begin to reproduce, they destroy the cells surrounding themselves, forming blood clots in which harmful toxins and waste products of parasites accumulate. As a result, necrosis forms over the entire area of ​​the liver, and if necrosis combines, organ abscess and death are possible.
2. Giardia is also a common parasite that feels comfortable in the liver. These worms lead to the fact that hepatocytes begin to suffer from dystrophy, after which inflammatory processes occur caused by worms in the human liver. The symptoms in this case are different, and various bacterial infections are also added to them, which leads to a large release of leukocytes.
3. Alveolar echinococcus is rare today; these parasites actively infect liver tissue and all its cells. In most cases, the liver is a certain springboard for them, from which they begin to migrate to other internal organs. Echinococcus damages the lungs and brain, can negatively affect the human central nervous system, and cause severe complications, including death. It is important to start treatment against this helminth on time.
4. Schistosomes, or rather its adult specimens, can be found in the vessels of the liver. Schistosome eggs grow in the tissues of the organ, thereby this parasite often causes hepatitis in humans. In some cases, when treatment is not carried out and parasitism drags on, cirrhosis forms and death is possible.
5. Unilocular echinococcus, initially resembles a small vesicle in appearance. These parasites cause atrophy of liver tissue as they constantly grow and increase from small to huge sizes. The liver vessels are compressed by the parasite, blood begins to circulate poorly, and the functioning of the bile ducts deteriorates.
6. Ascaris, a well-known intestinal parasite, can also invade liver tissue. If roundworm begins to develop in this organ, this leads to small abscesses and necrosis, and since adults are most often found in the liver, this leads to the development of hepatitis or cholangitis. Over time, ascariasis can cause purulent formation.

Diseases of various kinds are often caused by parasites in the liver, the symptoms and treatment of which should be carried out as soon as possible. Otherwise, the risk of death is high, so you need to be extremely careful to prevent infection.

General information

The human digestive system includes a large number of interacting organs. The liver is an exocrine gland. It is located in the abdominal cavity in the area of ​​the right hypochondrium and is directly connected to the gallbladder.

The organ performs many important functions. The liver cleanses the blood of toxic substances. Complex protein compounds are formed inside hepatocytes, and bile acids are produced, which are responsible for digestive processes. The organ is also involved in metabolism and regulation of hormone levels. Glycogen accumulates in the liver tissue, which is an effective energy resource.

Inside the gland contains a large number of vessels, which is why it is not difficult for worms to penetrate there with blood. Once in the tissue, parasites in the human liver use useful substances for their own needs. There are no nerve endings inside the organ, as a result of which pain or other severe symptoms do not appear in the early stages of invasion.

The main symptoms of helminthic infestation of the liver

There are many signs that your liver is not functioning properly. Let's look at the main points that are worth paying attention to:

• rapid weight loss, since the parasites take almost all the nutrients from the patient’s liver, the body does not have time to replenish the losses;
• constant headaches, which intensify at night and in the evening, as worms constantly release harmful substances, intoxication of the body occurs;
• there is a lack of calcium, if there are parasites in the liver, then the patient will definitely have hair loss, crumble nails, teeth, and bone fractures may occur under light loads;
• a large number of freckles and age spots will appear on the body, which is associated with metabolic disorders;
• the skin will become rougher, small cracks will begin to appear, which may be joined by secondary infections;
• severe pain in the liver area, resulting from the destruction of cells and tissues of the organ by parasites;
• nervousness and irritability that appear unexpectedly to everyone around you is the effect of parasites on the central nervous system. There is also constant fatigue, the patient constantly wants to sleep;
• poor or, on the contrary, very good appetite, but at the same time, naturally, the person does not gain weight, since all nutrients are absorbed by parasites;
• allergic reactions, most often of a skin nature, such as rashes and itching;
• bad breath caused by intoxication of the body;
• Possible itching near the anus.

Symptoms and treatment of parasitic diseases of the liver and gallbladder

Alveococcosis. The disease resembles echinococcosis in its symptoms. In this disease, the sources of infection are wild animals. Clinical symptoms of these parasites in the human liver are heaviness and pain in the right hypochondrium, enlargement and hardening of the liver, exhaustion, and jaundice.

However, it is very difficult to distinguish alveococcosis from echinococcosis based on these symptoms. Methods for identifying specific antibodies to the pathogen help in diagnosis.

Treatment is only surgical.

Opisthorchiasis. The most severe damage to the liver and bile ducts is caused by the cat and Siberian fluke. Infection occurs when eating insufficiently heat-treated fish.

The disease is characterized by a prolonged increase in body temperature, joint pain, swelling of the face, itching, various rashes, pain in the right hypochondrium, in the epigastric region. The liver is often enlarged, and jaundice sometimes appears.

Acute opisthorchiasis develops in visitors who become infected when they first arrive in a disadvantaged area. Chronic opisthorchiasis is more often reported among local residents.

The clinical picture of chronic opisthorchiasis boils down to symptoms indicating damage to the liver and biliary tract; cholangiohepatitis and cholecystohepatitis develop. First, patients experience symptoms of damage to the bile ducts, and later to the liver itself. These are pains of various types in the right hypochondrium and epigastric region, dyspeptic symptoms, intestinal dysfunction (nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea). A symptom of the appearance of these parasites in the gallbladder and liver may be pain in the left hypochondrium of a girdle nature, which indicates the involvement of the stomach and pancreas in the pathological process.

When examining patients, a yellow coloration of the sclera, sometimes the skin, and an enlarged liver are often revealed. In patients with chronic opisthorchiasis, biochemical blood parameters characterizing liver function are significantly changed. In the presence of jaundice, the content of direct (bound) bilirubin is increased. In many patients, the activity of alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol, etc. was detected.

The diagnosis of opisthorchiasis is confirmed by the isolation of Siberian fluke eggs from duodenal contents or from feces. Moreover, eggs are more often found in bile.

Patients with opisthorchiasis may develop primary liver cancer. Diagnosis of the latter is extremely difficult, since its clinical symptoms are layered with manifestations of invasion. With opisthorchiasis, other life-threatening complications are possible, such as purulent and destructive cholangitis, phlegmonous cholecystitis, bile peritonitis. The clinical picture of biliary peritonitis is characterized by sudden severe abdominal pain and extreme severity of the disease, which manifests itself from the first hours of the development of this complication.

Treatment is only possible with surgery.

Leishmaniasis. Leishmania can parasitize the liver, causing liver leishmaniasis; they live inside liver cells, ultimately leading them to death.

Hepatitis, as well as cirrhosis of the liver, can also appear as a result of exposure to parasites called “schistosomes” on the liver.

Liver disease develops when the number of parasites, some of which are even needed by the body, becomes more than a certain norm or for some reason they become acutely pathogenic.

Echinococcosis. The source of the disease is domestic animals. This is a very insidious disease, because from the moment the larvae of echinococcus enter until the first symptoms appear, it can take from a year to ten years.

There are three stages of liver echinococcosis:

• The first stage - from the time echinococcus enters the human body until the appearance of symptoms of the disease - is the incubation period.
• The second stage is manifested by toxic symptoms (rash, fever, weakness, decreased performance, weight loss). There is pain in the right hypochondrium and epigastric region, upset stool. The liver is usually significantly enlarged, hardened and lumpy.
• At the third stage - the stage of complications - suppuration of echinococcal blisters develops with possible breakthroughs into the abdominal or pleural cavity and dispersion of the larvae throughout the body. During this period, obstructive jaundice may develop due to compression of the bile ducts by the bladder.

Laboratory examination reveals liver dysfunction, increased ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate), leukocytosis with an increase in the number of eosinophils in the blood.

Treatment of echinococcosis can only be surgical. The basis for disease prevention is, first of all, personal hygiene.

Diagnostics in a medical facility

In modern clinics, you can easily recognize the presence of parasites in the liver; you just need to undergo the necessary examinations.

Diagnosis of helminthic infestation in the liver is carried out by analyzing stool and blood. Particles of parasites and their eggs can be found in the patient's stool. As for the blood test, it will contain a large number of antibodies that are secreted by the body to fight unwanted helminths.

Additionally, a detailed examination of the liver and other internal organs is carried out using ultrasound or MRI. At this stage, you can easily determine in which areas the infection and parasitism occurred.

A parasitologist should not rely solely on the symptoms indicated by the patient; a comprehensive examination is important for an accurate diagnosis in order to carry out the correct course of treatment.

Diagnostics

In modern laboratory conditions, determining the presence of liver worms, as well as other types of worms, is not difficult. The main thing is to undergo a full diagnostic examination.

The following laboratory tests will help identify liver damage by parasites:

• general blood analysis;
• analysis of feces and duodenal contents;
• analysis for antibodies to parasites.

In the blood of a person suffering from helminthiasis of the liver and gallbladder, an increased content of eosinophils and antibodies will be found, indicating that the body is trying to independently fight uninvited guests. Parts of parasites or their eggs may be detected in the stool.

Additional diagnostic methods are ultrasound examination, computed tomography of the abdominal cavity, endoscopic examination of the gallbladder and its ducts, as well as the intestines. These instrumental diagnostic methods allow you to confirm the presence of the disease.

How to get rid of parasites in the liver

There is no need to panic if parasites are found in the patient’s liver. In fact, modern medicine has a full arsenal of anthelmintic drugs that are both effective in treating and restoring the organ.

The liver is an important organ of our body; it is here that nutrients are distributed. That is why you should not delay contacting a specialist, and during the treatment period it is important to follow the doctor’s prescriptions.

During the period of treatment for parasites in the liver and a few days before the start, the following tips will be relevant.

Preparing the body to get rid of parasites

Before starting treatment, it is recommended to follow a diet during which you should not eat large amounts of food. At this time, it is recommended to avoid fatty foods, lard, smoked foods, sweet and bitter foods.

Such preparation will not only help restore immunity faster, but also accelerate its growth in order to quickly get rid of worms already at the treatment stage.

Taking medication prescribed by your doctor

After the initial preparation of the body, an anthelmintic drug prescribed by a doctor is taken.

Most often, two types of drugs are used to combat parasites, with a break of several days, this is done to completely destroy all adult parasites in the liver. Since anthelmintics have toxic substances, it is important to follow the dosage prescribed by the doctor based on the patient’s age, weight and, of course, the degree of damage to the body by helminthic infestation.

Taking enterosorbent

After the anthelmintic has stopped working, usually a day or more after administration, you need to drink an enterosorbent, such as white or activated carbon.

Treatment

There is no need to panic if it is indeed confirmed that parasites live in the liver of a particular person. The disease is successfully treated in both adults and children, and treating it is not as difficult as it might initially seem. The liver is an organ that is capable of recovery and this will take very little time. Currently, there are many conservative and non-traditional methods to solve the problem of parasites in the liver. Most of them are quite effective, but it is advisable that the attending physician prescribe the treatment.

The basics of treating worms in the liver are given in the following table. In total it includes three stages.

Treatment of parasites in the liver with folk remedies

In addition to traditional treatment using modern medicines for parasites in the liver, traditional medicine also has its own options for getting rid of helminths. However, we do not recommend self-medicating and delaying visiting a specialist, since the development of helminthic infestation can lead to serious complications.

1. Pine nuts are effective against various types of worms, it is recommended to consume about 100 grams of shelled pine nuts every day to improve the condition of the liver, the symptoms of which indicate the presence of worms. But this technique lasts for 8-10 weeks, and during this period the consumption of meat products and fatty foods is strictly prohibited. Therefore, not everyone can withstand such a recovery course.
2. Pumpkin seeds are always recommended in the treatment of helminths of any kind. They are truly unique due to their composition. Take 300 grams of peeled seeds and a tablespoon of honey. Mix the composition, the seeds should be crushed, and add 50 ml of water. This mixture should be taken early in the morning on an empty stomach, and after three hours you should drink a strong laxative, 1.5 tablespoons of magnesia diluted in a glass of water will do. After about 30-40 minutes, an enema is given. It is recommended to repeat the procedure again after a month; subsequently, it is enough to carry out prophylaxis once a year.
3. Garlic and onions are great opponents of all parasites that can be found in the human body, including the liver. Take a large onion, chop it and pour boiling water into a thermos or other container to maintain the temperature for a long time. After 12 hours, strain the solution and drink early in the morning, before breakfast. You need to be treated in this way for 10 days. You can also use half a kilogram of chopped garlic, pour it with a liter of cognac and let it brew for 20 days. After which it is taken about a tablespoon in the morning every day, 2-3 months are enough until the tincture runs out.
4. You can also treat the liver with various herbs that expel worms. Wormwood has shown itself to be the most effective, but tansy, yarrow with chamomile and oak bark are also good. Take these herbs in equal proportions (one tablespoon at a time), pour boiling water over them and let it brew for several hours. Take 100-120 ml of tincture every morning on an empty stomach for 10 days.

Helminths are very dangerous for humans, especially if they decide to infect the liver, so be careful, at the first symptoms of infection, seek help from a parasitologist. Of course, traditional medicine is more accessible, but effective treatment for worms is only possible in medical institutions.

What parasites live in the human liver?

The liver is a universal and vital organ in the human body. One of the most important functions of the liver is the disinfection of foreign substances and toxins coming from the intestines into the blood.

Figuratively speaking, it acts as a kind of “cordon sanitaire” between the gastrointestinal tract and other body systems. Therefore, it is not surprising that when infected with various helminths, protozoa and microorganisms, it becomes their main target.

Parasites living in the liver are divided into two main groups.

• The first group includes worms, or helminths, which cause diseases collectively known as helminthiasis.
• The second group includes protozoan microorganisms, or protists, that cause protozoal infections.

Helminths in the liver

Cat fluke. It enters the human body through consumption of raw, poorly fried or lightly salted fish. From the stomach, bypassing the duodenum, the worm penetrates through the bile ducts into the liver or gall bladder, where it lives and multiplies for years, releasing eggs.

Ascaris. One of the most common helminths that infect humans. Infection occurs by ingesting eggs from unwashed hands, fruits or vegetables. In the intestine, larvae hatch from them, which, gnawing through its wall, enter the bloodstream and migrate with the bloodstream to the lungs. From there, when coughing, they are transported through the respiratory tract to the pharynx, where they are swallowed again. Having made such a unique journey, the roundworm settles in the small intestine, and can often crawl into the bile ducts of the liver and gallbladder.

Liver fluke. Infection occurs through consumption of unwashed vegetables and other garden crops. Parasites live and lay eggs in the bile ducts of the liver.

Echinococcus. Transmitted from infected dogs. Once in the intestines, the parasite penetrates the veins and spreads throughout the body, but most often it ends up in the liver, where it forms a cyst, which increases in size over time.

Alveococcus. In many ways it is similar to echinococcus, but when it enters the liver, it is prone to the formation of multiple blisters.

Schistosoma. It enters the human body through the skin when swimming in water bodies infested with helminths in tropical countries. From the skin it penetrates into the vascular bed and is transported to the gastrointestinal tract and liver, where it begins to lay eggs.

Intestinal eel. Infection with helminths occurs through skin contact with the ground, for example, when walking barefoot. Found in countries with warm climates. Like the schistosome, the larva penetrates the vascular bed, is transported to the lungs and, using a similar mechanism as in roundworms, penetrates the intestine, where it begins to multiply. Repeated invasion of a person occurs from his intestines, when part of the next generations of eel penetrates the bloodstream from the gastrointestinal tract and spreads throughout the body, including the liver.

Protists in the liver

Giardia. A widespread species of protozoa, observed everywhere. They enter the body through food; the sources of infection are infected people or pets (cats, dogs, rabbits). Giardia parasitizes in the small intestine and duodenum, from where it penetrates the bile ducts, causing their irritation.

Amoebas. Common in countries with hot climates, spread through contaminated water. They live and reproduce in the intestines.

Almost all of the above parasites are found in the territories of Russia and the countries of the former Soviet Union, except for schistosomes, intestinal eels and amoebas.

Protozoa

Protozoa are single-celled organisms, classified into a separate kingdom and differing in their characteristics from parasitic worms.

Giardia

Typically, Giardia infection is not accompanied by liver damage; the process is limited to the intestines. Cysts (“dormant” forms of Giardia, with a protective shell) of these protozoan parasites enter the human body with dirty hands from the external environment, transform into living vegetative forms and populate the mucous membrane of the small intestine, causing inflammation in it.

In rare cases, acute transient damage to the liver tissue is observed.

Amoeba

Amoebas enter the human body in the form of cysts if personal hygiene rules are not observed. In the lumen of the large intestine, amoebas exist in a conditionally pathogenic state and feed on bacteria, but can transform into large vegetative and tissue forms that damage the intestinal walls, form ulcers and areas of necrosis.

With the bloodstream, amoebas enter other organs: in particular, the liver, where they cause inflammation and the formation of ulcers (abscesses). It can take a long time from the moment of infection to the occurrence of an amoebic abscess inside the affected organ.

For details on how to recognize an amoeba infection, how to treat it and how to avoid trouble, read the article about amoebic liver abscess.

Symptoms of infection

Clonorchiasis and Opisthorchiasis

Acute infection with C. sinensis and O. viverrini is usually asymptomatic. Soon after infection with C. sinensis, urticaria, pain in the right upper quadrant, and fever appear.

Following O. felineus infection, severe fever, arthralgia, lymphadenopathy, and abdominal pain occur. Chronic symptoms:

• abdominal pain and discomfort;
• weight loss, anorexia.

Hepatomegaly and tenderness in the right upper quadrant are observed in both acute and chronic infection.

Fasciola

Distinctive features are associated with the acute and chronic phases of infection.

The acute phase lasts several months. Occurs within a few weeks after infection. Symptoms associated with the migration of the parasite through the liver parenchyma include:

• abdominal pain;
• cough;
• hives;
• fever.

Find out more Anisakiosis: symptoms, signs, treatment

Symptoms of chronic infection are subtle and similar to Clonorchis, Opisthorchis described above.

Liver fluke

Most infections are asymptomatic. Severe ones are associated with fever, weight loss, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and obstruction.

Pulmonary parasite

Main symptoms include chronic cough, hemoptysis, and brown sputum production. Chest pain and shortness of breath are common.

Acute infection is accompanied by abdominal pain, diarrhea, urticaria or asymptomatic.

Extrapulmonary migration results in symptoms depending on the location of the lesion. Damage to the central nervous system leads to headaches, seizures, other neurological disorders or meningitis.