Opisthorchiasis treatment, symptoms, causes and prevention

Opisthorchiasis is a helminthic disease of all mammals, including humans, caused by trematodes (Opisthorchis felineus). This helminth parasitizes in the gall bladder, liver, and also in the ducts of the pancreas.

How does a person become infected with opisthorchiasis? Sexually mature helminth secretes into the external environment eggs that contain formed miracidia (the first stage of the life cycle of flatworms - trematodes). When a mollusk ingests such an egg in its body, miracidia enters the intestine and penetrates through the intestinal wall into the cavity where the sporocyst is formed. About a month later, redios (second parthenogenetic generation of parasitic flukes) are formed from sporocysts, in which cercariae (larvae) begin to develop. Cercariae emerge from the shellfish and freely swim in the pond. Such larvae actively attack freshwater fish, while easily penetrating through their integuments into muscles and connective tissue. In these tissues they envelop in a peculiar envelope and are transformed into metacercariae (larvae in cysts). As a rule, metacercariae are localized in the superficial and deep muscles of the back, intercostal muscles, fins, gills, intestinal wall and caviar.

People become infected with opisthorchis when eating raw, dried, frozen, and also insufficiently roasted, invasive fish. In the thin section of the intestine of the final host, Opisthorchis felineus larvae are released from the membranes (cysts) and through the bile duct penetrate into the bile ducts of the liver. In the process, the life of the opisthorchus secretes toxic products that cause an inflammatory reaction in the bile ducts. This in turn can lead to cirrhosis of the liver.

As a rule, in opisthorchiasis symptoms, treatment depends on the stage of development of the underlying disease. Clinical symptoms can manifest as jaundice, decreased appetite, depression, general exhaustion and disruption of the digestive canal (constipation is replaced by diarrhea), body temperature fluctuates within physiological norms. When palpation, the patient feels pain in the liver. The liver is enlarged, compacted, often with a variety of tubercles of various sizes and shapes. With a mild invasion, the clinical picture may be absent.

If you are diagnosed with opisthorchiasis, the treatment is prescribed a complex. It is produced in three stages. The first stage is preparatory, in this period, stop the allergic syndrome, inflammation of the gastrointestinal canal and bile ducts. They improve the functioning of the hepatobiliary system, carry out anti-detoxification therapy, and purify the intestines. With such a disease, as opisthorchiasis treatment and its effectiveness largely depends on the quality of the preparatory period. Another important role in anthelmintic therapy is played by the intensity of infestation, the duration of the disease and the degree of disturbances in the gastrointestinal canal. With the diagnosis of opisthorchiasis treatment is aimed at the release of the patient from helminths with the use of maximum doses of anthelmintic drugs.

The attending physician prescribes a diet with a minimum amount of fat and attributes the use of antihistamines and sorbents. In case of complication of the main disease inflammatory reactions of an infectious nature are used by antibacterial drugs. To strengthen drainage appoint cholagogue. Patients diagnosed with opisthorchiasis are treated with spasmolytics (no-shpa, baralgin, drotaverin, meteospazmil, duspatalin), probiotics (vetom, biovestin, linex , bactisubtil, hilak forte) and digestive enzymes (creon, penzital, pancreoflate, mezim-forte and Other).

At the second stage of treatment, use anthelmintic drugs with the active substance prazikvantel. After the removal of opisthorchias, a restorative therapy is prescribed from the body to normalize the motor and secretory functions of the liver (akhillan, hepatosol, vitamin, lithovit O, florent).

Some patients diagnosed with opisthorchiasis are treated with folk remedies using various extracts and infusions based on immortelle flowers, herbaceous grass, hips, wormwood, cranberry, beetroot juice with garlic, etc.

For the purpose of prevention, one should not feed the fur-bearing animals of cats and dogs with raw, dried or smoked fish. Among the population, it is necessary to increase helminthological literacy, especially among hunters, fishermen, fish farm personnel and seamen of the river fleet.