Many parasitic infections do not present with dramatic symptoms, but rather with subtle signs such as itchy skin, rashes, or persistent digestive disorders. Early recognition of these signs will help patients receive timely diagnosis and treatment, avoiding dangerous complications.
A 77-year-old man suffered from severe itching all over his body for years due to a parasitic infection.
Recently, Hai Duong Tropical Diseases Hospital received a 77-year-old male patient who came for examination due to persistent generalized itching for many years. According to the hospital, the patient had numerous lumps on his skin due to secondary infections. Through in-depth tests, doctors discovered that the patient was simultaneously infected with both liver flukes and threadworms.
These are all types of parasites capable of surviving for extended periods in the human body, silently damaging many organs without typical symptoms for a long time. After a month of treatment following a specialized protocol, the patient's health improved significantly, the itching decreased considerably, and the skin lesions gradually healed.
Doctors advise people to eat cooked food and drink boiled water, and to limit consumption of raw aquatic vegetables, blood pudding, undercooked meat, or seafood that has not been thoroughly cooked. People who frequently come into contact with soil should wear protective shoes and gloves to reduce the risk of parasitic infections through the skin.
Some common causes of parasitic infections include eating raw or undercooked food.
Why do parasitic infections cause itching?
Parasites are organisms that live as parasites on the bodies of humans or animals, using the host's nutrients to survive and grow.
When parasites enter the body, they not only cause direct damage at their site of residence but also secrete metabolites, toxins, or stimulate an immune response. These factors can cause itching, rashes, or allergic reactions on the skin.
Vietnam has a hot and humid tropical climate, creating favorable conditions for many types of parasites to thrive and multiply. Some common causes of parasitic infections include:
- Eating raw or undercooked food.
- Drinking contaminated water.
- Direct contact with soil, sand, or water sources containing parasitic larvae.
- Contact with pets that have not been regularly dewormed.
- Transmission occurs from person to person through poor personal hygiene.
Itching symptoms can be a warning sign of parasitic infection.
- Itchy skin, persistent hives.
Certain parasites, such as canine roundworms and feline roundworms, can cause cutaneous larva migrans syndrome. This condition manifests as winding lines on the skin accompanied by intense itching, often occurring in areas that have been in contact with contaminated soil or sand.
Anal itching at night is a very typical sign of pinworm infection.
Pinworms typically live in the large intestine. At night, female worms crawl out to the anal region to lay eggs, causing intense itching that makes it difficult for patients to sleep, leading to restlessness and frequent scratching. This symptom is particularly common in children, but adults can also be affected.
Itching accompanied by digestive disorders: In many cases, itchy skin caused by parasites is also accompanied by symptoms in the digestive tract such as:
- Feeling full.
- Bloating.
- Dull, aching abdominal pain.
- Nausea.
- Prolonged diarrhea or constipation.
The cause is that parasites residing in the intestines cause inflammation of the mucous membrane and affect the digestion and absorption of nutrients.
In addition to skin manifestations, people infected with parasites may experience many other symptoms such as: persistent fatigue, decreased physical strength, unexplained weight loss, anemia, sleep disorders, anxiety, decreased concentration, and memory impairment.
