Tag: lungs

Deadly tapeworm infection can be contracted by consuming unwashed berries, fruits and uncooked meat

The hydatid tapeworm is the primary cause of the extremely dangerous and difficult-to-detect disease echinococcosis. Echinococcosis can be contracted by consuming unwashed berries and fruits. Most cases result in death if they are not properly treated.

The dangerous Echinococcus tapeworms E. granulosus and E. multilocularis, particularly E. oligarthrus and E. vogeli, are the primary cause of echinococcosis, a zoonotic parasitic disease.

The feces of both domestic and wild animals with this small (about 2 mm) but incredibly dangerous tapeworm infection contain its eggs (foxes, wolves or dogs and cats). They find themselves in the brush with him. You shouldn’t eat berries straight from the bush because animal feces are undetectable and odorless. Although we might believe they are clean, they could actually contain the eggs of a dangerous tapeworm.

How can you become infected with echinococcosis?

Swallowing echinococcosis eggs results in infection. The feces of the specific hosts are the source of this infection. Most frequently, humans become infected by eating unwashed forest fruits or coming into direct contact with dog hair.

People who have direct contact with foxes or their dens, such as hunters, foresters, brushwood gatherers, farmers, and leather tanners, as well as anyone who collects forest fruits like blueberries, blackberries, or mushrooms, are considered to be in the high-risk category.

What is the target of echinococcosis?

The hydatid is an extremely aggressive parasite. Its larvae, after getting into the body, select the most important parts of the human body:

  • liver (in over 90% of cases),
  • lungs _
  • brain ,

and they nest there. A cyst forms around the larvae, which enlarges and compresses the adjacent tissues. Multilocular echinococcosis does not have to give symptoms for about 10-15 years .

A cyst rupture can even cost you your life . Strong vomiting (in the form of a watery liquid) and a sharp cough appear then .

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of echinococcosis depend on which organ the larvae are in. Echinococcosis starts in the liver in more than 90% of cases.

If the tapeworm settles in the liver, there are:

  • pain in the right hypochondrium , caused by the compression of the enlarging cyst (it sometimes reaches 20 cm in diameter)
  • jaundice

Echinococcosis is a condition characterized by the presence of a cyst (cyst) containing larvae, which can be detected during an abdominal ultrasound, MRI, CT scan, or plain X-ray. It can also develop in other organs, such as the lungs, kidneys, and brain, and can cause chest pain, cough, hemoptysis, and shortness of breath.

Lungs

If the larvae are localized in the lungs, they appear:

  • hemoptysis
  • cough
  • dyspnoea
  • pain in the chest
  • skin itching

Brain

If the larvae are in the brain, they appear:

  • headaches
  • mental disorders resulting from brain damage (psycho-organic syndrome)

Kidneys

  • recurrent kidney pain
  • hematuria
  • kidney dysfunction

How to recognize echinococcosis?

People in the risk group should get preventive imaging exams. Once a year, they should get an ultrasound of their abdomen, which can find cysts on the liver, which is the organ most often affected by echinococcosis. Tell your doctor about any symptoms that worry you. When a cyst with hydatid larvae bursts, the parasites can spread to other parts of the body. They can then spread to other organs and even cause a dangerous condition called anaphylactic shock.

Treatment and diagnosis for echinococcosis

Multilocular echinococcosis is a dangerous and difficult-to-detect disease that can end in death. It is often mistaken for cancer, but radiological examination reveals the culprit, the echinococcosis tapeworm. Cysts are removed surgically, and antiparasitic chemotherapy is used to prevent recurrence. Follow-up examinations are recommended for the next 10 years.

How to prevent infection with echinococcosis?

  • Deworm dogs and cats regularly.
  • Persons in direct contact with definitive hosts or their faeces should wear protective gloves.
  • Wash your hands thoroughly after returning from mushroom picking or forest hiking.
  • Forest fruits should be washed under running, warm water before eating.
  • Always wash fruits and vegetables before eating.

Diabetes type 2 can also harm the lungs

This is the first time that researchers have found a connection between type 2 diabetes and lung complications like pneumonia. 

The University of Surrey and Imperial College London study examined data from 17 research reports on over 500,000 people. Along with this, smoking and other factors affecting lung health were taken into account.


The findings revealed that increasing blood sugar levels in diabetic patients has a direct impact on lung function. According to studies, a 20% increase in blood sugar levels reduces lung capacity and function.

According to the researchers, this is the first evidence that type 2 diabetes directly damages the lungs.

Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin or fails to use insulin properly.

This results in dangerously high blood sugar levels that, over time, lead to organ damage.

The risk of heart disease, vision loss, nerve and organ damage, and other complications increases if blood sugar levels are not controlled.

But until now, it was not clear whether the disease directly damaged the lungs or not.

The researchers said that the study found the first evidence of lung damage from type 2 diabetes.

“The findings highlight the seriousness of type 2 diabetes, which is why people, whether they have diabetes or not, should keep their blood sugar levels under control,” he said.

The findings of the study were presented at the Diabetes UK Professional Conference in 2023.