Intestinal parasitic diseases are diseases caused by parasitic worms that live in the human intestine. The common ones are protozoa and helminths. There are many types of intestinal parasites, and the parasitic process in the human body is complex, and their developmental stages are not always in the intestine, so the lesions caused are not limited to the intestine. Intestinal parasites are very dangerous and can cause wasting and gastrointestinal symptoms of varying severity, such as abdominal pain, vomiting, and indigestion. Different intestinal parasites also cause different risks. Most intestinal parasitic infections are always associated with local hygiene, lifestyle habits, health awareness, economic level and household congregation. Natural temperature, rainfall and the production and living habits of people are epidemiologically important factors. Route of transmission of parasites Most of the parasites are transmitted directly. Due to poor dietary habits, such as eating raw unsterilized fruits and vegetables, drinking cold water; not washing hands before meals and after defecation, etc., the eggs can enter the intestinal tract through food, water sources and eating utensils. After entering the human body, the eggs or larvae gradually develop into adult worms and then ovulate, becoming a source of infection. The adult worms that live in the human intestinal tract discharge their eggs in the feces and contaminate water or soil, or directly or indirectly contaminate vegetables, fruits and utensils when fertilizing. Poor management of livestock can also be a source of infection of intestinal parasitic diseases. In some rural areas, because there is no running water, people are panning rice, washing vegetables and toilets in the same river, which greatly increases the infection rate of intestinal parasitic diseases. Different intestinal parasites can lead to different symptoms 1. Whipworm is a common parasite of the human intestine. In mild infections, there are no obvious symptoms. In severe infections, patients may have lower abdominal pain and pressure, chronic diarrhea, and stools with fresh blood or occult blood. Severely infected children may have prolapse, anemia, malnutrition and weight loss. 2.Amoebic dysentery is a common protozoan disease of the human intestinal tract. Most infected people are asymptomatic carriers of the pathogen, but a few may have typical clinical symptoms, manifesting as abdominal cramps, pus and blood mucus stools, which can reach dozens of times a day. It may be accompanied by abdominal distension, emaciation, and anemia. Amoebic dysentery can also be complicated by intestinal bleeding, intestinal perforation and abscesses in the liver, lungs, brain, genitourinary tract and adjacent skin. 3.Giardia is a common protozoan disease of human intestine. Most of the infected people are asymptomatic carriers of the pathogen. The typical symptoms in the acute phase are explosive watery diarrhea with foul odor, mostly accompanied by abdominal distention, fart and belching, nausea, anorexia, vomiting, fatigue and upper middle abdominal cramps. If left untreated, the diarrhea often becomes chronic, manifesting as intermittent loose stools, yellow and frothy, also foul-smelling, with recurrent episodes that can last for several years. In children, diarrhea can lead to anemia and malnutrition. When the worm is parasitized in the biliary system, it can cause cholecystitis or cholangitis. 4, Ascariasis is a common parasitic disease of human intestinal tract. Patients can not produce any symptoms, but children, weak or malnourished people have more chances to appear symptoms. The recurrent pain around the umbilicus is more common. It is sometimes accompanied by loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation. Severe infections, especially in children, often cause malnutrition, mental and developmental disorders. Sometimes, mental disturbance, irritability, tooth grinding, itching, and convulsions may occur. Some patients may develop allergic reactions, such as angioneurotic edema and intractable urticaria. In addition to the above symptoms, sometimes it can cause serious complications, such as biliary ascariasis, intestinal obstruction, intestinal perforation and peritonitis, etc. 5, hookworm disease is a common and more serious intestinal parasitic disease. At the beginning of the infection, there is a strange itching and burning sensation at the infected area, followed by small bleeding spots, papules or small herpes. It may disappear within a few days. Scratching may lead to bacterial infection and local lymph node enlargement. Three to five days after infection, patients often have cough, throat itching, hoarseness, etc. In severe cases, there is a severe dry cough and asthma and other respiratory symptoms, most of which last for a few days and disappear on their own, but in long cases, it can last for 1 to 2 months. In the early stage of the disease, there is still upper abdominal discomfort and vague pain, and in the later stage, there are often digestive symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea, persistent constipation or fecal occult blood due to anemia. Some patients prefer to eat raw rice, raw beans, and even dirt and shredded paper, which is often called “heterophilia”. Anemia is the main symptom of hookworm disease. Patients with severe anemia have waxy skin and pale mucous membranes, which can lead to dizziness, weakness, palpitations, edema and other symptoms of cardiac insufficiency. Children with severe disease can cause developmental disorders. 6, pork tapeworm disease and cysticercosis. Patients generally also have no obvious symptoms, a few have vague abdominal pain, indigestion, diarrhea, weight loss, etc.. White flakes (nodules) found in the feces are the most common reason for seeking medical attention. Cysticercosis occurs when a person accidentally ingests the eggs of a pork tapeworm and the eggs develop into larvae (cysts) in the human body. Cysticerci are found mainly in the subcutaneous, muscular, ocular and brain tissues. It is much more harmful to humans than tapeworms. Cysticerci that invade the subcutaneous or muscle form nodules and can cause muscle pain and swelling; parasites in the brain can cause seizures, headaches, dizziness, memory loss, limb numbness, hearing impairment, mental disorders, etc., and parasites in the eyes can cause vision loss or even blindness. 7, pinworm disease. Pinworms, thread-like, milky white, are small nematodes parasitic in the intestine and can cause pinworm disease. When a person sleeps, the female worms migrate outside the anus to oviposit in large numbers, and the excluded eggs adhere to the skin outside the perianal area, causing mainly itching of the skin of the anus and perineum, as well as the secondary inflammation caused by this. In addition, the patient often suffers from irritability, insomnia, loss of appetite, and night terrors. If the female worms lay eggs outside the anus and enter the vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes, urethra or abdominal or pelvic cavity, they can cause vaginitis, endometritis, tubitis and other inflammatory diseases. Prevention of parasites Previous studies have confirmed that hand washing and nail trimming can reduce bacterial and viral infections, but hand washing and nail trimming have never been proven to prevent parasitic infections and anemia. Tapeworms, roundworms, amoebas, and giardia are common prevalent intestinal parasites that can primarily cause anemia and malnutrition in patients. Since they are transmitted through the fecal-oral route, frequent hand washing and nail trimming may be a lasting solution. Warm tips: 1. Do not drink cold water, do not eat raw food and unclean fruits and vegetables; 2. Wash hands and trim nails before and after meals; 3. Cook food thoroughly, especially when barbecuing or eating hot pot; 4. Teach children to change the habit of eating fingers and biting nails; 5. It is best to put children to bed in dead-end underwear to prevent them from scratching their anus; 6. Wash toys regularly or scrub them with 0.05% iodine solution; 7. Strengthen Water source management, to avoid water pollution; 8, do not urinate and defecate anywhere, strengthen the harmless treatment of manure, do not use fresh manure fertilization; 9, rural areas should promote the harmless treatment of manure, must wear shoes when working in the fields; 10, strengthen the management of livestock, the city does not raise chickens, ducks, geese; 11, child care institutions, schools should regularly check the feces, early detection of parasitic children, in order to facilitate thorough deworming.