Parasites
An organism that lives on or in a host(human or animal) and obtains nutrition from or at the expense of the host is considered a parasite. In other words, the parasite survives by utilizing the resources of the host such as the food the host consumes.
Even worse, parasites can make people sick. These organisms can cause a variety of diseases, some of which are treatable while others are not.
Protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites are the three main groups of parasites that can harm humans. Filariasis, malaria, and babesiosis are a few examples of deadly parasite disorders.
The immune system, the gut, and the microbiota make up the inflammation circuit. The circuit as a whole is harmed if any one of the three components, which operate in tandem, is damaged. All three parts are impacted by intestinal parasites.
Your immune system will identify a parasite as a threat and initiate an attack when it enters your GI tract. As a means of eradicating the parasite, it causes inflammation. The form of inflammation that occurs more specifically with parasitic worms is type 2, which involves particular immune cell types. The epithelial cells that line your stomach are also a component of this inflammatory reaction, which works to get rid of the worms.
Unfortunately, not all inflammatory reactions and immunological attacks are successful in getting rid of intestinal parasites. This is especially true if you have an immune system, gut, or microbiome issues.
Because the worms are still present, your immune system becomes frequently activated but is unable to completely eradicate them. Once the inflammation has transitioned from acute to chronic, there is a chance that it will spread to other areas of your body. Neurological and psychological symptoms may be brought on by inflammation that spreads to the brain. It might result in rashes and irritation on the skin if it gets there. Joint pain and stiffness might result from inflammation that spreads there too.
Parasite infections' symptoms
The following are some of the main signs of parasite infections:
persistent stomach problems (diarrhea, vomiting, etc), Fatigue, Weakness, alterations in appetite, Anxiety, tooth grinding, low ferritin, Depression, Headaches, Skin conditions, Continent pain, Pains and aches, enduring pain, bad memory, brain fog, unintentional loss of weight, rashes or skin conditions, Allergies, deficits in nutrients, Fever, adrenal exhaustion, Cravings, Leaky gut condition
Lab Markers That indicate parasites infection:
Eosinophilia is high:
Eosinophils are a type of disease-fighting white blood cell that is commonly found in the body when you have a parasitic infection, an allergic reaction, or cancer. A parasitic infection may be indicated by a score of 3 or higher. If you have a high eosinophil count, you should look into parasites as a possible cause.
CRP is elevated:
Infections with parasites can cause liver problems and inflammation. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a protein that your liver produces. CRP levels greater than 1.0 indicate inflammation caused by parasite infections.
High levels of liver enzymes:
Check your liver enzyme levels to see if your liver function is normal or if it has been compromised by parasites. Enzymes AST, ALT, GGT greater than 26, and Alkaline Phos greater than 100 may indicate liver inflammation, parasite problems, alcoholic hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, or Celiac disease.
Anemia and low iron/ferritin levels
It is critical that you have your iron and ferritin levels checked and that you are not anemic. Ferritin is an iron-storing protein, whereas serum iron is free iron in the bloodstream. Certain parasitic infections, such as hookworm, whipworm, and schistosomiasis, can cause blood loss and iron deficiency anemia. Many parasites use iron and try to steal it from their hosts, resulting in low iron, ferritin, and red blood cell counts.
Complete Blood Analysis:
I suggest a Complete Blood Analysis to look at some key indicators of health (CBA). One of the best methods to identify any underlying health issues and assist your functional health specialist in recommending tailored natural health support techniques is to have this comprehensive blood analysis performed annually or semi-annually.
GI MAP
I also advise GI Map Stool Analysis, a stool test that can detect the presence of numerous harmful microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungus, and parasites, in addition to these blood tests. This test specifically looks for the parasite infections Giardia, Entamoeba histolytica, and Cryptosporidium.
For Cryptosporidium and Entamoeba histolytica, normal findings are less than 1.00e6, and for Giardia, less than 5.00e3. Anything higher requires your focus and natural coping mechanisms. In addition to specific diseases, this test can disclose your gut's general health using markers for digestion, the gastrointestinal tract, secretory and anti-gliadin IgA, and inflammation such as calprotectin.
One other main symptom that you need to look at, that will indicate parasite overgrowth is being “irritable every full moon” or during Spring.
RESOURCES:
https://www.nature.com/nrneurol/
2022. NP. Malika Katrouche. All Rights Reserved.