Liver fluke infection (chlonorchiasis): causes, symptoms and remedy

Even though they are small, you cannot underestimate the types of parasitic worms that are around you. Liver fluke infection (chlonorchiasis), for example, is an infection that is very harmful to the body. The reason is, once infected and not treated immediately, heartworms can slowly damage the body even to life threatening. So, what causes it and how do you deal with liverworm infections? The following is the full explanation.

What is a liverworm infection (chlonorchiasis)?

Chlonorchiasis is a disease that occurs due to infectionChlonorchis sinensis or chinese liverworm. Chlonorchis sinensis included in the group of trematodes, elongated flat like a leaf. This type of worm can infect the liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts which of course endanger the body.

Causes of liverworm infection

Several cases of chlonorchiasis are found in Asia. This case was found in people who ate imported freshwater fish, were not cooked until it was fully cooked, or had previously been infected with parasitic cysts.

Liver fluke infection begins with ingestion of eggs Chlonorchis sinensis by snails that live in fresh water. These eggs will hatch in the body of the snail and begin to experience a phase of worm development, starting from the miracidia phase to cercariae (larvae). This part of the larvae will then be released by the snails through feces into the freshwater environment. Furthermore, larvae swimming in fresh water may come in contact with and penetrate the fish's body or even be eaten by it.

Humans can become infected with this parasitic worm when eating freshwater fish that is not properly cooked, salted, pickled, smoked, or dried. Metacercaria cysts in freshwater fish will enter the small intestine and liver. These cysts will slowly damage organs within three months to cause symptoms. People who are infected with liverworm can pass it to other people through faeces containing worm eggs and repeat the cycle all over again.

Signs and symptoms of liverworm infection

Liver worm infection in the body shows distinctive symptoms that differentiate it from other worm infections, namely inflammation and blockage of the bile ducts. In the acute phase, this disease can cause abdominal pain, nausea, and diarrhea.

Chronic chlonorchiasis begins as a persistent untreated infection that progresses more severely. In long-term infections, inflammation of the bile system can cause bile duct cancer. In fact, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies parasitesChlonorchis sinensis as a carcinogen (cancer causing) for humans. If allowed to continue, this can be life threatening.

Treatment of liver flukes

Before treating a liverworm infection, the doctor will first check for parasites in your body. This can be detected through an endoscopy, ultrasound, CT scan, MRI, or stool microscopic examination. These various procedures are performed to find the presence of worm eggs in the intestines or those that have developed into worm cysts.

After the doctor confirms a parasitic infection, the doctor may prescribe praziquantel, which is the only drug recommended by the World Health Organization, aka WHO for the treatment of chlonorchiasis. This drug is taken three times a day for 2-3 days in a row at a dose of 25 mg / kg. Therefore, consult your doctor immediately if you feel the signs and symptoms of chlonorchiasis.

Can liver flukes be prevented?

The good news is, Chlonorchiasis cannot be passed from one person to another directly. Transmission of this infection requires the media of other living things, such as snails and fish, which are the media for the transfer of these parasites.

That way, you can take a number of preventative measures so you don't get liverworm infections. The simple thing is to make sure to cook the fish meat until it is completely cooked.

The FDA recommends the storage temperature for fish to kill chlonorchiasis parasites, including:

Keep the fish inside freezer at a temperature of -20 degrees Celsius for a maximum of 7 days or at a temperature of -35 degrees Celsius for 15 hours.
Cook the fish at a minimum temperature of 63 degrees Celsius.