Féregek

Féregek is the Hungarian term for worms, especially parasitic helminths that infect humans and other animals. The group includes nematodes (roundworms) and platyhelminths (flatworms), with cestodes (tapeworms) and trematodes (flukes) as major divisions of flatworms. Some discussions also include certain segmented worms in this category. Many férégek are free-living; the medically significant ones are obligate parasites with complex lifecycles.

Life cycles vary. Some species have direct lifecycles with a single host, while others require intermediate hosts such as snails, fish, or arthropods. Transmission commonly occurs by ingesting eggs or larvae in contaminated food or water, eating undercooked meat, skin penetration by larvae, or vector transmission.

Infections may cause a range of symptoms, including gastrointestinal distress, malnutrition, anemia, or organ damage, but some infections are asymptomatic. Diagnosis usually involves detecting eggs, larvae, or parasite segments in stool or tissue, supplemented by serology or imaging.

Treatment relies on antiparasitic drugs. Albendazole or mebendazole are used for many nematodes, praziquantel for cestodes and trematodes, and ivermectin in select cases. Drug resistance and regional differences in parasite species can affect management. Prevention focuses on sanitation and clean water, good hygiene, safe food handling, and thorough cooking of meat and fish, along with control of intermediate hosts and vectors. Public-health programs in endemic areas often combine deworming campaigns with improvements in housing and sanitation.