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Parasite Symptoms in Humans

The symptoms of parasites in humans will vary depending on the type of parasite that is affecting you. You may have contracted roundworm (the parasite that produces both trichinosis and ascariasis), ringworm (the parasite responsible for tinea capitis) or plasmodium (the parasite that causes malaria). However, there are some commonalities in the symptoms of human parasites that can indicate that you've contracted one of these infections.

  1. Diarrhea

    • One of the most common symptoms among almost all of the human parasites will involve bouts of diarrhea or loose stool. The reason for this is that a number of the parasites, like roundworms or plasmodiums, actually penetrate into the tissue of the digestive system while in the larvae stage and then grow into actual worms or parasites that can prompt frequent loose or runny stools. Sometimes, it may also bring about bloody or tarry (an indication of blood) stools.

    Nausea & Vomiting

    • Another fairly common symptom of a parasite will be periodic episodes of nausea and vomiting. Much like the symptom of diarrhea, nausea and vomiting can be caused by the infection of the parasite within some tissue of the digestive system, most commonly the intestines. It is within this area of the body that many parasites mature and even breed, which can prompt nausea and vomiting in many people.

    Abdominal Cramping

    • Basically going hand-in-hand with diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, many parasites that affect people can also bring on some amount of cramping within the abdominal region. This is largely due to the body's reaction to the parasites as they breed and multiply. The cramping can run from dull to quite sharp, based on the amount of parasites currently in your system.

    Shortness of Breath

    • Sometimes the parasites, which usually reside in the digestive system, make a trek into the lungs. With this comes shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing.

    Fever

    • Some parasites may also elicit a reaction in the body in the form of a fever. It may be moderate fever of 100 to 101 degrees Fahrenheit or a relatively high fever of 103 degrees Fahrenheit and above. The reason for the variance is two-fold, as it depends on both the type of parasite you've contracted and the way in which your body reacts to the parasite. With this fever, you may begin to experience the chills or the sweats, but that depends again on your reaction to the parasite and the type of parasite in your system.

    Headaches

    • If you've contracted a parasite of some sort, you may also begin to suffer from periodic headaches, but these usually accompany the more common symptoms as mentioned above. These headaches are generally moderate to severe, and react to over-the-counter pain relievers like aspirin and ibuprofen.

    Fatigue & Pain

    • If left untreated, parasites can lead to a great deal of fatigue and exhaustion, as the other symptoms and the parasites themselves will generally take a toll on a person's body. This will leave them lethargic and just not feeling up to snuff. It may also begin to cause some pain and discomfort in neighboring muscles of the body, especially when they begin to invade your bloodstream and inevitably your muscles.

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