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Parasites That Occur in Humans

Through you may not wish to hear it, you have parasites right now. The good news is that your body will eradicate most parasites before you even know you had them. A parasite is considered an organism that can harm you, cannot live without a host and is not a virus or bacteria. Humans can be host to innumerable parasites. You are subject to invasion from a variety of fungi, single-celled animals, insects and worms.

  1. Parasites

    • In developed countries, many parasites that used to cause serious disease have been nearly eliminated. Many of the remaining parasites are not necessarily harmful to a healthy person. A parasite does not intend to injure or kill the host. It loses its own home when it does. Some parasitic insects, such as bedbugs and mosquitoes, only stop for a meal. However, some of these bloodsuckers can infect you with other parasites that cause illness. Malaria is an example.

    Lice and Mites

    • Starting at the top, head lice are a specific human parasite. Infestation is common in the United States and occurs around the world. There is also a specific species of lice that infests the human body and yet another that infests pubic hair. Crab lice is their common name. All lice should be treated. Around the eyebrows and lashes, you may have the tiny Demodex mites, which do not require treatment. The incidence of these mites increases with age and almost everyone gets them eventually. They may cause rosacea in some people or worsen existing rosacea. make it worse.

    Worms

    • Intestinal parasites are not common in the United States, with the exception of pinworms, which often infect children. The National Institutes of Health reports them to be the most common worm infection in the United States. Trichinosis from eating infected and undercooked meat, usually pork, is a roundworm infection that eventually affects the muscles. It can be serious and hard to treat. Hookworms, also a roundworm species, are no longer a common infection in America because of advances in sanitation. Ascaris lumbricoides is a roundworm that is estimated to infect a billion people worldwide.

    Cautions

    • If you believe that you have any parasite, internal or external, see your doctor or local health department. With travel to foreign countries commonplace and visitors arriving daily from all over the world, it is possible to contract a parasite that is not common in the United States. However, it is also important to remember that some people will try to make money from your fears by selling remedies that are useless and unnecessary. There are medical tests for parasites of all types and effective remedies for most of them.

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