Parasitic
Parasitic refers to a type of relationship between two different organisms where one organism, the parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host. Parasites can be a variety of organisms, including plants, animals, and viruses. Parasites may be endoparasites, which live inside the host's body, or ectoparasites, which live on the outside of the host.
Types of Parasites[edit | edit source]
There are three main types of parasites that can cause disease in humans: protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites.
- Protozoa are microscopic, one-celled organisms that can be free-living or parasitic in nature. They are able to multiply in humans, which contributes to their survival and also permits serious infections to develop from just a single organism. Transmission of protozoa that live in a human's intestine to another individual typically occurs through a fecal-oral route (for example, contaminated food or water or person-to-person contact).
- Helminths are large, multicellular organisms that are generally visible to the naked eye in their adult stages. Like protozoa, helminths can be either free-living or parasitic. Parasitic worms do not multiply in humans.
- Ectoparasites are organisms that live on the skin but not within the body. Fleas, lice, and ticks are all ectoparasites. Infestations of these parasites are usually treated with topical medications.
Parasitic Diseases[edit | edit source]
Parasites can cause a wide range of diseases, from relatively mild ailments to severe, life-threatening conditions. Some common parasitic diseases include malaria, giardiasis, and toxoplasmosis. Parasitic diseases can affect all populations, regardless of age, gender, or socioeconomic status.
Prevention and Treatment[edit | edit source]
Prevention of parasitic diseases primarily involves good personal hygiene, safe food and water practices, and use of preventive treatments. Treatment of parasitic diseases varies depending on the specific parasite and the severity of the infection. Medications are available to treat many parasitic infections.
See Also[edit | edit source]
| Parasitic Resources | |
|---|---|
|
 |
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
