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Parasites in the human body are grouped into three classes: protozoa, worms, and parasitic insects. Protozoa act like germs or viruses and are often transmitted through insect bites or contaminated food or water. Worms live inside the body and feed on blood, muscle, and other organ tissue. Parasitic insects live in hair or on the skin and feed on skin cells or blood. Precautions such as thoroughly cooking meat and seafood and wearing shoes when walking outdoors can reduce exposure.
There are hundreds of parasites in the human body, but they are usually grouped into three classes: protozoa, worms and parasitic insects. Protozoa are single-celled parasites that often act like germs or viruses in the body to create disease-like symptoms. Worms almost always live inside the body, feeding on blood, muscle, and other organ tissue. Bugs, lice, and other insect-like parasites generally live in hair, on the skin, or just under the skin’s surface, and often survive by consuming skin cells or blood.
Most protozoa are invisible to the naked eye and it is often difficult to distinguish protozoan colonization from bacterial and viral infections. Many protozoal infections can be attributed to insect bites or fecally contaminated food or water. Undercooked or raw meat, unpasteurized milk, and animal feces can also carry parasites.
Malaria was once thought to be a viral infection, but is now known to be caused by body parasites of protozoa. The disease-causing protozoa are transferred through mosquito bites. Toxoplasmosis is a protozoan disease found in cat feces and can cause birth defects in offspring of infected mothers. For this reason, pregnant women are not advised to change the litter boxes. Sleeping sickness and amoebic dysentery, also known as Montezuma’s revenge, are also caused by parasitic protozoa.
Worms are multicellular body parasites that generally live inside humans and animals. Parasitic worms are generally classified as roundworms, tapeworms, or flukes, also known as flatworms. While any part of the body can harbor worms, the stomach and digestive tract in humans are the most infested areas.
Both beef and pork tapeworms infect the digestive tract and are usually transmitted by eating raw or undercooked meat. In rare cases, the beef tapeworm can grow up to 60 feet (18.28 meters). Hookworms are round worms that live in warm soil and are usually transmitted through the soles of bare feet. The intestinal fluke, Fasciolopsis buski, is one of the largest in the classification of parasitic worm pests. They can grow up to 3 cm in length.
All insects that feed on blood can technically be considered parasites on the body, but lice are considered particularly annoying. These insects tend to colonize their host, feeding repeatedly. Head, body and pubic lice live on the skin and hair of humans and are easily spread through close contact with other infected people. These lice feed and lay their eggs in the hair or clothing of infested humans.
Different types of insects are known to lay their eggs in human flesh. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae become parasitic, feeding on their human host until they reach adulthood. Infestations with fly and fly larvae can occur, as well as common housefly larvae infestations, which pose a particular danger to people with open wounds.
Completely avoiding body parasites is difficult, but some precautions can reduce your exposure. Meat and seafood should always be thoroughly cooked before eating. Take care to cover exposed skin in areas with large insect populations and always wear shoes when walking outdoors. Finally, whenever treated water is not available, drinking water should be brought to a full boil for at least five minutes before consuming.
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