What is Parasitic Infections?

Parasites are organisms that feed on other organisms (hosts) to survive. Some parasites don’t intentionally affect their hosts, whereas there are others that reproduce, grow, or invade organ systems that result in the sickness of the host with a parasitic infection.

Parasitic infections are prevalent in subtropical and tropical regions across the world. The deadliest of all parasitic infections is Malaria.

Causes of parasitic infections

Parasitic infections are caused mainly due to three types of organisms, such as:

• Protozoa: Single-celled organisms that can multiply inside a human body.
• Helminths: Multi-celled organisms that live inside or outside of the human body. They are commonly worms like tapeworms, flatworms, roundworms, and thorny-headed worms.
• Ectoparasites: Multi-celled organisms that feed off or live on our skin. They are mostly insects and arachnids like fleas, mosquitos, mites, and ticks.

There are various other ways for the parasites to spread and cause an infection. Some parasites transmit disease by insects that act as a carrier, or a vector of the disease.

Symptoms of parasitic infections

When to see a doctor