Parasites are called lower organisms that are able to live in the body of a person or animal and feed on it. Scientists have a large number of such creatures, and each of them is dangerous in its own way and can cause a wide variety of diseases.
Types of parasites in humans
All parasites can be distinguished according to several criteria:
- there are two major categories that differ depending on the structure of the body: unicellular (bacteria, viruses) and multicellular;
- parasites can live either on the surface of the body (for example, lice) or inside a living being (for example, types of intestinal parasites: worms, etc. );
- by the amount of time they parasitize: they can be permanent (almost all parasites that live inside living beings) and temporary (leeches, mites, which, after feeding, leave the body of a living being).
The most common parasites that humans can infect include:
- helminthiases;
- group of protozoan invasions;
- arthropodosis.
Helminthiases are the most frequent invaders in the human body. These include roundworms, tapeworms and tapeworms, which can cause diseases such as trematodes.
TOP 5 most famous parasites in the human body
- Pinworm - most often found in groups of children. In the human body, they parasitize organs such as the large and small intestines. The eggs laid by it are not only on the body, but can also be transferred to sheets and underwear, which makes it very contagious. In addition, the eggs are perfectly preserved for a long time in the external environment, although only 4-6 hours are enough for them to hatch a new parasite.
- Toksokara - most often we get an intruder from our beloved animals, mainly dogs. The size of this creature is quite large – it can reach up to 0. 3 m in length. Eggs of this parasite are most often "caught" by children playing in the sandbox, near which the dog walked. This type of parasite is dangerous because it can penetrate almost all organs and the consequences of its vital activity can be irreversible.
- Ascaris is one of the common parasites that infects more and more people every day. It most often enters the human body along with poorly washed food, raw water, dirty hands and dust. The egg of the parasite that enters the human body gradually begins to parasitize in the intestines and can then travel through the blood vessels to other organs.
- The tapeworm is the largest of the most common parasites. Cases have been recorded when the extracted parasite reached several meters in length. The most common causes of infection are the consumption of salted fish, lobster and caviar. If after that you notice alarming symptoms in yourself in the form of exhaustion, increased salivation in the morning, vomiting and lethargy, you should immediately consult a doctor.
- Echinococcus can enter the body with poorly washed food, raw water and from animals. This parasite is dangerous because its larvae can travel to almost all organs. Gradually, they stop somewhere and turn into a cyst, which begins to exert pressure on nearby tissues.
The most dangerous and rare parasites
In addition to the "traditional", well-known and easily treatable parasitic organisms, there are also more dangerous and rarer species. These include parasites such as:
- Bull tapeworm - this parasite can live in the human body for almost its entire life and can be much larger than the tapeworm. On average, according to scientists, the size of an adult parasite can reach from 4 to 40 meters in length.
- Filaria is a more exotic parasite that can be found in tropical countries. Once in the human body, it leads to the blockage of the lymphatic vessels, due to which the limbs begin to reach gigantic sizes. This is the main reason for the development of "elephantiasis", because basically these parasites affect the lower limbs.
- Anisakid is a recent discovery by scientists. Previously, there was information that these parasites are not dangerous due to the fact that they cannot develop in the human body. But now it has been proven that these pests can cause fatal diseases. Most often they enter the body together with half of raw seafood and fish.
- Schistosoma - this guest cannot be taken in ordinary life, but when you travel somewhere in the tropics - it is elementary. Especially if you buy somewhere in a hot tropical climate in fresh water. Once in the human body, they can lead to anemia, retardation and retardation, as well as reduced learning ability.
