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Parasitic infections are a major concern in tropical and sub-tropical areas across the world. These types of infections can spread through contaminated water, food, a waste product, blood and many other ways.
Want to know more about diseases caused by parasites? Read the following section to understand parasitic infection, causes, symptoms, and treatment.
Parasites are organisms that live on or inside an organism (host) and survive at the host’s expense. It means parasites benefit from the host by getting nutrients for their survival.
Parasites can be of different sizes, such as microscopic or large enough to be seen through naked eyes. These parasites can grow, breed, and infect other organs, leading to parasitic infection and, in worst cases, sepsis.
Sepsis can occur from infections such as urinary tract infection and pneumonia. A report says one-third of the population (globally) who have sepsis die. Those who survive suffer from life-changing organ malfunction, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or amputation.
Now that the basic definition of parasitic infection is clear to individuals let’s focus on causes, symptoms, risk factors, treatment, prevention and other areas.
Below is a list of worms that commonly causes parasitic infection,
Depending on the organism living on or inside the host, the common diseases caused by parasites and their symptoms may vary. The generic symptoms include:
Parasitic infection can develop in any individual, but some individuals have a greater risk of getting affected. They are:
Further, individuals who have pets like cats have higher chances of developing parasitic infection as these cats come into contact with infected birds or rodents during outdoor activities. Wondering how?
Cat owners can contact a certain type of protozoa named Toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis related infections can spread through cat faeces and are very dangerous for pregnant women and developing babies. Hence, to avoid such infections, cat owners must clean litter boxes on a regular basis.
Three types of organisms are primarily responsible for diseases caused by parasites in humans. These are as follows,
Protozoa: These are single-celled organisms that can grow and multiply inside a body. This organism can come in different sizes and shapes and are available in a wide variety of habitats such as soil, freshwater and marine environments.
Browsing the internet for the name of two parasitic protozoa that cause diseases in humans? These are,
Ectoparasites: Ectoparasites are multi-celled organisms that live on the skin of the host and derive nutrients for survival. Examples of these organisms include fleas, mosquitos, ticks etc.
Helminths: These are multi-celled large macroparasites. These organisms are commonly known as worms and can live in or outside the body. Organisms such as tapeworms, flatworms, and roundworms fall under this category.
There are several ways doctors can diagnose diseases caused by parasites. These are as follows,
The treatment of parasitic infection depends on the type of infection and the report of diagnosis. In such cases, doctors usually prescribe medication. For instance, doctors prescribe medications to treat infections such as Giardiasis, Cryptosporidiosis, Trichomoniasis etc.
On the other hand, doctors do not prescribe medication to treat Toxoplasmosis for pregnant women unless they have severe infections.
Further, doctors may recommend surgery and additional medications in case of severe parasitic infection where infections have invaded other organs.
Additionally, doctors can recommend other modes of treatment to reduce parasitic infection-related symptoms. For instance, several parasitic infections can cause diarrhoea, further resulting in dehydration. Doctors may recommend drinking more water or fluid to balance bodily liquid in such cases.
To prevent parasitic infection, individuals have to follow safety measures. These are as follows,
The above-mentioned piece gives a detailed overview of the diseases caused by parasites. Read these details carefully and contact a doctor if you start experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above.
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Disclaimer #2: This information is added only for informative purposes and collected from different sources across the Internet. Digit Insurance is not promoting or recommending anything here. Please verify the information before making any decisions.
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