Parasites survive by living off a host, including humans.
Range from single-celled protozoa to larger organisms like fleas and tapeworms.
Millions are common, but some are rare.
Sparganum Worm
Characteristics: Grows up to a foot long, may live up to 20 years.
Human Infection: Rare (1-2 dozen cases annually worldwide).
Symptoms: Often symptomless but can cause headaches, vertigo, blindness, paralysis if it invades critical areas like the brain, inner ear, spinal cord, or eyes.
Prevention: Avoid undercooked meat, untreated water, and raw frog meat poultices.
Gnathostoma Spinigerum Worm
Reproduction: Cannot reproduce in humans as they do in other hosts (e.g., freshwater fish, crustaceans).
Human Effect: Causes swelling under the skin (condition called gnathostomiasis).
Emergence: Becoming more common outside its usual tropics of Asia.
Prevention: Cook protein to an internal temperature of at least 145°F (63°C).
Naegleria Fowleri Amoeba
Habitat: Found in warm freshwater lakes, ponds, rivers, hot springs.
Infection Route: Enters through the nose, travels to the brain via olfactory nerves.
Symptoms: Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis; starts like bacterial meningitis with headaches, nausea, stiff neck, then progresses to seizures, hallucinations, and possible death within a week.
Incidence: 0 to 8 cases per year in the U.S., despite potential for millions of exposures.
Candiru Catfish
Size: Less than 3 inches (8 cm) long.
Behavior: Normally parasitize fish by detecting nitrogen from gills, enter through gills to suck blood.
Human Risk: Mistakes human urethra for gills due to nitrogen in urine.
Precaution: Use the bathroom before swimming in the Amazon River.
Conclusion
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