Overview:
Parasites are organisms that live on or inside a host organism and rely on that host for survival. They obtain nutrients at the host’s expense and may cause mild to severe health effects depending on the species, location, and immune response of the host.
Summary:
Human parasites range from microscopic protozoa to visible worms and external insects. They may affect the intestines, blood, tissues, skin, or organs. Transmission can occur through contaminated food or water, insect vectors, environmental exposure, or close contact. Understanding parasite categories helps clarify how they spread, where they live in the body, and how they impact health.
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Thelazia Species (Eye Worm)
Thelazia species (commonly referred to as eye worms) Thelazia Species Details: Type:Helminth (parasitic roundworm) Category:Nematodes (Roundworms) Transmission Type:Vector-borne (transmitted by flies) Primary Target Area:Eyes (conjunctival sac, tear ducts) Lifecycle Form:Larval stage (transmitted by flies), adult worm (resides in eye tissues) Incubation Period:Symptoms may develop days to weeks after exposure. Transmission: Thelazia species are transmitted when ... Read more
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Parastrongylus Species
Parastrongylus species (commonly associated with rat lungworm infection; often classified under Angiostrongylus) Parastrongylus Species Details: Type:Helminth (parasitic roundworm) Category:Nematodes (Roundworms) Transmission Type:Foodborne (ingestion of contaminated snails, slugs, or produce) Primary Target Area:Central nervous system (in humans) Lifecycle Form:Third-stage larvae (infective stage), adult worms (in definitive animal hosts such as rats) Incubation Period:Symptoms typically develop 1 ... Read more
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Capillaria philippinensis
Capillaria philippinensis (commonly associated with intestinal capillariasis) Capillaria philippinensis Details: Type:Helminth (parasitic roundworm) Category:Nematodes (Roundworms) Transmission Type:Foodborne (consumption of raw or undercooked freshwater fish) Primary Target Area:Small intestine Lifecycle Form:Egg, larval stage, adult worm (intestinal stage) Incubation Period:Symptoms may develop weeks after ingestion. Transmission: Capillaria philippinensis infection occurs when raw or undercooked freshwater fish containing ... Read more
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Gnathostoma spinigerum
Gnathostoma spinigerum (commonly associated with gnathostomiasis) Gnathostoma spinigerum Details: Type:Helminth (parasitic roundworm) Category:Nematodes (Roundworms) Transmission Type:Foodborne (consumption of raw or undercooked freshwater animals) Primary Target Area:Subcutaneous tissues (may migrate to other organs) Lifecycle Form:Third-stage larva (infective stage in humans), adult worm (in animal hosts) Incubation Period:Symptoms may develop days to weeks after ingestion, though migration ... Read more
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Angiostrongylus cantonensis
Angiostrongylus cantonensis (commonly referred to as the rat lungworm) Angiostrongylus cantonensis Details: Type:Helminth (parasitic roundworm) Category:Nematodes (Roundworms) Transmission Type:Foodborne (ingestion of contaminated snails, slugs, or produce) Primary Target Area:Central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) Lifecycle Form:Larval stage (infective third-stage larvae), adult worm (in rats) Incubation Period:Symptoms typically develop 1 to 3 weeks after ingestion. ... Read more
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Pulex irritans (Human Flea)
Pulex irritans (commonly referred to as the human flea) Pulex irritans Details: Type:Ectoparasite (blood-feeding insect) Category:Arthropods (Insects) Transmission Type:Environmental exposure (infested bedding, animals, or surroundings) Primary Target Area:Skin (surface feeding) Lifecycle Form:Egg, larva, pupa, adult flea Incubation Period:Bite reactions may appear within minutes to hours after exposure. Transmission: Pulex irritans infests environments and feeds on ... Read more
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Ixodes species (Ticks)
Ixodes species (commonly referred to as hard ticks or deer ticks) Ixodes Species Details: Type:Ectoparasite (blood-feeding arachnid) Category:Arthropods (Arachnids) Transmission Type:Skin attachment and blood feeding Primary Target Area:Skin (attachment site) Lifecycle Form:Egg, larva, nymph, adult tick Incubation Period:Local irritation may occur within hours; symptoms of tick-borne illnesses may develop days to weeks after a bite. ... Read more
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Demodex brevis
Demodex brevis (commonly referred to as the sebaceous gland mite) Demodex brevis Details: Type:Ectoparasite (microscopic mite) Category:Arthropods (Arachnids) Transmission Type:Direct skin contact Primary Target Area:Sebaceous (oil) glands and hair follicles Lifecycle Form:Egg, larva, nymph, adult mite (resides deeper in sebaceous glands) Incubation Period:Symptoms, when present, may develop gradually over weeks. Transmission: Demodex brevis spreads primarily ... Read more
Demodex folliculorum
Demodex folliculorum (commonly referred to as the facial hair follicle mite) Demodex folliculorum Details: Type:Ectoparasite (microscopic mite) Category:Arthropods (Arachnids) Transmission Type:Direct skin contact Primary Target Area:Hair follicles (especially face, eyelashes, eyebrows) Lifecycle Form:Egg, larva, nymph, adult mite (lives within hair follicles) Incubation Period:Symptoms, when present, may develop gradually over weeks. Transmission: Demodex folliculorum is commonly ... Read more
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Sarcoptes scabiei (Scabies Mite)
Sarcoptes scabiei (commonly referred to as the scabies mite) Sarcoptes scabiei Details: Type:Ectoparasite (microscopic mite) Category:Arthropods (Arachnids) Transmission Type:Prolonged skin-to-skin contact Primary Target Area:Skin (especially between fingers, wrists, elbows, waistline, and genitals) Lifecycle Form:Egg, larva, nymph, adult mite (burrows into skin) Incubation Period:Symptoms typically appear 2 to 6 weeks after first exposure; reinfestation may cause ... Read more
Frequently Asked Questions
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