Parasite

What are Parasites?

Parasites are single-celled, microscopic (seen through a microscope) organisms, such as protozoa, or larger, multi-cellular worms visible to the naked eye, such as helminths, or ticks and fleas called ectoparasites, that grow, feed, and seek shelter on or in other living organisms (known as the host - such as humans and animals), while contributing nothing to the survival of the host.

Some Common Parasites

• Giardia duodenalis
• Cryptosporidium parvum
• Cyclospora cayetanensis
• Toxoplasma gondii
• Trichinella spiralis
• Taenia saginata (beef tapeworm) parasitic worms - helminths
• Taenia solium (pork tapeworm) parasitic worms - helminths

They may be transmitted from animals to humans, from humans to humans, or from humans to animals.

Parasites can cause disease.

You can get parasites from contaminated food or water, a bug bite, or sexual contact.

Contaminated water supplies can lead to Giardia infections. Cats can transmit toxoplasmosis, a protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which is dangerous for pregnant women because of its effects on the fetus, and also dangerous in people with HIV infection or other immune deficiency disorder.

The protozoan parasite Plasmodium causes malaria, a tropical disease that usually is transmitted to humans during the bite of the Anopheles mosquito. Though rare in the United States, malaria remains a serious public health threat worldwide.

Parasitic diseases can cause mild discomfort or debilitating illness and possibly death.

Prevention is especially important. There are no vaccines for parasitic diseases. Some medicines are available to treat parasitic infections.

Prevention of Parasitic Diseases

• Wash hands with hot, soapy water before handling foods and eating, and after using the toilet, diapering young children, and handling animals.
• Make sure infected individuals wash their hands frequently to reduce the spread of infection.
• Drink water only from treated municipal water supplies.
• When hiking, camping, or traveling to countries where the water supply may be unsafe to drink, either avoid drinking the water or boil it for 1 minute to kill the parasite. Drinking bottled beverages or hot coffee and tea are safe alternatives.
• Do not swallow water while swimming.
• Do not swim in community swimming pools if you or your child are infected with a parasitic disease.
• Drink only pasteurized milk, juices, or cider.
• Wash, peel, or cook raw fruits and vegetables before eating.
• Do not use untreated manure to fertilize fruits and vegetables.
• Cook beef, pork and wild game to 160 °F to kill any Trichinella larvae or encysted tapeworm larvae that may be present.

Prevention of Toxoplasmosis

• If you are pregnant or if you have a weakened immune system, you should discuss your risk of contracting toxoplasmosis with your health care provider.
• Wear clean latex gloves when handling raw meats, or have someone who is healthy, and not pregnant, handle the meats for you.
• Cook all meats thoroughly to 160 °F.
• Wash hands, cutting boards, and other utensils thoroughly with hot, soapy water after handling raw meats.
• Clean cat litter boxes daily, because cat feces more than a day old can contain mature parasites.
• Wash hands thoroughly with hot, soapy water after handling cats, cleaning cat litter boxes, especially before you handle or eat food.
• Wear gloves when you handle garden soil or sandboxes. Cats may use gardens or sandboxes as litter boxes.
• Cover sandboxes to prevent cats from using them as litter boxes.
• Help prevent cats from becoming infected with T. gondii by discouraging them from hunting and scavenging.
• Feed cats commercially made cat foods or cook their food.

For More Infomation Visit:
MedlinePlus® or FSIS

References:
MedlinePlus
http://medlineplus.gov/
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)
www.fsis.usda.gov/
May 2001