List of parasites of humans

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Main article: Human parasites

Contents
[hide]

1 Endoparasites
o

1.1 Protozoan organisms

1.2 Helminths organisms (worms)

1.2.1 Tapeworms

1.2.2 Flukes

1.2.3 Roundworms
1.3 Other organisms

2 Ectoparasites

3 See also

4 References

Endoparasites[edit]
Protozoan organisms[edit]
Common
name of
organism or
disease

Granulomatous
amoebic
encephalitis and
Acanthamoeba
keratitis (eye
infection)

Latin name (sorted)

Acanthamoeba

Granulomatous
amoebic
Balamuthia mandrillaris
encephalitis (skin
infection)

Babesiosis

Babesia B. divergens, B.
bigemina, B. equi, B.

Body parts
affected

Diagno
stic
specim
en

Prevalence

Source/
Transmission
(Reservoir/
Vector)

eye, brain, skin culture

worldwide

contact
lenses cleaned
with tap water

brain, skin

worldwide

via respiratory
tract or skin
lesion

New
York, Martha'sVineyard,

tick bites,
e.g. Ixodes

culture

red blood cells Giemsastained

Common
name of
organism or
disease

Latin name (sorted)

Body parts
affected

Blastocystosis

Balantidium coli

Blastocystis

Coccidia,
Cryptosporidium
cryptosporidiosis

Cyclosporiasis

Cyclospora cayetanensis

Prevalence

Nantucket (different
thin blood
species have worldwide
smear
distribution)

microfti, B. duncani

Balantidiasis

Diagno
stic
specim
en

stool
(diarrhea=
ciliated
intestinalmuco trophozoit
sa, may
e; solid
become
stool=larg
invasive in
e cyst
some patients with
horseshoe
shaped
nucleus)

intestinal

intestines

intestines

Source/
Transmission
(Reservoir/
Vector)

scapularis

ingestion of cyst,
zoonotic
infection acquire
dfrom pigs
(feces)

direct
microscop
y of stool 2 - 20% of population[1]
(PCR, anti
body)

eating food
contaminated
with feces from
an infected
human or animal

stool

widespread

ingestion of
oocyst
(sporulated),
some species are
zoonotic (e.g.
bovine fecal
contamination)

stool

United States

ingestion of
oocyst thru
contaminated
food

stool

ingesting water
up to 10% in industrialized or food
countries
contaminated
with feces

Dientamoebiasis

Dientamoeba fragilis

intestines

Amoebiasis

Entamoeba histolytica

Intestines
stool
(mainly Large, (fresh

areas with poor sanitation,

high population density

fecal-oral
transmission of

Common
name of
organism or
disease

Giardiasis

Isosporiasis

Leishmaniasis

Latin name (sorted)

Diagno
stic
specim
en

can go to
extraintestinal
sites)

diarrheic
stools
have
andtropical regions
amoeba,
solid stool
has cyst)

cyst, not amoeba

stool

widespread

ingestion of
cysts in fecal
contaminated
water or food,
can be zoonotic
(deer, beavers)

stool

worldwide lesscommon thanToxoplas

ma orCryptosporidium

fecal oral route ingestion of

sporulated
oocyst

Visceral leishmaniasisWorldwide; Cutaneous

leishmaniasis - Old
World; Mucocutaneous
leishmaniasis - New World

Phlebotomus Lut
zomyia- bite of
several species
of phlebotomine
sandflies

rare but deadly

Nasal insufflatio
n of
contaminated
warm fresh
water, poorly
chlorinated swim
ming pools, hot
springs, soil

Giardia lamblia

lumen of
thesmall
intestine

Isospora belli

epithelial
cells ofsmall
intestines

Leishmania

visual
identificat
ion of
lesion or
cutaneous,muc microscop
ocutaneous,
ic stain
or visceral
with
Leishman'
s
or Giemsa
's stain

Primary amoebic
meningoencephal Naegleria fowleri
itis(PAM)[2][3]

Malaria

Body parts
affected

brain

culture

Plasmodium
red blood cells, Blood
falciparum(80% of cases),Plas liver
film
modium vivax, Plasmodium
ovale curtisi, Plasmodium ovale

Prevalence

tropical - 250 million

cases/year

Source/
Transmission
(Reservoir/
Vector)

Anopheles mosq
uito, bites at
night

Common
name of
organism or
disease

Latin name (sorted)

Body parts
affected

Diagno
stic
specim
en

Prevalence

Source/
Transmission
(Reservoir/
Vector)

wallikeri, Plasmodium
malariae,Plasmodium knowlesi

Rhinosporidiosis Rhinosporidium seeberi

Sarcocystosis

Toxoplasmosis Parasitic
pneumonia

Trichomoniasis

Sarcocystis
bovihominis,Sarcocystis
suihominis

nose,nasophary
biopsy
nx

intestine, musc muscle

le
biopsy

India and Sri Lanka

nasal
mucosa came
into contact with
infected material
through bathing
in common
ponds

widespread

ingestion of
uncooked/underc
ooked beef/pork
with Sarcocystis
sarcocysts

Toxoplasma gondii

eyes, brain,
heart, liver

blood
and PCR

widespread - up to one
third of all humans

ingestion of
uncooked/underc
ooked
pork/lamb/goat
with Toxoplasma
bradyzoites,
ingestion of raw
milk with
Toxoplasmatach
yzoites,
ingestion of
contaminated
water food or
soil
with oocysts in
cat feces that is
more than one
day old

Trichomonas vaginalis

female
urogenital tract
(males
asymptomatic)

microscop
ic
examinati
7.4 million Americans
on of
genital
swab

sexually
transmitted
infection - only
trophozoite form
(no cyst)

blood lymph

microscop 50,000 to 70,000 people

tsetse fly, day

Sleeping sickness Trypanosoma brucei

Common
name of
organism or
disease

Chagas disease

Latin name (sorted)

Trypanosoma cruzi

Body parts
affected

Diagno
stic
specim
en

and central
nervous
systems

ic
examinati
on
ofchancre
fluid,
lymph
node
aspirates,
blood,
bone
marrow

colon,
esophagus,
heart, nerves,
muscle and
blood

Giemsa
stain blood

Source/
Transmission
(Reservoir/
Vector)

Prevalence

biting fly of the

genus Glossina

Mexico, Central America,

South America - 16-18
million

Triatoma/Reduvi
idae - "Kissing
bug" Insect
Vector, feeds at
night

Helminths organisms (worms)[edit]

Helminth organisms (also called helminths or intestinal worms) include:
Tapeworms[edit]
Common
name of
organism or
disease

Tapeworm Tapeworm
infection

Latin name (sorted)

Cestoda, Taenia
multiceps

Diphyllobothriasis
Diphyllobothrium latum
- tapeworm

Echinococcosis tapeworm

Body parts
affected

Diagnostic
specimen

Prevalence

intestine

stool

rare

intestines, blood

stool
(microscope)

Europe, Japan,
ingestion of raw fresh
Uganda, Peru,
water fish
Chile

imaging
of hydatid
cysts in the
liver, lungs,
kidney and
spleen

as intermediate host,
ingestion of material
contaminated by feces
Mediterranean
from a carnivore;
countries
asdefinite host, ingestion
of uncooked meat (offal)
from a herbivore

Echinococcus
granulosus,Echinococcus liver, lungs,
multilocularis, E.
kidney, spleen
vogeli, E. oligarthrus

Transmission/Vector

Common
name of
organism or
disease

Hymenolepiasis

Body parts
affected

Latin name (sorted)

[4]

Beef tapeworm

Diagnostic
specimen

Prevalence

ingestion of material
contaminated by flour
beetles, meal worms,
cockroaches

Hymenolepis
nana,Hymenolepis
diminuta

Taenia saginata

Cysticercosis-Pork
Taenia solium
tapeworm

Bertielliasis

Bertiella
mucronata,Bertiella
studeri

Sparganosis

Spirometra
erinaceieuropaei

Transmission/Vector

Intestines

stool

worldwide
distribution

ingestion of undercooked
beef

Brain, muscle, Eye

(Cysts in
conjuntiva/anterior stool, blood
chamber/subretinal space)

Asia, Africa,
South
America,
ingestion of undercooked
Southern
pork
Europe, North
America.

Intestines

Rare

Stool

Contact with non human

primates

ingestion of material
contaminated with infected
dog or cat faeces
(humans: dead-end host)

Flukes[edit]
Common name of
organism or disease

Latin name
(sorted)

Body
parts
affected

Clonorchiasis

Clonorchis
sinensis; Clonorchis
viverrini

gall bladder
ducts and
inflammatio
n of liver

Lancet liver fluke

Dicrocoelium
dendriticum

gall bladder

Liver fluke -Fasciolosis[5]

Fasciola

liver, gall

Diagnost
ic
specimen

Prevalence

Transmission/Vector

ingestion of under
prepared fresh water fish

stool

rare

ingestion of ants

Fasciola

freshwater snails

Common name of
organism or disease

Latin name
(sorted)

hepatica, Fasciola
gigantica

Body
parts
affected

Diagnost
ic
specimen

Prevalence

Transmission/Vector

hepatica in
Europe, Africa,
Australia, the
Americas and
Oceania;Fascio
la
gigantica only
in Africa and
Asia, 2.4
million people
infected by
both species

bladder

stool or
vomitus
East Asia - 10
(microscope million people
)

ingestion of infested
water plants or water
(intermediate
host:amphibic snails)

Fasciolopsiasis - intestinal
fluke[6]

Fasciolopsis buski

Gnathostomiasis[7]

ingestion of raw or
subcutaneo
Gnathostoma
undercooked meat (e.g.,
us tissues
physical
rare - Southeast
spinigerum, Gnathosto
freshwater fish, chicken,
(under the examination Asia
ma hispidum
snails, frogs, pigs) or
skin)
contaminated water

Metagonimiasis - intestinal
fluke

Metagonimus
yokogawai

Chinese Liver Fluke

Opisthorchis
viverrini, Opisthorchis
felineus, Clonorchis
sinensis

intestines

stool

bile duct

Paragonimus
westermani; Paragoni
mus
africanus; Paragonimu
Paragonimiasis, Lung Fluke s
lungs
caliensis;Paragonimus
kellicotti; Paragonimus
skrjabini; Paragonimus
uterobilateralis

sputum,
feces

Siberia,
Manchuria,
Balkan states,
Israel, Spain

ingestion of
undercooked or salted
fish

1.5 million
people in
Russia

consuming infected raw,

slightly salted or frozen
fish

East Asia

ingestion of raw or
undercooked freshwater
crabs crayfishes or other
crustaceans

Common name of
organism or disease

Schistosomiasis - bilharzia,
bilharziosis or snail fever
(all types)

Latin name
(sorted)

Body
parts
affected

Diagnost
ic
specimen

Schistosoma sp.

Prevalence

Transmission/Vector

Africa,
Caribbean,
eastern South
America, east
Asia, Middle
East - 200
million people

skin exposure to water

contaminated with
infected fresh water
snails

skin exposure to water

contaminated with
infectedBiomphalaria fr
esh water snails

intestinal schistosomiasis

Schistosoma
mansoni and Schistoso
ma intercalatum

intestine,
liver,
spleen,
lungs,
skin,rarely
infects the
brain

stool

Africa,
Caribbean,
South America,
Asia, Middle
East - 83
million people

urinary schistosomiasis

Schistosoma
haematobium

kidney,
bladder,
ureters,
lungs, skin

urine

Africa, Middle
East

skin exposure to water

contaminated with
infectedBulinus sp.
snails

Schistosomiasisby Schistos
oma japonicum

intestine,
liver,
Schistosoma japonicum
spleen,
lungs, skin

stool

China, East
Asia,
Philippines

skin exposure to water

contaminated with
infectedOncomelania sp.
snails

Asian intestinal
schistosomiasis

Schistosoma mekongi -

Echinostoma
echinatum

Swimmer's itch

Roundworms[edit]

skin exposure to water

contaminated with
South East Asia infectedNeotricula
aperta - fresh water
snails

Trichobilharzia
regenti,Schistosomatid
ae

small
intestine

Far East

ingestion of raw fish,

mollusks, snails

skin exposure to
contaminated water
(snails and vertebrates)

Common name of
organism or disease

Latin name
(sorted)

Body
parts
affected

Diagnostic specimen

Prevalen
ce

Transmission/Ve
ctor

common in
tropical,
penetration of skin
warm, moist by L3 larva
climates

Ancylostomiasis/Hook
worm

Ancylostoma
lungs, small
duodenale, Necator intestine,
americanus
blood

stool

Angiostrongyliasis

Angiostrongylus
costaricensis

intestine

stool

Anisakiasis[8]

Anisakis

allergic
reaction

biopsy

Roundworm - Parasitic
pneumonia

Ascaris sp. Ascaris

lumbricoides

Intestines,
liver,
appendix,
stool
pancreas,
lungs, Lffle
r's syndrome

common in
tropical and
subtropical
regions

Roundworm
-Baylisascariasis

Baylisascaris
procyonis

Intestines,
liver, lungs,
brain, eye

rare: North
America

stool from raccoons

lymph nodes blood samples

tropical
regions of
Asia

Arthropods

Rare

Ingestion of
undercooked or raw
freshwater fish

Brugia
Roundworm-lymphatic
malayi, Brugia
filariasis
timori

Dioctophyme renalis
infection

kidneys
Dioctophyme renale (typically the Urine
right)

Guinea worm Dracunculiasis

Dracunculus
medinensis

subcutaneou
s tissues,
skin blister/ulcer
muscle

Pinworm - Enterobiasis Enterobius

intestines,
vermicularis,Entero anus
bius gregorii

stool; tape test around anus

ingestion of infected
faeces or infected
slugs

incidental
host

South
Sudan
(eradication
ongoing)

widespread;
temperate

ingestion of raw fish,

squid, cuttlefish,
octopus

Common name of
organism or disease

Latin name
(sorted)

Body
parts
affected

Diagnostic specimen

Prevalen
ce

Transmission/Ve
ctor

regions

Halicephalobiasis

Loa loa
filariasis, Calabar
swellings

Halicephalobus
gingivalis

brain

Loa loa filaria

rain forest
Connective blood
of West
Tabanidae - horse
tissue, lungs, (Giemsa,haematoxylin,eosin Africa - 12fly, bites in the day
eye
stain)
13 million
people

Mansonelliasis, Filarias Mansonella

is
streptocerca

soil contaminated
wounds

subcutaneou
s layer of
skin

insect

River
Onchocerca
blindness,Onchocerciasi
volvulus
s

skin, eye,
tissue

bloodless skin snip

Strongyloidiasis - Paras Strongyloides

itic pneumonia
stercoralis

Intestines,
lungs, skin
(Larva
currens)

stool, blood

Thelaziasis

Thelazia
californiensis,Thela Eyes
zia callipaeda

ocular examination

Africa,
Yemen,
Central and
South
Simulium/Black fly,
America
bite during the day
near cool,
fast flowing
rivers

skin penetration

Amiota (Phortica)
Asia, Europ
variegata, Phortica
e
okadai

Common name of
organism or disease

Body
parts
affected

Latin name
(sorted)

Diagnostic specimen

Prevalen
ce

Transmission/Ve
ctor

liver, brain,
eyes
(Toxocara
canis Toxocara
Visceral
blood, ocular examination
canis,Toxocara cati
larva
migrans,Ocu
lar larva
migrans)

pica, unwashed food

contamined with
worldwide
Toxocara eggs,
distribution
undercooked livers
of chicken

Trichinosis

Trichinella
spiralis,Trichinella
britovi,Trichinella
nelsoni,Trichinella
nativa

muscle,
periorbital
blood
region, small
intestine

more
common in
developing
countries
due to
improved
feeding
practices in
developed
countries.

ingestion of
undercooked pork

Whipworm

Trichuris
trichiura,Trichuris
vulpis

large
intestine,
anus

stool (eggs)

common
worldwide

accidental ingestion
of eggs in dry goods
such as beans, rice,
and various grains or
soil contaminated
with human feces

lymphatic
system

thick blood smears stained

withhematoxylin.

Tropical
and
subtropical

mosquito, bites at
night

Toxocariasis

ElephantiasisLymphatic Wuchereria
filariasis
bancrofti

Other organisms[edit]
Common
name of
organism or
disease

Latin name (sorted)

Acanthocephalias Archiacanthocephala,Moniliformis
is
moniliformis

Body
parts
affected

Diagnosti
c
specimen

Gastrointestin
Faeces,
al tract,
parasite
peritoneum,
itself
eye

Prevalenc
e

Transmission/Vect
or

worldwide

ingestion of
intermediate hosts

Common
name of
organism or
disease

Latin name (sorted)

Body
parts
affected

Diagnosti
c
specimen

Prevalenc
e

Halzoun
Syndrome

Linguatula serrata

physical
Mid East
examination

Myiasis

Oestroidea, Calliphoridae,Sarcophagi dead or living

dae
tissue

Chigoe flea

Tunga penetrans

Central and
Subcutaneous physical
South
tissue
examination
America

Human Botfly

Dermatobia hominis

Central and
Subcutaneous physical
South
tissue
examination
America

nasopharynx

Transmission/Vect
or

ingestion of raw or
undercooked lymph
nodes (e.g., meat from
infected camels and
buffalos)

Mosquitoes and biting

flies

Ectoparasites[edit]
Common name of
organism or

Latin name (sorted)

disease

Body

Diagnost

parts

ic

Prevalen

Transmission/Vec

affecte

specime

ce

tor

Microscopy
Mite - Acariasis

Acari

skin

of the skin

Use of contaminated
Worldwide

surface

or skin to skin contact

Bedbug

Cimicidae Cimex lectularius

skin

visual

Worldwide

Head louse -

Pediculus humanus

hair

visual

Common

follicles

identification worldwide

Pediculosis

under
magnificatio

clothing and bedding

sharing of clothing
and bedding

head-to-head contact

Body

Common name of
organism or

Latin name (sorted)

disease

Diagnost

parts

ic

Prevalen

Transmission/Vec

affecte

specime

ce

tor

visual

Body louse Pediculosis

Pediculus humanus corporis

identification

skin-to-skin contact

under

such as sexual

magnificatio Worldwide

activity and via

sharing clothing or

(Vagabond's

bedding

disease)

visual
Crab louse Pediculosis

Pthirus pubis

pubic

identification

area,

under

skin-to-skin contact
such as sexual
Worldwide

eyelashes magnificatio

activity and via

sharing clothing or

bedding

Microscopy
Demodex -

Demodex

eyebrow,

Demodicosis

folliculorum/brevis/canis

eyelashes or eyebrow

of eyelash

Pandemic,

prolonged skin-to-skin

worldwide

contact

hair follicle

skin-to-skin contact
microscopy
Scabies

Sarcoptes scabiei

skin

of surface

such as sexual
Worldwide

scrapings

activity and via

sharing clothing or
bedding

Screwworm,Cochliom Cochliomyia hominivorax

skin and

yia

wounds

visual

North
America
(eradicated),
Central
America,

direct contact with fly

Body

Common name of
organism or

Latin name (sorted)

disease

Diagnost

parts

ic

Prevalen

Transmission/Vec

affecte

specime

ce

tor

North Africa

visual
identification
Flea, Siphonaptera

Pulex irritans

skin

under

Worldwide

environment

magnificatio
n

Tick

Arachnida Ixodidae andArgas

idae

High grass, leaf liter,

skin

visual

Worldwide

Weeds