Parasites - Organisms of Mischief

You might have heard of bacteria, viruses, and fungi, but are you aware of the monsters that are causing us harm behind the scenes? Parasites are microscopic organisms that live on or in a host organism and acquire food from their host. Some parasites consume their hosts themselves, while other parasites consume a different food but harms the host in the process. Let’s delve deeper and explore these creatures more carefully!

People residing in tropic and subtropic areas are most prone to parasitic infections. These infections can be extremely severe, even deadly. The most widespread parasitic disease is malaria, which you might’ve heard of. Malaria kills over 400,000 people annually, most of the victims being young children in sub-Saharan Africa. Malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes, which are more common in areas with hot climates year round, including Africa. It’s less common in colder areas, and the only two locations in the world that are completely mosquito-free are Iceland and Antarctica, due to their freezing climates.

There are three primary classes of parasites that introduce diseases to humans: protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites. Protozoa are one-celled organisms who are parasitic in nature. Their ability to multiply in humans allows them to survive and infect. Helminths are larger, multicellular organisms that can be seen by the naked eye. Helminths are parasitic in nature, but they are unable to multiply in humans. Ectoparasites consist of many parasites that humans are familiar with, such as fleas, lice, and mites. These parasites both cause and transmit disease.

There is also a set of parasitic diseases that are often neglected by the public health society, hence their name, the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). These ignored diseases currently affect over a billion people internationally! They severely affect overall human functions, interfering in daily life.

The parasite responsible for Malaria.

Picture Source: wikipedia.org