Intestinal parasite

Intestinal parasites are parasitesthat populate the gastro-intestinal tract. In humans, they are often spread by poor hygienerelated to feces, contact with animals, or poorly cooked food containing parasites.

They are larger than bacteriaand virusesbut usually so small that you cannot see them without a microscope. Three major groups of parasites include protozoans(organisms having only one cell), nematodes(roundworms), and cestodes(tapeworms). Of these, protozoans, including cryptosporidium, microsporidia, and isospora, are most common in HIV-infected persons. Each of these parasites can infect the digestive tract, and sometimes two or more can cause infection at the same time.

How do people become infected?

Parasites can get into the intestine through the mouth from uncooked or unwashed food, contaminated water, or hands, or by skincontact with larvainfected soil. People can also become infected with intestinal parasites if they have mouth contact with the genitalor rectalarea of a sexual partner who is infected (e.g. oral sexor rimming). When the organisms are swallowed, they move into the intestine, where they can reproduce and cause disease.

What are the signs of intestinal parasite infection?

In some people, intestinal parasites do not cause any symptoms, or the symptoms may come and go. Common signs and complaints include coughing, crampingabdominal pain, bloating, "gas" and diarrhea. In more serious infections, weight loss, fever, nausea, vomiting, or bloodystoolsmay occur. Some parasites also cause low red blood count (anemia), and some travel from the lungsto the intestine, or from the intestine to the lungs and other parts of the body. Many conditions besides intestinal parasite infection can result in these symptoms, so laboratory tests are necessary to determine their cause.

Intestinal parasites can infect anybody. However, HIV-infected persons may not be able to control parasite infection very well if they have advanced disease. Under these circumstances, intestinal parasite infection may become a long term health problem.

See also

• Parasitic worm
• intestinal nematodes (intestinal roundworms)
  • Ascaris lumbricoides: ascariasis
  • hookworms
    • Ancylostoma duodenale
    • Necator americanus
  • Strongyloides stercoralis: strongyloidiasis
  • Trichiuris trichiura: whipworm, trichuriasis
  • Trichostrongylus species: trichostrongyliasis
  • Anisakis simplex, Pseudoterranova decipiens: anisakiasis
  • Capillaria philippinensis: capillariasis
  • Gymnophallidae seoi
• intestinal cestodes (flatworms)
  • Taeniasis solium: tapeworm
• intestinal protozoa
  • Entamoeba histolytica: amoebiasisor amebiasis (see amoeba)
  • Giardia lamblia
  • cryptosporidium: cryptosporidiosis
  • microsporidia
  • isospora: isosporiasis
  • cyclospora: cyclosporiasis
  • Balantidium coli: balantidiasis
• agents transmitted by fecal-oral route but not properly intestinal parasite
  • trichinosis
  • echinococcosis
• foodborne illness

External links

• CDC pages on the morphology of intestinal parasitesfr:Parasite intestinal

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intestinal+parasite Wikipedia article Intestinal parasite.