Parasitic Diseases Flashcards
What are parasites?
Parasites are organisms which live in or on another organism (its host). Some parasites harm their host by causing disease and we refer to them as pathogens.
What do parasites need to survive?
Parasites need nutrients from its host to survive because parasites can’t survive without a host.
What are endoparasites?
Endoparasites are parasites that live inside your body.
What are ectoparasites?
Ectoparasites are parasites that live outside your body.
How can you contract a parasitic infection?
You can contract parasitic infections by coming in contact with contaminated food, water, soil or insect bites.
What are the three main types of parasites?
The three main types of parasites are Protozoa, Helminth and Ectoparasites.
What are protozoa? Name one example.
Protozoa are single-celled organisms which live in and multiply in the blood and tissue of humans. Protozoa usually infect the blood by mosquitoes. An example of a protozoa infection is Malaria.
What are helminths? Name two examples.
Helminths as worm parasites which usually live inside the intestine, blood and other tissues of the host. Examples of helminths are roundworms and tapeworms.
What do ectoparasites do? Name three examples.
Ectoparasites attach to and burrow into the skin of their host. Examples of ectoparasites are lice, fleas and mites.
What is Malaria?
Malaria is a mosquito-carried, infectious parasitic disease caused by parasitic protozoans called Plasmodium.
What are tapeworms?
Tapeworms are a helminth (worm) parasites that usually survive in the intestines. The tapeworm eggs enter the host after being consumed from contaminated food products or water and they grow in the gut of their host after being ingested.
What are head lice?
Head lice are ectoparasites which are small insects that live on the human scalp.
How do you treat parasites that have infected the inside of your body?
Oral medication is usually given which helps to kill the parasite which can then be excreted in stools.
How can you prevent parasitic diseases? Give as many examples as possible.
You can prevent parasitic diseases by:
- having good hygiene
- cooking meat properly (so that all parasitic eggs are killed)
- not eating raw meat
- wearing insect repellant
