Parasitic Diseases: Causes, Transmission and Prevention

Parasitic diseases are caused by tiny organisms like protozoa, worms, and insects that live in or on our bodies. These parasites can make us sick by stealing nutrients or causing infections. Some examples include sleeping sickness, caused by a parasite carried by tsetse flies, and malaria, spread by mosquitoes. Understanding how these diseases are transmitted and treated is crucial for staying healthy.

An Overview of Parasitic Diseases

• Causes: These are diseases caused by protozoa, helminths, and arthropods (live within, on, or at the expense of a host). 

• Protozoa: include unicellular organisms, such as the flagellates- Giardia and Trichomonas, and amoebae- Entamoeba (causing enteric and gynaecological disorders). 
• Sporozoa: are parasites with complex life cycles in different hosts, such as Cryptosporidium or malarial parasites. 
• Helminths: are worms that infest humans. 
• Arthropods: include lice, fleas, sandflies, blackflies, and ticks, and they serve as important disease vectors. 
  • Arthropods can live on the body’s surface (ectoparasites) and transmit bacterial, viral, rickettsial, and other diseases.
• The table below mentions various diseases caused by parasites and their treatments.

Conclusion

• Parasitic diseases are serious health threats that require attention and action. 
• By knowing how these diseases spread and how to prevent them, we can protect ourselves and others. 
• With advancements in medicine and public health efforts, we can work towards reducing the burden of parasitic infections worldwide.