Over 50% of the human population has some form of parasites living within their bodies. That is a frightening number, considering that it is causing anything from acne or minor skin rashes to very serious and disturbing diseases. One would imagine that we would be more informed, if not by ourselves than by the medical community, because of the severity that come with these parasites. There are seven types of parasites that will be described in detail herewith:

Roundworms: they cause abdominal pain, skin rashes, painfulness in the eyes, and asthma. The skin rashes occurred when the roundworms released their waste, or toxins. Over one billion people worldwide are infected with roundworms. They reproduce extremely rapidly.

Hookworms: they also cause skin problems such as dry skin and acne when their excretions are released. They are also known to cause extreme abdominal pain, and anemia. Normally they enter through the skin, more commonly through bare feet. From there they travel through the bloodstream and make their way to the intestines. A hookworm infection has also caused deaths in humans. Often, redness will appear at the area through which the hookworm larva has penetrated.

Pinworms: a study shows that 20% of children are infected with pinworms, that’s over 500 million children. After a period of two to three months of being infected, the pinworms will cause intense itching around the anus. They are extremely contagious. It is recommended that your children are tested for parasites such as pinworms to avoid any serious health problems in the future.

Tapeworms: they live in the intestines and are also known as cestodes. One can get tapeworms from the larvae ingested through undercooked food. Over time, the tapeworms mature to adulthood and become extremely large, even up to 20 feet long. They present danger in humans as they consume all nutrients within the body.

Cyclospora: it is a single cell parasite. It is transmitted by ingesting food or water that is contaminated. Symptoms include diarrhea, weight loss, bloating, nausea, fatigue and others. More and more cases are showing up across the United States and Canada, although it is unknown how many people are infected with it. The first known cases were diagnosed in 1977.

Giardia: one can be infected by this type of parasite from undercooked food or contaminated items or drinking contaminated water. It doesn’t end there, with drinking water; the water can be swallowed in a swimming pool or a river. This parasite is one of the most difficult to kill, because it has an outer shell. Diarrhea, gas and cramps are some of the symptoms experienced after a couple of weeks of infection.

Blood vessel parasites or blood flukes: these are extremely dangerous to humans. They enter through the skin, and gradually work their way into the lungs and liver. As an adult it travels to the digestive system as well. These blood flukes are known to damage the liver.

Flukes: live within humans and some animals, these flatworms live in the liver and feed on the blood of the host. The eggs produced by adult flukes travel to the intestine.