# List of Human Parasites

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_parasites_of_humans

> Always refer to the most updated version.

## Endoparasites

### Protozoan Organisms

| Common Name | Latin Name | Body Parts Affected | Diagnostic Specimen | Prevalence | Source/Transmission |
|-------------|------------|---------------------|---------------------|------------|---------------------|
| Granulomatous amoebic encephalitis and Acanthamoeba keratitis | *Acanthamoeba* spp. | eye, brain, skin | culture or PCR | worldwide | contact lenses cleaned with contaminated tap water |
| Granulomatous amoebic encephalitis | *Balamuthia mandrillaris* | brain, skin | culture or metagenomic sequencing | worldwide | via inhalation or skin lesion |
| Babesiosis | *Babesia* (B. divergens, B. bigemina, B. equi, B. microfti, B. duncani) | red blood cells | Giemsa-stained thin blood smear | New England (different species worldwide) | tick bites, e.g. *Ixodes scapularis* |
| Balantidiasis | *Balantidium coli* | intestinal mucosa | stool | - | ingestion of cyst, zoonotic infection from pigs via fecal contamination |
| Blastocystosis | *Blastocystis* spp. | intestinal | direct microscopy or fecal PCR | worldwide: one of most common human parasites; 40-100% in developing regions | eating food contaminated with feces |
| Cryptosporidiosis | *Cryptosporidium* spp. | intestines | stool | widespread | ingestion of oocyst, some species zoonotic |
| Cyclosporiasis | *Cyclospora cayetanensis* | intestines | stool | United States | ingestion of oocyst through contaminated food |
| Dientamoebiasis | *Dientamoeba fragilis* | intestines | stool | up to 10% in industrialized countries | ingesting contaminated water or food |
| Amoebiasis | *Entamoeba histolytica* | intestines (mainly colon) | stool | areas with poor sanitation, tropical regions | fecal-oral transmission of cyst |
| Giardiasis | *Giardia lamblia* | small intestine lumen | stool | worldwide | ingestion of water containing deer or beaver feces |
| Isosporiasis | *Isospora belli* | small intestine epithelial cells | stool | worldwide | fecal-oral route |
| Leishmaniasis | *Leishmania* spp. | cutaneous, mucocutaneous, or visceral | visual or microscopic stain | worldwide (various types in different regions) | bite of phlebotomine sandflies |
| Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) | *Naegleria fowleri* | brain | culture | rare | nasal insufflation of contaminated warm fresh water |
| Malaria | *Plasmodium* spp. (falciparum 80%, vivax, ovale, malariae, knowlesi) | red blood cells, liver | blood film | tropical - 250 million cases/year | *Anopheles* mosquito |
| Rhinosporidiosis | *Rhinosporidium seeberi* | nose, nasopharynx | biopsy | India and Sri Lanka | nasal mucosa contact with infected material |
| Sarcocystosis | *Sarcocystis bovihominis*, *S. suihominis* | intestine, muscle | muscle biopsy | widespread | ingestion of uncooked/undercooked beef/pork |
| Toxoplasmosis | *Toxoplasma gondii* | eyes, brain, heart, liver | blood and PCR | worldwide: 30-50% of global population | ingestion of uncooked meat, raw milk, contaminated water/food/soil with cat feces |
| Trichomoniasis | *Trichomonas vaginalis* | female urogenital tract | microscopic examination of genital swab | worldwide | sexually transmitted |
| Sleeping sickness | *Trypanosoma brucei* | brain and blood | microscopic examination | 50,000-70,000 people in Africa | tsetse fly |
| Chagas disease | *Trypanosoma cruzi* | colon, esophagus, heart, nerves, muscle, blood | Giemsa stain blood | Mexico, Central/South America - 16-18 million | "kissing bug" insect vector |

### Helminths (Worms)

#### Tapeworms

| Common Name | Latin Name | Body Parts Affected | Diagnostic Specimen | Prevalence | Transmission |
|-------------|------------|---------------------|---------------------|------------|--------------|
| Tapeworm infection | *Cestoda*, *Taenia multiceps* | intestine | stool | rare worldwide | - |
| Diphyllobothriasis | *Diphyllobothrium latum* | intestines, blood | stool | Europe, Japan, Uganda, Peru, Chile | raw fresh water fish |
| Diphyllobothriasis | *Diphyllobothrium pacificum* | intestines | stool | Peru | raw saltwater fish |
| Echinococcosis | *Echinococcus* spp. | liver, lungs, kidney, spleen | imaging of hydatid cysts | worldwide in grazing areas | ingestion of carnivore feces or uncooked herbivore meat |
| Hymenolepiasis | *Hymenolepis nana*, *H. diminuta* | - | - | - | ingestion of material contaminated by flour beetles, mealworms, cockroaches |
| Beef tapeworm | *Taenia saginata* | intestines | stool | worldwide | undercooked beef |
| Cysticercosis/Pork tapeworm | *Taenia solium* | brain, muscle, eye | stool, blood, imaging | Asia, Africa, South America, Southern Europe, North America | undercooked pork or contaminated material |
| Bertielliasis | *Bertiella mucronata*, *B. studeri* | intestines | stool | rare | contact with non-human primates |
| Sparganosis | *Spirometra erinaceieuropaei* | - | - | - | infected dog or cat feces |

#### Flukes

| Common Name | Latin Name | Body Parts Affected | Diagnostic Specimen | Prevalence | Transmission |
|-------------|------------|---------------------|---------------------|------------|--------------|
| Clonorchiasis | *Clonorchis sinensis*, *C. viverrini* | gall bladder ducts, liver | - | East Asia | under-prepared freshwater fish |
| Lancet liver fluke | *Dicrocoelium dendriticum* | gall bladder | - | rare | ingestion of ants |
| Liver fluke - Fasciolosis | *Fasciola hepatica*, *F. gigantica* | liver, gall bladder | stool | 2.4 million people - various regions | freshwater snails |
| Fasciolopsiasis | *Fasciolopsis buski* | intestines | stool or vomitus | East Asia - 10 million | infested water plants or water |
| Metagonimiasis | *Metagonimus yokogawai* | - | stool | Siberia, Manchuria, Balkans, Israel, Spain | undercooked or salted fish |
| Metorchiasis | *Metorchis conjunctus* | - | - | Canada, US, Greenland | raw fish |
| Chinese liver fluke | *Opisthorchis* spp., *Clonorchis sinensis* | bile duct | - | 1.5 million in Russia | raw, slightly salted or frozen fish |
| Paragonimiasis (lung fluke) | *Paragonimus* spp. | lungs | sputum, feces | East Asia | raw/undercooked freshwater crabs or crayfish |
| Schistosomiasis (all types) | *Schistosoma* spp. | various | - | 200 million - Africa, Caribbean, South America, Asia, Middle East | contaminated freshwater with infected snails |
| Intestinal schistosomiasis | *Schistosoma mansoni*, *S. intercalatum* | intestine, liver, spleen, lungs | stool | 83 million - various regions | contaminated water with *Biomphalaria* snails |
| Urinary blood fluke | *Schistosoma haematobium* | kidney, bladder, ureters, lungs | urine | Africa, Middle East | contaminated water with *Bulinus* snails |
| Schistosomiasis japonicum | *Schistosoma japonicum* | intestine, liver, spleen, lungs | stool | China, East Asia, Philippines | contaminated water with *Oncomelania* snails |
| Asian intestinal schistosomiasis | *Schistosoma mekongi* | - | - | South East Asia | contaminated water with *Neotricula aperta* snails |
| Echinostomiasis | *Echinostoma echinatum* | small intestine | - | Far East | raw fish, mollusks, snails |
| Swimmer's itch | *Trichobilharzia regenti*, Schistosomatidae | - | - | worldwide | contaminated water |

#### Roundworms

| Disease | Latin Name | Habitat | Diagnostic Sample | Prevalence | Transmission |
|---------|------------|---------|-------------------|------------|--------------|
| Ancylostomiasis/Hookworm | *Ancylostoma duodenale*, *Necator americanus* | lungs, small intestine, blood | stool | tropical, warm, moist climates | skin penetration by L3 larva |
| Angiostrongyliasis | *Angiostrongylus* | intestine | stool | - | infected feces or slugs |
| Anisakiasis | *Anisakis* | allergic reaction | biopsy | incidental host | raw fish, squid, cuttlefish, octopus |
| Roundworm | *Ascaris lumbricoides* | intestines, liver, lungs | stool | tropical and subtropical regions | - |
| Baylisascariasis | *Baylisascaris procyonis* | intestines, liver, lungs, brain, eye | - | rare: North America | raccoon stool |
| Lymphatic filariasis | *Brugia malayi*, *B. timori* | lymph nodes | blood samples | tropical Asia | arthropods |
| Dioctophyme renalis infection | *Dioctophyme renale* | kidneys | urine | rare | undercooked freshwater fish |
| Ophidascaris robertsi infection | *Ophidascaris robertsi* | brain | - | newly discovered | wild plants contaminated with python feces |
| Guinea worm - Dracunculiasis | *Dracunculus medinensis* | subcutaneous tissues, muscle | skin blister/ulcer | South Sudan (eradication ongoing) | - |
| Pinworm - Enterobiasis | *Enterobius vermicularis*, *E. gregorii* | intestines, anus | stool; tape test | widespread; temperate regions | - |
| Gnathostomiasis | *Gnathostoma spinigerum*, *G. hispidum* | subcutaneous tissues | physical examination | rare - Southeast Asia | raw/undercooked meat or contaminated water |
| Halicephalobiasis | *Halicephalobus gingivalis* | brain | - | - | soil-contaminated wounds |
| Loa loa filariasis | *Loa loa filaria* | connective tissue, lungs, eye | blood stain | West Africa - 12-13 million | horsefly bites (daytime) |
| Mansonelliasis | *Mansonella streptocerca* | subcutaneous layer | - | - | insect |
| River blindness (onchocerciasis) | *Onchocerca volvulus* | skin, eye, tissue | bloodless skin snip | Africa, Yemen, Central/South America | black fly bites (daytime) |
| Strongyloidiasis | *Strongyloides stercoralis* | intestines, lungs, skin | stool, blood | - | skin penetration |
| Thelaziasis | *Thelazia californiensis*, *T. callipaeda* | eyes | ocular examination | Asia, Europe | *Amiota variegata*, *Phortica okadai* |
| Toxocariasis | *Toxocara canis*, *T. cati*, *Toxascaris leonina* | liver, brain, eyes | blood, ocular examination | worldwide | pica, unwashed food, undercooked chicken livers |
| Trichinosis | *Trichinella* spp. | muscle, periorbital region, small intestine | blood | developing countries | undercooked pork |
| Whipworm | *Trichuris trichiura*, *T. vulpis* | large intestine, anus | stool (eggs) | common worldwide | accidental egg ingestion or soil contaminated with human feces |
| Elephantiasis - Lymphatic filariasis | *Wuchereria bancrofti* | lymphatic system | thick blood smears | tropical and subtropical | mosquito bites (nighttime) |

### Other Organisms

| Common Name | Latin Name | Body Parts Affected | Diagnostic Specimen | Prevalence | Transmission |
|-------------|------------|---------------------|---------------------|------------|--------------|
| Acanthocephaliasis | Archiacanthocephala, *Moniliformis moniliformis* | gastrointestinal tract, peritoneum, eye | feces, parasite | worldwide | ingestion of intermediate hosts |
| Halzoun syndrome | *Linguatula serrata* | nasopharynx | physical examination | Middle East | raw/undercooked lymph nodes from infected animals |
| Myiasis | Oestroidea, Calliphoridae, Sarcophagidae | dead or living tissue | - | - | - |
| Screwworm | *Cochliomyia hominivorax* | skin and wounds | visual | North/Central America, North Africa | direct contact with fly |
| Chigoe flea | *Tunga penetrans* | subcutaneous tissue | physical examination | Central/South America, Sub-Saharan Africa | - |
| Human botfly | *Dermatobia hominis* | subcutaneous tissue | physical examination | Central and South America | mosquitoes and biting flies |

## Ectoparasites

| Common Name | Latin Name | Body Parts Affected | Diagnostic Specimen | Prevalence | Transmission |
|-------------|------------|---------------------|---------------------|------------|--------------|
| Head louse - Pediculosis | *Pediculus humanus capitis* | hair follicles | visual identification | common worldwide | head-to-head contact |
| Body louse - Pediculosis | *Pediculus humanus humanus* | skin | visual identification | common worldwide | skin-to-skin contact, shared clothing/bedding |
| Crab louse - Phthiriasis | *Pthirus pubis* | pubic area, eyelashes | visual identification | common worldwide | skin-to-skin contact, shared clothing/bedding |
| Chiggers - Trombiculosis | Trombiculidae | skin | visual identification, microscopy | worldwide (mesic habitats) | high grass, weeds |
| Flea | Siphonaptera: Pulicinae | skin | visual identification | worldwide | environment |
| Bed bug | *Cimex lectularius*, *C. hemipterus* | skin | visual | worldwide | clothing, bedding, personal possessions |
| Tick | Ixodidae and Argasidae | skin | visual | worldwide | high grass, leaf litter, weeds |
| Mosquito | Diptera | skin | visual | worldwide | high grass, weeds |
| Demodex - Demodicosis | *Demodex folliculorum/brevis/canis* | eyebrow, eyelashes, skin, face, scalp | microscopy | pandemic, worldwide | commensal, prolonged skin-to-skin contact |
| Scabies | *Sarcoptes scabiei* | skin | microscopy of surface scrapings | worldwide | skin-to-skin contact, shared clothing/bedding |
| Red mite - Gamasoidosis | *Dermanyssus gallinae* | skin | visual identification | worldwide | nesting birds, pets, poultry farming |
| Northern fowl mite | *Ornithonyssus sylviarum* | skin | visual identification | worldwide | nesting birds, poultry farming |
| Tropical fowl mite | *Ornithonyssus bursa* | skin | visual identification | worldwide | nesting birds, poultry farming |
| Tropical rat mite | *Ornithonyssus bacoti* | skin | visual identification | worldwide | rodent infestations |
| Spiny rat mite | *Laelaps echidnina* | skin | visual identification | worldwide | rodent infestations |
| House mouse mite | *Liponyssoides sanguineus* | skin | visual identification | worldwide | rodent infestations |