In Australia, one of the most common human worm parasitic infections is caused by is the dwarf tapeworm, a parasite that affects up to 55% of some remote communities29. According to official figures, another common parasite causing parasitic infections in Australia are threadworms, which infect up to 50% of children.
The most common worm in Australian children is the threadworm, Enterobius vermicularis, sometimes called the pinworm. Infection with other worms such as roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms is less common. Threadworms are small, white, thread-like worms 2 to 13 mm long.
Giardia is arguably the most common parasite infection of humans worldwide, and the second most common in the United States after pin-worm.
Nematodes (roundworms), cestodes (tapeworms), and trematodes (flatworms) are among the most common helminths that inhabit the human gut. Usually, helminths cannot multiply in the human body. Protozoan parasites that have only one cell can multiply inside the human body.
Examples of parasitic infections
The most common ones found in North America include Giardia infections (through contaminated water) and toxoplasmosis (spread by cats).
Schistosomiasis is the second most socioeconomically devastating parasitic disease after malaria. The symptoms of schistosomiasis include a rash or itchy skin that is followed by fever, cough and chills.
Diarrhea. Nausea or vomiting. Gas or bloating. Dysentery (loose stools containing blood and mucus)
Contaminated food and drink are common sources for the introduction of infection into the body. The table below shows some of the more common parasitic infections that travelers can acquire from contaminated food and drink, as well as a few of the less common parasitic diseases that travelers are at risk for acquiring.
Nonpathogenic intestinal protozoa are single-celled parasites commonly found in the intestinal tract but never associated with illness.
Blood tests
SerologyThis test is used to look for antibodies or for parasite antigens produced when the body is infected with a parasite and the immune system is trying to fight off the invader. This test is done by your health care provider taking a blood sample and sending it to a lab.
Parasitic infections are more common in rural or developing areas than in developed areas. In developed areas, these infections may occur in immigrants, in returning travelers, or in people with a weakened immune system. Parasites usually enter the body through the mouth or skin.
The earthworms of Australia
The new Broken Hill species is not only sufficiently different anatomically and remote from other Australian earthworms, so as to warrant erection of a new genus (Aridulodrilus), but its occurrence in such a low rainfall environment is also highly unusual.
Live Black Worms is a species called Lumbriculus variegatus and come from very cool climates in shallow-water marshes, ponds, and swamps, feeding on microorganisms and organic material.
Common global water-related diseases caused by parasites include Guinea worm, schistosomiasis, amebiasis, cryptosporidiosis (Crypto), and giardiasis. People become infected with these diseases when they swallow or have contact with water that has been contaminated by certain parasites.
Trichomoniasis (or “trich”) is a very common STD caused by infection with Trichomonas vaginalis (a protozoan parasite). Although symptoms vary, most people who have trich cannot tell they have it.
There are three main classes of parasites that can cause disease in humans: protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites.
Symptoms generally last anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks. In people with weakened immune systems (e.g., due to illness such as HIV), symptoms may last longer. Healthcare providers can prescribe the appropriate antiparasitic medications to help reduce the amount of time symptoms last.
Some parasites go away on their own, especially if you have a healthy immune system and maintain a balanced diet. However, talk to a healthcare provider if you have signs of a parasitic infection. They can make an official diagnosis and help prevent the spread of the parasite to others.
For those who do get sick, signs and symptoms usually appear one to three weeks after exposure and may include: Watery, sometimes foul-smelling diarrhea that may alternate with soft, greasy stools.
Why? Most people do not know they are infected or at risk, or don't have access to appropriate care. And often, health care providers are unfamiliar with these parasitic infections, and may not diagnose or treat them appropriately.