Parasites are nasty.

 Some are mildly irritating and some are deadly.

Flesh-eating bacteria and brain-eating amoeba are the stuff of nightmares and horror films.

Luckily, cases are rare and with some awareness and preventative measures are generally are avoidable.

A further breakdown labels three specific types of parasites:

Protozoa -  which are single-cell organisms that can multiply or divide within a host. These are the amoebas and include Malaria, Giardia and Dysentery. 

Helminths - Worms, flukes etc. occupy this category. These include Tapeworm, Roundworm etc. 

Ectoparasites - These are the things that live on the host such as lice and fleas.

However, many fungi, bacteria, yeasts, molds, and larvae act as parasites to the human body.  In many cases, symptoms of parasites in a body look similar to other illness and may be difficult to diagnose.

Here are 20 physical symptoms that could be the result of parasites:

• Bloating, Constipation, diarrhea, gas and other symptoms of IBS that you can’t explain.
• Skin irritations such as rash, hives, rosacea or eczema
• Fever
• Chronic fatigue, exhaustion, in some cases, depression.
• Never feeling satisfied after a meal
• Diagnosis of iron-deficiency anemia 
• Traveled internationally and had diarrhea or stomach pain
• History of food poisoning with long term after effects
• Visible worms in the stool (more common than you think)
• Muscles and joint aches.
• Blood in stool or blood in a cough
• Loss of appetite
• Headaches, fever, changes in smell or taste after swimming in or inhaling unclean water
• Difficulty swallowing
• Abnormal heart rhythms and heart failure
• Blindness
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Bulls-eye patterned rash after an encounter with a tick
• Joint pain
• Seizures

Please consult a medical professional if you are experiencing any of these symptoms with any severity or if you can't explain why it may be happening.

According to the CDC - Center for Disease Control - Fast Facts taken directly from their website.

Parasitic infections affect millions of people in the United States every year.

• More than 300,000 persons living are infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, the cause of Chagas disease.
• At least 1,000 people are hospitalized with neurocysticercosis every year.
• Each year at least 70 people, most of them children, are blinded by the parasite that causes Toxocariasis.
• More than 60 million persons are chronically infected with Toxoplasma gondii.
• Each year 1.1 million people are newly infected with Trichomonas.

They call this NPI's for Neglected Parasitic Infections.

These infections are considered neglected because relatively little attention has been devoted to their surveillance, prevention, and/or treatment. They include Chagas disease, cysticercosis, toxocariasis, toxoplasmosis, and trichomoniasis.

There is as wide of a variety of treatments for parasites as there are parasites.

Life-Saving Tips

However here are a few preventing tips that may seem basic but could be life-saving!

• Drink clean, bottled water when traveling.
• If you are pregnant, stay away from cat litter and feces or dogs that ingested it.
• Practice safe sex.
• Wash your hands often, especially after contact with contaminated food,      water, dirt, pets, snails and feces of any type. 
• Cook food to recommended temperatures and practice good hygiene.
• Avoid swallowing or getting in nose water from lakes, streams, or ponds.
• Protect yourself from insect bites

These safe practices could be what it takes to live a long and healthy life. These things are all easy enough to do and are part of the good habits everyone should have.

If you suspect you have parasites there are dietary and supplement specifics that you should be following. Here is a brief article on natural parasite cleanse.

Live long and have great health!