Parasitic Infections

A parasite is an organism that depends on another organism or "host" to survive. You can get them from contaminated food or water, a bug bite, or sexual contact. Parasitic diseases can cause mild discomfort or be deadly. Parasites range in size from tiny, one-celled organisms called protozoa to worms that can be seen with the naked eye. Currently, no vaccines exist for parasitic diseases.

Many kinds of lab tests are available to diagnose parasitic diseases. Your physician will need to know your signs and symptoms, any other medical conditions you may have, and your travel history when ordering diagnostic tests.

CDC's List of Parasitic Diseases:

• Acanthamoeba Infection

• Acanthamoeba Keratitis Infection

• Alveolar Echinococcosis (Echinococcosis, Hydatid Disease)
• Amebiasis (Entamoeba histolytica Infection)
• American Trypanosomiasis (Chagas Disease)
• Ancylostomiasis (Hookworm, Cutaneous Larva Migrans [CLM])
• Angiostrongyliasis (Angiostrongylus Infection)
• Anisakiasis (Anisakis Infection, Pseudoterranova Infection)
• Ascariasis (Ascaris Infection, Intestinal Roundworms)
• Babesiosis (Babesia Infection)
• Balantidiasis (Balantidium Infection)
• Baylisascariasis (Baylisascaris Infection, Racoon Roundworm)
• Bilharzia (Schistosomiasis)
• Blastocystis hominis Infection
• Body Lice Infestation (Pediculosis)
• Capillariasis (Capillaria Infection)
• Cercarial Dermatitis (Swimmer's Itch)
• Chagas Disease (American Trypanosomiasis)
• Chilomastix mesnili Infection (Nonpathogenic [Harmless] Intestinal Protozoa)
• Clonorchiasis (Clonorchis Infection)
• CLM (Cutaneous Larva Migrans, Ancylostomiasis, Hookworm)
• "Crabs" (Pubic Lice)
• Cryptosporidiosis (Cryptosporidium Infection)
• Cutaneous Larva Migrans (CLM, Ancylostomiasis, Hookworm)
• Cyclosporiasis (Cyclospora Infection)
• Cysticercosis (Neurocysticercosis)
• Cystoisopora Infection (Cystoisosporiasis) formerly Isospora Infection
• Diarrhea
• Dientamoeba fragilis Infection
• Diphyllobothriasis (Diphyllobothrium Infection)
• Dipylidium caninum Infection (dog or cat tapeworm infection)
• Dracunculiasis (Guinea Worm Disease)
• Dog tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum Infection)
• Echinococcosis (Alveolar Echinococcosis, Hydatid Disease)
• Elephantiasis (Filariasis, Lymphatic Filariasis)
• Endolimax nana Infection (Nonpathogenic [Harmless] Intestinal Protozoa)
• Entamoeba coli Infection (Nonpathogenic [Harmless] Intestinal Protozoa)
• Entamoeba dispar Infection (Nonpathogenic [Harmless] Intestinal Protozoa)
• Entamoeba hartmanni Infection (Nonpathogenic [Harmless] Intestinal Protozoa)
• Entamoeba histolytica Infection (Amebiasis)
• Entamoeba polecki
• Enterobiasis (Pinworm Infection)
• Fascioliasis (Fasciola Infection)
• Fasciolopsiasis (Fasciolopsis Infection)
• Filariasis (Lymphatic Filariasis, Elephantiasis) This Picture...
• Foodborne Diseases
• Giardiasis (Giardia Infection)
• Gnathostomiasis (Gnathostoma Infection)
• Guinea Worm Disease (Dracunculiasis)
• Head Lice Infestation (Pediculosis)
• Heterophyiasis (Heterophyes Infection)
• Hydatid Disease (Alveolar Echinococcosis)
• Hymenolepiasis (Hymenolepis Infection)
• Hookworm Infection (Ancylostomiasis, Cutaneous Larva Migrans [CLM])
• Intestinal Roundworms (Ascariasis, Ascaris Infection)
• Iodamoeba buetschlii Infection (Nonpathogenic [Harmless] Intestinal Protozoa)
• Isospora Infection (see Cystoisospora Infection)
• Kala-azar (Leishmaniasis, Leishmania Infection)
• Keratitis (Acanthamoeba Infection)
• Leishmaniasis (Kala-azar, Leishmania Infection)
• Lice Infestation (Body, Head, or Pubic Lice, Pediculosis, Pthiriasis)
• Loaiasis (Loa loa Infection)
• Lymphatic filariasis (Filariasis, Elephantiasis)
• Malaria (Plasmodium Infection)
• Microsporidiosis (Microsporidia Infection )
• Mite Infestation (Scabies)
• Naegleria Infection
• Neurocysticercosis (Cysticercosis)
• Nonpathogenic (Harmless) Intestinal Protozoa
• Ocular Larva Migrans (Toxocariasis, Toxocara Infection, Visceral Larva Migrans)
• Onchocerciasis (River Blindness)
• Opisthorchiasis (Opisthorchis Infection)
• Paragonimiasis (Paragonimus Infection)
• Pediculosis (Head or Body Lice Infestation)
• Pthiriasis (Pubic Lice Infestation)
• Pinworm Infection (Enterobiasis)
• Plasmodium Infection (Malaria)
• Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia
• Pseudoterranova Infection (Anisakiasis, Anisakis Infection)
• Pubic Lice Infestation ("Crabs," Pthiriasis)
• Raccoon Roundworm Infection (Baylisascariasis, Baylisascaris Infection)
• Recreational Water
• River Blindness (Onchocerciasis)
• Scabies
• Schistosomiasis (Bilharzia)
• Sleeping Sickness (Trypanosomiasis, African; African Sleeping Sickness)
• Strongyloidiasis (Strongyloides Infection)
• Swimmer's Itch (Cercarial Dermatitis)
• Taeniasis (Taenia Infection, Tapewor m Infection)
• Tapeworm Infection (Taeniasis, Taenia Infection)
• Toxocariasis (Toxocara Infection, Ocular Larva Migrans, Visceral Larva Migrans)
• Toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma Infection)
• Travelers' Diarrhea
• Trichinellosis (Trichinosis)
• Trichinosis (Trichinellosis)
• Trichomoniasis (Trichomonas Infection)
• Trichuriasis (Whipworm Infection, Trichuris Infection)
• Trypanosomiasis, African (African Sleeping Sickness, Sleeping Sickness)
• Trypanosomiasis, American (Chagas Disease)
• Visceral Larva Migrans (Toxocariasis, Toxocara Infection, Ocular Larva Migrans)
• Waterborne Diseases
• Whipworm Infection (Trichuriasis, Trichuris Infection)
• Zoonotic Diseases (Diseases spread from animals to people)