47:, which aids in the detection of the parasite in the human host while also providing the means for the parasitic species to exit the current host and enter other hosts. Although there are a number of ways in which humans can contract parasitic infections, observing basic hygiene and cleanliness tips can reduce its probability. The most accurate diagnosis is by qPcr DNA antigen assay, not generally available by primary care physicians in the USA: most labs offer research only service.
725:
172:
stages of the
Bladder Worm in muscle tissue. This disease was also mentioned by the playwright Aristophanes when he referred to "hailstones" in one of his plays. This naming convention is also reflected by Aristotle when he refers to "bladders that are like hailstones." Another worm that was commonly
406:
mostly documented diseases rather than the parasites associated with them. Chinese texts contain one of the few references to hookworm disease found in ancient records, but no connection to the hookworm parasite is made. The
Emperor Huang Ti recorded the earliest mentioning (2700 BC) of malaria in
167:
In Greece, Hippocrates and
Aristotle created considerable medical documentation about parasites in the Corpus Hippocraticus. In this work, they documented the presence of parasitic worms in many animals ranging from fish to domesticated animals and humans. Among the most extensively documented was
229:
cause unique and specific symptoms and are well documented because of this. The most documented by far was Guinea worm disease mainly because the grown female worm emerges from the skin, which causes considerable irritation, and which cannot really be ignored. This particular disease is widely
60:
It was assumed that early human ancestors generally had parasites, but until recently there was no evidence to support this claim. Generally, the discovery of parasites in ancient humans relies on the study of feces and other
159:. This disease is caused by the Guinea worm and is characterized by the female worm emerging from the leg. This symptom is so specific to the disease that it is mentioned in many texts and plays that predate 1000 AD.
128:
documented several parasites in his collection of works Corpus
Hippocraticus. In this book, they documented the presence of worms and other parasites inside of fish, domesticated animals, and humans. The
155:
tapeworm were also well known in ancient cultures mainly because of their presence in slaughtered and sacrificed animals. The major parasitic disease that has been documented in early records is
197:. Not many parasitic diseases were identified in ancient Greek and Roman texts mainly because the symptoms for parasitic diseases are shared with many other illnesses such as the
40:
Human parasites are divided into endoparasites, which cause infection inside the body, and ectoparasites, which cause infection superficially within the skin.
1092:
364:. Another documented disease is elephantiasis. Symptoms of this disease are highly visible, since it causes extreme swelling in the limbs, breasts, and
168:
the
Bladder Worm (Taenia solium). This condition was called "measly pork" when present in pigs and was characterized by the presence of the
407:
his text Nei Ching. He lists chills, headaches, and fevers as the main symptoms and distinguished between the different kinds of fevers.
1136:
96:
dating from around 2000 BC, 1250 BC, and 1000 BC along with a well preserved and calcified female worm inside of a mummy.
713:
683:
360:
and was vaguely mentioned. However vague the reference, it is one of the few that connect the disease to the hookworm
1230:
431:
from 1000 BCE makes the earliest reference to
Amebiasis. The symptoms were given as bloody and mucosal diarrhea.
1271:
250:
of
Alexandria in Rome. Strangely, this disease was never present in Greece even though it was documented.
1162:
573:
20:
1213:
763:
628:
113:
181:
of animals. This condition was documented so well mainly because of its presence in slaughtered and
1101:
185:. It was documented by several different cultures of the time other than the Greeks including the
893:
678:
504:
151:
1085:
733:
650:
534:
214:
427:
document malaria. These documents list the main symptoms as fever and enlarged spleens. The
1080:
898:
743:
8:
910:
338:
1068:
1058:
963:
819:
623:
145:
133:
is well documented in its presence in pigs along with the larval stages of a tapeworm (
1018:
1003:
882:
708:
694:
634:
474:
768:
424:
230:
accepted to also be the "fiery serpents" written about in the Old
Testament of the
182:
1140:
865:
854:
689:
514:
420:
247:
243:
235:
218:
1163:"Parasites – How they enter our body and ten precautions to avoid an infection"
876:
815:
811:
788:
494:
428:
307:
210:
156:
379:
is likely to have suffered from elephantiasis. This disease was well known to
1265:
1112:
1027:
807:
798:
661:
639:
544:
463:
376:
346:
143:
as "hailstones" with
Aristotle in the section about pig diseases in his book
135:
90:
439:
As of 2013, the parasites causing the most deaths globally were as follows:
104:
The first written records of parasites date from 3000 to 400 BC in
Egyptian
1108:
1053:
1032:
887:
836:
779:
757:
645:
334:
311:
283:
190:
140:
130:
982:
958:
935:
871:
860:
849:
823:
784:
728:
724:
319:
315:
275:
202:
194:
121:
109:
177:. This worm was distinguished by the presence of "massive cysts" in the
950:
940:
927:
748:
700:
672:
656:
617:
606:
590:
524:
484:
263:
66:
62:
1014:
990:
601:
383:
299:
279:
226:
206:
125:
82:
73:
and is estimated to be from around 5900 BC. There are also claims of
253:
1045:
1023:
995:
828:
803:
794:
774:
387:
365:
361:
350:
326:
259:
86:
74:
34:
30:
1116:
1040:
971:
753:
667:
612:
595:
453:
391:
373:
357:
353:
330:
323:
303:
291:
271:
234:. This disease was mentioned by Hippocrates in Greece along with
222:
105:
93:
65:
material. The earliest known parasite in a human was eggs of the
369:
290:
medical writings spanning over 1000 years in the area near the
267:
169:
117:
78:
416:
403:
342:
295:
239:
231:
186:
178:
70:
44:
1010:
976:
390:, who noted specific differences between elephantiasis and
380:
356:
in ancient texts. This disease does not have very specific
287:
1200:
Cox, Francis E. G. "History of human parasitic diseases."
1137:"Krumhardt, Barbera, PhD. Human Parasites. 8 October 2008"
198:
1231:"One Million Deaths by Parasites | Speaking of Medicine"
173:
written about in ancient Greek texts was the tapeworm
116:, and some tapeworms of unknown varieties. In ancient
108:
records. They identify parasites such as roundworms,
337:
refer to an affliction that has been interpreted as
43:
The cysts and eggs of endoparasites may be found in
254:Northern Africa, the Middle East, and Mesopotamia
1263:
567:
139:). These tapeworms were mentioned in a play by
719:
1196:
1194:
1192:
1190:
1188:
1186:
1184:
1182:
1180:
1178:
1176:
1174:
1172:
1202:Infectious Disease Clinics of North America
55:
1169:
979:(Siphonaptera): causes papular urticaria
723:
434:
1264:
555:Total Deaths from Parasitic Infections
349:contains one of the few references to
69:found in fossilized feces in northern
998:(Culicidae): causes papular urticaria
89:eggs have also been found present in
1253:Canadian Medical Association Journal
209:. However, several diseases such as
16:Parasites which use humans as a host
842:
714:primary amoebic meningoencephalitis
99:
13:
904:
684:granulomatous amoebic encephalitis
298:never made the connection between
162:
85:eggs from around 2330 BC in Peru.
14:
1283:
213:(Guinea worm disease), Hookworm,
1251:Greenaway, C. "Dracunculiasis".
1105:): causes rodent mite dermatitis
1096:): causes rodent mite dermatitis
921:
578:
262:records the presence of several
1216:Animal and vegetableparasites.
286:. This followed a tradition of
1245:
1223:
1207:
1155:
1129:
737:) wrapped around a match stick
1:
1122:
568:Commonly documented parasites
1218:London: The Sydenham Society
258:The medieval Persian doctor
77:eggs from around 5000 BC in
7:
1007:): causes papular urticaria
720:Parasitic worms (helminths)
583:
574:List of parasites of humans
318:is very well documented in
21:Parasitism (social offense)
10:
1288:
571:
50:
18:
945:Pediculus humanus humanus
932:Pediculus humanus capitis
764:Strongyloides stercoralis
1102:Liponyssoides sanguineus
1026:(Trombiculidae): causes
410:
397:
368:. A number of surviving
175:Echinococccus granulosus
19:Not to be confused with
1073:Ornithonyssus sylviarum
894:Trichobilharzia regenti
704:: causes cyclosporiasis
679:Balamuthia mandrillaris
629:African trypanosomiasis
505:African trypanosomiasis
322:medical texts. Several
152:Echinococcus granulosus
56:Archaeological evidence
1086:rodent mite dermatitis
1075:): causes gamasoidosis
1065:): causes gamasoidosis
738:
651:acanthamoeba keratitis
448:Global Deaths in 2013
947:): causes pediculosis
727:
572:Further information:
535:Cystic echinococcosis
435:Most common parasites
306:they caused. As with
1081:Ornithonyssus bacoti
1050:Dermanyssus gallinae
899:cercarial dermatitis
806:(Eucestoda): causes
744:Ascaris lumbricoides
1272:Parasites of humans
1143:on 16 December 2008
1078:Tropical rat mite (
1063:Ornithonyssus bursa
964:Human botfly maggot
911:New World screwworm
833:Trichuris trichiura
339:Guinea worm disease
149:. The cysts of the
1111:: associated with
1099:House mouse mite (
1069:Northern fowl mite
1059:Tropical fowl mite
1037:Sarcoptes scabiei)
968:Dermatobia hominis
820:diphyllobothriasis
739:
624:Trypanosoma brucei
445:Parasitic Disease
183:sacrificed animals
146:History of Animals
1233:. 16 January 2015
1214:Kuchenmeister, F.
1093:Laelaps echidnina
1019:papular urticaria
1004:Cimex lectularius
917:): causes myiasis
883:Fasciola hepatica
709:Naegleria fowleri
695:cryptosporidiosis
635:Toxoplasma gondii
565:
564:
475:Cryptosporidiosis
1279:
1256:
1249:
1243:
1242:
1240:
1238:
1227:
1221:
1211:
1205:
1198:
1167:
1166:
1159:
1153:
1152:
1150:
1148:
1139:. Archived from
1133:
1090:Spiny rat mite (
843:Parasitic flukes
442:
441:
425:Sushruta Samhita
100:Written evidence
29:include various
1287:
1286:
1282:
1281:
1280:
1278:
1277:
1276:
1262:
1261:
1260:
1259:
1250:
1246:
1236:
1234:
1229:
1228:
1224:
1212:
1208:
1199:
1170:
1161:
1160:
1156:
1146:
1144:
1135:
1134:
1130:
1125:
987:Tunga penetrans
955:Pthirus pubis):
924:
907:
905:Other organisms
866:gnathostomiasis
855:schistosomiasis
845:
769:trongyloidiasis
722:
690:Cryptosporidium
586:
581:
576:
570:
515:Schistosomiasis
437:
421:Charaka Samhita
413:
400:
294:. However, the
278:, threadworms,
256:
248:Paulus Aegineta
244:Aetius of Amida
236:Pliny the Elder
219:Schistosomiasis
165:
163:Greece and Rome
102:
58:
53:
27:Human parasites
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1285:
1275:
1274:
1258:
1257:
1244:
1222:
1206:
1168:
1154:
1127:
1126:
1124:
1121:
1120:
1119:
1106:
1097:
1088:
1076:
1066:
1056:
1043:
1030:
1021:
1008:
999:
993:
980:
974:
961:
948:
938:
923:
920:
919:
918:
906:
903:
902:
901:
890:
879:
877:paragonimiasis
868:
857:
844:
841:
840:
839:
826:
816:hymenolepiasis
812:echinococcosis
801:
792:
789:dracunculiasis
782:
771:
760:
751:
721:
718:
717:
716:
705:
697:
686:
675:
664:
653:
642:
631:
620:
609:
598:
585:
582:
580:
577:
569:
566:
563:
562:
557:
551:
550:
547:
541:
540:
537:
531:
530:
527:
521:
520:
517:
511:
510:
507:
501:
500:
497:
495:Chagas disease
491:
490:
487:
481:
480:
477:
471:
470:
467:
460:
459:
456:
450:
449:
446:
436:
433:
429:Bhrigu Samhita
412:
409:
399:
396:
372:indicate that
320:Middle Eastern
255:
252:
211:Dracunculiasis
164:
161:
157:dracunculiasis
101:
98:
57:
54:
52:
49:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1284:
1273:
1270:
1269:
1267:
1254:
1248:
1232:
1226:
1219:
1215:
1210:
1203:
1197:
1195:
1193:
1191:
1189:
1187:
1185:
1183:
1181:
1179:
1177:
1175:
1173:
1164:
1158:
1142:
1138:
1132:
1128:
1118:
1114:
1113:acne vulgaris
1110:
1107:
1104:
1103:
1098:
1095:
1094:
1089:
1087:
1083:
1082:
1077:
1074:
1070:
1067:
1064:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1051:
1047:
1044:
1042:
1038:
1034:
1031:
1029:
1028:trombiculosis
1025:
1022:
1020:
1016:
1012:
1009:
1006:
1005:
1000:
997:
994:
992:
988:
984:
981:
978:
975:
973:
969:
965:
962:
960:
956:
952:
949:
946:
942:
939:
937:
933:
929:
926:
925:
922:Ectoparasites
916:
912:
909:
908:
900:
896:
895:
891:
889:
885:
884:
880:
878:
874:
873:
869:
867:
863:
862:
858:
856:
852:
851:
847:
846:
838:
834:
830:
827:
825:
821:
817:
813:
809:
808:cysticercosis
805:
802:
800:
799:helminthiasis
796:
793:
790:
786:
783:
781:
777:
776:
772:
770:
766:
765:
761:
759:
755:
752:
750:
746:
745:
741:
740:
736:
735:
730:
726:
715:
711:
710:
706:
703:
702:
698:
696:
692:
691:
687:
685:
681:
680:
676:
674:
670:
669:
665:
663:
662:leishmaniasis
659:
658:
654:
652:
648:
647:
643:
641:
640:toxoplasmosis
637:
636:
632:
630:
626:
625:
621:
619:
615:
614:
610:
608:
604:
603:
599:
597:
594:spp.: causes
593:
592:
588:
587:
579:Endoparasites
575:
561:
558:
556:
553:
552:
548:
546:
545:Cysticercosis
543:
542:
538:
536:
533:
532:
528:
526:
523:
522:
518:
516:
513:
512:
508:
506:
503:
502:
498:
496:
493:
492:
488:
486:
483:
482:
478:
476:
473:
472:
468:
465:
464:Leishmaniasis
462:
461:
457:
455:
452:
451:
447:
444:
443:
440:
432:
430:
426:
422:
418:
408:
405:
395:
393:
389:
385:
382:
378:
377:Mentuhotep II
375:
371:
367:
363:
359:
355:
352:
348:
347:Ebers Papyrus
344:
340:
336:
332:
328:
325:
321:
317:
313:
309:
305:
301:
297:
293:
289:
285:
281:
277:
273:
269:
265:
261:
251:
249:
245:
241:
237:
233:
228:
224:
220:
216:
215:Elephantiasis
212:
208:
204:
200:
196:
192:
188:
184:
180:
176:
171:
160:
158:
154:
153:
148:
147:
142:
138:
137:
136:Taenia solium
132:
127:
123:
119:
115:
111:
107:
97:
95:
92:
88:
84:
80:
76:
72:
68:
64:
48:
46:
41:
38:
36:
32:
28:
22:
1252:
1247:
1237:18 September
1235:. Retrieved
1225:
1217:
1209:
1201:
1157:
1145:. Retrieved
1141:the original
1131:
1109:Demodex mite
1100:
1091:
1079:
1072:
1062:
1054:gamasoidosis
1049:
1036:
1033:Scabies mite
1002:
986:
967:
954:
944:
931:
914:
892:
888:fascioliasis
881:
870:
859:
848:
837:trichuriasis
832:
780:toxocariasis
773:
762:
758:enterobiasis
742:
732:
707:
699:
688:
677:
666:
655:
646:Acanthamoeba
644:
633:
622:
611:
600:
589:
559:
554:
466:(Kala-azar)
438:
414:
401:
335:Ashurbanipal
284:Ascaris worm
257:
174:
166:
150:
144:
141:Aristophanes
134:
131:bladder worm
110:Guinea worms
103:
59:
42:
39:
26:
25:
1147:17 December
983:Chigoe flea
959:phthiriasis
936:pediculosis
915:Cochliomyia
872:Paragonimus
861:Gnathostoma
850:Schistosoma
824:sparganosis
785:Guinea worm
734:Dracunculus
729:Guinea worm
316:Guinea worm
314:texts, the
276:Guinea worm
270:and in his
203:common cold
195:Babylonians
122:Hippocrates
114:threadworms
1255:(Feb 2004)
1123:References
1084:): causes
1052:): causes
1017:): causes
989:): causes
970:): causes
951:Crab louse
941:Body louse
928:Head louse
835:): causes
749:ascariasis
701:Cyclospora
673:babesiosis
657:Leishmania
618:giardiasis
607:amoebiasis
591:Plasmodium
525:Ascariasis
485:Amoebiasis
384:physicians
282:, and the
274:including
81:and large
67:lung fluke
63:fossilized
1204:June 2004
1039:: causes
1015:Ixodoidea
1001:Bed bug (
991:tungiasis
934:) causes
897:: causes
886:: causes
875:: causes
864:: causes
853:: causes
797:: causes
787:: causes
778:: causes
767:: causes
756:: causes
747:: causes
712:: causes
693:: causes
682:: causes
671:: causes
660:: causes
649:: causes
638:: causes
627:: causes
616:: causes
605:: causes
602:Entamoeba
560:1,000,700
327:documents
300:parasites
280:tapeworms
264:parasites
227:Amebiasis
207:dysentery
126:Aristotle
83:roundworm
1266:Category
1046:Red mite
1024:Chiggers
996:Mosquito
829:Whipworm
804:Tapeworm
795:Hookworm
775:Toxocara
584:Protozoa
458:854,600
388:Avicenna
366:genitals
362:parasite
358:symptoms
351:hookworm
333:of King
324:Assyrian
304:diseases
302:and the
272:patients
260:Avicenna
91:Egyptian
87:Tapeworm
75:hookworm
31:protozoa
1117:rosacea
1041:scabies
972:myiasis
957:causes
754:Pinworm
668:Babesia
613:Giardia
596:malaria
499:10,600
489:11,300
479:41,900
469:62,500
454:Malaria
404:Chinese
392:leprosy
374:Pharaoh
370:statues
354:disease
331:library
329:in the
292:Red Sea
268:animals
223:Malaria
106:papyrus
94:mummies
51:History
1220:, 1857
539:2,200
529:4,500
519:5,500
509:6,900
419:, the
345:, the
341:. In
246:, and
225:, and
205:, and
201:, the
193:, and
191:Romans
170:larval
118:Greece
79:Brazil
417:India
411:India
398:China
343:Egypt
312:Roman
308:Greek
296:Arabs
240:Galen
232:Bible
187:Arabs
179:liver
71:Chile
45:feces
35:worms
1239:2016
1149:2008
1115:and
1011:Tick
977:Flea
822:and
549:700
423:and
402:The
386:and
381:Arab
310:and
288:Arab
124:and
33:and
415:In
266:in
199:flu
1268::
1171:^
818:,
814:,
810:,
394:.
242:,
238:,
221:,
217:,
189:,
120:,
112:,
37:.
1241:.
1165:.
1151:.
1071:(
1061:(
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1035:(
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791:.
731:(
23:.
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