Life Science Dictionary11 terms

Parasitology Terms

Parasitology studies parasites, organisms that live on or in a host at its expense. These terms cover the main groups, protozoa and parasitic worms such as tapeworms and nematodes, the vectors that carry them, and diseases such as malaria, schistosomiasis and toxoplasmosis.

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G

GiardiaParasitologyGiardia is a genus of flagellated protozoan parasites; Giardia duodenalis infects the small intestine and causes giardiasis, a common diarrheal illness.

H

HelminthParasitologyA helminth is a parasitic worm, such as a roundworm, tapeworm or fluke, that lives in a host and is usually visible to the eye as an adult.

M

MalariaParasitologyMalaria is a life-threatening infection caused by Plasmodium parasites, which infected female Anopheles mosquitoes pass to people when they bite.

N

NematodeParasitologyA nematode, or roundworm, is an unsegmented worm with a round body and a tough cuticle, from a vast phylum of free-living and parasitic species.

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S

SchistosomiasisParasitologySchistosomiasis is an infection with Schistosoma blood flukes, whose larvae burrow through skin in fresh water and whose eggs damage organs.

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V

VectorParasitologyIn disease biology, a vector is a living organism, often a bloodsucking insect or tick, that carries a pathogen from one host to another.

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