Library · Microorganism
Parasite
Make it clearer
A parasite lives on or inside another organism, called its host, and gets food from it or at its expense. Picture a relationship in which one organism relies on the other to survive, without giving the host the same benefit in return.
Parasite does not refer to just one kind of creature. Parasites that can cause disease in humans fall into three main groups: protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites.
In brief
A parasite is an organism that lives on or inside another organism, called the host, and obtains food from it or at its expense.
Parasites that can cause disease in humans fall into three main groups: protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites. The word parasite describes the relationship with the host, not a single type of organism. The term therefore covers very different organisms.
Sources (1)
- Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAbout ParasitesPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated