What do you call the type of interaction where parasites live outside or inside the body of the?

“Parasitism is defined as the relationship between different species in which one organism lives on or in the other organism and benefits from it by causing some harm.”

Inhaltsverzeichnis Show

• What is Parasitism?
• Types of Parasitism
• Obligate Parasitism
• Facultative Parasitism
• Ectoparasitism
• Endoparasitism
• Mesoparasitism
• Examples of Parasitism
• Parasitism in Humans
• Parasitism in Plants
• Parasitism in Insects
• What do you call the type of interaction where parasites live outside or inside the body of the host a commensalism B parasitism C predation D mutualism?
• What do you call the type of interaction where parasite?
• What is the relationship between a parasite and its host called?
• What is parasitism mutualism and commensalism?

Table of Contents

• Parasitism
• Types
• Examples
  • Humans
  • Plants
  • Insects

What is Parasitism?

The word parasite is derived from the Latin form of the Greek word, meaning “one who eats at the table of another”. Parasitism is generally defined as a relationship between the two living species in which one organism is benefitted at the expense of the other. The organism that is benefitted is called the parasite, while the one that is harmed is called the host.

A few examples of parasites are tapeworms, fleas, and barnacles. Tapeworms are flatworms that are found attached to the insides of the intestines of animals such as cows, pigs, etc.. They feed on the host’s partly digested food, depriving it of the nutrients.

Also Read: Mutualism

Types of Parasitism

There are various types of parasitism and are classified based on their size, characteristics, interactions with their hosts and their life cycles.

Obligate Parasitism

This is the kind of parasitism in which the parasite is completely dependent on the host to complete its life cycle. Obligate parasites cannot survive without the host. Therefore, they do not severely harm the host. Fungi, bacteria and viruses exhibit obligate parasitism. For eg., head lice, when removed from the human scalp, dies.

Facultative Parasitism

In this kind of parasitism, the parasite is not completely dependent on the host to complete its life cycle and can survive without the host. A nematode species Strongyloides stercoralis is found free-living but causes a disease strongyloidiasis when it infects humans.

Ectoparasitism

The parasites that live outside the body of the host exhibit ectoparasitism. For eg., lice and ticks

Endoparasitism

Parasites that live inside the body of a host exhibit endoparasitism. For eg., hookworms and nematodes.

Mesoparasitism

The parasites that enter the external openings of the host exhibit mesoparasitism.

Examples of Parasitism

There are many examples of parasites, as it is a type of interaction between the two species. Listed below are some of the common examples of parasitism.

Parasitism in Humans

The organisms that parasitize humans include fungi, leeches, lice, viruses, protozoa, tapeworm, etc. Few organisms such as Helminthes live inside the intestine of the host and causes several infectious diseases, such as jaundice, malnutrition, diarrhoea, etc. All the infections are caused by viruses and bacteria.

Read more: Saprophytes

Parasitism in Plants

Small green insects called aphids, parasitize plants by eating their sap. Several types of fungi parasitize crops ad spoil fruits, vegetables and food grains. The parasitic plants contain modified roots called haustoria which connect to the host xylem or phloem and drain it of nutrients and water.

Parasitism in Insects

Parasitism is very common in insects. Entomophagous parasites attack larva and young insects. A few insects deposit their eggs within the body of the larva of other insect species. When the eggs hatch, the young one eats the larva and derives nutrition from it.

Also Read: Parasites and Symbiosis

It is evident that parasitism has very little to offer in terms of benefits but it helps in maintaining the biodiversity of the ecosystemand controls the population to a large extent. Parasite-host interactions may be important at times.

For example, parasitoids controlling the body temperatures of their hosts in order to ensure the survival of their offspring and host choice in fleas being controlled by the off-host environment.

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Parasites live in other host organisms and depend on them for survival.

Without a host, a parasite cannot live, grow, and multiply. For this reason, a parasite rarely kills its host, but it can spread diseases, some of which may be fatal.

In this article, we detail the different types of parasitic infections in humans, their symptoms and treatments, and tips to prevent them.

Parasites vary widely in their characteristics. Many are invisible to the human eye, such as the malarial parasite, but some worm parasites can reach over 35 centimeters in length.

Parasites are not a disease, but they can spread diseases. Different parasites have different effects.

There are three types of human parasites:

• Protozoa: Protozoa are single-celled organisms that can multiply in humans. These parasites can spread through contaminated food and water, person-to-person contact, and insect bites. Protozoa include Plasmodium malariae, which causes malaria infection, and Cryptosporidium, which is ingestible.
• Helminths: Helminths are parasitic worms that often root in a person’s digestive tract. These parasites cannot multiply or divide within a human body and eventually pass through a person’s stool. These include Ascaris lumbricoides and hookworm parasites.
• Ectoparasites: Ectoparasites are small organisms that live on the outside of the body. These include ticks, fleas, and lice.

There are many types of parasites, and symptoms can vary widely. Sometimes, these may resemble the symptoms of other conditions, such as pneumonia or food poisoning.

Possible symptoms include:

• skin bumps or rashes
• weight loss, increased appetite, or both
• abdominal pain
• diarrhea and vomiting
• sleeping problems
• anemia
• aches and pains
• allergies
• weakness and general unwell feeling
• fever

However, parasites can pass on a wide variety of conditions, so symptoms are hard to predict.

Often there are no symptoms, or symptoms appear long after infection, but the parasite can still be transmitted to another person, who may develop symptoms.

The tests a doctor may order to diagnose a parasite infection depend on factors such as the person’s symptoms, other medical conditions, and travel history.

The following are some of the tests commonly used to diagnose a parasite infection:

• Fecal exam: If a person is having diarrhea, gas, or other stomach symptoms, three or more stool samples may be collected on different days and examined for a parasite or parasite eggs.
• Endoscopy: If stool samples do not contain a parasite, a thin tube called an endoscope may be inserted through the mouth into the intestines to reveal any parasites.
• Colonoscopy: As an alternative to an endoscopy, a tube may be inserted through the rectum into the intestines to find parasites.
• Blood tests: A healthcare professional may perform a blood test to detect a specific parasitic infection. A serology is a blood test that indicates antibodies or parasite antigens. Another test is a blood smear, where a drop of blood is examined for parasites under a microscope.
• Imaging tests: An X-ray can help detect parasite-associated lesions in a person’s organs. For more detailed images of the organs, a doctor may order a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan or computerized axial tomography (CAT).

The treatment for parasite infections depends on the particular type of parasite. Doctors may prescribe medication that kills the parasite and medication that treats any symptoms, such as diarrhea.

The following medications are commonly used to treat various types of parasite infections:

• Metronidazole (Flagyl): This antibiotic kills parasitic infections in the gastrointestinal tract or reproductive system, including amebiasis, giardiasis, trichomoniasis, and vaginal infections.
• Ivermectin (Stromectol): This is available as an oral tablet, cream, or lotion and treats parasitic infections in the intestinal tract, eyes, or skin, including scabies and many types of worms.
• Praziquantel (Biltricide): This medication paralyzes and then dissolves tapeworms, so they detach from the intestinal wall and leave the body through a bowel movement.
• Pyrimethamine (Daraprim): Doctors may prescribe pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine to treat the flu-like symptoms of toxoplasmosis in healthy people, although treatment is not always necessary.
• Nifurtimox (Lampit): Nifurtimox and benznidazole treat the symptoms of Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis). This is a parasitic infection that can eventually cause organ damage.
• Chloroquine: This is one of the main drugs used to treat malaria.
• Nitazoxanide (Alinia): This treats diarrhea symptoms caused by parasite infections in the gastrointestinal tract, including cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis.

A person can reduce their risk of parasitic infection by:

• finding out which parasites are prevalent in their area or in locations they may travel
• taking precautions, such as using insect repellant in places where mosquitoes are common
• being careful to eat only well-cooked fish and meat
• drinking water only from bottles with a sealed top while traveling
• taking care when bathing in freshwater lakes or rivers
• using mosquito nets
• wearing protective clothing
• eliminating stagnant water
• following safe sexual practices

Parasites are not a disease, but they may spread diseases that can be fatal. However, many parasitic infections are treatable and preventable.

If a person is experiencing a skin rash, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or other symptoms of a parasitic infection, they should speak with their doctor.

The doctor will order tests, such as blood or fecal tests, that can diagnose the parasite and help them develop a specific treatment plan. Early treatment may help stop the infection from spreading to others.

Taking measures such as using insect repellent, eating properly cooked fish and meat, and drinking water only from sealed bottles when traveling may help prevent a parasite infection.