Uncomfortable, unwanted, and unfortunate. These are some of the words associated with parasites. The CDC has a long list of the parasites that can affect the human body. Though it might seem like a rare and exotic issue, not all of them are. There is a chance that there is a type of parasite local to your area. Anyone can contract a parasitic infection at one point in their life. This chance increases if they travel abroad on a regular basis.

Parasitism is the relationship between two different species, where one (parasite) lives in or on the other (host). Typically, the parasite causes the host some degree of harm.

Parasites have been plaguing humans since ancient times. Roundworms, Guinea worms, threadworms, and tapeworms are all mentioned in records as early as 3000 BC.