Common parasites of the human body

(1) The hookworm latches on the walls of the colon with its sharp teeth where it feeds on blood. (2) The tapeworm is the longest parasite. A mature adult can lay a million eggs a day. (3) Tapeworm eggs embedded in the colon. (4) The roundworm can grow to be 20 inches (50 cm) long and lay 200,000 eggs per day. (5) Pinworms migrate outside the colon during the night to lay their eggs around the anus. This causes the nightly itching of many unsuspecting victims.

Are you carrying parasites around in your body?

This is unfortunately a lot more frequent than most would like to believe. According to United Nations data:

?Overall, about 1.5 billion people have roundworms, making it the third most common human infection in the world. Whipworm infects 1 billion people? More than 1.3 billion people carry hookworm in their gut, and 265 million people are infected with schistosomes.?

It is true that most of these infections occur in developing countries, but the rate of parasitic-related disorders in North America is skyrocketing. An astounding number of people would test positive for parasites. This is from the Parasitology Department of the University of Cambridge, England: ?Pinworm. An extremely common nematode infection, particularly in temperate areas such as Western Europe and North America? It has been estimated that the annual incidence of infection is over 200 million, this probably being a conservative figure. Samples of caucasian children in the USA and Canada have shown incidences of infection of 30% to 80%, with similar levels in Europe.?

Humans can actually play host to more than a hundred different types of parasites, ranging from microscopic ones to tapeworms that are several feet long.  Contrary to popular belief, parasites are not restricted to our colon alone, but can be found in any other part of the body - in the lungs, the liver, in the muscles and joints, in the esophagus, the brain, the blood, the skin and even in the eyes!

?Parasites are the missing diagnosis in the genesis of many chronic health problems, including diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and endocrine system. Most individuals would be truly amazed if they knew the extraordinarily high number of Americans who are unknowingly infected by parasites?? ? Dr. Hermann R. Bueno, Fellow of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene of London

It is extremely easy to come in contact with parasites. Contaminated water, undercooked meats, improperly washed fruits and vegetables, are just some of the common sources of infections. Transmission from pets or other infected persons is also quite common. Overuse of antibiotics further adds to this problem as this can interfere with normal intestinal flora and lower the body?s resistance.

Fiber supplements help to get rid of parasites, but they are not enough. We need to use specific herbal formulas to deal with this issue. Some of the most potent herbs for parasite cleansing include Black Walnut hulls, Wormwood, Pau D?Arco, Garlic, Yellow Dock, Pumpkin seed, Male Fern root, False Unicorn, Fenugreek, Grapefruit Seed extract and Prickley Ash bark.

Soldiers barred from donating blood

Troops in Iraq may have been infected by rare parasite

The Associated Press

Updated: 5:09 p.m. ET Nov. 04, 2003

ATLANTA - Soldiers who served in Iraq will not be allowed to give blood for a year after returning home, because of a rare skin parasite that has infected 22 members of the military, federal health officials said Thursday.

The disease, called leishmaniasis, is rarely deadly but can cause serious skin lesions and can be spread through the blood supply. Since August of last year, 18 members of the military have caught the parasite in Iraq, plus two each in Kuwait and Afghanistan.

The Pentagon estimated

the potential loss of blood donors at more than 12,000 people. But many of the servicemen would not have been allowed to donate anyway because they were in areas where malaria is endemic.

Since August of last year, 18 members of the military have caught the parasite in Iraq, plus two each in Kuwait and Afghanistan.

Those stricken by the parasite came from the Army, the Air Force and the Marine Corps and included active, reserve and National Guard members. Most were serving in northern or central Iraq. They were treated with intravenous drugs at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington.

The parasite is common in parts of central and southern Asia and infects more than 1.5 million people a year. The small, circular lesions are painless but can leave scars.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta reported that the parasites can be spread through blood transfusions, although there are no known cases of that happening in the United States.

As a precaution, returning servicemen will be barred from donating blood for a year. The Defense Department and the nation?s largest association of blood banks ordered the measure.

The blood ban does not apply to members of the military who were only in Kuwait or Afghanistan.

A similar order was issued after the Gulf War in 1990-91, when 12 members of the military caught the leishmaniasis parasite