Parasitic Diseases

Abstract

Abstract Parasitic disease, commonly referred to as parasitosis, is an infectious process caused by a parasitic organism that thrives at the expense of its host. Human parasites can be classified into three main categories: protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites (Chapter 34). Protozoans are small single‐celled organisms, such as the amoeba. Helminths on the other hand are larger multicellular organisms with internal organs and include the roundworm. Parasitic infections are well known for causing a significant burden of disease amongst the inhabitants of the tropic and subtropic regions of the globe and can be transmitted in several ways. The commonest methods of spread include contaminated water, soil and blood, or through transmission via infected insects that act as a vector or carrier of the disease. In this chapter we explore the common causes of cutaneous parasitic disease worldwide including their clinical signs, pathophysiology and therapeutic options.