Are you infected with internal parasites? These harmful organisms are more common than you may think. There are several types of parasites that can infect the human body. Here is a list of parasites that may be affecting your health

Protozoa internal parasite

Protozoa are very small parasites that cannot be seen with the human eye. They also include some of the most common parasitic invaders in the United States, namely,
Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium parvum.

• Giardia is responsible for the common illness giardiasis. Symptoms of this condition include digestive disorders such as diarrhea, bloating, foul-smelling gas, nausea, weight loss and abdominal cramping. Giardia can be transmitted via food or water that has been contaminated by human or animal feces. Giardia can also be carried by household pets. This intestinal parasite makes its home in the small intestine and interferes with the body’s levels of immunoglobulin A, vitamin A and vitamin B12.
• Cryptosporidium is another common protozoan parasite. It is a water-borne internal parasite but it can also be transmitted from unsanitary diaper changing conditions at day care facilities. Once inside the human body, Cryptosporidium makes its home in the intestines and is responsible for such symptoms as diarrhea, fever, nausea, abdominal cramps and migraines.

Nematode internal parasites

This category of internal parasites includes the larger species such as roundworm, hookworm, and pinworms.

• Roundworm: (Ascaris lumbricoides) The roundworm is the most common parasite in humans throughout the world. This flat worm resembles an earthworm and can infect humans via contact with contaminated food, feces or soil. Once ingested, roundworms move through the liver and the lungs causing damage as they go.

  Symptoms of a roundworm infection include abdominal pain, swelling, allergic reactions, sleep disturbances, and significant weight changes. In children, roundworm infection may be responsible for conditions such as nervousness, colic, poor appetite, allergic reactions, and malnutrition.

• Hookworms: (Necator americanus, Ancylostoma duodenal) Hookworms are another intestinal worm that is commonly found in warm, moist soil environments. They can enter the human body by penetrating the skin. This is why people who are frequently barefoot are often infected with hookworms. Once in the body, hookworms will travel through the blood stream into the lungs and then to the trachea. Hookworm parasites may cause symptoms such as sore throats and coughing and illnesses such as bronchitis. Hookworms can then work their way into the esophagus where the will be swallowed into the digestive system. Hookworm infection can lead to symptoms that include itchy rashes, pimples, anemia, vitamin deficiencies, and weight loss.
• Pinworm: (Enterobius vermicularis) Pinworm is one of the most common internal worms in the United States. It is found primarily in children and it can infect the body via several pathways. Pinworms tend to lay their eggs right outside the anus. These eggs can then contaminate underwear, pajamas, sheets, toilet seats, sofas, hands, doorknobs, and anywhere that contaminated hands have touched. The eggs can also float about in the air, therefore even with careful hygiene, it is possible to become infected with pinworms simply be breathing the eggs in. The main symptom of pinworm infection is anal itching, especially at night, due to the pinworm eggs that lay outside the anus. The itchiness can then lead to insomnia and, fatigue, restlessness, and irritability as a result.

Cestodes (Tapeworms) – Internal Parasites

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Tapeworms are very large worms, the largest of all of the parasitic worms. (The largest of tapeworm, the beef tapeworm can grow up to forty feet (twelve meters) long! There are several species of tapeworm: the beef tapeworm (Taenia saginata), the pork tapeworm (T. solium), the fish tapeworm (Diaphyllobothrium latum), and the dog tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum). Each tapeworm can infect the human body via consumption of contaminated fish or meat (for instance, a human can become infected with beef tapeworms by eating infected beef).

Beef tapeworm internal parasite infection is not usually life threatening, but it can result in diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nervousness, nausea, and loss of appetite. Pork tapeworm infection can be dangerous and even lethal. The larvae of these tapeworms can invade the muscles, heart, eye, and brain as they migrate through the body. Once in the brain, pork tapeworms may result in seizures and brain deterioration. This type of infection is often misdiagnosed as epilepsy.

Fish tapeworm infection is common in the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada. Humans can become infected by eating contaminated fish that is raw or lightly cooked. Fish tapeworm infection can cause serious deficiencies in the host’s vitamin B12 levels. Symptoms of fish tapeworm infection include nausea, anorexia, and pain or fullness in the upper abdomen.

Trematodes (Flukes) – Internal Parasites

Trematodes, or flukes, can make their home in many different areas of the human body. There are blood flukes (Schistosoma spp), liver flukes (Clonorchis sinensis), oriental lung flukes (Paragoniumus westermani), sheep liver flukes (Fasciola hepatica), and intestinal flukes (Fasciolopsis buski).

Blood flukes can penetrate the human skin. Infection can occur via contact with contaminated water (such as bathing or swimming.) Liver, oriental lung, sheep liver, and intestinal flukes, on the other hand, are all transmitted via consumption of contaminated food. Fluke infections are rare in the United States; however, they are still possible. Symptoms of fluke infections include urinary disorders, liver problems, hepatitis, abdominal pain, liver abscesses, fibrosis, diarrhea, and vomiting.

by Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN, DABFM

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What is a Fluke Parasite?

Fluke parasites are a type of parasitic flatworm or trematode that can cause infections and diseases of the digestive tract and lungs of its host species. The name “trematode” is Greek in origin, meaning, “having holes.” This refers to the external suckers that adult flukes use to leech nutrients from their hosts.

Fluke parasites have fairly complex life cycles and must generally inhabit several hosts. Humans can contract a fluke parasite infection by consuming uncooked fish, plants, or animals or from contact with fluke-infected waters.

Where is a Fluke Parasite Found?

A Fluke parasite is commonly found throughout Africa, South American, the Middle East, and Asia. While it is not very common, there have been reports of flukes being found in North America.

Do Fluke Parasites Affect Humans?

There are several different species of flukes, and each one resides in a different location in its human host, and affects the human body differently. Generally, a fluke parasite will inhabit the intestinal tract or the lungs. Diseases caused by liver flukes include fascioliasis, opisthorchiasis, and clonorchiasis.

There have been documented cases of liver fluke parasite infection in Europe, the United States, the Middle East, China, Japan, and Africa. Lung flukes are responsible for diseases such as paragonimiasis, a common infection in the Far East, Southeast Asia, Africa, Central and South America, Indonesia, and the Pacific Islands. According to international experts, there are roughly fifty million liver and lung fluke infections cases worldwide.

What Are The Types of Fluke Parasite Infections?

Fascioliasis

The sheep liver fluke parasite, Fasciola hepatica, is responsible for the development of fascioliasis. Humans can become infected with this fluke via the consumption of watercress, water chestnuts, or other plants that are contaminated with parasitic cysts.

Once inside the human body, the fluke parasite will pass through the digestive system and travel to the liver, where it will cause inflammation and tissue destruction. Adult flukes can persist for ten to fifteen in the liver before they proceed to the bile ducts to lay their eggs. Symptoms of parasite infection, specifically fascioliasis include headaches, rashes, muscle pain, jaundice, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, anemia, nausea, and vomiting.

Opisthorchiasis & Clonorchiasis

Both opisthorchiasis and clonorchiasis are caused by the Chinese liver fluke, Clonorchis sinensis, and Opisthorchis viverrini or Opisthorchis felineus. These infections occur frequently throughout the world, affecting more than 20 million people in Japan, China, Southeast Asia, and India. Humans may become infected by one of these fluke parasites by ingesting undercooked or raw fish that is contaminated.

The symptoms of opisthorchiasis and clonorchiasis include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, swollen liver, fatigue, headaches, rashes, muscle pain, and fever.

Paragonimiasis

There are two types of lung fluke, Paragonimus westermani or Paragonimus skrjabini that may be responsible for the development of paragonimiasis. Lung flukes are generally larger than liver flukes, but their life cycle is similar. Humans may contract a lung fluke infection by eating raw or undercooked crabs and crayfish or drinking from a contaminated water supply.

Once inside the human body, lung flukes will travel to the small intestine and then migrate towards the lungs. Fluke parasites lay their eggs and cause inflammation and scar tissue to develop. In many instances, these pockets of infection will rupture, causing the infected individual to cough up fluke eggs, blood, and inflamed lung tissue. In addition to coughing, other symptoms of a lung fluke infection include chest pain, fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and bloody sputum.

Lung fluke parasite infections can also lead to the development of other conditions such as pneumonia, bronchitis, or a lung abscess. In one percent of the cases, lung flukes may continue traveling through the body until they reach the brain. Patients with fluke parasite infections of the brain may experience seizures or a fatal inflammation of the tissue in the brain called encephalitis.

How Can I Prevent a Fluke Parasite Infection?

The best way to prevent a fluke infection is to be sure that you kill any flukes that may be attached to the meat and vegetables that you eat. Wash and peel raw fruits and vegetables. And carefully cook meats to the appropriate temperature. Processes such as salting, pickling, drying, and smoking do not always kill the fluke parasites in meat.

Always be sure to steer clear of water that is from a questionable or unknown source. A fluke parasite can be transmitted to humans by swimming or bathing in contaminated water or drinking water that is infected with flukes. If you are not sure of the quality of the water, buy a water filter before drinking it.Also, as flukes can infect fish and aquatic plants, avoid eating raw or undercooked fish or salads made from aquatic vegetables.

You can also try to kill off interntal flukes by doing a parasite cleanse. There are many ways to do a cleansing of these harmful organisms, so be sure to do the proper research.

by Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN, DABFM

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The colon, or large intestines, is one of the most important organs in the body. It is where your body absorbs the nutrients you get from food. This is where the body takes what it needs from the food in order to survive. It is also a depository of waste where the body drops off toxins and excess nutrients that could be harmful to the system.

It is therefore imperative that the colon is functioning properly in order for the overall health of the body to be maintained. Unfortunately, the colon is also a happy breeding ground for dangerous invaders such as bacteria, yeasts, fungus, and colon parasites. The overall amount of risks will vary from person to person, depending on each individual lifestyle and diet choices.

Intestinal parasites can be particularly dangerous to the health of the colon, as they not only leech nutrients from the body and destroy the permeability of the colon, they also emit harmful toxins that can further weaken the colon’s integrity. Here is a closer look at colon parasites and what you can do to repel these dangerous organisms.

List of 7 Common Colon Parasites

• Giardia lamblia — Giardia are protozoan parasites that commonly infect humans via the consumption of contaminated food and water. This common colon parasite is commonly found in untreated water supplies, and therefore frequently infects travelers and hikers. If you are not sure of the quality of the drinking water, make sure to use a good water filter to purify it. Giardia is responsible for the condition known as giardiasis that causes diarrhea, bloating, flatulence, abdominal cramping, weight loss, greasy stools, and dehydration.
• Toxoplasma gondii — The Toxoplasma parasite is another protozoan organism that can make its home in the colon. It is commonly found in cats and dogs and can be easily transmitted to humans by the handling of cats and/or their feces. It is also possible to become infected by breathing in the parasite’s eggs. Toxoplasma is responsible for the disease toxoplasmosis that can cause chills, fever, headaches and fatigue. If a pregnant woman contracts this condition, it can lead to serious birth defects such as blindness, mental retardation, and even miscarriage.



• Roundworms — Roundworms are colon parasites in the Nematoda family. They are the most common intestinal parasite in the world, affecting over one billion people worldwide. Roundworms are also one of the largest parasites, as they can grow to up to thirty inches in length. These parasitic worms are found throughout the world, primarily in tropical and subtropical areas.

  Humans can contract a roundworm infection by eating improperly cooked meat or by handling felines infested with parasites. Symptoms of a roundworm infection include loss of appetite, allergic reactions, coughing, abdominal pain, edema, sleep disorders, and weight loss. Children may present these symptoms as well as failure to thrive, nervousness, and colic.

• Hookworms — Hookworms are able to penetrate the human skin. These colon parasites can enter the body through the feet in individuals that walk barefoot through contaminated areas. They can be found throughout the world in warm, moist tropical areas. A hookworm infection may cause symptoms such as itchy skin, blisters, nausea, dizziness, anorexia, and weight loss. Hookworms can live in the intestines for up to fifteen years!
• Trichinella — The Trichinella parasite can cause a number of symptoms in the human body. It has been estimated that this parasite can mimic the symptoms of up to fifty different diseases! A Trichinella infection is caused by the consumption of raw or undercooked pork. Possible symptoms of infection include muscle soreness, fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, edema of the lips and face, difficulty breathing, difficulty speaking, enlarged lymph glands, and extreme dehydration.
• Tapeworms — Tapeworms are the largest colon parasites that are known to infect humans. There are numerous types of tapeworms, such as beef tapeworms, pork tapeworms, fish tapeworms, and dog tapeworms. These colon parasites can grow to several feet in length and live in the intestines for up to twenty five years. A tapeworm infection may cause symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, and appetite changes.



• Flukes — Flukes, or Trematodas, are smallish flatworms that can directly penetrate the human skin when an individual is swimming or bathing in contaminated water. Fluke parasites can travel throughout the body, making their home in the liver, lungs, or the intestines. Symptoms of a fluke infection include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and swelling.

Tips for Preventing Colon Parasites

There are a number of techniques that you can use to reduce your risk of a parasite infection. These include:

1. Wash Your Hands Frequently — Carefully washing you hands throughout the day can remove the parasites and parasitic eggs that you may have come in contact with. Be sure to wash you hands before eating or handling food, and after using the toilet, handling pets, cooking, or changing a baby’s diaper.
2. Thoroughly Cook Foods — Do not eat meats such as beef, pork, fish or chicken that have not been properly cooked.
3. Know Your Water Source — Contaminated water is a frequent source of parasitic infection. Use filtered water for drinking or cooking if you do not know the source of you water supply, or if it is in any way questionable. And do not bathe in water that may be infested with parasites.
4. Keep Your Shoes On — Colon parasites can enter the body through the soles of the feet. So be sure to wear shoes, especially if you are in an area, such as a beach or park that may contain animal feces.
5. Wash & Peel all Fruits & Vegetables — Be sure to remove any parasites from fruits and vegetables by washing them before eating them.

Treatment Options for Parasites in the Colon

There are many things you can do to help treat harmful organisms living in your intestinal tract. First, you want to clean the intestinal tract of any excessive fecal matter that may be compacted and ultimately providing an optimal habitat for these parasites. Doing a colon cleanse or following a high fiber diet will help improve your digestive system.

Next, find a good herbal supplement that is formulated to help kill of any organisms that could be living in your colon. Here is a great set of instructions for doing a parasite cleanse. It is also recommended that you take probiotics during a cleanse. Probiotics will help introduce healthy bacteria back into the colon that may have been stripped during the cleansing process.

by Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN, DABFM

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