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.
What happens if you leave a parasite untreated?
Often they can go unnoticed, with few symptoms. But many times these infections cause serious illnesses, including seizures, blindness, heart failure, and even death.
Can parasites survive outside the host?
Parasites that live outside the host are called ectoparasites (Figure 2A). For example, a flea is a parasite that lives on cats. In contrast, parasites that live inside their hosts are known as endoparasites (Figure 2B).
How long can a parasite live outside of a host?
Giardiasis is a diarrheal disease caused by the microscopic parasite Giardia duodenalis (or “Giardia” for short). Once a person or animal has been infected with Giardia, the parasite lives in the intestines and is passed in stool (poop). Once outside the body, Giardia can sometimes survive for weeks or even months.
How long do parasites live for?
They can live in a person for 30 years. If you swallow the eggs, they can go through your intestines into other parts of the body to form cysts.
More useful articles on a similar topic 👇
What happens if intestinal parasites go untreated?How do you disinfect after parasites?
