There are five different groups of parasitic invaders:
Flukes
Trematoda (Flukes) (“TREH-muh-TŌ-duh”)
Trematoda are leaf-shaped flatworms also known as flukes that have two ventral suckers that allow them to attach to their hosts. There are many species of flukes and they are grouped into four types: liver flukes, blood flukes, lung flukes, and intestinal flukes.
With this many different types of organisms there is a variety of ways to acquire the infection. Humans usually become infected through eating raw or undercooked fish or crab, eating infected vegetation, or drinking or wading in infected water.
Blood Fluke (Schistosoma japonicum, Schistosoma mansoni, Schistosoma haematobium) have snails as an intermediate host. The snails release larvae into water, where the larvae can directly penetrate the skin of swimmers.
Liver Fluke (Clonorchis sinners) is transmitted through the ingestion of raw, dried, slated, pickled or undercooked fish. It inhabits the bile ducts of the human liver causing it to become enlarged and tender. Liver flukes also cause inflammation, chills, fever, jaundice, and a type of hepatitis.
Oriental Lung Fluke (Paragonimus westermani) is found in the Far East and enters the body via infected crabs and crayfish that are undercooked or raw. Symptoms include seizures, a mild cough, rust colored sputum when a victim wakes, and symptoms resemble tuberculosis.
Sheep Liver Fluke (Fasciola hepatica) is usually acquired from eating the larvae worms encysted on aquatic vegetation such as watercress. Worms migrate to the liver and bile ducts where they produce right upper quadrant abdominal pain, liver abscesses, and fibrosis.
Intestinal Fluke (Fasciolopsis buskin) transmission occurs from eating plants that harbor encysted larvae such as water chestnuts, bamboo shoots and lotus plant roots. Symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and facial and abdominal edema.
This is Part 5 of your parasite education. Go back to learn if You Could Have Parasites. To learn more, continue on to learn about Protozoa, Nemotoda (Roundworms), Cestoda (Tapeworms), and Spirochetes. Or learn How to Treat Parasitic Infections. Download my FREE Parasites Booklet.
Hello, i definately have one of these in me. Where do I get help? Thank you.
Hi, Max.
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