Macroparasite

Macroparasite

Macroparasites are parasites that are large enough to be seen with the naked eye, in contrast to microparasites. They grow in the host but multiply by producing infective stages that are released from the host, allowing the parasite to spread to other hosts. These generally include ticks, mites, nematodes, flatworms, etc., and can be either external parasites (ectoparasitic) or internal parasites (endoparasitic). The most abundant macroparasite in humans is ascaris lumbricoides-a nematode. Up to 2000 of these nematodes can be found in a single human Fact|date=February 2007. Macroparasitic infection results in around 100,000 deaths a year, most of which are in South America, Southeast Asia, and Africa Fact|date=February 2007. Macroparasites are also parasitic of many plant species and can be a significant agricultural pest.

ee also

*Epidemiology
*Parasite


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  • macroparasite — A parasite, such as a louse or an intestinal worm, that is visible to the naked eye …   Medical dictionary

  • Parasitism — This article is about relationship between organisms. For other uses, see Parasite (disambiguation). Brood parasitism is a form of parasitism Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between organisms of different species where one organism …   Wikipedia

  • Microparasite — A microparasite is a parasite that complete a full life cycle within one host and can be transmitted directly to conspecific hosts. They often reproduce within a host s cells and are generally too small to be seen with the naked eye. Most are… …   Wikipedia

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