Roundworm—Angiostongylus causes Angiostrongyliasis which affects the abdomen but can migrate to the nervous system causing headaches, stiff neck and back, meningitis, seizure and paresthesia. They can also get into the eyes causing vision disturbances. Angiostrongylus is passed by snails, slugs, planaria, fish, land crabs and rats. Make sure you thoroughly wash greens and cook your snails before eating them.
Symptoms include itchy, red serpentine lesions and secondary bacterial infections (from scratching). The soil and sandy beaches get contaminated with feces from infected dogs or cats so sunbathers, fishermen, hunters, gardeners, construction workers, pest exterminators, children and anyone with skin, but one human can pass it to another human as well or from one spot to another area on the same body.
We were taught in our parasitology classes that if you took everything away from the world and left only roundworms, we would be able to see a perfectly formed planet kind of like a skeleton made of roundworms. There are that many roundworms in our soil.
Once thought to be a harmless yeast, Blastocystis hominis a microscopic single-celled protozoal parasite. It behaves like a tiny animal — hunting and gathering other microbes for food—one reason why having a balanced gut flora is important. Healthy gut floras do not support large amounts of parasites. Many protozoa inhabit your gastrointestinal tract and are harmless; others cause disease.
One wonders why we don’t pick up Toxoplasma more often—especially for those of us who own cats. Could it be that we build up immunity to this organism if our immune system is functioning? It would seem to make sense as serologic surveys show that 7-94% of various populations are infected with the organism and are usually symptomatic. The disease occurs worldwide. If an infection is found, there are antibiotics which can be taken, so early diagnosis is especially urgent for those pregnant or immunocompromised. Children as well are at risk.
Microsporidia Spores are oval in shape but are difficult to differentiate from bacteria because they are so small. Identification of spores in feces is actually possible with a modified trichrome stain that stain spores in red. What is Microsporidia? Microsporidia are protozoal parasites of animals and insects responsible for common diseases of crustaceans and fish, and have been found in most other animal groups, including humans. Microsporidia are obligate, intracellular, spore-forming protozoa known to infect many animals. They are very ancient. Intestinal infection with Enterocytozoon bieneusi is increasingly recognized in patients with AIDS and chronic diarrhea where the prevalence is about 23-33%.