Coccidia are microscopic, spore-forming, single-celled protozoal parasites living in the small intestine of the genus Isospora , detectable only under a microscope. Coccidia are obligate, intracellular parasites, which means that they must live and reproduce within an animal or bird’s cell. Coccidia is one of the most prevalent protozoal infections in North American animals, second only to Giardia.
Symptoms of Balantidium: Colic, straining to defecate, nausea, vomiting diarrhea, loss of appetite, bloody diarrhea, weakness. Infection can also be without symptoms. The incubation period is usually 3-4 days which means you need to be exposed 3-4 days previous before symptoms appear. This picture was taken from either a fecal sample (which was dyed) or from a colon biopsy.
There are many protozoal parasites out there that are transferred to humans mostly through fecal contaminated water. Yet another great reason to have a reverse osmosis water system. Here’s the list. Links direct you to more specifics. I’ve tried to focus on the most important and pertinent ones for North America and Europe for now. I’ll fill in the blanks as I have time.
I often see chiggers as an external parasite that is really, really itchy. The term chigger is a common name for the six-legged larva of any of several blood-sucking mites. Chiggers normally feed on the blood of animal hosts such as birds, reptiles, and small mammals, but they also bite humans. People who go hiking, camping, or simply playing in the backyard or park can pick up a case of chiggers. Chiggers cause tiny red itchy bumps on the skin. These bites can be differentiated from flea bites because flea bites usually make a tight grouping of 3-5 bites.
Mange is NOT passed from animals to humans and neither are human head or public lice. Each animal has its own species of lice that likes to just stay on that particular species. For example, chicken lice love the fact that a chicken’s body temperature is about 105 degrees. So, if they would get onto a human, it would be too cold for them.
Keeping the area scrubbed removes the fungal food source (the dead skin cells) and applying iodine to it can help. I usually dispense a Chlorhexiderm shampoo which you can also purchase at most pharmacies these days. Also keeping your immune system and that of your pet healthy with good high-quality foods helps immensely.