parazit

Parazit is the term used in several languages to denote a parasite, an organism that lives on or in another organism, the host, from which it derives benefits at the host's expense. Parasites may harm their hosts by consuming nutrients, causing tissue damage, or transmitting pathogens. They can be endoparasites (inside the host) or ectoparasites (on the host's surface).

Parasites include protozoa, helminths (worms), and arthropods such as ticks, fleas, and lice. Many parasites have complex life cycles that involve one or more hosts and distinct stages. Transmission routes vary and can include ingestion of contaminated food or water, direct contact, or vectors like mosquitoes, snails, or ticks.

Major human and animal parasites include Plasmodium species (malaria), Trypanosoma (sleeping sickness), Taenia and other tapeworms, Schistosoma (blood flukes), Giardia, and Toxoplasma. Ectoparasites such as mites, lice, fleas, and ticks affect skin and blood-feeding. Parasites can cause disease, anemia, malnutrition, impaired growth, and reduced fertility in hosts.

Control and prevention rely on sanitation, vector control, vaccination where available, routine screening, and antiparasitic drugs. In wildlife and agriculture, parasite management can influence ecosystems and economies. Parasites play a significant role in ecology and evolution, shaping host defenses and parasite countermeasures through coevolution.