Ascariasis is an intestinal infection caused by the Ascaris lumbricoides parasite, the most common human intestinal worm in the world. The Ascaris parasite infects an estimated 1 billion people worldwide and is responsible for more than 60,000 deaths annually. Ascariasis most often occurs in warm tropical and sub-tropical climates, like Southeast Asia and Africa south of the Sahara, and is especially common in areas with poor sanitation and hygiene…

Found in over 50 countries where people engage in sheep and cattle production, fascioliasis is caused by two types of parasitic flatworm, or trematode (Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica). The disease affects the liver and bile ducts. Chronic fascioliasis infection causes abdominal pain, inflammation, and the formation of scar tissue and fibrosis in the bile duct. While not fatal in people, fascioliasis can cause significant economic damage for farmers who lose their livestock as a result of liver damage…

Leishmaniasis is a life-threatening illness caused by protozoa parasites (the Leishmania species). There are three main forms of leishmaniasis: cutaneous, visceral or kala-azar (meaning “black fever”), and mucocutaneous.

Visceral leishmaniasis affects the spleen, liver, and bone marrow and has a high mortality rate. The disease most commonly occurs in Latin America, East Africa, the Middle East, China, and India and is also endemic in the Mediterranean region (Italy, Spain, Portugal, Northern Africa, and Southern France)…

Toxocariasis is an infection caused by parasitic roundworms commonly found in the intestines of dogs and cats. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that almost 14 percent of the US population has antibodies to the parasite (Toxocara), meaning that tens of millions of people in the United States have been exposed to the disease. Worldwide, toxocariasis ranks as one of the most common infections…

Trichinosis is a type of roundworm infection caused by the Trichinella parasite. The infection begins in the intestinal tract and then spreads to the body’s skeletal muscle tissue. While it is no longer common in the United States, trichinosis still occurs frequently in rural areas around the world. The most recent major outbreak of trichinosis occurred in Poland in 2007, when over 200 people fell ill…