Here is a comprehensive list of 100 known parasites that affect the human body, divided into several major categories: protozoa, helminths (worms), ectoparasites, and other notable parasites.
Protozoa
- Plasmodium falciparum – Causes malaria
- Plasmodium vivax – Causes malaria
- Plasmodium ovale – Causes malaria
- Plasmodium malariae – Causes malaria
- Toxoplasma gondii – Causes toxoplasmosis
- Entamoeba histolytica – Causes amoebiasis
- Giardia lamblia – Causes giardiasis
- Trypanosoma brucei – Causes African sleeping sickness
- Trypanosoma cruzi – Causes Chagas disease
- Leishmania donovani – Causes visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar)
- Leishmania tropica – Causes cutaneous leishmaniasis
- Cryptosporidium parvum – Causes cryptosporidiosis
- Cyclospora cayetanensis – Causes cyclosporiasis
- Balantidium coli – Causes balantidiasis
- Naegleria fowleri – Causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis
- Acanthamoeba spp. – Causes granulomatous amoebic encephalitis and keratitis
- Babesia microti – Causes babesiosis
- Trichomonas vaginalis – Causes trichomoniasis
- Sarcocystis spp. – Causes sarcocystosis
- Blastocystis hominis – Causes blastocystosis
- Isospora belli – Causes isosporiasis
- Dientamoeba fragilis – Causes gastrointestinal infections
Helminths (Worms)
Nematodes (Roundworms)
- Ascaris lumbricoides – Causes ascariasis
- Enterobius vermicularis (Pinworm) – Causes enterobiasis
- Trichuris trichiura (Whipworm) – Causes trichuriasis
- Strongyloides stercoralis – Causes strongyloidiasis
- Ancylostoma duodenale (Hookworm) – Causes hookworm infection
- Necator americanus (Hookworm) – Causes hookworm infection
- Toxocara canis – Causes toxocariasis
- Loa loa – Causes loiasis (African eye worm)
- Onchocerca volvulus – Causes onchocerciasis (river blindness)
- Wuchereria bancrofti – Causes lymphatic filariasis
- Brugia malayi – Causes lymphatic filariasis
- Trichinella spiralis – Causes trichinosis
- Dracunculus medinensis (Guinea worm) – Causes dracunculiasis
- Anisakis simplex – Causes anisakiasis
- Baylisascaris procyonis – Causes neural larva migrans
Cestodes (Tapeworms)
- Taenia solium (Pork tapeworm) – Causes taeniasis and cysticercosis
- Taenia saginata (Beef tapeworm) – Causes taeniasis
- Hymenolepis nana (Dwarf tapeworm) – Causes hymenolepiasis
- Diphyllobothrium latum (Fish tapeworm) – Causes diphyllobothriasis
- Echinococcus granulosus – Causes hydatid disease (cystic echinococcosis)
- Echinococcus multilocularis – Causes alveolar echinococcosis
- Spirometra spp. – Causes sparganosis
Trematodes (Flukes)
- Schistosoma mansoni – Causes schistosomiasis
- Schistosoma haematobium – Causes urinary schistosomiasis
- Schistosoma japonicum – Causes schistosomiasis
- Clonorchis sinensis (Chinese liver fluke) – Causes clonorchiasis
- Fasciola hepatica (Liver fluke) – Causes fascioliasis
- Paragonimus westermani (Lung fluke) – Causes paragonimiasis
- Opisthorchis viverrini – Causes opisthorchiasis
- Fasciolopsis buski – Causes fasciolopsiasis
Ectoparasites
Arthropods
- Pediculus humanus capitis (Head lice) – Causes pediculosis capitis
- Pediculus humanus corporis (Body lice) – Causes pediculosis corporis
- Pthirus pubis (Pubic lice) – Causes pediculosis pubis
- Sarcoptes scabiei – Causes scabies
- Demodex folliculorum – Causes demodicosis (associated with skin issues)
- Trombiculidae (Chiggers) – Causes trombiculiasis (chigger bites)
- Ixodes scapularis (Deer tick) – Vector for Lyme disease, babesiosis
- Amblyomma americanum (Lone star tick) – Vector for ehrlichiosis
- Cimex lectularius (Bed bugs) – Causes skin irritation and infestations
- Anopheles mosquitoes – Vector for malaria
- Aedes mosquitoes – Vector for dengue, Zika virus, and chikungunya
- Culex mosquitoes – Vector for West Nile virus
- Simulium spp. (Black flies) – Vector for onchocerciasis (river blindness)
- Phlebotomus spp. (Sand flies) – Vector for leishmaniasis
- Triatoma spp. (Kissing bugs) – Vector for Chagas disease
- Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Brown dog tick) – Vector for Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Fleas and Mites
- Pulex irritans (Human flea) – Causes flea bites
- Xenopsylla cheopis (Rat flea) – Vector for plague and murine typhus
- Tunga penetrans (Jigger flea) – Causes tungiasis
- Dermanyssus gallinae (Red poultry mite) – Causes skin irritation
- Ornithonyssus bacoti (Tropical rat mite) – Causes skin irritation
- Leptotrombidium spp. – Causes scrub typhus
- Rhipicephalus spp. – Vector for various rickettsial diseases
- Siphonaptera spp. (Various fleas) – Vector for Bartonella, plague
Other Notable Parasites
Fungal and Parasitic Yeasts (Note: These are sometimes considered opportunistic pathogens)
- Candida albicans – Causes candidiasis (yeast infection)
- Pneumocystis jirovecii – Causes pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP)
- Histoplasma capsulatum – Causes histoplasmosis
- Coccidioides immitis – Causes coccidioidomycosis (Valley fever)
- Cryptococcus neoformans – Causes cryptococcosis
- Aspergillus fumigatus – Causes aspergillosis
- Blastomyces dermatitidis – Causes blastomycosis
- Sporothrix schenckii – Causes sporotrichosis
Other Parasitic Infections
- Mansonella ozzardi – Causes mansonelliasis
- Mansonella perstans – Causes mansonelliasis
- Dirofilaria immitis (Heartworm) – Can cause dirofilariasis in humans (rare)
- Thelazia spp. (Eye worm) – Causes thelaziasis
- Gnathostoma spinigerum – Causes gnathostomiasis
- Capillaria philippinensis – Causes capillariasis
- Filarial worms – Causes various filariasis conditions
- Angiostrongylus cantonensis – Causes eosinophilic meningitis
- Rickettsia rickettsii – Causes Rocky Mountain spotted fever (transmitted by ticks)
- Bartonella henselae – Causes cat scratch disease (flea-borne)
- Toxoplasma gondii – Causes toxoplasmosis (via cat feces or undercooked meat)
- Ancylostoma braziliense (Dog and cat hookworm) – Causes cutaneous larva migrans
- Sparganum spp. – Causes sparganosis (infection by tapeworm larvae)
- Rhabditis spp. – Can infect humans as a result of poor sanitation
- Parastrongylus costaricensis – Causes abdominal angiostrongyliasis
- Echinococcus vogeli – Causes polycystic echinococcosis
This list covers a broad range of parasites, including protozoans, helminths, ectoparasites, and a few other notable parasitic organisms that affect human health.
