The Most Horrific Parasite Worms

Parasite worms are considered to be among the most hated lowlifes of the animal kingdom. They feed off other living organisms and drain them of energy and essential nutrients while causing a wide range of health problems. The worst thing is that they can stay inside you undetected for years and years, and when their presence is finally revealed it is often already too late and you may already have suffered too much. Following is a brief discussion of the three most horrific parasite worms known to man.

People say you should not judge by appearances, but that is not necessarily applicable to the hookworm. Its appearance is, in fact, enough warning of what you can expect to suffer from this parasite. It lives in your gut, lodges its teeth into your intestinal lining and begins to voraciously suck out your blood. This can result in iron deficiency and puts you at risk of developing anemia.

Hookworms usually enter your body through bare feet, where it burrows into your skin and then travels upwards to your intestines where it grows into an adult parasite. Diarrhea, rashes and nausea are the most common symptoms of a hookworm infection. The fact that these symptoms are very common and also symptomatic of other illnesses makes this type of infection very easy to miss, thus making it doubly dangerous.

The ascaris, which is a larger cousin of the hookworm, can also be considered one of the most disgusting parasite worms. It can reach as much as 40cm in length and is among the most common parasites to dwell in our intestines, with about 25% of the world’s population affected. It usually enters our system through the consumption of unsanitary food which contains ascaris eggs. The eggs then hatch and grow in our intestines where they can cause symptoms like high fever. It is also the cause of fatal intestinal blockage, which kills as much as 200,000 people each year.

The third and final parasite that we are going to cover in this article is the guinea worm. Being about one meter long and as thick as spaghetti noodles, it is understandable why this is one of the best documented of all human parasites. We usually fall prey to this type of worm when we drink water that is contaminated with its eggs. The guinea worm then burrows into your arms or legs and then bores its way out through blisters. Yes, the pain can be very excruciating indeed. These worms truly emphasize the need for good hygiene.