What Are Intestinal Parasites?

Human intestinal parasites are either one-cell organisms or intestinal worms that live in the small or large intestine and use the stool or blood from intestinal wall as a source of food.

One-Cell Parasites – Protozoa

One-cell organisms, like Giardia lamblia, also called Giardia duodenale (Picture 1), Cryptosporidium (crypto) and Cyclospora, utilize nutrients from the stool. They belong to a living kingdom Protozoa (Gk. protos = first; zoa = animals). They may cause inflammation of the small intestine thus hampering absorption of nutrients. Entamoeba hystolytica lives predominantly in the colon.

Picture 1. Parasite giardia from a stool sample,
as seen under the electron microscope (actual size:~0.01 mm)
(source: phil.cdc.gov)

continue reading Human Intestinal Parasites – Symptoms and Treatment

Definition of Acute Diarrhea

Diarrhea means having more than three loose bowel movements a day.

Acute (Lat. acutus = sharp, pointed) diarrhea, by definition, lasts less than 3 weeks (1).

Causes of Acute Diarrhea

A) Acute INFECTIOUS Diarrhea

• Bacterial diarrhea usually occurs in food poisoning due to infection with bacteria, like E. coli or Salmonella.
• Parasitic diarrhea may be due to intestinal worms, or one-cell parasites like Entamoeba hystolytica, or Giardia.
• Viral diarrhea mainly affects small children in kinder-gartens due to stool-to-mouth infection from other children, or (in poor countries) due to infection by water, contaminated by rotavirus.

continue reading Causes of Sudden (Acute) Diarrhea

How a Healthy Bowel Works?

Terms explanation:

• The GUT refers to the complete digestive tract from the mouth to the anus.
• The BOWEL consists of small intestine (and this from duodenum, jejunum and ileum), and from large intestine (and this from cecum, appendix, colon, and rectum)
• The STOMACH is an organ lying between esophagus (gullet) and duodenum; stomach also refers to the whole abdomen.

Bowel anatomy (Picture 1). The stomach lies right below the bottom end of the breastbone. The small intestine (duodenum, jejunum and ileum) fills up the most of the abdominal cavity. The large intestine starts in the lower right abdomen with the appendix, runs up as the ascending colon toward the liver, then as the transverse colon below the stomach, then on the left side down as the descending colon, in the pelvis it widens into the sigmoid colon, and ends as the rectum and the anal opening (anus).

continue reading Small and Large Intestine – Anatomy, Function, Flora, Pictures

Staph bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) live on the skin of many healthy individuals without causing any symptoms. When the skin is pierced, especially in or around the nose or mouth, in the armpits, under the breasts, or around the genitalia, bacteria may enter the skin and cause its inflammation.

continue reading Can Piercing Cause Staph Infection?

What are Mites?

Mites are small, often microscopic organisms, and belong to the subclass Acarina (along with ticks) or the class Arachnida (along with spiders). They live in soil, water, fields, woods or houses. Some of them attack plants or animals or humans. Some do not attack (bite) humans, but can trigger allergic reaction resulting in an itchy rash. Many types of mites are harmless for human.

continue reading Itch Caused by Dust and Skin Mites: Scabies, Chiggers, Demodex Mites