Parasitemia
Parasitemia
Parasitemia (pronounced: /ˌpærəsaɪˈtiːmiə/) is a medical term that refers to the presence of parasites in the blood of a host organism.
Etymology
The term "parasitemia" is derived from the Greek words "parasitos" meaning "parasite" and "-emia" which is a suffix used in pathology to indicate the presence of something in the blood.
Definition
Parasitemia is a condition where parasites are found in the bloodstream of a host organism. These parasites can be protozoa, such as in the case of malaria, or helminths, such as in the case of schistosomiasis. The severity of parasitemia can vary greatly, from a few parasites present in the bloodstream to a high concentration that can cause serious illness or death.
Related Terms
- Parasite: An organism that lives in or on an organism of another species (its host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the other's expense.
- Malaria: A disease caused by a plasmodium parasite, transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes.
- Schistosomiasis: A disease caused by parasitic worms. Infection can cause illness and chronic damage to internal organs.
- Protozoa: Single-celled organisms with the ability to move independently, a group within the kingdom Protista.
- Helminths: Parasitic worms that cause various forms of harm in the host.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Parasitemia
- Wikipedia's article - Parasitemia
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