Human Parasites in SoilDo You Catch Worms From Eating Dirt?Oct 26, 2007 Rosemary Drisdelle
The infective stage of many human parasites is found in soil, but not just any soil. How they get there, and how they infect people, isn't so straightforward.
There are Some Human Parasites in SoilMost parasites that infect people don’t pass directly from person to person—though some can spread this way. In general, parasites require time in the environment before they infect another human (the host). A parasite of humans may have another host that it infects between people; for example, the beef tapeworm infects a cow before it infects a human again. Other parasites don’t need an intermediate host, but do need time in the environment—in water, or in soil. Everyone’s Eating DirtEating dirt doesn’t necessarily mean picking up soil and deliberately putting it in your mouth: we accidentally ingest dirt when we put dirty fingers in our mouths, or eat uncooked vegetables that have not been very thoroughly scrubbed. Soil particles may even be picked up by the wind and inhaled. How Do Parasites Get Into Dirt?Put simply, worm eggs and protozoan cysts and oocysts can’t be present in soil unless humans put them there. The commonest ones are passed in the stools of infected people: if they are present in soil, it means that human feces have contaminated the ground. This is an important reason why societies with high standards of sanitation have lower levels of intestinal parasites. Parasites that can be transmitted by eating dirt can be divided up into helminthes (worms) and protozoa (single celled amoebae and similar organisms). Worms That You Catch by Eating DirtMany people believe that most intestinal worm infections come from eating dirt. Some of the most common do, but only a few species of worms are involved:
Avoid Parasitic Infections from DirtTo lower your chances of acquiring parasites from soil:
If you think you may have picked up a parasite, see your doctor for testing and treatment. Read More About Parasites and Bacteria Found in Soil:Ascaris lumbricoides—Life Cycle Toxoplasmosis—Parasitic Disease Sources:Diagnostic Medical Parasitology 3rd ed. Garcia, Lynn S. and David A. Bruckner. Washington: ASM Press, 1997. Foundations of Parasitology 6th Ed. Roberts, Larry S. and John Janovy Jr. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2000.
The copyright of the article Human Parasites in Soil in Microbiology is owned by Rosemary Drisdelle. Permission to republish Human Parasites in Soil in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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