A parasite is a living organism that takes residence in another organism known as the host and often causes harms it. Parasites depend on their host for food and survival. Generally, the discovery of parasites in ancient humans relies on the study of feces and other fossilized material. The earliest known parasite in a human was eggs of the lung fluke found in fossilized feces in northern Chile and is estimated to be from around 5900 BC. A parasite is a plant or an animal that lives on, or with, or inside a larger species extracting nutrients. In some cases, the parasite can harm the host and in other situations, it is completely harmless. There are three types of parasites namely ectoparasites, endoparasites and mesoparasites. Ectoparasites include parasites that survive outside the host and induce itching and rashes in that area. Endoparasites include parasites that survive inside the body of the host, usually in the ... Parasites cause various diseases and are transmitted to humans most often through the ingestion of contaminated food or water or through the bite of an arthropod.
