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Food

Man in grocery store
Parasites can be transmitted to people in undercooked meat, although the occurence is rare in the U.S. (CDC Photo)

Numerous parasites can be transmitted by food including many protozoa and helminths. In the United States, the most common foodborne parasites are protozoa such as Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia intestinalis, Cyclospora cayetanensis, Toxoplasma gondii, and Entamoeba histolytica; roundworms such as Trichinella spiralis and Anisakis spp.; and tapeworms such as Diphylobothrium spp. and Taenia spp.

Many of these organisms can also be transmitted by water, soil, or person-to-person contact. Occasionally in the U.S., but often in developing countries, a wide variety of helminthic roundworms, tapeworms, and flukes are transmitted in foods such as

  • undercooked fish, crabs, and mollusks;
  • undercooked meat; raw aquatic plants such as watercress;
  • raw vegetables that have been contaminated by human or animal feces;
  • and foods contaminated by food service workers with poor hygiene or working in unsanitary facilities.

Symptoms of foodborne parasitic infections vary greatly depending on the type of parasite. Protozoa such as Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia intestinalis, and Cyclospora cayetanensis most commonly cause diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Helminthic infections can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, muscle pain, cough, skin lesions, malnutrition, weight loss, neurological and many other symptoms depending on the particular organism and burden of infection. Treatment is available for most of the foodborne parasitic organisms.

Related Food Safety Links

An Ounce of Prevention: Keeps the Germs Away - Handle and Prepare Food Safely

Safe Food and Water: A Guide for People with HIV Infection

Parasitic Disease Information — Toxoplasmosis

Related Parasitic Diseases

For more information on a particular foodborne parasitic disease, please select from the list below.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z



A

Amebiasis (Entamoeba histolytica Infection)

Ancylostomiasis (Hookworm, Cutaneous Larva Migrans [CLM])

Angiostrongyliasis (Angiostrongylus Infection)

Anisakiasis (Anisakis Infection, Pseudoterranova Infection)

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C

Capillariasis (Capillaria Infection)

Clonorchiasis (Clonorchis Infection)

CLM (Cutaneous Larva Migrans, Ancylostomiasis, Hookworm)

Cryptosporidiosis (Cryptosporidium Infection)

Cutaneous Larva Migrans (CLM, Ancylostoma Infection, Hookworm)

Cyclosporiasis (Cyclospora Infection)

Cysticercosis (Neurocysticercosis)

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D

Diarrhea

Diphyllobothriasis (Diphyllobothrium Infection)

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E

Entamoeba histolytica Infection (Amebiasis)

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F

Fascioliasis (Fasciola Infection)

Fasciolopsiasis (Fasciolopsis Infection)

Foodborne Diseases

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G

Giardiasis (Giardia Infection)

Gnathostomiasis (Gnathostoma Infection)

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H

Heterophyiasis (Heterophyes Infection)

Hookworm Infection (Ancylostomiasis, Cutaneous Larva Migrans [CLM])

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I

Intestinal Roundworms (Ascariasis, Acaris Infection)

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N

Neurocysticercosis (Cysticercosis)

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O

Opisthorchiasis (Opisthorchis Infection)

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P

Paragonimiasis (Paragonimus Infection)

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T

Taeniasis (Taenia Infection,Tapeworm Infection)

Tapeworm Infection (Taeniasis, Taenia Infection)

Toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma Infection)

Travelers' Diarrhea

Trichinellosis (Trichinosis)

Trichinosis (Trichinellosis)

Trichuriasis (Whipworm Infection, Trichuris Infection)

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W

Whipworm Infection ( Trichuriasis, Trichuris Infection)

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Page last modified: May 1, 2008
Page last reviewed: February 23, 2007
Content Source:
Division of Parasitic Diseases (DPD)
National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-borne, and Enteric Diseases (ZVED)
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