The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified five often-neglected parasites present in the United States as priorities for public health action.
The CDC chose the five parasites based on the numbers of people infected, severity of illnesses and the ability to treat and/or prevent them.
The five prioritized parasites are:
• Trypanosoma cruzi — More than 300,000 people in the United States are infected with this parasite that causes Chagas disease.
• Symptomatic cysticercosis — This infection is caused by an infection with tapeworm larvae in the central nervous system. Approximately 1,000 patients are hospitalized with this infection each year.
• Toxocara — This parasite can lead to blindness, and at least 14 percent of the U.S. population has been exposed to it.
• Toxoplasma gondii — More than 60 million people are chronically infected with this parasite in the United States. It can lead to birth defects and can be fatal in patients with compromised immune systems.
• Trichomonas — This parasite affects approximately 3.7 million people in the U.S., though it is typically easily treatable. It can cause pregnancy problems and increase the risk of sexually transmitted infections.
The CDC suggests parasite infection prevention can be increased with public and physician awareness, improved diagnostic testing and increased communication and advisement on treatments available for infected patients.
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