Random Parasites That Could Ruin Your Next Vacation (20 items)

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  (#20) Leeches

  You've probably heard of the bloodsucking leech, which is still used in some medical procedures throughout the world. Why throughout the world? Because leeches live pretty much everywhere. As long as there are shallow bodies of fresh water (or even an ocean), there are leeches. That means that even right here in the United States, you can have a leech latch onto you and begin sucking your blood. Of course, the lucky thing here is that they drop off after they've had their fill, and most bites are not harmful.
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  (#12) Hookworm

  You can get this parasite through touching infected soil and then touching your mouth. The hookworm larvae then get into your body, and can go to your lungs, intestines, and even esophagus. Then, they head yo your small intestine and drink you blood, which can sometimes cause pain and anemia, all for up to a year.  Hookworm usually shows up in developing countries that have poor sanitation, but it does sometimes infect people in the United States. So be sure to wash your hands, even when you travel domestically. 
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  (#1) Naegleria Fowleri

  The most frightening thing about Naegleria Fowleri is that there's no way to detect it, there's no way to cure it, and it kills you 97% of the time. What happens is this: when you swim, sometimes water gets in your nose, and sometimes a particularly horrible amoeba can come with it. This amoeba travels to your skull, where it eats your brain, and eventually kills you. You cannot get it by drinking water, but swimming in hot springs, rivers, lakes, and even natural pools in tropical environments can put you at risk.
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  (#3) Filarial Worm

  These worms don't just make you sick, they also make you physically deformed as well. The thread-like worms are passed from mosquitoes into the blood stream, and they then make their way to the lymphatic system. Once there, the worms can make your lymph nodes malfunction, and can make parts of your body swell up, get hard and lumpy, and even develop elephantiasis. For men, a particular area of concern is the scrotum. The bug is typically found in Asia, so be sure to bring your mosquito repellant. 
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  (#13) Tapeworm

  Tapeworms are usually easily treated and not super deadly, but you can still get them while traveling and they're still really gross. A tapeworm is a flat segmented worm that lives in the intestines. If you have one, you'll likely experience an increase in appetite, weight loss, and often times vitamin deficiency. You can get tapeworms anywhere that under-cooked and unsanitary food is being served, assuming you like to eat your steak rare. Luckily they are fairly uncommon in the United States. 
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  (#17) Pinworm

  While the pinworm parasite is generally harmless, it's definitely annoying. More commonly picked up by children, pinworms are spread through infected soil or from other infected people. It often gets into the body through nail-biting. Once in your body, the worms multiply by laying eggs around the anus at night when you're sleeping. This doesn't hurt you, but it's very itchy, and scratching just causes reinfection when you again bite your nails. These little worms can be found in many countries, and is the most common worm found in the United States.

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