Hey,  Atlanta dancers!  I know we have been talking a lot about parasites recently, but for good reason, your health!  In recent studies, they show that more than 1 out of 3 Americans have parasites living in their stomach!  Maybe these parasites are the cause of a lot more health issues than we give them credit for!  

Protozoa Parasite

                                                                                     
The major types of parasites include species of protozoa, helminths (worms), and arthropods.

Protozoa. Protozoa are single-celled organisms. Even though they are single-celled, they still carry out most of the same physiological functions as more complex organisms. This group of parasites have  caused more death and suffering than any other organisms. A few world epidemics stemming from protozoan parasites are SARS, Chickenpox, Yellow Fever, measles, and the list goes on and on. More than 50,000 species of protozoa are known, the majority being  parasitic.  

Intestinal protozoa are throughout the world. They are especially common in areas where food and water sources are subject to contamination from animal and human waste. When the protozoa enter your body through food or water while they are in an inactive state. The protozoa form a membrane that protects it while it travels through the digestive system. Once inside the new host, the parasite will develop into a mature form through feeding off the host and then reproducing. 

 Other types of parasitic protozoa infect the blood or tissues of their hosts. These protozoa are typically transmitted through another organism called vectors. A vector is an organism that carries a parasite from one host to another host. In many cases, the vector is an invertebrate, such as an insect that itself feeds on a host and then passes the protozoan on through the bite wound. Some of the most infamous of these protozoa are the ones that cause malaria and African sleeping sickness.

I hope this article has given you a better perspective on the protozoa parasites and how they impact the world and maybe even us directly.  The good news is, newer technology has made it really easy to rid yourself of these parasites!  Ask how at Rhythma Dance Studios front desk.  See you in dance class, Atl dancers!