25 Parasites You Do Not Want To Be Infected With

Sacculinas enters a crab, matures, then emerges as a large sac beneath the crab. It is able to control the hormones of the male crab, making it look and act like a female crab.

Ophiocordyceps unilateralis starts its life under plant leaves where it grows into a predatory fungus targeting insects like the Carpenter ant. After the infection, it erupts from the ant’s head to scatter spores and infect other ants.

The nematode Anisakis causes a parasitic infection in humans called Anisakiasis, which targets the gastrointestinal tract.

This bacterium infests more than 70% of all invertebrates in the world. To reproduce, they attach themselves to the female eggs where they are transferred to the next insect generation.

Also known as Jiggers, this type of parasite, which is known to be the smallest type of flea, finds its way to a mammal’s feet and eats it’s tissue.