Antiparasitic agents are medications used to treat infections caused by parasites, which include protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites. These agents work by targeting specific biochemical pathways or structures unique to the parasite, minimizing harm to the host organism.

Antiparasitic Agents

Medications used to treat infections

Infections caused by parasites

Protozoa are a diverse group of single-celled eukaryotic organisms, often found in aquatic environments or as parasites in various hosts. They play crucial roles in ecological food webs and can cause significant diseases in humans and animals.

Protozoa

Helminths are parasitic worms that include species from the phyla Platyhelminthes, Nematoda, and Acanthocephala, and they can infect various hosts, including humans. These parasites can cause a range of diseases and are often transmitted through contaminated food, water, or soil, necessitating public health interventions and improved sanitation to control their spread.

Helminths

Ectoparasites are organisms that live on the surface of a host, deriving nutrients at the host's expense, and include species such as fleas, ticks, and lice. They can affect the health of their hosts by causing irritation, transmitting diseases, and leading to secondary infections.

Ectoparasites

Biochemical pathways are sequences of chemical reactions occurring within a cell, facilitated by enzymes, which convert substrates through a series of intermediates into final products. These pathways are crucial for maintaining cellular functions and homeostasis, and they include processes such as metabolism, signal transduction, and energy transfer.

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