Parasitic associations are very common in Nature.

 Host organism

 Parasite

Viruses

 -

Prokaryotes
Eubacteria and Archaebacteria

bacteriophages/plasmids

Eukaryotes
Protozoa

viruses and bacteria

Fungi

viruses and plasmids

Metazoan organisms

viruses and bacteria, protozoa and fungi and metazoan organisms

 

In most cases, however, the associations presented in the above table are not regarded as true parasitism and are dealt with by such disciplines as virology, microbiology and mycology (the study of fungal infections). Only when metazoan organisms are infected by protozoans, or by helminths, or infested by organisms that live in or upon the host's skin (ectoparasites), this is regarded as a case of parasitism.

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Last updated: 29 September 2000.

created by :Fred Opperdoes