RT Book, Section A1 Gaensbauer, James A1 Jelic, Monika A1 Boguniewicz, Juri A2 Bunik, Maya A2 Levin, Myron J. A2 Abzug, Mark J. A2 Schreiner, Teri L. SR Print(0) ID 1211989057 T1 Infections: Parasitic & Mycotic T2 Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Pediatrics, 27th Edition YR 2025 FD 2025 PB McGraw Hill PP New York, NY SN 9781265739898 LK accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1211989057 RD 2025/03/27 AB The parasites that cause human disease represent a diverse, highly evolved, and complex group of organisms. Parasitic diseases are a major cause of global pediatric morbidity and mortality, with the heaviest disease burden occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Though less common in industrialized nations, parasites represent an important class of pathogens to recognize, as both endemic and imported cases are frequently encountered in pediatric practice. Given the complexity of this category of pathogens, a framework to organize human parasites according to their major biologic classification and predominant site (intestinal vs blood/tissue) of human interaction can be useful (Table 43–1). Additionally, understanding which parasitic organisms are associated with specific clinical presentations can help focus the diagnostic process (Table 43–2).