| macroparasite | A parasite, such as a louse or an intestinal worm, that is visible to the naked eye. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| macroparasites | <epidemiology> Typically, the parasitic helminths and arthropods. In general, parasites which do not multiply within their definitive hosts but instead produce transmission stages (eggs and larvae) which pass into the external environment. Immune responses elicited against macroparasites generally depend on the number of parasites present in a given host and tends to be of a relatively transient nature. The key epidemiological measurement is generally the number of parasites per host. Such parasites are often found in a highly aggregated distribution. Contrast microparasites. (05 Dec 1998) |