parasitology Parasitology is the study of parasites, their host (biology), hosts, and the relationship between them. As a List of biology disciplines, biological discipline, the scope of parasitology is not determined by the organism or environment in questio ...

, anthropophilia, from the Greek ἅνθρωπος (anthrōpos, "human being") and φιλία (philia, "friendship" or "love"), is a preference of a

parasite Parasitism is a Symbiosis, close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the Host (biology), host, causing it some harm, and is Adaptation, adapted str ...

dermatophyte Dermatophyte (from Greek '' derma'' "skin" ( GEN ''dermatos'') and ''phyton'' "plant") is a common label for a group of fungus of '' Arthrodermataceae'' that commonly causes skin disease in animals and humans. Traditionally, these anamorphic ( ...

for

human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') or modern humans are the most common and widespread species of primate, and the last surviving species of the genus ''Homo''. They are Hominidae, great apes characterized by their Prehistory of nakedness and clothing ...

s over other animals.Braun-Falco, Otto (2000). ''Dermatology'' Springer, Mouchet, Jean; Carnevale, Pierre; Manguin, Sylvie (2008). ''Biodiversity of Malaria in the World.'' John Libbey Eurotext, The related term ''endophilia'' refers specifically to a preference for being in human habitats, especially inside dwellings.Dronamraju, Krishna R.; Arese, Paolo (2005). ''Malaria: Genetic and Evolutionary Aspects.'' Birkhäuser, The term ''zoophilia'', in this context, describes animals which prefer non-human animals for nourishment. Most usage of the term ''anthropophilia'' refers to

hematophagous Hematophagy (sometimes spelled haematophagy or hematophagia) is the practice by certain animals of feeding on blood (from the Greek words αἷμα ' "blood" and φαγεῖν ' "to eat"). Since blood is a fluid tissue rich in nutritious pr ...

insects (see ''

Anopheles ''Anopheles'' () is a genus of mosquito first described by the German entomologist Johann Wilhelm Meigen, J. W. Meigen in 1818, and are known as nail mosquitoes and marsh mosquitoes. Many such mosquitoes are Disease vector, vectors of the paras ...

'') that prefer human bloodMaggenti, A.R. & Gardner, S. 2005. Online Dictionary of Invertebrate Zoology. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/onlinedictinvertzoology/ over animal blood (zoophily, but see other meanings of zoophily). Examples other than

haematophagy Hematophagy (sometimes spelled haematophagy or hematophagia) is the practice by certain animals of feeding on blood (from the Ancient Greek, Greek words αἷμα ' "blood" and φαγεῖν ' "to eat"). Since blood is a fluid tissue rich i ...

include geckoes that live close to humans, pied crows (''Corvus albus''),LeCorre, M. & Jouventin, P. 1997. Ecological significance and conservation priorities of Europa Island (western Indian Ocean), with special reference to seabirds. Rev. Ecol. (Terre Vie) 52(3), 205-220.

cockroaches Cockroaches (or roaches) are insects belonging to the Order (biology), order Blattodea (Blattaria). About 30 cockroach species out of 4,600 are associated with human habitats. Some species are well-known Pest (organism), pests. Modern cockro ...

, and many others. In the study of

malaria Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects vertebrates and ''Anopheles'' mosquitoes. Human malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, Fatigue (medical), fatigue, vomitin ...

and its

disease vector In epidemiology, a disease vector is any living agent that carries and transmits an infectious pathogen such as a parasite or microbe, to another living organism. Agents regarded as vectors are mostly blood-sucking ( hematophagous) arthropods such ...

s, researchers make the distinction between anthropophilic

mosquito Mosquitoes, the Culicidae, are a Family (biology), family of small Diptera, flies consisting of 3,600 species. The word ''mosquito'' (formed by ''Musca (fly), mosca'' and diminutive ''-ito'') is Spanish and Portuguese for ''little fly''. Mos ...

es and other types as part of disease eradication efforts. Anthropic organisms are organisms that show anthropophily, where the adjective ''

synanthropic A synanthrope (from ancient Greek σύν ''sýn'' "together, with" and ἄνθρωπος ''ánthrōpos'' "man") is an organism that evolved to live near humans and benefit from human settlements and their environmental modifications (see also ...

'' refers to organisms that live close to human settlements and houses, and eusynanthropic to those that live within human housing.Lincoln, R.J., Boxshall, G.A. & Clark, P.F. 1998. A dictionary of ecology, evolution, and systematics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge; New York.

References

{{zoophilia Parasites of humans Habitat

See also

References