Oil of oregano is an essential oil found in some dietary supplements that has some antifungal and antibacterial properties, according to Mayo Clinic. A study published in a 2011 edition of the “Journal of Animal Science” found that oil of oregano showed antibacterial activity against bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella indiana, Listeria innocua, Staphylococcus aureaus and Bacillus subtilis. Parasites include organisms such as tapeworms, roundworms or pinworms. Chances are if you have a parasite living in your body you didn’t acquire it from consuming oil of oregano.
Causes
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, parasites are usually transmitted from person to person through contact with infected feces. This can occur through fecal contamination of food, water or soil. There is a chance parasites can survive and live in oil of oregano, but the chance is small due to the antifungal and antimicrobial properties of this essential oil. However, if the oil of oregano you consume comes in contact with an infected person through poor sanitation or hygiene, you could acquire a parasitic infection and suffer serious symptoms since intestinal parasites can live and multiply in the human body.
Changes in Feces
If you have a parasite such as a tapeworm, you may notice some changes in your feces. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, symptoms caused by parasites may include passing a worm in your feces, diarrhea, loose stools that could contain mucus or blood and itching or a rash around your rectum. Medline Plus reports that a common symptom of cryptosporidiosis, an illness caused by a parasite, is watery diarrhea.
Abdominal Symptoms
Other problems caused by parasites may include abdominal symptoms. These symptoms may include bloating, abdominal pain, gas and stomach pain or tenderness, reports the University of Maryland Medical Center,
Other Symptoms
Weight loss and fatigue are other common symptoms caused by parasites living in your body. These symptoms are sometimes a result of nausea and vomiting associated with parasitic infections. Medline Plus reports that dehydration and fever may also occur from cryptosporidiosis.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Acute Sinusitis
- Journal of Animal Science: Use of Rosemary, Oregano, and Commercial Blend of Essential Oils in Broiler Chickens: In Vitro Antimicrobial Activities and Effects on Growth Performance
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Intestinal Parasites
- Medline Plus: Cryptosporidiosis
