Types of medicine
What Is an Antiparasitic? Medicines for Parasite Infections
Antiparasitic · say it: an-tee-pair-uh-SIT-ikAlso written: antiparasitics, antiparasitic agent, antiparasitic medicine, dewormer
Short answer
An antiparasitic is a medicine that treats infections caused by parasites, such as worms, malaria parasites, lice or scabies mites.
What it means
Antiparasitic is an umbrella term for medicines that kill parasites or stop them growing. Parasites are living things that live on or in another organism and feed from it. They include worms (treated with anthelmintics such as albendazole, mebendazole or ivermectin), single-celled organisms such as the malaria parasite (treated with antimalarials), and external parasites such as lice and scabies mites.
Antiparasitic labels often explain which parasite each medicine works against, because one medicine does not treat them all. Some carry warnings specific to the infection, for example reactions when large numbers of parasites die at once (such as the Mazzotti reaction in river blindness), or the need for blood or eye tests with longer treatment. Labels also give advice for pregnancy and young children.
Antiparasitics are different from antibiotics (for bacteria), antifungals and antivirals. 'Anthelmintic' is the specific word for anti-worm medicines.
Where you may see it
- The 'Indications' section of ivermectin, albendazole and antimalarial labels
- Travel clinic and tropical medicine letters
- Stool and blood parasite test reports
📄 How it looks on a report
Indicated for the treatment of strongyloidiasis of the intestinal tract and onchocerciasis.
🙅 What it does not mean
- An antiparasitic does not treat every parasite; the right one depends on the infection.
- It does not treat bacterial or viral infections.
- Feeling worse briefly after treatment can sometimes be a reaction to dying parasites; report it rather than ignoring it.
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
💊 Medicines whose labels mention “Antiparasitic”
Plain-English explanations of each medicine, from its official FDA label.
- Ivermectin
An antiparasitic medicine, sometimes called a worm-killing medicine (anthelmintic), that the FDA lists as an antiparasitic and pediculicide
🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “Antiparasitic” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
- NCI Dictionary definition ↗
US National Cancer Institute: “antiparasitic”
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General information about a medical word, not advice about your own results. Ask the clinician who ordered the test what it means for you.