Which statement defines the term described as the organism in which a parasite lives and feeds?

• A. The environment where a parasite grows
• B. The parasite itself
• C. The organism in which a parasite lives and feeds
• D. A type of hazard

Answer: (C)

In parasitology, the organism in which a parasite lives and feeds is called the host. The host provides the habitat and nutrients that the parasite depends on to survive and reproduce. There can be multiple hosts in a parasite’s life cycle—for example, a definitive host is where the parasite reaches maturity, while an intermediate host is where development occurs. This term distinguishes the living organism that houses the parasite from the parasite itself and from the environment, which is not an organism. A hazard isn’t related to this biological relationship. So the statement that defines the organism in which a parasite lives and feeds is that it is the host.