The Environmental Research Center at the University of Technology held a panel discussion entitled Parasites in the Iraqi Environment, the lecture by Prof. Dr. Saleh Abdul-Redha Al-Saleh delivered a lecture explaining that the parasite is an organism lives on another organism.
The presence of the another parasite add a fundamental role in enabling the parasite to live, grow and reproduce, as the parasite is generally smaller than the another parasite. The parasite uses the another parasite's resources to complete its life and maintain itself. The size of the parasite ranges from microscopic size (about 70% of parasites not visible to the eye, such as malaria parasites) to macroscopic size (as in some helminths of up to 30 m).

Parasites exist in a variety in the Iraqi environment and have the ability to reproduce at rapid rates , thus it compose a real threat to human health if it is not diagnosed early. The environmental pollution plays a fundamental factor in its spread, such as drinking contaminated water and eating unclean or undercooked foods. Therefore, the lecturer recommended the necessity of health and environmental awareness in this regard to avoid its dangers,The lecturer pointed .