Parasitism is a biological relationship in which one organism, the parasite, benefits at the expense of another organism, the host. The parasite derives nutrients or other advantages from the host, often harming it in the process. This type of interaction can lead to various effects on the host, including disease, malnutrition, or even death, depending on the severity of the parasitic relationship. Examples include tapeworms living in the intestines of animals and fleas feeding on the blood of mammals.