Trichuriasis

Transmitted through the infestation of a nematode worm known as Trichuris trichiura, the trichuriasis is a parasitic disease that affects the intestines of humans. Characteristics of the worm that causes trichuriasis According to specialists, the worm T. Trichiura nematode is a spindle that has a digestive system with a mouth opening which serves as the front end and a slender and long along the esophagus. On the back of the worm intestine is a portable player and rudimentary, since the adult worms have sexual dimorphism, where females are larger than males.

Forms of transmission of trichuriasis

The eggs of T. Trichiura is the worm that causes trichuriasis are eliminated with feces, and are active for a few months when soil is warm and humid, after a few weeks the larvae develop inside the eggs, then passing the infectious form during this period they are ingested by humans they leave the eggs and penetrate the intestinal mucosa of the individual.

After a few months to develop into its adult form which is to head into the intestinal mucosa, and the tail of the parasite gets into the lumen of the organ. When there is the mating of one male and one female in the body of the individual there is a production of about three thousand eggs a day, which are eliminated from the body through the feces. The adult worms survive for long inside the body feeding on blood and intestinal cake.

Prognosis of trichuriasis

According to health authorities, particularly the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the countries of the tropics, in places where hygiene conditions are precarious in the future there will be more than one million individuals suffering from trichuriasis, since this parasite affects people in the world wide and is a kind of nematode with a very high fertility, and eggs have quite resistant to the conditions of the external environment. An interesting scientific curiosity about the parasite that causes trichuriasis is that it only infects primates.

Main clinical manifestations of trichuriasis

The experts in parasitology report that when the individual is not much infested by the worm, the parasite may have no symptoms, but if the person is in possession of a large number of parasites in your body, the individual usually has diarrhea with blood in feces and intestinal mucosal bleeding can result in anemia clinical by the deficit of the mineral iron in the body.

In addition, there may be weight loss, malnutrition, abdominal pain, fatigue and bloating. In more severe cases the person may have an appendicitis (when the parasite enters this organ) or a picture of hemorrhoids, prolapse of the rectum.

Treatment and diagnosis of trichuriasis

To diagnose trichuriasis, experts note that in the microscopic stool samples for parasite eggs. Treatment is by administration of drugs to eliminate the adult worms.