Whipworms
Common Name: Whipworm
Scientific Name: Trichuris trichiura
Phylum: Nematoda
Class: Adenophorea
Other Taxonomy: Order: Trichurida Family: Trichuridae Genus: Trichuris
Specimen #:74
Circumstance: Observed online
Specimen Condition: Specimen presumed alive
Location: Unknown (online)
Typical Habitat: infects a human large intestine.
Invasive? Not an invasive species
Natural area of growth: infects a human large intestine.
Relationship with humans: Infection occurs through ingestion of eggs (which are usually found in dry goods such as beans, rice, and various grains) and is more common in warmer areas. The eggs hatch in the small intestine, and then move into the wall of the small intestine and develop. On reaching adulthood, the thinner end (the front of the worm) burrows into the large intestine and the thicker end hangs into the lumen and mates with nearby worms. The females can grow to 50 mm (2 inches) long. Neither the male nor the female has much of a visible tail past the anus.
Evolutionary Significance: The female T. trichiura produces 2,000–10,000 single-celled eggs per day. Eggs are deposited from human feces to soil where, after two to three weeks, they become embryonated and enter the “infective” stage. These embryonated infective eggs are ingested and hatch in the human small intestine exploiting the intestinal microflora as hatching stimulus. This is the location of growth and molting. The infective larvae penetrate the villi and continue to develop in the small intestine. The young worms move to the cecum and penetrate the mucosa and there they complete development to adult worms in the large intestine. The life cycle from time of ingestion of eggs to development of mature worms takes approximately three months. During this time, there may be limited signs of infection in stool samples due to lack of egg production and shedding. The female T. trichiura begin to lay eggs after three months of maturity. Worms can live up to five years, during which time females can lay up to 20,000 eggs per day.
Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichuris_trichiura
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001364.htm
Scientific Name: Trichuris trichiura
Phylum: Nematoda
Class: Adenophorea
Other Taxonomy: Order: Trichurida Family: Trichuridae Genus: Trichuris
Specimen #:74
Circumstance: Observed online
Specimen Condition: Specimen presumed alive
Location: Unknown (online)
Typical Habitat: infects a human large intestine.
Invasive? Not an invasive species
Natural area of growth: infects a human large intestine.
Relationship with humans: Infection occurs through ingestion of eggs (which are usually found in dry goods such as beans, rice, and various grains) and is more common in warmer areas. The eggs hatch in the small intestine, and then move into the wall of the small intestine and develop. On reaching adulthood, the thinner end (the front of the worm) burrows into the large intestine and the thicker end hangs into the lumen and mates with nearby worms. The females can grow to 50 mm (2 inches) long. Neither the male nor the female has much of a visible tail past the anus.
Evolutionary Significance: The female T. trichiura produces 2,000–10,000 single-celled eggs per day. Eggs are deposited from human feces to soil where, after two to three weeks, they become embryonated and enter the “infective” stage. These embryonated infective eggs are ingested and hatch in the human small intestine exploiting the intestinal microflora as hatching stimulus. This is the location of growth and molting. The infective larvae penetrate the villi and continue to develop in the small intestine. The young worms move to the cecum and penetrate the mucosa and there they complete development to adult worms in the large intestine. The life cycle from time of ingestion of eggs to development of mature worms takes approximately three months. During this time, there may be limited signs of infection in stool samples due to lack of egg production and shedding. The female T. trichiura begin to lay eggs after three months of maturity. Worms can live up to five years, during which time females can lay up to 20,000 eggs per day.
Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichuris_trichiura
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001364.htm