Trichuris trichiura: Symptoms, Transmission, and Treatment

Trichuris trichiura

Whipworm- Egg shaped like football with Hylian plugs- Diagnostic stage is unembryonated egg found in the stool- Infective stage is embryonated egg that is ingested.- Rectal prolapse- Find adults in the large intestine, cecum, and appendix

Trichuris trichiura, also known as whipworm, is a soil-transmitted helminth worm that infects humans. It is most commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions with poor sanitation and hygiene practices, and is estimated to infect around 500 million people worldwide.

Transmission of T. trichiura occurs when a person ingests soil contaminated with the eggs of the worm. The eggs then hatch in the small intestine and the larvae migrate to the large intestine, where they mature into adult worms and attach to the intestinal wall. The female worms can lay up to 10,000 eggs per day, which are passed out of the body in the feces and can contaminate the soil.

Symptoms of T. trichiura infection can include chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain, anemia, weight loss, and impaired growth and development in children. However, many people with whipworm infections may be asymptomatic. Diagnosis is typically made through the detection of eggs in stool samples.

Treatment for T. trichiura infection usually involves the use of the drug albendazole or mebendazole, which are effective against a range of soil-transmitted helminths. Preventive measures include improving sanitation and hygiene practices, particularly in areas with poor sanitation infrastructure, in order to reduce the risk of soil contamination with whipworm eggs.

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