Trichuris
Trichuris
Taxonomy
- Kingdom Animalia
- Phylum Nematoda
- Class Adenophorea
- Order Enoplida
- Superfamily Trichuroidea
- Family Trichuridae
Final host
Mammals
Morphology
Adults: commonly known as 'whipworms' because of the long filamentous anterior region (about twice as long as the posterior region) which contains a moniliform oesophagus, followed by the broad posterior end that bears the intestine and the genital apparatus The anterior of the worm bears a small point The male tail is tightly coiled and possesses a single spicule in a protrusible sheath Eggs (≈ 70-90 x 30-42 µm) are unsegmented when laid and are lemon-shaped, with a thick smooth shell yellow or brown in colour and a protruding transparent polar plug at both ends
Cycle
Direct
Location
Large intestine
Feeding
Larvae: histophagous Adults: histophagous and haematophagous
Diagnostic
Eggs
Transmission
L1 within the egg