Trichuris trichiuria

Phylum: Nemathelminthes
Class: Nematoda
Order: Trichurata
Genus: Trichuris
Species: Trichuris trichiuria

eggs of trichuris trichuria

Geographical Distribution

• World wide distribution.
• Most common intestinal nematodes in South East Asia.

Morphology

• Size of adults:
• Male : 30 - 45 mm long.
• Female : 35 - 50 mm long.
• Male have a single spicule which is surrounded by sheath.
• The anterior 3/5 in elongated and thin, the posterior 2/5 is fleshy and bulbous.
• The adults are mainly located in the caecum.
• Eggs are barrel-shaped, brownish in colour and have a transparent blister like plugs at both ends.
• In the soil, the eggs become infective in about 3 weeks.

Trichuris trichiura (a) female (b) male

Life Cycle

• Infection occurs by ingesting embryonated eggs.
• The larva penetrates the gut wall and return to the lumen to mature into adult.
• Worms attached themselves by threading their anterior ends into the mucus membrane.
• The posterior end hangs free in the lumen.
• The development in the host takes about 3 months to complete.

Life Cycle

Diagnosis

• Present of barrel-shaped eggs in the faeces.
• Sigmoidscope or proctoscope my show worms attached to the mucus membrane.
• Intact worm may be passed out in the faeces.