The most common human helminthic infection, Ascaris sp. have a worldwide distribution. Their highest prevalence is in tropical and subtropical regions, and areas with inadequate sanitation.
The larvae and adult worms live in the small intestine and can cause intestinal disease.
In this short educational video, I look at the Giant intestinal roundworm–it’s geography, morphology, life cycle, pathology, diagnosis, treatment, epidemiology and control.
Listen to some podcasts on parasites:
- Giardia: The most common intestinal parasite found in humans in the US
- Capillaria philippinensis: First described in the 1960s in the Northern Philippines
- Strongyloides stercoralis: Severe and life-threatening infection in the immunosuppressed
- Malaria series: Plasmodium malariae, P. ovale and the monkey malaria- Plasmodium knowlesi
- Hymenolepis nana: The dwarf tapeworm
- Fasciola hepatica: The sheep liver fluke
- Dicrocoelium dendriticum: The lancet liver fluke
- Paragonimus: A look at this parasitic lung fluke
- Clonorchis sinensis: The Chinese liver fluke
- Schistosomiasis: In terms of impact, it’s second only to malaria as the most devastating parasitic disease