Title: 5.2: Parasitic Helminths - Biology LibreTexts
Headings: 5.2: Parasitic Helminths
5.2: Parasitic Helminths
Learning Objectives
Nematoda (Roundworms)
Exercise 5.2. 1
Platyhelminths (Flatworms)
food for worms?
eradicating the guinea worm
Key Concepts and Summary
Multiple Choice
Fill in the Blank
Short Answer
Critical Thinking
Footnotes
Contributors and Attributions

Content: Some are common intestinal parasites, and their eggs can sometimes be identified in feces or around the anus of infected individuals. Ascaris lumbricoides is the largest nematode intestinal parasite found in humans; females may reach lengths greater than 1 meter. A. lumbricoides is also very widespread, even in developed nations, although it is now a relatively uncommon problem in the United States. It may cause symptoms ranging from relatively mild (such as a cough and mild abdominal pain) to severe (such as intestinal blockage and impaired growth). Figure 5.2. 1: A micrograph of the nematode Enterobius vermicularis, also known as the pinworm. ( credit: modification of work by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Of all nematode infections in the United States, pinworm (caused by Enterobius vermicularis) is the most common.