Nematodes Disease

Nematodes disease is more accurately known as parasitic nematode, or roundworm, infection. Roundworms are small, invertebrate, worm-like creatures. Out of the 15,000 species of roundworms, a large number are parasitic and can use animals, plants or humans as their host. In humans, the most common types of parasitic nematodes include hookworms, whipworms, pinworms and the trichina worm. Infection with any of these creates a number of distinct symptoms.

Aspects

• Parasitic nematodes can infect humans in two ways: when dirt containing their eggs or immature larvae is consumed by accident, either from dirty, unwashed hands or soiled food, and through the soles of the feet when an individual walks across ground that contains nematode eggs. Once inside the body, most types of roundworms make their way to the intestinal tract where they attach to the walls and drain nutrients away from the host. Parasitic nematode infections can be particularly dangerous for young children and the elderly.

Hookworm Disease

• One of the most common types of nematode infection, hookworm disease, is caused by the hookworm species Necator americanus and A. duoenale. Hookworm infection is more likely to occur through the feet, with larvae from previously defecated hookworm eggs entering through the bare soles of a person walking in infected dirt. Once inside the body, the hookworms make their way to the intestine by way of the lungs and the digestive tract. Hookworm infection can cause nausea, abdominal pain and anemia.

Whipworm Disease

• Whipworm disease is caused by the Trichuris trichiura nematode and can cause serious digestive system problems, especially in young children. Infected individuals can suffer from severe stomach pain, a sharp drop in weight, bloody diarrhea and in the worst cases, rectal prolapse, in which rectal tissue becomes so weak it slides down through the anus and extends outside the body.

Pinworm Disease

• Pinworm disease, also known as enterobiasis, is one of the most common nematode infections among children in the United States. The eggs of the pinworm --Enterobius vermicularis--can survive on clean surfaces in homes for as long as two weeks. They enter the digestive system when an individual touches a surface with the pinworm eggs on it and then transfers the eggs to the mouth. Pinworm disease can cause no noticeable symptoms, although some individuals experience severe itching around the anus or the vagina.

Trichinosis

• Trichinosis is a nematode infection caused by the trichinia worm. This worm commonly infects pigs, and eating undercooked pork is the most common cause of the disease in the United States. When the larvae of the trichinia worm enters a human host's digestive system by way of undercooked meat, they mature in the intestinal tract, enter the bloodstream, and eventually burrow into muscle tissue. In the initial stages of the infection, an individual can experience fatigue, abdominal pain and diarrhea. The later stages of the infection are characterized by muscle pain, facial swelling, body rashes and a high fever.