Ascaris (Male and Female) - Diagram

Ascaris lumbricoides is a type of parasitic roundworm (soil-transmitted helminth) from the kingdom Animalia, phylum Nematoda. These worms feed on nutrients in the human small intestine. This pathogen extends for more than 49 cm. Ascaris is one of the pathogens that can easily travel inside the human body and can reproduce and cause infection. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 807 million to 1.2 billion people are infected globally.

This Story also Contains

1. Ascaris Classification
2. Male and Female Ascaris Features
3. Types of Ascariasis
4. Mode of infection of Ascaris lumbricoides
5. Incubation period of Ascaris lumbricoides

These are unisexual organisms, i.e., they have distinct male and female individuals for reproduction (sexual dimorphism). Males are typically smaller than females, and fertilization occurs internally. This article covers Ascaris classification with comparative Male and Female Ascaris features. The Ascaris life cycle begins when a person swallows its eggs, which hatch into larvae, travel through the lungs, and then return to the intestine where they grow into adult worms.

Ascaris Classification

The classification of Ascaris comes under the kingdom Animalia, as it is a multicelled organism. It belongs to the phylum Aschelminthes, which includes roundworms.

Also read:

• Animal Kingdom

• Coelom

• Earthworm morphology and anatomy

Male and Female Ascaris Features

Ascaris is a genus of parasitic nematode worms that can infect humans and other animals (shows parasitism). Here are some of the key male and female features of Ascaris:

Types of Ascariasis

There are two different types of ascariasis:

1. Intestinal ascariasis:

• There are many different symptoms of this type of ascariasis, including vomiting and gas.

• Symptoms also include weight loss and diarrhoea.

• Malabsorption of food can also be observed in this type of ascariasis.

• Sometimes it is also observed that growth retardation occurs as well.

• Nausea is the main symptom that is followed in this type of ascariasis.

2. Pulmonary Ascariasis:

• In this type of ascariasis fever that is persistently high is one of the major symptoms that can be seen within a few hours of infection.

Mode of infection of Ascaris lumbricoides

The ascaris infection (ascariasis) is a common parasitic disease caused by the roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides. It spreads via the fecal-oral route, and direct person-to-person transmission does not occur. The infection requires ingesting infective eggs from the environment, which can be through the following ways:

• Swallowing embryonated eggs present in soil contaminated with human feces.

• Consuming raw or unwashed vegetables and fruits grown in contaminated soil.

• Drinking contaminated water.

• Using unwashed hands after contact with contaminated soil or objects.

After ingestion, the eggs hatch into larvae, which migrate through the body and eventually mature into adult worms in the small intestine. It occurs worldwide but is most dominant in regions with poor sanitation, particularly in Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America.

Incubation period of Ascaris lumbricoides

It takes Ascaris lumbricoides between 60 and 75 days to infect a man. This incubation period begins at the point of infection exposure and lasts until the mature female lays her eggs and symptoms can be seen. This is the time when it multiplies and causes disease.

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