Whipworm-Parasite of unwashed hands,unwashed vegetables and unsanitary water

Trichocephalus Trichiurus known by common name as Whipworm is more prevalent in poor sanitary areas and is more common in children.

Man is the only definitive host.The adult worms live in the caecum and appendix with the thin and anterior portion embedded in the mucosa parallel to the digestive tract.In heavy infection,it may extend into the colon and even the rectum.Each female deposits 3000-6000 eggs a day.

Under favourable conditions like warm regions,shaded,moist soil,the eggs develops a rhabditiform larva within 3 to 4 weeks.

Man parasites infection by ingestion of mature egg with contaminated food (green raw vegetables)unsanitary water and unwashed hands.In the lawer part of the small intestine,the larva hatches through one of the poles of the egg,passes directly to the caecum,moults 4 times and becomes sexually mature.
Egga appears in faeces 3 months after infection.

In light infection no symptoms,presence of the parasite is discovered only on stool examination.
The heavy infection results in:
-extensive inflammation and irritation of the mucous membrane at the points of attachement with hemorrhage that leads to submucosal absesses and ulcers.Appears abdominal pain,most commonly in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen,nausea,vomiting and diarrhoea with streaks of blood.
-appendicitis
-anaemia
-dysentery.

Whipworm can be detected by faeces laboratory.