Introduction to helminths

Helminths are multicellular, eucaryotic organism in the Kingdom Animalia. The two major divisions of helminths are roundworms (phylum Nemathelminthes or Nematoda; nematodes) and flatworms (phylum Platyhelminthes).

Helminths are the most prevalent infectious agents in humans. In the recent past, Ascaris, Trichuris, and the hookworms accounted for nearly one billion infections each, whereas the schistosomes and filariae accounted for 250 million infection each.

Helminth Heligmosomoides

Although the majority of parasitic helminths live in restricted number of biological habitats, such as the intestine, lungs, liver, bile duct or blood system of vertebrate host, some species can occur in almost any part of a vertebrate or invertebrate host.

The typical helminths life cycle comprises three stages: the egg, the larva and the adult worm. Adults produce eggs, from which larvae emerge and the a larvae mature into adult worms.
Introduction to helminths