PARASITOLOGY

NEMAHELMINTHS (Nematodes) – roundworms

I. INTESTINAL NEMATODES

COMMON CHARACTERISTIC
SCIENTIFIC NAME DSE/COMPLICATION MOT TX
NAME APPEARANCE
1. ASCARIS a) Ascariasis F-O route; infective
LUMBRICOIDES b) Chronic cough stage: ALBENDAZOLE or
Adult: whitish to pinkish
(fecalysis) Roundworm c) Loeffler’s syndrome MATURE EGG or MEBENDAZOLE or
earthworm-like
OVA PYRANTEL PAMOATE
Soil-transmitted
2. TRICHURIS a) Trichuriasis ALBENDAZOLE or
F-O route; soil- Barrel shaped with BIPOLAR
TRICHIURIA (fecalysis) Whipworm b) Rectal prolapse MEBENDAZOLE or
transmitted PLUG – OVA
PYRANTEL PAMOATE
3. ENTEROBIUS F-O route or
VERMICULARIS aerosol inhalation;
(oxyuria vermicularis; mother worm
ALBENDAZOLE or
scotch tape OVIPOSIT AT
Pinworm ENTEROBIASIS or OXYURIASIS Mature egg: D-shaped egg MEBENDAZOLE or
technique) NIGHT TIME AT
PYRANTEL PAMOATE
PERIANAL AREA 
NOCTURNAL
PRURITUS ANI
4. NECATOR Adult: with buccal plates;
a) Ancylostomiasis and
AMERICANUS and mature egg – clean, thin
hookworm infection
ANCYLOSTOMA ovum with segmented larva ALBENDAZOLE or
b) Necatoriasis F-O route; skin
DUODENALE Hookworm Infective stage: Filariform MEBENDAZOLE or
c) Iron deficiency anemia penetration (larva)
larva (short and plump) PYRANTEL PAMOATE
(hypochronic microcytic
Rhabditiform larva (feeding
RBCs)
stage, long and slim)
5. CAPILLARIA CAPILLARIASIS
No common Eating of raw small Mature ova – peanut shaped ALBENDAZOLE or
PHILIPPINENSIS s/s: Borborygmi + intractable
name fish (BAGSIT) with flat BIPOLAR PLUG MEBENDAZOLE
diarrhea  emaciated/ CACHEXIA
6. STRONGYLOIDES Infective stage: Filariform ALBENDAZOLE or
STERCORALIS larva; Genital primordium in MEBENDAZOLE or
F-O route; skin
Threadworm Strongyloidiasis the larva; HERMAPHRODITE PYRANTEL PAMOATE
penetration
(can lay egg alone; can be or sometimes
male and female) IVERMECTIN
 II. LYMPHATIC NEMATODES

COMMON
SCIENTIFIC NAME DSE MOT CHARACTERISTIC APPEARANCE TX
NAME
1. A) NUCHERERIA (drawing)
Filariasis  lymphatic
BANCROFTI (Aedes, LAB: Filarial smear (THICK DEC –
obstruction 
Anopheles, Culex) SMEAR) 8pm – 4am because Diethylcarbamazine/
Filarial Worms complication: Mosquito Bite
NOCTURNAL PERIODICITY; IVERMECTIN +
ELEPHANTIASIS or scrotal
B) BRUGIA MALAYI NUCLEOPORE or “KNOTT’S” ALBENDAZOLE
swelling (inguinal)
(mansonia) METHOD; giemsa = stain

PLATYHELMINTHS (cestodes) – tapeworm/flatworm

I. INTESTINAL CESTODES
a. (notes)
b. Parts:
1. SCOLEX – head – 4 sucking discs
2. PROGLOTTIDS – body
1. Immature proglottids
2. Mature proglottids
3. Gravid proglottids

1. TAENIA SOLIUM (cystic stage: cysticercosis) 2. TAENIA SAGINATA

Pork tapeworm Beef tapeworm
Sucking discs 4 cup-shaped sucking discs 4 cup-shaped sucking discs
Hooklets 2 rows of hooklets No hooklets
Uterine branches 7-13 uterine branches 15-30 uterine branches
MOT Ingestion of LARVA in undercooked pork Ingestion of LARVA in undercooked beef
Dx lab FECALYSIS (ova in feces; can only see the mature ova) Ova in species
Intermediate host PIG COW
TX PRAZIQUANTEL or NICLOSAMIDE PRAZIQUANTEL or NICLOSAMIDE
3. DIPHYLLOBOTHRIUM LATUM – fish tapeworm c. 2 IH: SNAIL  CRAB
a. SCOLEX = spatula or almond-shaped d. Complication: PTB-like s/s  PLEURAL EFFUSION  CNS 
b. MOT: ingestion of LARVA from freshwater fish JACKSONIAN EPILEPSY
c. Intermediate host: freshwater fish i. Paresis – weakness
d. Complication: vitamin B12 deficiency = MEGALOBLASTIC ii. Paralysis – paralyze
ANEMIA (describe) = HYPOCHRONIC MACROCYTIC RBCs IV. BLOOD FLUKES
e. Tx: PRAZIQUANTEL or NICLOSAMIDE a. SCHISTOSOMA JAPONICUM
i. Infective stage: CERCARIA
TREMATODES – flukes ii. MOT: skin penetration by the CERCARIA
iii. Location of adults: intestinal venules (biliary tract;
I. INTESTINAL FLUKE = FASCIOLOPSIS BUSKI
possibility of jaundice because of obstruction of
a. Largest trematode
biliary tract)
b. Infective stage: METACERCARIA (larva)
iv. Characteristics of OVA: lateral knob
c. MOT: ingestion of METACERCARIA on aquatic plants (ex:
v. Complication: portal HPN
kangkong)
b. SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI
d. 2 Intermediate hosts: SNAIL  AQUATIC PLANTS
i. Infective stage: CERCARIA
II. LIVER FLUKE
ii. MOT: skin penetration by the CERCARIA
a. FASCIOLA HEPATIC – sheep liver fluke
iii. Location of adults: intestinal venules (biliary tract)
i. Infective stage: METACERCARIA
iv. Characteristics of OVA: lateral spine
ii. MOT: ingestion of METACERCARIA on aquatic plants
v. Complication: portal HPN
iii. 2 IH: SNAIL  AQUATIC PLANTS
c. SCHISTOSOMA HEMATOBIUM
b. CLONORCHIS SINENSIS – Chinese liver fluke
i. Infective stage: CERCARIA
i. Smallest egg
ii. MOT: skin penetration by the CERCARIA
ii. Infective stage: METACERCARIA
iii. Location of adults: urinary bladder venules
iii. MOT: ingestion of METACERCARIA from a
iv. Characteristics of OVA: terminal spine
freshwater fish
v. Complication: hematuria  urinary bladder
iv. 2 IH: SNAIL  FISH
carcinoma
v. Complication: cholangiocarcinoma (cancer of biliary
tract/gall bladder)
III. LUNG FLUKE = PARAGONIMUS WESTERMANI
a. Infective stage: METACERCARIA
b. MOT: ingestion of METACERCARIA from raw or
undercooked crab