Ascaris lumbricoides/hlísta detská

Ascaris species are very large (adult females: 20 to 35 cm; adult males: 15 to 30 cm) nematodes
(roundworms) that parasitize the human intestine. A. lumbricoides is the primary species
involved in human infections globally, but Ascaris derived from pigs (often referred to as A.
suum) may also infect humans. These two parasites are very closely related, and hybrids have
been identified; thus, their status as distinct, reproductively isolated species is a contentious
topic.

Hosts
Humans and swine are the major hosts for Ascaris. Natural infections with A.
lumbricoides sometimes occur in monkeys and apes.

Geographic Distribution

Ascariasis is the most common human helminthic infection globally. The burden is highest in
tropical and subtropical regions, especially in areas with inadequate sanitation. This infection is
generally rare to absent in developed countries, but sporadic cases may occur in rural,
impoverished regions of those countries. Some cases in these areas where human transmission
is negligible have direct epidemiologic associations to pig farms.

Clinical Presentation
Although heavy infections in children may cause stunted growth via malnutrition, adult worms
usually cause no acute symptoms. High worm burdens may cause abdominal pain and intestinal
obstruction and potentially perforation in very high intensity infections. Migrating adult worms
may cause symptomatic occlusion of the biliary tract, appendicitis, or nasopharyngeal expulsion,
particularly in infections involving a single female worm.
Life Cycle:

Adult worms live in the lumen of the small intestine.

A female may produce approximately 200,000 eggs per day, which are passed with the
feces . Unfertilized eggs may be ingested but are not infective.

Larvae develop to infectivity within fertile eggs after 18 days to several weeks , depending
on the environmental conditions (optimum: moist, warm, shaded soil).

After infective eggs are swallowed , the larvae hatch , invade the intestinal mucosa,

and are carried via the portal, then systemic circulation to the lungs . The larvae mature
further in the lungs (10 to 14 days), penetrate the alveolar walls, ascend the bronchial tree to the

throat, and are swallowed .Upon reaching the small intestine, they develop into adult
worms.

Between 2 and 3 months are required from ingestion of the infective eggs to oviposition by the
adult female. Adult worms can live 1 to 2 years.
Trichinella spiralis/svalovec špirálový

Causal Agents:
Trichinellosis (trichinosis) is caused by nematodes (roundworms) of the genus Trichinella. In
addition to the classical agent T. spiralis (found worldwide in many carnivorous and omnivorous
animals).

Life Cycle:
Depending on the classification used, there are several species of Trichinella: T. spiralis, T.
pseudospiralis, T. nativa, T. murelli, T. nelsoni, T. britovi, T. papuae, and T. zimbabwensis, all but
the last of which have been implicated in human disease. Adult worms and encysted larvae
develop within a single vertebrate host, and an infected animal serves as a definitive host and
potential intermediate host. A second host is required to perpetuate the life cycle of Trichinella.
The domestic cycle most often involved pigs and anthropophilic rodents, but other domestic
animals such as horses can be involved. In the sylvatic cycle, the range of infected animals is
great, but animals most often associated as sources of human infection are bear, moose and
wild boar.
 Trichinellosis is caused by the ingestion of undercooked meat containing encysted larvae
of Trichinella species .
After exposure to gastric acid and pepsin, the larvae are released from the cysts and invade
the small bowel mucosa where they develop into adult worms . Females are 2.2 mm in length;
males 1.2 mm. The life span in the small bowel is about four weeks. After 1 week, the females
release larvae that migrate to striated muscles where they encyst . Diagnosis is usually
made based on clinical symptoms, and is confirmed by serology or identification of encysted or
non-encysted larvae in biopsy or autopsy specimens.
Enterobius vermicularis/mrľa ľudská

Causal Agent
The nematode (roundworm) Enterobius vermicularis is widely known as the human pinworm due
to the female’s long, pointed tail. In some areas the common names “seatworm” and
“threadworm” are used (the latter of which is sometimes also used to refer to Strongyloides
stercoralis).

Hosts
Oxyurid nematodes (pinworms) generally exhibit high host specificity. Humans are considered
the only host for E. vermicularis, although occasional infections have been reported in captive
chimpanzees.

Geographic Distribution
E. vermicularis occurs worldwide, with infections occurring most frequently in school- or
preschool-children and in crowded conditions.

Clinical Presentation

Enterobiasis is frequently asymptomatic. The most typical symptom is perianal pruritus,

especially at night, which may lead to excoriations and bacterial superinfection. Occasionally,
invasion of the female genital tract with vulvovaginitis and pelvic or peritoneal granulomas can
occur. Other symptoms include, teeth grinding, enuresia, insomnia, anorexia, irritability, and
abdominal pain, which can mimic appendicitis. E. vermicularis larvae are often found within the
appendix on appendectomy, but the role of this nematode in appendicitis remains controversial.
Very rare instances of eosinophilic colitis associated with E. vermicularis larvae have been
reported.
Life Cycle

Gravid adult female Enterobius vermicularis deposit eggs on perianal folds . Infection occurs
via self-inoculation (transferring eggs to the mouth with hands that have scratched the perianal
area) or through exposure to eggs in the environment (e.g. contaminated surfaces, clothes, bed

linens, etc.) . Following ingestion of infective eggs, the larvae hatch in the small

intestine and the adults establish themselves in the colon, usually in the cecum . The
time interval from ingestion of infective eggs to oviposition by the adult females is about one
month. At full maturity adult females measure 8 to 13 mm, and adult males 2 to 5 mm; the adult
life span is about two months. Gravid females migrate nocturnally outside the anus and oviposit

while crawling on the skin of the perianal area . The larvae contained inside the eggs

develop (the eggs become infective) in 4 to 6 hours under optimal conditions .

Rarely, eggs may become airborne and be inhaled and swallowed. Retroinfection, or the
migration of newly hatched larvae from the anal skin back into the rectum, may occur but the
frequency with which this happens is unknown.
Sources

 https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/ascariasis/biology.html

 https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/trichinellosis/biology.html

 https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/pinworm/biology.html