Life cycle Trichuris trichiura or whipworm

Question 1

What is the classification of Trichuris trichiura?

Answer 1

Helminth in the category of nematode

Question 2

How is Trichuris trichiura transmitted?

Answer 2

Eggs in feces

Question 3

What are the steps of the Trichuris trichiura lifecycle outside of the human host?

Answer 3

1. Embryonated eggs are passed in stool and get into the soil where they can survive months to years outside of the host
2. In the soil the 2-cell stage develops
3. Enter advanced cleavage stage
4. Embryonated eggs are ingested by human and become infective after 15-30 days.

Question 4

What are the lifecycle steps of Trichuris trichiura lifecycle in the human host?

Answer 4

5. Eggs hatch in the small intestine and release larvae
6. Larvae mature in 30-120 days and move extracellular to the colon and cecum.
7. L1 (stage 1 larvae) the Triciura larvae form an intracellular niche in epithelial cells.
8. L2: multi-intracellular tunnels are formed in the epithelial cells
9. L3 & L4: larvae are partially intracellular in the epithelial cells and partly extracellular into the lumen.
10. The now adult worms (4cm in length) live in the cecum (ascending colon). The adult worms are fixed in this location with the anterior proportion threated into the mucosa (intracellular) and the posterior side is extracellular.
11. The female begin to lay eggs 60-70 days after infection and shed between 20000 & 30000 eggs per day. These eggs are passed in feces and this starts the cycle again.

Question 5

How long can adult Trichuris trichiura worms survive?

Answer 5

About a year but can expend to 8 years

Question 6

What type of life cycle does Trichuris trichiura have?

Answer 6

Direct lifecycle with the human as definitive host

Question 7

What is the reservoir of Trichuris trichiura? Soil

Answer 7

Chimpanzees
Pigs
Lemurs
Monkeys
Humans

Question 8

What are the symptoms of Trichuris trichiura infection?

Answer 8

Light infections are asymptomatic.
Heavy infection are frequent & painful passage of stool which contains water, blood & mucus.
Diseases are Trichuiasis or more severe Trichuris Dysentery Syndrome (TDS)

Question 9

What causes the symptoms for Trichuris trichiura infection?

Answer 9

Larvae and adult worms

Question 10

Where is Trichuris trichiura endemic?

Answer 10

Worldwide but more in tropical areas

Question 11

How is Trichuris trichiura diagnosed?

Answer 11

Microscopy of eggs in stool sample. You identify the whipworm eggs