Metastrongylus

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Metastrongylus
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Nematoda
Class: Chromadorea
Order: Rhabditida
Family: Metastrongylidae
Genus: Metastrongylus
Molin, 1861
Species

M. elongatus (Dujardin, 1845) syn. M. apri
M. pudentodectus (Wostokow, 1905)
M. salmi (Gedoelst, 1823)
M. confusus (Jansen, 1964)
M. asymmetricus (Noda, 1973)

Contents

Metastrongylus is a genus of nematodes of the family Metastrongylidae, usually found as lungworms in pigs and sometimes causing parasitic bronchitis. It causes a disease called metastrongylosis.

Species

Life cycle

The lifecycle is indirect. The eggs are laid by the adult worm in the bronchi. They are coughed up, swallowed, and passed out via the feces. The eggs are then eaten by earthworms in which they develop through three larval stages over 10 days to become infective. The cycle is completed by the pig eating the earthworm. Infection, therefore, only occurs where pigs have access to earthworms, for example, in outdoor production. [1] The larvae from the earthworm penetrate the intestine and migrate via the lymph nodes and blood vessels to the lungs, undergoing two more larval stages in the process. The prepatent period is 3-4 weeks.

Related Research Articles

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Trichinosis, also known as trichinellosis, is a parasitic disease caused by roundworms of the Trichinella type. During the initial infection, invasion of the intestines can result in diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting. Migration of larvae to muscle, which occurs about a week after being infected, can cause swelling of the face, inflammation of the whites of the eyes, fever, muscle pains, and a rash. Minor infection may be without symptoms. Complications may include inflammation of heart muscle, central nervous system involvement, and inflammation of the lungs.

Ascariasis Disease caused by the parasitic roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides

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<i>Ascaris suum</i> Species of roundworm

Ascaris suum, also known as the large roundworm of pig, is a parasitic nematode that causes ascariasis in pigs. While roundworms in pigs and humans are today considered as two species with different hosts, cross-infection between humans and pigs is possible; some researchers have thus argued they are the same species. Ascariasis is associated with contact to pigs and pig manure in Denmark.

Parasitic bronchitis

Parasitic bronchitis, also known as hoose, husk, or verminous bronchitis, is a disease of sheep, cattle, goats, and swine caused by the presence of various species of parasite, commonly known as lungworms, in the bronchial tubes or in the lungs. It is marked by cough, dyspnea, anorexia and constipation. Lungworms which cause parasitic bronchitis include nematodes of the genera Dictyocaulus, Metastrongylus, and Protostrongylus. Hoose is essentially an infantile disease, almost always afflicting animals under one year of age.

<i>Dictyocaulus</i> Genus of nematode parasites of the bronchial tree of horses, sheep, goats, deer, and cattle

Dictyocaulus is a genus of nematode parasites of the bronchial tree of horses, sheep, goats, deer, and cattle. Dictyocaulus arnfieldi is the lungworm of horses, and Dictyocaulus viviparus is the lungworm affecting ruminants.

Spirometra erinaceieuropaei is a parasitic tapeworm that infects domestic animals and humans. The medical term for this infection in humans and other animals is sparganosis. Morphologically, these worms are similar to other worms in the genus Spirometra. They have a long body consisting of three sections: the scolex, the neck, and the strobilia. They have a complex life cycle that consists of three hosts, and can live in varying environments and bodily tissues. Humans can contract this parasite in three main ways. Historically, humans are considered a paratenic host; however, the first case of an adult S. erinaceieuropaei infection in humans was reported in 2017. Spirometra tapeworms exist worldwide and infection is common in animals, but S. erinaceieuropaei infections are rare in humans. Treatment for infection typically includes surgical removal and anti-worm medication.

Metastrongylosis is a parasitic disease that affects wild boars and pigs which live outdoors. It is caused by various species of roundworms of the genus Metastrongylus. A handful of cases of metastrongylosis have been reported in humans.

Strongylida Suborder of roundworms

The Strongylida suborder includes many of the important nematodes found in the gastrointestinal tracts of ruminants, horses, and swine, as well as the lungworms of ruminants and the hookworms of dogs and cats.

Gapeworm Species of roundworm

A gapeworm, also known as a red worm and forked worm, is a parasitic nematode worm that infects the tracheas of certain birds. The resulting disease, known as "gape" or "the gapes", occurs when the worms clog and obstruct the airway. The worms are also known as "red worms" or "forked worms" due to their red color and the permanent procreative conjunction of males and females. Gapeworms are common in young, domesticated chickens and turkeys.

<i>Strongylus vulgaris</i> Species of roundworm

Strongylus vulgaris, commonly known as the blood worm, is a common horse parasite in the phylum Nematoda. It looks like a long worm with a large biting mouth. They are usually reddish in color because of all the blood they take from the equine host. This nematode is considered to be one of the "most pathogenic" of the large strongyles subphylum and is distributed worldwide, wherever there are grassland and temperate environments.

Muellerius capillaris, also known as the hair or goat lungworm, is one of the most economically important nematodes of small ruminants. Although normally non-pathogenic in sheep, the parasite causes a disease condition called muelleriosis in goats. Sheep and goats commonly become infected after accidentally ingesting M. capillaris infected snails or slugs, and the parasite produces eggs in the lungs of its host, causing life-threatening bronchopneumonia in serious cases.

Lungworms are parasitic nematode worms of the order Strongylida that infest the lungs of vertebrates. The name is used for a variety of different groups of nematodes, some of which also have other common names; what they have in common is that they migrate to their hosts' lungs or respiratory tracts, and cause bronchitis or pneumonia. The lungworm will gradually damage the airways or lung tissue by inciting an inflammatory reaction inside the tissue. Ultimately, the parasites survive and reproduce in the respiratory tissues. The category is thus more a descriptive than a precisely taxonomic one.

<i>Capillaria aerophila</i> Species of roundworm

Capillaria aerophila is a nematode parasite found in the respiratory tract of foxes, dogs, and various other carnivorous mammals. A few cases of human infestation have also been reported. Though it is sometimes called a "lungworm", this term usually refers to other species of nematodes. Infestation by C. aerophila is referred to as "pulmonary capillariasis", "bronchial capillariasis," or (rarely) "thominxosis." This parasite has a direct life cycle, meaning that the life cycle can be completed in a single host. C. aerophila usually causes only minor clinical symptoms, such as irritation of the respiratory tract and coughing. However, secondary bacterial infections of the respiratory tract, including pneumonia, may develop in heavy infestations. Treatment with anthelmintics, such as levamisole or fenbendazole, is usually sufficient to cure C. aerophila infestations.

Human parasites include various protozoa and worms that may infect humans that cause parasitic diseases.

<i>Heterakis gallinarum</i> Species of roundworm

Heterakis gallinarum is a nematode parasite that lives in the cecum of some galliform birds, particularly in ground feeders such as domestic chickens and turkeys. It causes infection that is mildly pathogenic. However, it often carries a protozoan parasite Histomonas meleagridis which causes of histomoniasis. Transmission of H. meleagridis is through the H. gallinarum egg. H. gallinarum is about 1–2 cm in length with a sharply pointed tail and a preanal sucker. The parasite is a diecious species with marked sexual dimorphism. Males are smaller and shorter, measuring around 9 mm in length, with a unique bent tail. Females are stouter and longer, measuring roughly 13 mm in length, with a straight tail end.

Gnathostoma hispidum is a nematode (roundworm) that infects many vertebrate animals including humans. Infection of Gnathostoma hispidum, like many species of Gnathostoma causes the disease gnathostomiasis due to the migration of immature worms in the tissues.

Histomoniasis Medical condition

Histomoniasis is a commercially significant disease of poultry, particularly of chickens and turkeys, due to parasitic infection of a protozoan, Histomonas meleagridis. The protozoan is transmitted to the bird by the nematode parasite Heterakis gallinarum. H. meleagridis resides within the eggs of H. gallinarum, so birds ingest the parasites along with contaminated soil or food. Earthworms can also act as a paratenic host.

Taenia asiatica, commonly known as Asian taenia or Asian tapeworm, is a parasitic tapeworm of humans and pigs. It is one of the three species of Taenia infecting humans and causes taeniasis. Discovered only in 1980s from Taiwan and other East Asian countries as an unusual species, it is so notoriously similar to Taenia saginata, the beef tapeworm, that it was for a time regarded as a slightly different strain. But anomaly arose as the tapeworm is not of cattle origin, but of pigs. Morphological details also showed significant variations, such as presence of rostellar hooks, shorter body, and fewer body segments. The scientific name designated was then Asian T. saginata. But the taxonomic consensus turns out to be that it is a unique species. It was in 1993 that two Korean parasitologists, Keeseon S. Eom and Han Jong Rim, provided the biological bases for classifying it into a separate species. The use of mitochondrial genome sequence and molecular phylogeny in the late 2000s established the taxonomic status.

Koi (dish)

Koi is a "salad" dish of the Lao people living in modern-day Laos and Isan, Thailand, consisting of raw meat denatured by acidity, usually from lime juice. Common varieties include koi kung, with shrimp as the main ingredient, and koi paa /koi pla, which consists of minced or finely chopped raw fish in spicy salad dressing.

<i>Parascaris equorum</i> Species of roundworm

Parascaris equorum is a species of ascarid that is the equine roundworm. Amongst horse owners, the parasites are colloquially called "Ascarids". This is a host-specific helminth intestinal parasite that can infect horses, donkeys, and zebras. Horses up to six months of age are the most susceptible to infection. After this time, infection rates begin to decline and is extremely uncommon in horses over twelve months of age. It cannot infect humans or other animals. It is yellow-white in color, and females can become as large as 15 inches (38 cm) in length. Found worldwide, P. equorum is one of the most difficult equine parasites to kill, requiring larger doses of more powerful anthelmintic medications than are needed for other equine parasites.

References

  1. "Lungworm Infection: Introduction". The Merck Veterinary Manual. 2006. Retrieved 2007-07-01.