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Acanthocephala is a group of parasitic worms known as acanthocephalans, thorny-headed worms, or spiny-headed worms, characterized by the presence of an eversible proboscis, armed with spines, which it uses to pierce and hold the gut wall of its host. Acanthocephalans have complex life cycles, involving at least two hosts, which may include invertebrates, fish, amphibians, birds, and mammals. About 1420 species have been described.
Loa loa is a filarial (arthropod-borne) nematode (roundworm) that causes Loa loa filariasis. Loa loa actually means "worm worm", but is commonly known as the "eye worm", as it localizes to the conjunctiva of the eye. Loa loa is commonly found in Africa. It mainly inhabits rain forests in West Africa and has native origins in Ethiopia. The disease caused by Loa loa is called loiasis and is one of the neglected tropical diseases.
Onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, is a disease caused by infection with the parasitic worm Onchocerca volvulus. Symptoms include severe itching, bumps under the skin, and blindness. It is the second-most common cause of blindness due to infection, after trachoma.
Parasitology is the study of parasites, their hosts, and the relationship between them. As a biological discipline, the scope of parasitology is not determined by the organism or environment in question but by their way of life. This means it forms a synthesis of other disciplines, and draws on techniques from fields such as cell biology, bioinformatics, biochemistry, molecular biology, immunology, genetics, evolution and ecology.
Clonorchiasis is an infectious disease caused by the Chinese liver fluke and two related species. Clonorchiasis is a known risk factor for the development of cholangiocarcinoma, a neoplasm of the biliary system.
Hymenolepiasis is infestation by one of two species of tapeworm: Hymenolepis nana or H. diminuta. Alternative names are dwarf tapeworm infection and rat tapeworm infection. The disease is a type of helminthiasis which is classified as a neglected tropical disease.
Rat-bite fever (RBF) is an acute, febrile human illness caused by bacteria transmitted by rodents, in most cases, which is passed from rodent to human by the rodent's urine or mucous secretions. Alternative names for rat-bite fever include streptobacillary fever, streptobacillosis, spirillary fever, bogger, and epidemic arthritic erythema. It is a rare disease spread by infected rodents and caused by two specific types of bacteria:
- Streptobacillus moniliformis, the only reported bacteria that causes RBF in North America
- Spirillum minus, common in Asia. Most cases occur in Japan, but specific strains of the disease are present in the United States, Europe, Australia, and Africa.
Parasitic worms, also known as helminths, are large macroparasites; adults can generally be seen with the naked eye. Many are intestinal worms that are soil-transmitted and infect the gastrointestinal tract. Other parasitic worms such as schistosomes reside in blood vessels.
Dracunculus medinensis is a nematode that causes dracunculiasis, also known as guinea worm disease. The disease is caused by the female which, at around 80 centimetres in length, is among the longest nematodes infecting humans. The length of specimens exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism, as the longest recorded male Guinea worm is only 4 cm.
Acanthocephalus is a genus of parasitic worms. One of the species in this genus is Acanthocephalus anguillae, a fish parasite. Acanthocephalans are also found in humans and primates, causing a common zoonotic infection called "human acanthocephaliasis". While pathogens can be transferred among animals and humans, the main source of human acanthocephaliasis is the diet of infected raw fish and insects. Because they are lacking circulatory, respiratory, and digestive systems, Acanthocephalus are exceptionally well-adapted to a symbiotrophic existence.
Moniliformidae is a family of parasitic spiny-headed worms. It is the only family in the Moniliformida order and contains three genera: Australiformis containing a single species, Moniliformis containing eighteen species and Promoniliformis containing a single species. Genetic analysis have determined that the clade is monophyletic despite being distributed globally. These worms primarily parasitize mammals, including humans in the case of Moniliformis moniliformis, and occasionally birds by attaching themselves into the intestinal wall using their hook-covered proboscis. The intermediate hosts are mostly cockroaches. The distinguishing features of this order among archiacanthocephalans is the presence of a cylindrical proboscis with long rows of hooks with posteriorly directed roots and proboscis retractor muscles that pierce both the posterior and ventral end or just posterior end of the receptacle. Infestation with Monoliformida species can cause moniliformiasis, an intestinal condition characterized as causing lesions, intestinal distension, perforated ulcers, enteritis, gastritis, crypt hypertrophy, goblet cell hyperplasia, and blockages.
Moniliformis is a genus of parasitic worms in the Acanthocephala phylum.
Promoniliformis is a monotypic genus of acanthocephalans containing a single species, Promoniliformis ovocristatus, that infests tenrecs in Madagascar. The genus PromoniliformisDollfus and Golvan, 1963 is characterized by possessing two distinct kinds of proboscis hooks. There is only one species in this genus.
Moniliformis moniliformis is a parasite of the Acanthocephala phylum in the family Moniliformidae. The adult worms are usually found in intestines of rodents or carnivores such as cats and dogs. The species can also infest humans, though this is rare.
Cucullanorhynchus is a monotypic genus of acanthocephalans. It contains a single species, Cucullanorhynchus constrictruncatus, which infests leopards in Vietnam.
Australiformis is a monotypic genus of acanthocephalans containing a single species, Australiformis semoni, that infests marsupials in Australia and New Guinea. Its body consists of a proboscis armed with hooks which it uses to pierce and hold the gut wall of its host, and a long trunk. This genus resembles species in the genus Moniliformis but is characterized by a lack of spiral muscles in the outer wall of the proboscis receptacle. The proboscis is armed with 12 rows of 13 to 15 hooks which are used to attach themselves to the small or large intestines of the host. The female worms range from 95 to 197 millimetres long, virtually all of which is the trunk, and 1.75 to 3.5 millimetres wide. There is pronounced sexual dimorphism in this species as females are around twice the size of the males whose trunks range from 46 to 80 millimetres long and 2 millimetres (0.079 in) wide. Infestation by A. semoni may cause debilitating inflammation of the stomach (gastritis) with granulomatous ulcers.
Microsentis is a monotypic genus of worms belonging to the family Neoechinorhynchidae.
Dispiron is a genus in Acanthocephala belonging to the family Neoechinorhynchidae.
Hexaspiron is a genus in Acanthocephala belonging to the family Neoechinorhynchidae.
Octospiniferoides is a genus in Acanthocephala belonging to the family Neoechinorhynchidae.
References
- ↑ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, April 11). CDC - dpdx - acanthocephaliasis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- ↑ Acanthocephaliasis Disease. (n.d.). MalaCards.
- ↑ Mathison, Blaine A.; Mehta, Ninad; Couturier, Marc Roger (2021). "Human Acanthocephaliasis: A Thorn in the Side of Parasite Diagnostics". Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 59 (11): e0269120. doi:10.1128/jcm.02691-20. PMC 8525584 . PMID 34076470.
- ↑ Field Manual of Wildlife Diseases: General Field Procedures and Diseases of Birds. (1999). U S Geological Survey.
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