Soil-transmitted helminth

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The soil-transmitted helminths (also called geohelminths) are a group of intestinal parasites belonging to the phylum Nematoda that are transmitted primarily through contaminated soil. They are so called because they have a direct life cycle which requires no intermediate hosts or vectors, and the parasitic infection occurs through faecal contamination of soil, foodstuffs and water supplies. The adult forms are essentially parasites of humans, causing soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH), but also infect domesticated mammals. The juveniles are the infective forms and they undergo tissue-migratory stages during which they invade vital organs such as lungs and liver. Thus the disease manifestations can be both local and systemic. The geohelminths together present an enormous infection burden on humanity, amounting to 135,000 deaths every year, and persistent infection of more than two billion people. [1] [2]

Contents

Species

Soil-transmitted helminths are typically from the following families of nematodes, namely:[ citation needed ]

Diseases

Soil-transmitted helminthiasis

Soil-transmitted helminthiasis is a collective name for the diseases caused by ascaris, whipworm and hookworms in humans. It includes species-specific diseases such as[ citation needed ]

Soil-transmitted helminthiasis is classified as one of the neglected tropical diseases projected to be controlled/eradicated by 2020 through the London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases . [4]

Strongyloidiasis

This is caused by Strongyloides stercoralis . Even though the disease is principally a soil-transmitted helminthiasis, the infection being mediated through contaminated soil, it is however generally omitted in clinical practices and control programmes because of its (allegedly) relatively less significant influence on health and socio-economic conditions. Also it is not restricted to humans, as it is common in pets. But there is an emerging hyperinfection syndrome caused by S. stercoralis, which exhibits a high mortality rate (15% to 87%). [5] [6]

General impact

Geohelminth infection is a major health problem particularly in rural areas of developing countries like Subsaharan Africa, India and other Southeast Asian countries. It is an important cause of morbidity in school age children who harbour the highest intensity of worm infestation. Some of the significant morbidity attributed to intestinal helminthiasis are malnutrition, growth retardation, anaemia, vitamin A deficiency and impaired intellectual performance. [2] [7]

Control activities

The World Health Organization is promoting the control of  soil transmitted helminthiasis with large scale, regular distribution of anthelminthics (albendazole or mebendazole) to the population groups more at risk of morbidity (children and women of reproductive age). The number of school-age children treated with PC has progressed steadily from less than 120 million in 2008 to over 450 million in 2018 and is in contiuous espansion. [8]

Related Research Articles

<i>Ascaris lumbricoides</i> One of several species of Ascaris

Ascaris lumbricoides is a large parasitic roundworm of the genus Ascaris. It is the most common parasitic worm in humans. An estimated 807 million–1.2 billion people are infected with A. lumbricoides worldwide. People living in tropical and subtropical countries are at greater risk of infection. Infection by Ascaris lumbricoides infection is known as Ascariasis.

<i>Trichuris trichiura</i> Parasitic roundworm that causes intestinal infection

Trichuris trichiura, Trichocephalus trichiuris or whipworm, is a parasitic roundworm that causes trichuriasis when it infects a human large intestine. It is commonly known as the whipworm which refers to the shape of the worm; it looks like a whip with wider "handles" at the posterior end. The helminth is also known to cause rectal prolapse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trichuriasis</span> Infection by Trichuris trichiura (whipworm)

Trichuriasis, also known as whipworm infection, is an infection by the parasitic worm Trichuris trichiura (whipworm). If infection is only with a few worms, there are often no symptoms. In those who are infected with many worms, there may be abdominal pain, fatigue and diarrhea. The diarrhea sometimes contains blood. Infections in children may cause poor intellectual and physical development. Low red blood cell levels may occur due to loss of blood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ascariasis</span> Disease caused by the parasitic roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides

Ascariasis is a disease caused by the parasitic roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides. Infections have no symptoms in more than 85% of cases, especially if the number of worms is small. Symptoms increase with the number of worms present and may include shortness of breath and fever in the beginning of the disease. These may be followed by symptoms of abdominal swelling, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Children are most commonly affected, and in this age group the infection may also cause poor weight gain, malnutrition, and learning problems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helminthiasis</span> Any macroparasitic disease caused by helminths

Helminthiasis, also known as worm infection, is any macroparasitic disease of humans and other animals in which a part of the body is infected with parasitic worms, known as helminths. There are numerous species of these parasites, which are broadly classified into tapeworms, flukes, and roundworms. They often live in the gastrointestinal tract of their hosts, but they may also burrow into other organs, where they induce physiological damage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hookworm infection</span> Disease caused by intestinal parasites

Hookworm infection is an infection by a type of intestinal parasite known as a hookworm. Initially, itching and a rash may occur at the site of infection. Those only affected by a few worms may show no symptoms. Those infected by many worms may experience abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, and tiredness. The mental and physical development of children may be affected. Anemia may result.

<i>Necator americanus</i> Species of hookworm

Necator americanus is a species of hookworm commonly known as the New World hookworm. Like other hookworms, it is a member of the phylum Nematoda. It is an obligatory parasitic nematode that lives in the small intestine of human hosts. Necatoriasis—a type of helminthiasis—is the term for the condition of being host to an infestation of a species of Necator. Since N. americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale are the two species of hookworms that most commonly infest humans, they are usually dealt with under the collective heading of "hookworm infection". They differ most obviously in geographical distribution, structure of mouthparts, and relative size.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parasitic worm</span> Large type of parasitic organism

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helminthic therapy</span> Deliberate infestation with parasitic worms

Helminthic therapy, an experimental type of immunotherapy, is the treatment of autoimmune diseases and immune disorders by means of deliberate infestation with a helminth or with the eggs of a helminth. Helminths are parasitic worms such as hookworms, whipworms, and threadworms that have evolved to live within a host organism on which they rely for nutrients. These worms are members of two phyla: nematodes, which are primarily used in human helminthic therapy, and flat worms (trematodes).

Eosinophilic pneumonia is a disease in which an eosinophil, a type of white blood cell, accumulates in the lungs. These cells cause disruption of the normal air spaces (alveoli) where oxygen is extracted from the atmosphere. Several different kinds of eosinophilic pneumonia exist and can occur in any age group. The most common symptoms include cough, fever, difficulty breathing, and sweating at night. Eosinophilic pneumonia is diagnosed by a combination of characteristic symptoms, findings on a physical examination by a health provider, and the results of blood tests and X-rays. Prognosis is excellent once most eosinophilic pneumonia is recognized and treatment with corticosteroids is begun.

<i>Trichuris</i> Genus of roundworms

Trichuris, often referred to as whipworms or the silent serpent, is a genus of parasitic helminths from the roundworm family Trichuridae. The name whipworm refers to the shape of the worm; they look like whips with wider "handles" at the posterior end.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ancylostomiasis</span> Medical condition

Ancylostomiasis is a hookworm disease caused by infection with Ancylostoma hookworms. The name is derived from Greek ancylos αγκύλος "crooked, bent" and stoma στόμα "mouth".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Necatoriasis</span> Medical condition

Necatoriasis is the condition of infection by Necator hookworms, such as Necator americanus. This hookworm infection is a type of helminthiasis (infection) which is a type of neglected tropical disease.

Human parasites include various protozoa and worms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ancylostomatidae</span> Family of roundworms

The Ancylostomatidae are a family of worms that includes the hookworms.

Ground itch refers to the inflammatory reaction resulting from certain helminthic invasions into the skin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soil-transmitted helminthiasis</span> Roundworm infection contracted from contaminated soil

Soil-transmitted helminthiasis is a type of worm infection (helminthiasis) caused by different species of roundworms. It is caused specifically by those worms which are transmitted through soil contaminated with faecal matter and are therefore called soil-transmitted helminths. Three types of soil-transmitted helminthiasis can be distinguished: ascariasis, hookworm infection and whipworm infection. These three types of infection are therefore caused by the large roundworm A. lumbricoides, the hookworms Necator americanus or Ancylostoma duodenale and by the whipworm Trichuris trichiura.

Children Without Worms (CWW) is a program of the Task Force for Global Health and envisions a world in which all at-risk people, specifically targeting children, are healthy and free of worm infections (helminthiases) so they can develop to their full potential. To accomplish the vision of a worm-free world, CWW works closely with the World Health Organization, national Ministries of Health, nongovernmental organizations and private-public coalitions such as Uniting to Combat NTDs. It acts as an intermediary for the pharmaceutical company Johnson and Johnson in distributing the latter's mebendazole for mass deworming of children to reduce or end soil-transmitted helminthiasis.

Hookworms are intestinal, blood-feeding, parasitic roundworms that cause types of infection known as helminthiases. Hookworm infection is found in many parts of the world, and is common in areas with poor access to adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene. In humans, infections are caused by two main species of roundworm, belonging to the genera Ancylostoma and Necator. In other animals the main parasites are species of Ancylostoma. Hookworm is closely associated with poverty because it is most often found in impoverished areas, and its symptoms promote poverty through the educational and health effects it has on children. It is the leading cause of anemia and undernutrition in developing countries, while being one of the most commonly occurring diseases among poor people. Hookworm thrives in areas where rainfall is sufficient and keeps the soil from drying out, and where temperatures are higher, making rural, coastal areas prime conditions for the parasite to breed.

Lani Sue Stephenson was an American parasitologist and nutritionist, "a pioneer in field-based studies on nutrition–parasite interactions".

References

  1. Holland CV, Kennedy MW (Eds.) (2002). The Geohelminths: Ascaris, Trichuris and Hookworm. Springer. pp. 1–352. ISBN   978-0-7923-7557-9.
  2. 1 2 Bethony J, Brooker S, Albonico M, Geiger SM, Loukas A, Diemert D, Hotez PJ (2006). "Soil-transmitted helminth infections: ascariasis, trichuriasis, and hookworm". The Lancet. 367 (9521): 1521–1532. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(06)68653-4. PMID   16679166. S2CID   8425278.
  3. In the UK and Australia, however, the term threadworm can also refer to nematodes of the genus Enterobius , otherwise known as pinworms. Vide Vanderkooi, M. (2000). Village Medical Manual (5th ed.). Pasadena: William Carey Library. ISBN   0878087788.
  4. London Declaration (2012) (30 January 2012). "London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-03-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. Marcos LA, Terashima A, Dupont HL, Gotuzzo E (2013). "Strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome: an emerging global infectious disease". Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 102 (4): 314–318. doi:10.1016/j.trstmh.2008.01.020. PMID   18321548.
  6. Buonfrate D, Requena-Mendez A, Angheben A, Muñoz J, Gobbi F, Van Den Ende J, Bisoffi Z (2013). "Severe strongyloidiasis: a systematic review of case reports". BMC Infect Dis. 13: 78. doi: 10.1186/1471-2334-13-78 . PMC   3598958 . PMID   23394259.
  7. WHO (2012). Eliminating Soil-transmitted Helminthiasis as a Public Health Problem in Children: Progress Report 2001–2010 and Strategic Plan 2011–2020 (PDF). WHO Press, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland. pp. 1–78. ISBN   978-92-4-150312-9.
  8. Montresor, Antonio; Mupfasoni, Denise; Mikhailov, Alexei; Mwinzi, Pauline; Lucianez, Ana; Jamsheed, Mohamed; Gasimov, Elkan; Warusavithana, Supriya; Yajima, Aya; Bisoffi, Zeno; Buonfrate, Dora; Steinmann, Peter; Utzinger, Jürg; Levecke, Bruno; Vlaminck, Johnny (2020-08-10). Babu, Subash (ed.). "The global progress of soil-transmitted helminthiases control in 2020 and World Health Organization targets for 2030". PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 14 (8): e0008505. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008505 . ISSN   1935-2735. PMC   7446869 . PMID   32776942.