Helminths
WHAT ARE HELMINTHS?
WHAT DO THEY DO?
Helminths are invertebrate, parasitic worms that lives within a host and can cause a whole variety of diseases. There are three types of helminths. (T-59, T-60)
WHAT ARE THE CURES FOR HELMINTHIC INFECTIONS?
As they are parasites, their presence in a host disrupts the ability of the host to absorb nutrients, decreasing the host's health or physical condition. If a child is affected, they may become physically, nutritionally and/or cognitively impaired. Other diseases deriving from helminths are:
NEMATODE
Nematodes are roundworms that have a long body. Within that body is pseudocoelum, which acts as a skeleton. They move sideways in a thrashing motion.
CESTODES
Cestodes are tapeworms that have a flat, ribbon-like body. They do not have a gut, so their nutritients are taken through the tegument. All cestodes are hermaphroditic.
TREMATODES
Also known as flukes, these worms have small, flat, leaf-like bodies. They move with a gliding and creeping motion. Some trematodes are hermaphroditic while others are not.
Helminths can harm hosts with their eggs. Their eggs can contaminate food, water, soil, feces, air, and other surfaces. Most of the eggs travel to the intestines once inside a host, where they begin parasiting; some helminths may infect other body sites as well.
There are efforts to create vaccines that treat helminth infections, but they are too expensive and difficult to supply systematically. (T-63)
Helminth eggs (I-127)
