Adventure Doc
keeping you healthy for life's adventures
Erik McLaughlin MD, MPH
Affiliates
Whipworm
Basics:
Trichuris Trichuri has a lifecycle similar to Ascaris and is acquired by ingestion of eggs in contaminated soil. Often asymptomatic but large infections may cause rectal prolapse, intestinal bleeding and growth retardation.
Location:
Worldwide, especially in moist or tropical locations
Transmission/ Incubation:
Transmitted via ingestion of Trichuris eggs in infected soil or, usually, via unwashed produce. Eggs require 10-14 days to become infective in soil. Animal whipworms do not infect humans.
Prevention:
Washing/Cooking of field produce and vegetables, education on Fecal waste disposal
Diagnosis:
Demonstration of eggs in fecal smear (caution: eggs are similar to capillaria species)
Treatment:
Albendazole or Mebendazole
PRODUCT REVIEWS
Whipworm (Trichuris) Egg
Operculated ends of the egg are for hatching once maturation occurs. Caution as the Trichuris egg can be confused with Capillaria eggs.
images from
Capillaria egg
