What Are Roundworms?
Roundworms are big worms and are typically white in color.
They are about the diameter of a spaghetti-strand and approximately 4 inches in length.
Roundworms are bilaterally symmetrical, elongate, and usually tapered at both ends.
They possess a pseudocoel, a fluid-filled body cavity between the digestive tract and the body wall.
The sexes are separate in most species, but some are hermaphroditic, which means that both male and female reproductive organs are present in the same worm.
Roundworms or nematodes range in size from microscopic to about 7m (23 feet) long, the largest being the parasitic forms found in whales.
Nematode parasites of animals occur in almost all organs of the body, but the most common sites are the alimentary, circulatory, and respiratory systems.
Roundworms are among the most abundant, occurring as parasites in animals and plants or as free-living forms in soil, freshwater, marine environments, and even in such unusual places as vinegar and beer malts.
The number of named species is about 15,000 but it is probable that only a small proportion of the free-living forms have been identified.
Roundworms usually affect dogs and cats but the threat of human infection is very real.
Roundworm larva have actually blinded young children and caused several other problems.
Children are more prone to the infection, especially from early neonatal to four or five years of age.
It is not to be surmised that only children are affected; they are only more vulnerable.
Children more often than not take their hands to their mouths without prior washing.
Roundworm eggs are easily ingested when doing so.
Once the embryo/roundworm egg reaches the intestine of the human, it hatches and larva penetrates the intestine wall.
From there, it gains entry into the blood stream and may end up just about anywhere in the body including vital organs such as the eye, brain, liver, kidneys, heart wall or lungs.
Since humans are unnatural hosts for the roundworm larva, their body reacts and walls off the larva in little granuloma's (similar to what occurs in adult dogs and cats).
These granulomas may cause sudden dysfunction of any of these organs resulting in illness.
It is rather easy to get rid of roundworms in the intestine.
Any oral wormer would do the job.
Doctors usually suggest brands with pyrantel pamoate as the active ingredient.
Worming needs to be done twice or three weeks apart followed by a fecal specimen check three weeks later.
They are about the diameter of a spaghetti-strand and approximately 4 inches in length.
Roundworms are bilaterally symmetrical, elongate, and usually tapered at both ends.
They possess a pseudocoel, a fluid-filled body cavity between the digestive tract and the body wall.
The sexes are separate in most species, but some are hermaphroditic, which means that both male and female reproductive organs are present in the same worm.
Roundworms or nematodes range in size from microscopic to about 7m (23 feet) long, the largest being the parasitic forms found in whales.
Nematode parasites of animals occur in almost all organs of the body, but the most common sites are the alimentary, circulatory, and respiratory systems.
Roundworms are among the most abundant, occurring as parasites in animals and plants or as free-living forms in soil, freshwater, marine environments, and even in such unusual places as vinegar and beer malts.
The number of named species is about 15,000 but it is probable that only a small proportion of the free-living forms have been identified.
Roundworms usually affect dogs and cats but the threat of human infection is very real.
Roundworm larva have actually blinded young children and caused several other problems.
Children are more prone to the infection, especially from early neonatal to four or five years of age.
It is not to be surmised that only children are affected; they are only more vulnerable.
Children more often than not take their hands to their mouths without prior washing.
Roundworm eggs are easily ingested when doing so.
Once the embryo/roundworm egg reaches the intestine of the human, it hatches and larva penetrates the intestine wall.
From there, it gains entry into the blood stream and may end up just about anywhere in the body including vital organs such as the eye, brain, liver, kidneys, heart wall or lungs.
Since humans are unnatural hosts for the roundworm larva, their body reacts and walls off the larva in little granuloma's (similar to what occurs in adult dogs and cats).
These granulomas may cause sudden dysfunction of any of these organs resulting in illness.
It is rather easy to get rid of roundworms in the intestine.
Any oral wormer would do the job.
Doctors usually suggest brands with pyrantel pamoate as the active ingredient.
Worming needs to be done twice or three weeks apart followed by a fecal specimen check three weeks later.
Source...