1. Trichuris trichiura
Eva Dali
&
Quinn Quaderer
The Human Whipworm

2. Taxonomy Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Nematoda Superphylum: Aschelminthes
Class: Enoplea
Order: Trichinellida
Family: Trichuridae
Genus: Trichuris
Species: Trichiura

3. Some interesting facts
T. vulpis is an important whipworm for canids including dogs, foxes and coyotes; Common in the U.S. except in drier areas
T. suis is important for swine and is indistinguishable from T. trichiura
Whipworm is a Soil-Transmitted Helminthe
Eggs of T. trichiura were found in a glacier mummy more than 5000 years old
In 2010, the estimated number of persons infected was million

4. GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION
Worldwide
Two conditions are necessary
Poor standards of sanitation-Human feces on the soil
Physical conditions that allows eggs development and survival; Warm climate, high rainfall and humidity, Moisture-retaining soil, dense shade

5. MORPHOLOGY
The eggs are lemon shaped with an opercular plug at each end.
Contains single celled zygote.
2-cell stage before advanced cleavage stage
Adults look like a whip; anterior 2/3 thread-like, posterior 1/3 club-like.  Females are longer than males, males  have a corkscrew tail, and both sexes have a stichosome esophagus

6. Trichuriasis Life Cycle

7. LIFE CYCLE This is a direct life cycle.
Adult whipworms are found in the large intestine, usually the ileocecal area. 
They mate and the eggs leave the body in the feces. 
They must embryonate before they are infective, which takes about three weeks. 
Infective eggs are ingested from eating contaminated soil.
Upon ingestion, the larvae hatch and penetrate the small intestine to mature. 
They eventually migrate to the large intestine and complete maturation in three months.
Adults can live for years and deposit thousands of eggs per  day.

8. Pathology Light infections (<100 worms): Usually asymptomatic
Moderate to heavy infections: affect cognitive function in children and finger and toe clubbing
Intense trichuriasis: dysentery, anemia, growth retardation, finger clubbing and rectal prolapse

9. Microscopically detecting worms or eggs in stool
Diagnosis
Microscopically detecting worms or eggs in stool

10. TREATMENT AND CONTROL
Sanitation: use of toilet facilities and safe disposal of feces
Health education
Mass treatment in communities with high prevalence
DRUG OF CHOICE
Mebendazole
Albendazole

11. PUBLIC CONCERNS
Whipworm is the third most common nematode infection in humans behind Ascarids and human pinworm (E. vermicularis).

12. References
Janovy, John. Roberts, Larry. Gerald D. Schmidt & Larry S. Roberts’ Foundations of Parasitology, 8th edition. New York: McGraw Hill
CDC:

13. Questions Humans get infected from ingesting contaminated plants. T/F
Poor standards of sanitation and cold climate are conditions necessary for the development and survival of eggs T/F
Adult Trichuris trichiura is found in the small intestine. T/F
The egg is pear shaped T/F
There are less than 100 worms in an infected human. What symptoms would be seen?