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Trichuris trichiura (Whipworm— Intestinal Nematode)

المؤلف:  Stefan Riedel, Jeffery A. Hobden, Steve Miller, Stephen A. Morse, Timothy A. Mietzner, Barbara Detrick, Thomas G. Mitchell, Judy A. Sakanari, Peter Hotez, Rojelio Mejia

المصدر:  Jawetz, Melnick, & Adelberg’s Medical Microbiology

الجزء والصفحة:  28e , p741-745

2026-03-12

519

The Organism

Adult female whipworms are approximately 30–50 millimeters in length; adult male worms are smaller (Figure 1A and B). The anterior end of the worms is slender, and the posterior end is thicker, giving it a “buggy whip” appearance, hence the name whipworm. Adult whipworms inhabit the colon, where male and female worms mate. Females release eggs (Figure 1C) that are passed in the feces, and eggs become infective after about 3 weeks of incubation in moist and shady soil. Humans acquire the infection by eating foods contaminated with infective eggs. Once eggs are swallowed, the larvae hatch in the small intestine, where they mature and migrate to the colon.

Fig1. T. trichiura. A: Adult female whipworm (30–50 millimeters in length). B: Adult male whipworm (30–45 millimeters). C: Whipworm eggs (50 μm) with distinct polar plugs. (Used with permission from Sullivan J: A Color Atlas of Parasitology, 8th ed. 2009.)

Pathology and Pathogenesis

The anterior ends of the worms lodge within the mucosa of the intestine, leading to small hemorrhages with mucosal cell destruction and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Infections with a low worm burden are usually asymptomatic, but infections of moderate to heavy worm loads present with lower abdominal pain, distention, and diarrhea. Severe infection may lead to profuse bloody diarrhea, cramps, tenesmus, urgency, and rectal prolapse. Occasionally, worms migrate to the appendix, causing appendicitis.