Many diseases encircle us, some can be due to any existing pathology in our bodies, whereas some are due to parasites infecting us greatly affecting the normal functioning of our body. It has been estimated that over a billion people get infected by some form of parasite yearly with Giardia and Ascaris being on top of the list. With many different classes and types of these parasites crippling around, the distribution of each into several different groups helped identify them easily. The distribution of the entire Animal Kingdom is placed into phyla, genus, and species. Ascaris is a specific parasite that belongs to the phylum nematode and all are parasitic small intestinal roundworms.
It was found that almost 60,000 people die annually due to Ascariasis. This big of a number is alarming and hence ways to eliminate this parasite should be considered. It is mostly found to exist in the tropical Sub-Saharan areas, but it can also infect other regions due to the migration of individuals who are carrying the spores of this parasite unknowingly.
Cause of Ascariasis
Ascariasis is due to the infestation of Ascaris lumbricoides inside the human body. It is transmitted through the soil.
Both the female and the male Ascaris have the infective potential, however, the female roundworm can get up to 30cms in length inside the human body. Whereas the male roundworm can get up to the size of almost 20cms in length. Ascaris can only survive in the body for a year and is then excreted out of the body. Therefore an adult worm cannot reproduce inside the body. The only harm an Ascaris worm can cause is the absorption of important nutrients.