What are the most important worm infections?
The most important human worm infections are schistosomiasis, taeniasis, cysticercosis, ascariasis and ancylostomiasis (hookworm infection). Other important worm infections caused by platyhelminthes are: fascioliasis, caused by Fasciola hepatica, which attacks the liver and the bile ducts; hydatid disease, also known as echinococcosis, caused by a taenia-like parasite and transmitted by feces of dogs in contact with sheep, with a clinical picture similar to cysticercosis. Other important infections caused by roundworms are: strongyloidiasis, agent Strongyloides stercoralis, a common opportunistic disease in AIDS; filariasis, also known as elephantiasis, transmitted by mosquitoes of the Culex genus, caused by Wuchereria bancrofti and other thread-like worms and manifested by obstruction and fibrosis of lymphatic vessels that cause swelling (lymphedema) of limbs; enterobiasis (pinworm infection), caused by Enterobius vermicularis, a worm that parasites the colon and the human perianal region; cutaneous larva migrans, an ancylostomiasis of the skin caused by Ancylostoma braziliensis.
