Project name: Trichinella spiralis

Description: Trichinella spiralis is a parasitic roundworm belonging to the Phylum Nematoda, responsible for most human trichinosis infections. Besides humans, T. spiralis can infect most carnivorous mammals.The adult worms are 1.4-1.8 mm in size and are found embedded in the epithelium of the host's small intestine, where females and males mate. Female adults pass larvae into the blood stream and these reach muscle fiber where they encyst. Larvae encysted in muscle remain viable for a long time. The symptoms and pathogenicity are mainly due to the migrating and encystment process which cause pain, fever, edema, neurological disorders and even death.

Last updated: 2004-08-13