Parasitology: Strongyloides stercoralis Characteristics

Hookworms

• Ancylostoma duodenale is larger than Necator Americanus
• Filariform larvae breaking through pulmonary capillaries and entering the alveoli can cause coughing, chest pain, and hemoptysis
• Both Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator Americanus are treated with mebendazole, albendazole, or pyrantel pamoate
• Ancylostoma duodenale has a distinctive buccal capsule, while Necator Americanus has a mouth with four pairs of teeth

Strongyloides

• The rhabditiform larval stage of Strongyloides stercoralis is commonly seen in stool specimens
• The diagnostic technique recommended to demonstrate rhabditiform larvae is the Baermann apparatus or agar plate method
• A common clinical manifestation of strongyloidiasis is bronchospasm, and in severe cases, it can cause respiratory failure
• The recommended treatment for Strongyloides stercoralis infection is ivermectin or thiabendazole
• Hookworms can be distinguished from Strongyloides based on larval characteristics, with hookworms having a longer and more slender body
• The characteristic feature of filariform larvae of hookworms is their ability to break through pulmonary capillaries and enter the alveoli

Enterobius Vermicularis

• Enterobiasis is an infection caused by the parasite Enterobius vermicularis
• The mode of transmission of human pinworm is through ingestion of eggs contaminated with feces
• The diagnostic stage characteristic of Enterobius vermicularis is the presence of eggs on the perianal folds
• The diagnostic method used to detect adult worms in cases of Enterobius vermicularis infection is the Scotch tape test
• A common symptom of Enterobius vermicularis infection is pruritus ani

Hookworm Infection

• A common symptom of hookworm infection in humans is abdominal pain and diarrhea
• The diagnostic stage used for lab diagnosis of hookworm infection is the egg stage
• The type of hookworm that tends to occur in cooler and drier regions is Ancylostoma duodenale
• The treatment for hookworm infection in humans is mebendazole, albendazole, or pyrantel pamoate
• The diagnostic method used to demonstrate eggs in the feces for hookworm infection is the Kato-Katz technique
• A common clinical manifestation of hookworm infection is iron deficiency anemia and protein malnutrition
• The parasite responsible for causing hookworm infection in wild and domestic dogs and cats is Ancylostoma braziliense and Ancylostoma caninum
• The diagnostic stage of a hookworm ovum has a characteristic plug-like structure at one end
• Rectal relapse is associated with Strongyloides stercoralis infection

Ascaris and Trichuris

• A key feature of the ova for Ascaris lumbricoides is the presence of a thick, mammillated shell
• The mode of transmission for Trichuris trichiura is through ingestion of eggs contaminated with feces

Learn about the characteristics and diagnostic stages of Strongyloides stercoralis, a parasitic nematode commonly seen in stool specimens. Understand its morphology, life cycle, and associated clinical conditions.