Helminthic diseases

A significant proportion of the world's population is infected with parasitic helminths (worms). These are categorised into three groups: nematodes (roundworms), cestodes (tapeworms) and trematodes (flukes).

Global prevalence is greatly reduced in the comparison between 1990 and 2016, such as the prevalence of ascariasis was 1089.36 million in 1990 and 799.68 million in 2016, trichuriasis was 524.62 million and 435.09 million, hookworm was 497.52 million and 450.68 million, schistosomiasis was 195.36 million and 189.77 million, Lymphatic filariasis was 44.14 million and 29.38 million, onchocerciasis was 24.13 million and 14.65 million. (1)

Approximately more than 2 billion people have soil-transmitted helminthiasis. (2)

Endemic helminthic diseases in the UK:

• threadworm
• whipworm
• toxocara canis
• dwarf tapeworm
• echinococcosis (hydatid disease) is acquired following the ingestion of eggs shed in the faeces of dogs infected with the dog tapeworm (Echinococcus granulosus) and is found in certain areas of Wales

A common characteristic of helminthic diseases is the complex lifecycle with adults, embryos and larvae living in different environments. Life cycles vary from three weeks to three months.

Reference

1. Hotez PJ. Human Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases: Heading Towards 2050. Adv Parasitol. 2018;100:29-38.
2. Samuel F, Demsew A, Alem Y, Hailesilassie Y. Soil transmitted Helminthiasis and associated risk factors among elementary school children in ambo town, western Ethiopia. BMC Public Health. 2017 Oct 10;17(1):791