Nematodes

Name Morphology
Ascaris Eggs- Can be corticated or
Lumbricoides decorticated
 Unfertilized: 85 to
95um Ovoid or
elongated; shell is
thin usually
corticated
 fertilized: Rounder
than Unfertilized;
Shell is thick, chitin
Adult- Creamy-white
pink tint, smaller,
elongated lateral line, 3
lips and Triangular bucc
al cavity
 Male- prominent
incurved tail
 Female- bigger,
pencil lead
thickness
Necator Eggs- Elongate with
Americanus transparent shell, in 2-8
cell stage of development

Filariform- With
conspicuous striations
of the sheath, tail-end
forms a wide angle with
the sheath
Rhabditiform- long
buccal cavity and small
genital primordium
Adult: Cephalic part
bent dorsally assuming
S-shape, grayish
white-yellow
 Copulatory
bursa: Bipartite
dorsal ray
“semi-lunar cutting
plates”
 Male: Straight,
attenuate
posterior
 Female: dilated
posterior end
Ancylostoma Eggs- Thin, transparent
Duodenale and hyaline

Filariform-
 Rhabditiform-
Adult- Relatively stout,
cylindroid,
pinkish/cream-gray in
color with slightly
constricted anterior part,
C shaped
Caudal end - tapered in
females, dilated in males
Buccal capsule - large,
oval, ventral part is
provided with identical
pairs of two fused large
teeth (outer) and a pair of
small inconspicuous
accessory median
processes (inner)
A. Braziliense Adult: Wide with 3 pairs
of large, equal sized teeth
A. Caninum Adult: 1 pair small
inconspicuous median
teeth and 1 large outer
teeth
Trichuris Egg-Japanese lantern/
Trichiuria barrel or football- shaped
with bipolar mucus plug;

Strongyloides Egg- Embryonic cleavage:

Stercoralis when present, 2-, 4-, or
8-cell stage
Shell: thin, hyaline
50-80 um x 30-34 um

Rhabditiform: short
buccal cavity, prominent
genital primordium, With
an elongated esophagus
with a pyriform posterior
bulb
Filariform: forked tail,
notched tail

Adult: Colorless,
semi-transparent with a
finely striated cuticle,
With slender tapering
anterior end and a short
conical pointed tail
(PARTHENOGENIC)
Female: With muscular
 double-bulbed esophagus
Intestine is a straight
cylindrical tube
Male: Intestine is a
straight cylindrical tube
With ventrally curved tail,
two copulatory spicules,
gubernaculum but
without any caudal alae
Enterobius Eggs- asymmetrical,
Vermicularis elongated, ovoid
flattened on ventral side
giving a letter D
appearance, whitish or
brownish, albumin
Adult- “lateral wings or
cephalic alae”
Female- long sharp
pointed end
Male- ventrally curved;
has a single
conspicuous copulatory
spicule but lack
gubernaculums
Capillairia Egg- pale yellow in color
Philippinensis with a moderately thick,
striated shell with
flattened bipolar plugs,
peanut- shaped
Adult-
Male- which has 40-45
eggs in utero arranged
in 2 to 3 rows
Female- which has 8-10
eggs in utero arranged
in a single row
Trichinella Spiralis Larvae- Has a spear-like
burrowing tip at its
tapering anterior end

Wuchereria Micrifilaria- Column of

Bancrofti nuclei in 2-3 rows
conspicuously

Brugia Malayi Microfilaria: 2 nuclei at

the tip of the tail

Adult: Creamy white, long

 and filiform in shape
(sane with bancrofti but
has bigger adult)

Loa Loa Microfilaria- Column of

nuclei extends completely
to the tip of the tail

Mansonella Microfilaria: Cylindrical,

ozzardi bilaterally symmetrical
worm

Mansonella Tail is half in coil in female

Perstans and full coil in make

Mansonella Tail-end is bent in a

Streptocerca crook-like curve
The column of nuclei
extends to the tail tip

Onchocerca Unsheathed, non-periodic

Volvulus and measures
220-360mm
Column of nuclei does not
extend to the tail tip
Normally found in dermis,
rarely in the blood,
sputum or urine

Adult- White, opalescent

and transparent with
transverse striation in the
muscle
DRACUNCULUS Adult: slender , long
MEDINENSIS worm
It resembles long twine
thread, viviparous, Body
fluid is toxic causing
blister if it escapes in
the tissues
 Embryo: These are coiled
bodies with rounded
heads and long slender
tapering tails

Angiostrongylus
Cantonensis Adult: Pale and filiform
16-19 mm in length by
0.26 mm in diameter
Male: Has a well
developed caudal bursa,
which is kidney shape and
single lobed
Female: Has a uterine
tubule that spirally
surrounds the intestines
(“barber’s pole” pattern)

Name Common Infective Diagnostic Geographic Disease caused

Name Stage stage Distribution
Ascaris Large Ingestion of Fertilized and Apalachian Ascariasis- Adult
Lumbricoides Intestinal embryonated unfertilized Mountains worms exiting from
roundworms egg egg the body
N. Americanus New World 3rd stage Eggs in feces Worldwide Ucinariasis
Hookworm filariform (tropical) Necatoriasis (Sore
larva Throat
Bloody sputum)
A. duodenale Old world 3rd stage Eggs in feces Worldwide Ancylostomiasis
 Hookworm filariform (temperate) (Sore Throat
larva Bloody sputum)
A. Braziliense Non-human 3rd stage Eggs in feces Ancylostomiasis
hookworm filariform
larva
A. caninum Non-human 3rd stage Eggs in feces Ancylostomiasis
hookworm filariform
larva
Trichuris Whipworm Embryonated Embryonated Warm Trichiuriasis, REctal
Trichiuria egg egg tropical Prolapse, edema
regiosn of
asia,
Central and
south
America
Strongyloides Thread 3rd stage Rhabditiform Inflamation and
Stercoralis worm filariform Larvae ulceration
larva
Enterobius Pin worm Embronated Eggs on Eterobiasis
Vermicularis egg perianal
folds
Capillaria Infective Embryonated Capilariasis, chronic
Philippinensis larvae egg diarrhea,
borborygmi
Trichinella Encysted Encysted
Spiralis larvae larvae
Wuchereria L3 Filiform Microfilaria Lymphatic filariasis
bancrofti larvae
Brugia Malayi L3 Filiform Microfilaria Lyphatic filariasis,
larvae elephantiasis
Loa loa “African Eye L3 Microfilaria Restricted Loiasis
Worm” or Filariform in Central Calabar swelling
“Eye worm” larvae and Fugitive swelling
western Tropical swelling
parts of (Retinopathy
Africa (damaged
retina)(thin layer
on the back of the
wall of the eye)

Mansonella L3 Microfilaria cutaneous itching,

Ozzardi Filariform subcutaneous
larvae inflammation
Mansonella L3 Filiform Microfilaria
Perstans larvae
Mansonella L3 Filiform Microfilaria
streptocerca larvae
Onchocrca Conculated L3 larvae Microfilaria More “ONCHOCERCIASIS”
Volvulus Filaria common in “RIVER BLINDNESS”
Africa but Onchodermatitis
also
prevalent in
Asia and
South
America
Dracunculus Gunea putrefaction or
medinensis worm, petrifaction
serpent
worm
Angiostrongylus Rat third larval
Cantonensis lungworm stage or
gastropod