Roundworm Research Paper

Parasitic worms are living all around us, many of us unaware or seemingly unthreatened by the harms they cause. Infection and disease caused by different types of worms that feed off a host are more common than most think. Ascariasis is the most common disease contracted by a type of roundworm called Ascaris Lumbricoides. Over 800 million people are infected by this disease worldwide, although it is more common in places outside the United States. All the types of roundworm cause different diseases, invading hosts and taking nutrients through a symbiotic relationship. The Ascaris Lumbricoides roundworms reproduce sexually and are the second largest phylum in the animal kingdom. They thrive in places where malnutrition and unsanitary conditions are present. They live in water and on land, between aquatic sediment or on the sediment surface. Roundworms make up a large portion of freshwater habitats biomass. The body structure of a roundworm has no skeleton, but does have a …show more content…
About 10% of the world is affected by intestinal worms, but is most common in places where people take in unsafe food and water. The eggs of these worms can be found in soil, uncooked food, feces, or can be passed from person to person. Once ingested, the worm goes through stages of reproduction and maturing, creating new eggs that then are found in the intestine again or feces. Symptoms of this disease vary based on where in the body the worm is. If the worm is in the lungs symptoms include: coughing, gagging, wheezing. Pneumonia, chest discomfort, and fever. Roundworm in the intestine symptoms include: nausea, vomiting, irregular diarrhea, intestinal blockage, loss of appetite, abdominal pain or discomfort, weight loss, and growth impairment in children. Ascariasis worms spread throughout the body and can attack multiple parts and lead to serious health complications without