Lungworm Research Paper

Lungworm is any of the parasitic worms of the superfamily Metastrongyloidea (phylum Nematoda) that infest the lungs and air passages of a wide range of mammals such as cattle, llamas, alpacas, goats, sheep, deer, donkeys, horses, sheep, goats, pigs, dogs, cats, rats, and even dolphins and whales (which are much less common). Humans are also susceptible to the disease from a variety of different hosts. However, the most common lungworm cases in humans appear to only be common in areas of the world such as Asia, the Pacific Islands, the Caribbean and Africa. Though cases have occurred in oceanic areas of the United States like Hawaii, very few cases have made their way into the mainland of the United States. When diagnosing a human or any animals …show more content…
Though humans cannot be infected by the parasite through livestock species, they can be infected by consuming raw snails, slugs, frogs, shrimp, and crabs. Though it is an uncommon occurrence in the United States, it is more common in countries with cultures that consume these organisms. The life cycle of lungworms can be direct or can require intermediate hosts, such as snails and slugs, depending on the lungworm species. As stated previously, lungworms can have detrimental effects on the health of certain livestock animals. Cows and goats, for example, will suffer from reduced weight gains, reduced milk yields, and weight loss. These symptoms could result in a large economic loss to any dairy farmer with infected cattle. Along with these severe symptoms, the infection could also become lethal resulting in the death of valuable livestock. Less production would mean less profit for dairy farmers, as well as meat producers due to the lack of weight …show more content…
For cattle, sheep, and goats recommended medicinal treatment includes: Ivermectin, doramectin, moxidectin, eprinomectin, fenbendazole, albendazole, and levamisole. For donkeys and horses only Ivermectin and moxidectin would be needed, while for pigs, Ivermectin, doramectin, moxidectin, fenbendazole, and levamisole would be required. Thought the parasite is very treatable, it is more imperative to prevent the parasite from ever infecting the animals. For flocks and herds the recommended strategy for prevention would be vaccination or anthelmintics. This would prevent the animals from getting infected and further contracting the parasite throughout the herd or flock. Though lungworm isn’t the most common parasite in the United States, it is still a threat that should always be prepared to stop in order to protect your livestock and domestic