Microscopy Primer
Light and Color
Microscope Basics
Special Techniques
Digital Imaging
Confocal Microscopy
Live-Cell Imaging
Photomicrography
Microscopy Museum
Virtual Microscopy
Fluorescence
Web Resources
License Info
Image Use
Custom Photos
Partners
Site Info
Contact Us
Publications
Home

The Galleries:

Photo Gallery
Silicon Zoo
Pharmaceuticals
Chip Shots
Phytochemicals
DNA Gallery
Microscapes
Vitamins
Amino Acids
Birthstones
Religion Collection
Pesticides
BeerShots
Cocktail Collection
Screen Savers
Win Wallpaper
Mac Wallpaper
Movie Gallery

Differential Interference Contrast Image Gallery

Whipworm (Trichuris) Eggs

Whipworms are small, intestinal parasites belonging to the genus Trichuris that are named for their characteristic tapered shape. More than 60 species of whipworms are capable of infecting mammals, but many exhibit a relatively high level of host specificity.

The sole cause of whipworm infection is ingestion of Trichuris eggs. The eggs, which are expelled by infected individuals with bodily wastes, are quite resilient, however, and may survive in soil or on other surfaces for significant periods of time. When a suitable host ingests an infective egg, it hatches in the small intestine and the juvenile worm migrates to the large intestine. There the parasite embeds its anterior end into the intestinal lining where it reaches sexual maturity and remains for the rest of its lifecycle, which may be several years long.

The whipworm that most often infests humans is Trichuris trichiura. Many of those that are infected with the parasites, however, do not exhibit symptoms. Only when large populations are present in a host do such problems as anemia, pallor, and dysentery occur. Yet, children may suffer more severely from parasite infections than adults, and chronic whipworm infection may lead to mental or physical retardation in the young. Diagnosis of the condition can be difficult, but may easily be treated with medications once the parasitic cause is identified.

BACK TO THE DIC IMAGE GALLERY

Questions or comments? Send us an email.
© 1998-2022 by Michael W. Davidson and The Florida State University. All Rights Reserved. No images, graphics, scripts, or applets may be reproduced or used in any manner without permission from the copyright holders. Use of this website means you agree to all of the Legal Terms and Conditions set forth by the owners.
This website is maintained by our
Graphics & Web Programming Team
in collaboration with Optical Microscopy at the
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.
Last modification: Friday, Nov 13, 2015 at 02:19 PM
Access Count Since April 22, 2003: 24644
For more information on microscope manufacturers,
use the buttons below to navigate to their websites: