Whipworm infection

Alternative names:

trichuriasis

Definition:

Infestation by the parasitic worm Trichuris trichiura.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Whipworm infection develops when a person comes in contact with and subsequently ingests whipworm ova in fecal-contaminated soil. The ingested eggs hatch and the whipworm embeds in the mucus membrane. The worms live in the large intestine, predominantly in the cecum and appendix, but they may infest the colon also.

Light infestations cause few symptoms. Heavy infestations may result in bloody, mucous-like diarrhea. Whipworm infection is one of the diseases that may be associated with rectal prolapse.