Description
| - Parasitic worms or helminths (pronounced /ˈhɛlmɪnθs/) are a division of eukaryotic parasites that, unlike external parasites such as lice and fleas, live inside their host. They are worm-like organisms that live and feed off living hosts, receiving nourishment and protection while disrupting their hosts' nutrient absorption, causing weakness and disease. Those that live inside the digestive tract are called intestinal parasites. They can live inside humans as well as other animals. Approximately 3 billion people globally are infected with helminths.
Helminthology is the study of parasitic worms and their effect on their hosts. The word helminth comes from Greek hélmins, a kind of worm.
Parasitic worms are categorized into three groups: cestodes, nematodes, and trematodes.
These are the principal morphologic differences of the different families of helminths:
Diseases caused in humans by helminth infection include ascariasis, dracunculiasis, elephantiasis, hookworm, lymphatic...
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