Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Acanthocephala
Archiacanthocephala
Moniliformida
Moniliformidae
*Moniliformis
Although all genera of Class Acanthocephala are parasitic in animals, none
are particularly well adapted to life within humans. Human infection is
extremely rare; when it occurs, it is secondary to the unintentional ingestion
of whole or part of an uncooked, natural host. A single genus of Class
Acanthocephala is known to have produced disease in humans: Moniliformis.
Another genus, Apororhynchus is occasionally listed as a human parasite, but
review of the literature yields no specific report documenting human pathoge-
nicity. Although the literature describing acanthocephaliasis is scant, it seems
that human infections are characterized by diarrhea, secondary to worm
attachments to the walls of the small intestine. Reports of human infections
usually come from Middle Eastern countries [97].
Infectious species:
Moniliformis dubius (Acanthocephaliasis)
Moniliformis moniliformis (Acanthocephaliasis)
