How Are Helminthic Diseases Usually Transmitted?

Transmission. Soil-transmitted helminths are transmitted by eggs that are passed in the faeces of infected people. Adult worms live in the intestine where they produce thousands of eggs each day.

How do helminths enter the body?

Helminth eggs contaminate food, water, air, feces, pets and wild animals, and objects such as toilet seats and door handles. The eggs enter the body of a human through the mouth, the nose and the anus. Once inside the body, helminth eggs usually lodge in the intestine, hatch, grow and multiply.

What is the causative agent for the most common helminthic infection in the United States?

Enterobius vermicularis, commonly called pinworms, are tiny (2–13 mm) nematodes that cause enterobiasis. Of all helminthic infections, enterobiasis is the most common in the United States, affecting as many as one-third of American children.