Changes

===Overview===

===Overview===

''Trichuris suis'' is a typical whipworm, that primarily infects pigs and can be seen in wild boar. The predeliction site is the large intestine of the pig and is on pathogenic in heavy infections.

''Trichuris suis'' is a typical [[Trichuris|whipworm]], that primarily infects pigs and can be seen in wild boar. The predeliction site is the large intestine of the pig and the worms are only pathogenic in heavy infections. Heavy infections are rarely seen in the UK as ''T.suis'' favours warmer climates, when it is seen it is usually in pigs kept outdoors or in deep-litter systems. The Prepatent period of the worm is 6 - 8 weeks and adults will continue to produce eggs for about 4 - 5 months. When the worm is pathogenic the primary clinical sign is haemorrhagic colitis and may facilitate the invasion of other pathogens, particularly spirochaetes.

 

===Identification===

 

The adult worms are white in colour and about 3- 5cm in length. As with other ''Trichuris'' species they have a narrow, fillamentous anterior end becoming broader in the posterior where adult males are coiled. Males possess a single spicule within a protusible sheath though this sheath can vary in length.  

 

The eggs are large and characturistically lemon shaped with plugs at both poles and appear yellow/brown in faeces.  

=== '''''TRICHURIS SUIS''''' ===

*A typical whipworm.

*Prefers warmer climates and therefore only rarely a problem in the UK.

*Disease mainly seen in pigs kept outdoors or in deep-litter systems.

 

*Can provoke severe diarrhoea or dysentery by providing a portal of entry for microbial organisms (particularly spirochaetes).

==== Use in Human Medicine ====

==== Use in Human Medicine ====

*There's a theory that some human immune-mediated diseases are largely restricted to affluent developed countries (like inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn's disease) occur because the human immune system has evolved with T-regulating helminths constantly present, and therefore tends to go into overdrive in some individuals if this external regulatory influence is lacking.

*There's a theory that some human immune-mediated diseases are largely restricted to affluent developed countries (like inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn's disease) occur because the human immune system has evolved with T-regulating helminths constantly present, and therefore tends to go into overdrive in some individuals if this external regulatory influence is lacking.

*This had led to the hypothesis that strictly controlled exposure of selected human patients to T. suis might ameliorate the symptoms of chronic bowel disease.

*This had led to the hypothesis that strictly controlled exposure of selected human patients to T. suis might ameliorate the symptoms of chronic bowel disease.

*Large scale clinical trials (placebo-controlled cross-over studies) are currently in progress to test this hypothesis.[[Category:Trichinelloidea]][[Category:Pig_Nematodes]]

*Large scale clinical trials (placebo-controlled cross-over studies) are currently in progress to test this hypothesis.

 

[[Category:Trichinelloidea]]

[[Category:Pig_Nematodes]]

[[Category:To_Do_-_NickJ]]

[[Category:To_Do_-_NickJ]]