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FACT:
To diagnosis whipworm a stool sample is examined for presence and number of eggs.

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Trichuris trichiura

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SYMPTOMS:
-bloody diarrhea
-painful or frequent defecation
-abdominal pain
-vomiting
-headaches
-sudden/unexpected weight loss
-fecal incontinence, or the inability to control defecation

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HOW IS WHIPWORM ACQUIRED?
Whipworm is commonly found in hot, humid locations. Whipworm can be acquired by eating vegetables that haven't been properly washed, peeled, or cooked. It can also be acquired by consuming contaminated dirt from hands/fingers.

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FACT:
Whipworms attach to their host using their slender anterior end. They can vary size anywhere from 3 to 5 cm.

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FACT:
Female whipworms produce about 2,000 to 10,000 eggs per day which is deposited into soil from human feces. It takes 2 to 3 weeks for the eggs to mature. If these eggs are ingested, they will hatch in the small intestine. In the small intestine they will hatch and grow.

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PREVENTION:

Wash hands thoroughly before handling food

Wash, peel, or cook food before consuming

Teach children not to eat soil and wash their hands after playing outdoors

Boil or purify drinking water that may be contaminated

Avoid contact with soil contaminated with fecal matter

Use caution around animal feces and clean up fecal matter when possible

Confine livestock into pens, enclosures should be cleaned regularly

Keep the grass short in areas where pets defecate

Effective sewage disposal systems

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FACT:
The parasite gets it name from its shape. Its thick on one end resembling a whip handle.

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TREATMENT:
Whipworm is treated with albendazole, mebendazole, or ivermectin over a course of 1-3 days.

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FACT:
Female whipworms grow larger than males.