Whipworms (Trichuris sp) are successful gastrointestinal dwelling nematode parasites of many species including man. The
human parasite Trichuris trichiura is currently thought to infect up to 1 billion people worldwide resulting in
considerable morbidity.
Trichuris muris is very closely related to the human parasite T. trichiura sharing cross reactive
antigens. Moreover, it is a remarkably tractable model system for dissecting immune responses and host parasite
relationships and is actively being investigated in a number of laboratories worldwide. T. muris is a naturally
occurring nematode parasite of mice which resides in the caecum and colon and has a direct oral faecal life cycle.
Embryonated eggs are ingested and hatch in the crypts of the large intestine. After undergoing a series of moults, they
become adult parasites which mate and release eggs that are shed in the faeces and can develop externally. The adult
worms have an unusual niche in that the anterior end burrows through epithelial cells forming syncitial tunnels whereas
the posterior end of the worm remains free within the lumen facilitating mating and egg deposition.
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[Neil Humphreys, University of Manchester. The slender front end of a whipworm, the stichosome, can be seen in multiple cross-sections just above the intestinal villi of the mammalian host in the centre of the image. In contrast, the larger rear end of the worm containing its reproductive organs has been captured in one longitudinal section in the upper half of the image.]
