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Animal profile

Human Roundworm

Ascaris lumbricoides

ChromadoreaSmall intestine of humans, with an egg stage that matures in warm moist soil

Field profile

Ascaris lumbricoides is a large parasitic nematode, with females commonly reaching 20 to 35 centimetres. It is among the most common human parasites, transmitted through soil contaminated with faeces. Heavy infections mainly affect children.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2024-08-13

Human Roundworm

Ascaris larvae travel through the lungs before the gut

Swallowed Ascaris eggs hatch in the intestine, but the larvae do not stay. They burrow into blood vessels, pass through the liver and heart to the lungs, climb the airway and are swallowed a second time before maturing.

Read with evidence →

Human Roundworm | Daily Animal Facts