The Unique Life Cycle of Strongyloides stercoralis and Implications for Public Health Action
1
Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation, Nhulunbuy, NT 0881, Australia
2
Public Health and Tropical Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia
3
Centre for Indigenous Health Equity Research, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Bundaberg, QLD 4670, Australia
4
School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD 4700, Australia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2018, 3(2), 53; https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed3020053
Received: 27 April 2018
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Revised: 21 May 2018
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Accepted: 21 May 2018
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Published: 25 May 2018
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Control of Communicable Diseases in Human and in Animal Populations: 70th Anniversary Year of the Birth of Professor Rick Speare (2 August 1947 – 5 June 2016))
Strongyloides stercoralis has one of the most complex life cycles of the human-infecting nematodes. A common misconception in medical and public health professions is that S. stercoralis in its biology is akin to other intestinal nematodes, such as the hookworms. Despite original evidence provided by medical and veterinary research about this unique helminth, many assumptions have entered the scientific literature. This helminth is set apart from others that commonly affect humans by (a) the internal autoinfective cycle with autoinfective larvae randomly migrating through tissue, parthenogenesis, and the potential for lifelong infection in the host, the profound pathology occurring in hyperinfection and systemic manifestations of strongyloidiasis, and (b) a limited external cycle with a single generation of free-living adults. This paper aims to review and discuss original research on the unique life cycle of S. stercoralis that distinguishes it from other helminths and highlight areas where increased understanding of the parasite’s biology might lead to improved public health prevention and control strategies.
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Keywords:
Strongyloides stercoralis; strongyloidiasis; life cycle; public health; control; biology
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MDPI and ACS Style
Page, W.; Judd, J.A.; Bradbury, R.S. The Unique Life Cycle of Strongyloides stercoralis and Implications for Public Health Action. Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2018, 3, 53. https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed3020053
AMA Style
Page W, Judd JA, Bradbury RS. The Unique Life Cycle of Strongyloides stercoralis and Implications for Public Health Action. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease. 2018; 3(2):53. https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed3020053
Chicago/Turabian StylePage, Wendy, Jenni A. Judd, and Richard S. Bradbury. 2018. "The Unique Life Cycle of Strongyloides stercoralis and Implications for Public Health Action" Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease 3, no. 2: 53. https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed3020053
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