Skin-dwelling helminths consist of multiple species encompassing multiple taxonomic families. Although many of these parasites have an arthropod vector in the life cycle, others (eg, Dracunculus) use waterborne intermediate or paratenic hosts, and some (eg, Rhabditis) infect their hosts directly from the environment.
Some helminth infections are conspicuous because of their lesions and anatomical locations; others require microscopic examination of skin scrapings or histological evaluation of tissue for diagnosis.
Often, control of a helminth infection requires breaking the parasite's life cycle or removing the infected animal from contaminated areas and then disinfecting the environment. Ensuring that animals are not standing in water or in areas of decaying organic material can help minimize transmission of parasites such as Rhabditis.
Other helminthic parasites, including Elaeophora and Habronema, often require vector control and the use of repellents to decrease transmission.
For More Information
Bowman DD. Georgis' Parasitology for Veterinarians. 11th ed. Elsevier; 2021.
