Schistosome miracidium. Light micrograph of a miracidium of the parasitic fluke Schistosoma haematobium, the cause of the disease schistosomiasis in h

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Schistosome miracidium. Light micrograph of a miracidium of the parasitic fluke Schistosoma haematobium, the cause of the disease schistosomiasis in humans. This larva hatches from eggs laid in the blood vessels around the bladder of humans, and is passed in the urine of its host into lakes and rivers. Here it infects water snails, where it develops into the free- swimming cercarial stage. The cercariae infect humans who enter the water, penetrating through the skin. Schistosomiasis is endemic in tropical countries, and can cause kidney and liver damage. It is treatable with drugs. Differential interference contrast. Magnification unknown.

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Size: 4511px × 3109px
Photo credit: © SINCLAIR STAMMERS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: animal, bilharzia, contrast, differential, disease-causing, flatworm, fluke, haematobium, infectious, interference, invertebrate, invertebrates, larva, larval, light, micrograph, miracidial, miracidium, nature, parasite, parasitic, pathogen, pathogenic, pathology, platyhelminthes, schistosoma, schistosome, schistosomiasis, wildlife, zoology