What is the parasite’s life cycle?
The whirling disease parasite has a complicated life cycle that requires two hosts, one is a small worm and one is a fish. Without these two hosts, the parasite cannot complete its life cycle and will die without multiplying. The worm host of the parasite is called Tubifex tubifex. This worm is very small (about 1/2-inch in length) and is very common and widespread around the world. The fish host is a salmonid fish. During its life cycle, the parasite takes several physical forms that look very different from each other. Two of these are infective spore forms, called the myxospore and the triactinomyxon (TAM). The myxospore is a very small, round, durable spore that infects the Tubifex worm while in the sediment of a stream. Once inside the worm, the parasite multiplies and transforms into the next spore form, the triactinomyxon (TAM). The TAM is released from the worm into the water column where it floats until it comes into contact with a susceptible fish. The TAM attaches to the fis
Related Questions
- Would the parasite continue its life cycle if it never attaches to a fish host (one of the three remaining fish)?
- Does inhibition of Trypanosoma cruzi key enzymes affect parasite life cycle and geographic distribution?
- What is the life cycle of the parasite? Once it has infected a host, does it always remain in the body?
