Metastrongylosis is a

parasitic disease A parasitic disease, also known as parasitosis, is an infectious disease caused by parasites. Parasites are organisms which derive sustenance from its host while causing it harm. The study of parasites and parasitic diseases is known as parasitol ...

that affects

wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a Suidae, suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The speci ...

s and

pig The pig (''Sus domesticus''), also called swine (: swine) or hog, is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is named the domestic pig when distinguishing it from other members of the genus '' Sus''. Some authorities cons ...

s which live outdoors. It is caused by various species of roundworms of the genus ''

Metastrongylus ''Metastrongylus'' is a genus of nematodes of the family Metastrongylidae, usually found as lungworms in pigs and sometimes causing parasitic bronchitis. It causes a disease called metastrongylosis. Species *'' Metastrongylus elongatus'' (D ...

''. A handful of cases of metastrongylosis have been reported in humans. ''Metastrongylus'' species have a life cycle which involves

earthworm An earthworm is a soil-dwelling terrestrial invertebrate that belongs to the phylum Annelida. The term is the common name for the largest members of the class (or subclass, depending on the author) Oligochaeta. In classical systems, they we ...

s as an intermediate host. Pigs root for

s in

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, water, and organisms that together support the life of plants and soil organisms. Some scientific definitions distinguish dirt from ''soil'' by re ...

, and ingest the ''Metastrongylus'' larvae which are infesting the earthworms. The larvae migrate to the lungs, and cause the pig to cough and have difficulty breathing.

References

External links

Swine diseases Helminthiases Veterinary helminthology {{Veterinary-med-stub