Gastrodiscoides

Orissa and Uttar Pradesh regions of India.^[5][2]

caecum.^[6][7] Humans are considered an accidental host, as the parasite can survive without humans. It causes a helminthic disease called gastrodiscoidiasis.^[6][7]

testis and one ovary. They placed it in the genus Amphistomum, because of its obvious location of posterior sucker; the species was named Amphistomum hominis, as it was found in human.^[8] In 1902, F. Fischoeder recognised the affinity with other species and tentatively placed it in the genus Gastrodiscus (Leuckart, 1877). However, the generic name was largely recognised as a synonym; it was then known as Amphistomum (Gastrodiscus) hominis. With a fresh look, J. W. W. Stephens re-described the parasite in 1906, and clearly noted the overlooked relatively small ovary and interpretation of the posterior testis as an ovary in the original description.^[8]

parasitologist J. J. C. Buckley, at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (where he was then a Milner Research Fellow), whose descriptions were based on high incidence of the parasitism among the native Assamese ethnic groups in Northeastern India. His first report in 1939,^[1] followed by a body of evidences in support of Leiper's proposition, enabled him to vindicate the validity of a separate genus, Gastrodiscoides, hence the binomial name Gastrodiscoides hominis.^[10] His report was the pioneer description of the life cycle of the fluke and the prevalence of gastrodiscoidiasis.^[1] In his survey of three villages in Assam, there was found a surprisingly high incidence, with over 40% of the population was infected. J. J. C. Buckley's report is the most useful to the modern classification of G. hominis.^[11]

bladder is in the middle behind the ventral sucker. The genus is hermaphrodite, as both male and female reproductive system are present.^[6][8]

testes lie in alongside the bifurcation of the caeca, and a common genital pore is on the cone just anterior to the bifurcation. The oval-shaped ovary lies just posterior to the testes in the middle, and the loosely coiled uterus opens to the genital pore. Vitelline glands are scattered around the caeca.^[8]

miracidia

locomotory organs

mammals upon consumption, while they get attached to vegetation, where night soil

anaemia, and even death.^[2][4]

oedema and thickening, resulting in a subacute inflammation of the caecum and mucoid diarrhoea.^[6]

anaemia and was eventually diagnosed with infections of G. hominis and Ascaris lumbricoides. The child quickly recovered after proper medication.^[4]

trematodes by their rhomboid shape and distinct green colour. Patients do not often directly show any symptoms, and if one appears, it indicates that the infection is already at a very high level. There is no prescribed treatment, but the traditional practice of soap enema has been very effective in removing the worms.^[3] It works to flush the flukes from the colon which removes the parasite entirely, as it does not reproduce within the host. Some drugs that have been proven effective are tetrachloroethylene, at a dosage of 0.1 mg/kg on an empty stomach, and a more preferred drug, praziquantel, which eliminates the parasite with 3 doses at 25 mg/kg in one day.^[6] Mebendazole was found to be efficient in deworming the parasite from a Nigerian girl who was shedding thousands of parasite eggs in stools even with a single dose of 500 mg.^[4] Prevention of this disease is not difficult when simple sanitary measures are taken. Night soil should never be used as a fertilizer because it could contain any number of parasites. Vegetables should be washed thoroughly, and meat properly cooked.^[7]