Nectar americanus - Introduction, Classification, History, Habitat, Morphology

Introduction to Nectar americanus

Nectar americanus, also known as the New World hookworm or the American hookworm, is an important etiological agent of hookworm infections in humans. The type of helminthiasis caused by the Nectar hookworm is called Necatoriasis.

Classification of Nectar americanus

Nectar americanus is classified by:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Nematoda

Class: Chromadorea

Order: Rhabditida

Family: Ancylostomatidae

Genus: Necator

Species: N. americanus

Habitat of Nectar americanus

Nectar americanus, an obligate parasitic nematode, habitats the small intestine of human hosts.

Morphology of Nectar americanus

Compared to the hookworm Ancylostoma duodenale, Nectar americanus is less pathogenic, slightly morphologically smaller, and slender.

Adult worm

• adult worm of Nectar americanus is small and slender

• round shaped head

• the slight curve at the anterior end in the opposite direction of the body curve, giving the appearance of a hook

• transverse cuticular striae is more prominent than in Ancylostoma duodenale

• the buccal capsule is small, round, and lined with dorso-median teeth

• buccal capsule in males contains 1 pair of chitinous plates on the ventral surface and 1 pair of plates on the dorsal surface

• the buccal capsule is 15μm to 16μm in length with a short lumen and thick chitinous wall

• between intestine and esophagus, a gap is present

• the posterior part of the intestine lacks any refractile body

• lifespan range from 3 years to 5 years

Male

• copulatory organ present in male Nectar americanus

• consists of 12 finger-like rays with dorsal rays split from the base

• each bifurcation is bipartite

• measures 7mm to 9 mm in length

Female

• in female Nectar americanus, the vulva is situated in front of the middle of the body

• female lack a posterior spine

• lays 5,000 to 10,000 eggs/day

• measures 9 mm to 11 mm in length

Infective form

Filariform larva

• is the infective stage of Nectar americanus

• causes infection by penetrating the host skin

• third stage larvae (L3)

• non-feeding form of the parasite

• presence of a striated cuticle and a dark prominent buccal capsule which is absent in Ancylostoma duodenale