DIGENEA Meaning and
Definition
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Digenea is a class of parasitic flatworms belonging to the phylum Platyhelminthes. It is commonly known as the flukes. Digenea is characterized by its flattened, leaf-like body structure, which allows them to live inside the bodies of their vertebrate hosts. These parasites have a complex life cycle, usually involving two or more intermediate hosts and one definitive host.
The adult Digenea flukes reside in various organs of the definitive host, such as the liver, intestines, or lungs, and they rely on the host's nutrients for their survival. They possess a highly specialized mouth and digestive system, which allows them to feed on the host's tissues or fluids. These parasites reproduce sexually, with most species being hermaphroditic, meaning they possess both male and female reproductive organs.
The life cycle of Digenea typically involves the release of eggs through the host's feces or urine. These eggs hatch and develop into free-swimming larvae known as miracidia, which then seek out and penetrate specific intermediate hosts, such as snails or other aquatic invertebrates. Inside the intermediate host, the miracidia go through several developmental stages, known as sporocysts, rediae, and cercariae. Ultimately, the cercariae are released from the intermediate host and can infect the definitive host, completing the life cycle.
Some species of Digenea are known to cause significant diseases in humans and other animals. For instance, Schistosoma, a well-known genus of Digenea, is responsible for causing schistosomiasis, a disease affecting millions of people in various parts of the world. Other closely related species of Digenea also have medical and veterinary importance due to their potential to cause various
Common Misspellings for DIGENEA
- sigenea
- xigenea
- cigenea
- figenea
- rigenea
- eigenea
- dugenea
- djgenea
- dkgenea
- dogenea
- d9genea
- d8genea
- difenea
- divenea
- dibenea
- dihenea
- diyenea
- ditenea
- digwnea
- digsnea
Etymology of DIGENEA
The word "Digenea" is derived from two Greek words: "di" meaning two, and "genos" meaning birth or descent. This term refers to a class of parasitic flatworms known as flukes, which have complex life cycles involving two primary hosts. The name "Digenea" was coined to describe this unique characteristic and the evolutionary relationship between these organisms.
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