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Updated: Aug 11, 2026
13:55
Sexual Transmission of American Trypanosomes from Males and Females to Naive Mates
Published on: January 27, 2019
Human enterobiasis in evolution: origin, specificity and transmission
J P Hugot1, K J Reinhard, S L Gardner
1Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Institut de Biosystématique (FR 1541 CNRS), Paris, France. hugot@cimrs1.mnhn.fr
Parasite (Paris, France)
|October 8, 1999
Summary
Human pinworm (Enterobius) transmission likely co-evolved with humans, favoring direct contact. Airborne transmission emerged as an adaptation to early sedentary life in caves.
Area of Science:
- Parasitology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Paleoanthropology
Background:
- The origin of human pinworms (Enterobius) is often explained by co-evolution.
- Two transmission routes exist: direct oral/anal and indirect airborne.
Observation:
- Direct transmission is common in primates.
- Airborne transmission of Enterobius has been documented in humans.
- Neolithic human coprolites from North American caves show higher pinworm prevalence in less-ventilated sites.
Findings:
- Airborne transmission of pinworms is an evolutionary innovation specific to the human-Enterobius relationship.
- This transmission route appears to have been favored by a shift towards sedentary lifestyles, particularly in cave dwellings.
Implications:
- Understanding pinworm transmission provides insights into early human behavior and adaptation.
- This research highlights how environmental changes can drive parasite evolution and transmission dynamics.
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