Prepare for the ICEV Animal Science Certification Exam. Utilize flashcards and multiple choice questions, each equipped with hints and explanations. Ace your exam confidently!

Multiple Choice

Which of the following parasites are also called blood worms?

Blood worms are a name given to a group of nematodes that feed on blood and cause bleeding in the tissues they inhabit. In veterinary parasitology, this term specifically identifies the strongyles, a subset of roundworms that infect livestock and horses. Their life cycle and tissue migration—often through the intestinal wall or arteries—lead to blood loss and related disease, which is why they earned the label blood worms. Strongyles are a type of nematode, so the broader category “nematodes” is not the specific label here. Tapeworms and flukes belong to different parasite groups (cestodes and trematodes, respectively) and do not carry the bloodworm name.

Blood worms are a name given to a group of nematodes that feed on blood and cause bleeding in the tissues they inhabit. In veterinary parasitology, this term specifically identifies the strongyles, a subset of roundworms that infect livestock and horses. Their life cycle and tissue migration—often through the intestinal wall or arteries—lead to blood loss and related disease, which is why they earned the label blood worms.

Strongyles are a type of nematode, so the broader category “nematodes” is not the specific label here. Tapeworms and flukes belong to different parasite groups (cestodes and trematodes, respectively) and do not carry the bloodworm name.