Tongue Worms and the effect on our health:
- Jul 28
- 5 min read
Tongue worms are among the strangest and least understood parasites known to infect animals and humans. Despite their name, they are not true worms and they do not primarily live on the tongue. Tongue worms belong to a unique group of parasitic organisms called Pentastomids, meaning “five mouths,” due to the ring of hook like structures surrounding their mouth.
These parasites have existed for millions of years and are most commonly found in reptiles, especially snakes. However, under certain conditions, humans can become accidental hosts. Human infection is rare, but documented cases have occurred across Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and other parts of the world.
What Are Tongue Worms?
Tongue worms are elongated parasitic creatures with a flattened segmented appearance. They behave more like arthropods than true worms and are biologically closer to crustaceans.
The most well known species include:
