Nippostrongylus brasiliensis is gastrointestinal nematode parasite of rats.

Life cycle

The life cycle is similar to that of the human hookworms, Necator americanus

Necator americanus

Necator americanus is a species of Necator. It is a class within the phylum Nematodes and commonly known as New World hookworm. It is a parasitic nematode worm that lives in the small intestine of hosts such as humans, dogs and cats. It is responsible for Necatoriasis...

 and Ancylostoma duodenale

Ancylostoma duodenale

Ancylostoma duodenale is a species of the worm genus Ancylostoma. It is a parasitic nematode worm and commonly known as Old World hookworm. It lives in the small intestine of host such as humans, cats and dogs....

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Adults produce eggs in the intestine which then pass out of the host in faeces. The larvae then develop into their infective L3 stage.

This stage then penetrates the hosts skin or is ingested. They are then carried by circulation to the heart and lungs where they penetrate aveoli. Here they are coughed up and swallowed and then enter the intestine, attached to the intestinal wall where they develop into adults, producing eggs so that the cycle continues.