The parasite also known as the kidney worm is of the:

• A. Fascioloides species
• B. Alaria species
• C. Stephanurus species
• D. Metastrongylus species

Answer: (C)

The kidney worm is Stephanurus dentatus, a nematode of swine. The adult worms live in the kidney pelvis and ureters, which is why this parasite is known as the kidney worm. Eggs are shed in the urine, so infection is linked to the urinary route and the environment where pigs defecate and urinate. The larvae migrate from the liver and surrounding tissues to reach the kidneys, which helps explain potential kidney damage and wasting in infected animals. This stands in contrast to the other options: Fascioloides species are liver flukes of ruminants, Alaria species are intestinal flukes that involve different hosts and tissues, and Metastrongylus species are lungworms of pigs.