by Laura Sullivanlyndall

Created on: July 11, 2009   Last Updated: July 12, 2009

Whales like humans are mammals. Just as humans and other mammals have parasites living in them and sometimes attached to their outer bodies, so do whales. Some parasites are extremely harmful to a whale's health, while others just tend to be hitch hikers catching a ride and feeding on the whales blubber and blood. Whale parasites include but are not limited to tapeworms, round worms, flukes, whale lice. Here are some facts about whale parasites, their purposes, benefits and the dangers they pose.

Round worms can be one of the more threatening parasites a whale can have. One of the most common species of round worms found in whales is the lung worm. As the name would indicate, they can be found in the lungs of whales and other marine animals. Lung worm infestations can cause several serious complications such as pneumonia, swelling, blocked airways, and respiratory infections, all of which may lead to death if untreated. Typically though they show no clinical signs. Another species of round worms that effects whales is the Crassicauda sp. The Crassicauda sp., attack the urinary tract and kidneys and can ultimately cause kidney failure. Most roundworm infestations come from consuming food supplies that are already infected. These are generally small worms, on the average of 7cm long.

Tape worms in whales can grow as long as 120 ft. Tape worms are a long, flat looking worm. While tape worms are more of an irritant than a threat in whales, when a whale becomes sick an infestation of tape worms may add to the stress on the immune system, thus becoming very harmful. Tape worms attach themselves to the inside of the intestinal wall with their teeth and absorb nutrients through their skin. Their biggest threat to a whale are when a whale doesn't receive enough nutrients to sustain the infestation, the whale will become malnourished.

Flukes are a small worm that often enter through the blow hole or sinus area. They can be extremely dangerous as the fact that they secrete a toxic waste that damages the tissue. Additionally, the tend to attack vital organs such as the heart, lung, and liver. Occasionally, they will travel to the brain, causing severe brain damage. A fluke can lay one hundred thousand eggs a day.

Whale lice are an external parasite that spend their entire life on the body of whales. They are an amphipod crustacean, with flat bodies and hooks on the tips of their legs. They are usually found in the skin folds, in or on lesions and barnacles. They are generally

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