Adolescarius [At. Adolesco Prepare + (Cer)Cari]

Adolescaria is an intermediate stage in the life cycle of some trematode parasites, lasting several days or weeks, depending on the type of helminth. They are miniature cercariae covered with a membrane. The incubation period for infection ranges from a week to a month. After an infested oocyst (egg) is ingested by a person or animal, it turns into an adolescum - a larva that quickly passes through the digestive tract and reaches the small intestine, where metamorphosis of the eggs occurs. After a little time, the cercaria with the membrane covering it (adolescarcial mesh) leave the intestine into the environment, ending up in water, soil, plants or litter. Under natural conditions, no additional intervention is required for their further development into the cercarial stage