Final answer:
Ascariasis is a disease caused by the parasitic worm Ascaris lumbricoides. It follows a direct life cycle that involves transmission through contaminated soil and food. The correct answer to the question is A) Ascariasis, Direct life cycle.
Step-by-step explanation:
The disease caused by the large nematode roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides is known as ascariasis. It follows a direct life cycle where the eggs of the worms are transmitted through contaminated food and water. The larval stage occurs when juveniles hatch in the intestine and travel to the lungs, then to the pharynx, where they are swallowed and return to the intestines to mature into adults.
Ascariasis is estimated to infect over 800 million to 1 billion people globally, commonly in warmer climates and seasons. Although ascariasis can be self-limiting, it can last one to two years, and treatments typically include the anthelmintic drugs mebendazole or albendazole. Severe cases may require surgical intervention.