Strongyloides stercoralis

Plant hair. Hair in fecal smear (unstained, high power). Various types of plant hairs can be found in feces as a normal product of the digestive process. Hairs, such as the fuzz from peach skins, are common findings in fecal smears where sometimes they can be confused with the larvae of Strongyloides and possibly other nematodes (see previous slide). Plant hairs are frequently straight, but when partially reflexed, as in this field, they are more often interpreted to be larvae. Many of these hairs have the approximate lengths and widths of nematode larvae (225-230 um long by 10-15 um wide).