Moniliformis moniliformis

Moniliformis moniliformis is a parasite of the Acanthocephala phylum in the family Moniliformidae. Along with Macrocanthorhynchus hirudinaceous, M. moniliformis is an acanthocephalan worm species that can infect humans, though rare.

The earliest known human infection was found in Utah in the coprolite of a prehistoric man. Specimen analysis showed a significant amount of M. moniliformis eggs in the coprolite. In 1888 in Italy, Calandruccio infected himself by ingesting larvae, reported gastrointestinal disturbances, and then shed the eggs in two weeks. This was the first report of the clinical manifestations of an M. moniliformis infection in humans.