Where on the body are enteric endoparasites most commonly found in laboratory animals?

• A. On the skin and hair shafts
• B. In the nasal passages and the lungs
• C. In the intestinal tract
• D. In the bloodstream

Answer: (C)

Enteric endoparasites reside inside the gastrointestinal tract. In laboratory animals they inhabit the intestinal lumen and mucosa, where they feed, reproduce, and are shed in feces. Because their life cycles rely on the gut environment and fecal-oral transmission, these parasites are found in the digestive system rather than on the skin, in the respiratory tract, or in the blood. Detecting them typically involves examining fecal material or intestinal contents.