Where do helminthic infections primarily occur in the body?

Helminthic infections primarily occur in the gastric tract due to the life cycles and modes of transmission of these parasitic worms. Many helminths are transmitted through contaminated food and water, which makes the gastrointestinal tract their primary site of entry and activity. Once ingested, they often embed themselves in the intestinal lining or reside within the intestinal lumen, where they can grow and reproduce.

Though helminths can occasionally impact other systems, such as causing symptoms related to respiratory or neurological complications in more severe cases, their initial and primary sites of infection are within the gastric and intestinal tracts. This characteristic is crucial for understanding both the epidemiology of helminthic infections and their treatment with specific anthelmintic agents.