Nematology is a branch of biology that deals primarily with roundworms or nematodes. It became a field in its own right in the mid-to-late nineteenth century. 1 Nematodes belong to the phylum Nematode. They are characterized by an early pulmonary stage associated with larval locomotion followed by a prolonged intestinal stage. Adult worms are 15–40 cm long and reside in the lumen of the small intestine. Infection occurs after eating eggs contained in contaminated food or, more commonly, by hand-to-mouth infection after contact with contaminated soil. Treatment is with mebendazole or pyrantel pamoate. A nematologist is a person who specializes in this field. Nathan Augustus Cobb is considered the father of nematology. He was able to describe several nematode species. French nematologist Michel Luc is considered the father of plant nematology. He is also known for his work on nematode taxonomy. Another prominent nematologist is Gregor Willian Yates. He is known for his work on nematodes in non-agricultural environments, especially sand dunes.
