Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T14:21:51.090Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Morphological observations and the effects of artificial digestive fluids on the survival of Diploscapter coronata from a Japanese patient

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 April 2024

N. Morimoto*
Affiliation:
Departments of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kohasu, Oko-cho, Nankoku, Kochi, 783-8505, Japan
M. Korenaga
Affiliation:
Departments of Parasitology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kohasu, Oko-cho, Nankoku, Kochi, 783-8505, Japan
K. Yagyu
Affiliation:
Departments of Medical Research Center, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kohasu, Oko-cho, Nankoku, Kochi, 783-8505, Japan
N. Kagei
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Toyama 1-23-1, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
M. Fujieda
Affiliation:
Departments of Pediatrics, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kohasu, Oko-cho, Nankoku, Kochi, 783-8505, Japan
O. Bain
Affiliation:
National Museum of Natural History, 61 rue Buffon, Paris Cedex 05, France
H. Wakiguchi
Affiliation:
Departments of Pediatrics, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kohasu, Oko-cho, Nankoku, Kochi, 783-8505, Japan
Y. Hashiguchi
Affiliation:
Departments of Parasitology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kohasu, Oko-cho, Nankoku, Kochi, 783-8505, Japan
T. Sugiura
Affiliation:
Departments of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kohasu, Oko-cho, Nankoku, Kochi, 783-8505, Japan
*
*Corresponding author: Fax: +81 88 880 2462, Email: [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Unusual non-human parasitic nematodes and eggs were detected in the faeces of an 8-year-old Japanese female suffering from Henoch-Schönlein purpura. The worms were adult female rhabditiform nematodes measuring 325.6–441.2 μm in length and 18.3–26.5 μm in width. One pair of the labia oris was notched with many spiny projections, while the other pair was strongly curved outwards. The worms were identified using light and scanning electron microscopy as the free-living nematode Diploscapter coronata (Cobb) based on their characteristic morphology. The patient's faeces containing worms and eggs were cultured using a filter-paper culture technique and after 7 days of culture, male as well as female worms were recovered. Worm survival time and hatchability of the eggs were examined in vitro after treatment with an artificial gastric or intestinal fluid. Although adult worms survived for less than one minute, eggs hatched after treatment with artificial gastric fluid. This suggests that eggs accidentally ingested or produced by adult D. coronata could develop in the human gastro-intestinal tract. Some morphological features of male D. coronata are also described.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2006

References

Anderson, R.C. & Bain, O. (1982) Keys to genera of the superfamilies Rhabditoidea, Dioctophymatoidea, Trichinelloidea and Muspiceoidea. pp. 126 in Anderson, R.C., Chabaud, A.G. & Willmott, S. (Eds) CHI Keys to the nematode parasites of vertebrates. Farnham Royal, England, Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux.Google Scholar
Beaver, P.C., Jung, R.C. & Cupp, E.W. (1984) 263 pp. Clinical parasitology. 9th edn.. Philadelphia, Lea & Febiger.Google Scholar
Chandler, A.C. (1938) Diploscapter coronata as a facultative parasite of man, with a general review of vertebrate parasitism by rhabditoid worms. Parasitology 30, 4455.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cobb, N.A. (1893) Nematodes, mostly Australian and Fijian. Department of Agriculture, NSW, Miscellaneous Publication 13, 359.Google Scholar
Cobb, N.A. (1913) New nematode genera found inhabiting fresh water and non-brackish soils. Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences 3, 432444.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harada, Y. & Mori, O. (1951) A simple culture technic for hookworm eggs. Igaku to Seibutsugaku 20, 6567.(in Japanese)Google Scholar
Maupas, E. (1900) Modes et formes de reproduction des nématodes. Archives de Zoologie Expérimentale et Générale. 3rd sér 8, 463624. (in French)Google Scholar
Rai, A., Nast, C. & Adler, S. (1999) Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 10, 26372644.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Saulsbury, F.T. (1999) Henoch-Schönlein purpura in children. Report of 100 patients and review of the literature. Medicine (Baltimore) 78, 395409.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sheather, A.L. (1923) The detection of intestinal protozoa and mange parasites by a flotation technique. Journal of Comparative Pathology 36, 266275.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Witenberg, G. (1951) Some unusual observations on helminthiasis in Israel. Harefuah 41, 178180.Google ScholarPubMed
Yokogawa, S. (1936) A human case of accidental parasitism of Diploscapter coronata (Cobb, 1893) Cobb, 1913. Zoological Magazine, Tokyo 48, 507512. (in Japanese with English summary)Google Scholar