Armillifer Explained

Armillifer is a genus of tongue worms in the subclass Pentastomida.^{[1] [2]} It contains the following species:^[3]

• Armillifer aborealis
• Armillifer agkistrodontis
• Armillifer armillatus
• Armillifer australis
• Armillifer grandis
• Armillifer mazzai
• Armillifer moniliformis
• Armillifer yoshidai

Interactions with humans

Obligate parasites, Armillifer worms had been linked to human disease as early as 1847, although infections are rare and are caused by human consumption of undercooked meat of a host. The majority of infections are caused by the tropical African species Armillifer armillatus. Only 45% of patients in one study experienced symptoms from the infection. Unfortunately, 67% of patients with worm infections in their eyes were driven permanently blind by the parasite.^[4]

Notes and References

1. Book: R. Heymons . 1935 . Pentastomida . H. G. Bronns . Klassen und Ordnungen des Tierreichs. Fünfter Band. IV Abteilung, 1. Buch . . Leipzig . 1–268 pp.
2. J. T. Self . 1969 . Biological relationships of the Pentastomida: a bibliography on the Pentastomida . . 24 . 1 . 63–119 . 4887218 . 10.1016/0014-4894(69)90222-7.
3. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Armillifer Sambon, 1922 . 2022-12-11 . www.marinespecies.org.
4. Ioannou . Petros . Vamvoukaki . Rodanthi . 2019 . Armillifer Infections in Humans: A Systematic Review . Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease . en . 4 . 2 . 80 . 10.3390/tropicalmed4020080 . 2414-6366 . 6631905 . 31100831 . free.