Armillifer armillatus explained

Armillifer armillatus is a species of tongue worm in the subclass Pentastomida^[1] occurring in tropical Africa.^[2] Its typical definitive hosts are pythons, such as the African rock python, while rodents are presumed to act as intermediate hosts. Humans may become accidentally infected by the eggs particularly if consuming (or otherwise contacting) infected snakes. Ingested eggs develop into nymphs that invade different visceral organs causing a disease called porocephalosis. Humans have been infected by eating undercooked snake meat or through direct contact. Most human infections are asymptomatic, some are debilitating, or rarely even lethal.^{[3] [4]} Diagnoses of infection has usually been done by accident, and almost all patients did not require treatment. ^[5]

Most of the pythons sold for human consumption at the rural bushmeat markets in the Democratic Republic of Congo host Armillifer armillatus.^[6]

Notes and References

1. Chen SH, Liu Q, Zhang YN . Multi-host model-based identification of Armillifer agkistrodontis (Pentastomida), a new zoonotic parasite from China . . 4 . 4 . e647 . 2010 . 20386597 . 2850311 . 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000647 . etal . free .
2. Christoffersen ML, De Assis JE . 2013 . A systematic monograph of the Recent Pentastomida, with a compilation of their host . dead . . 87 . 1–206 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141108132505/http://www.zoologischemededelingen.nl/cgi/t/text/get-pdf?c=zoomed;idno=8701a01 . 8 November 2014 . 17 January 2018.
3. Mapp EM, Pollack HM, Goldman LH . Roentgen diagnosis of Armillifer armillatus infestation (porocephalosis) in man . . 68 . 3 . 198–200, 191 . May 1976 . 933188 . 2609651 .
4. Tappe D, Büttner DW . 2009 . Diagnosis of Human Visceral Pentastomiasis . . 3 . 2 . 1–7 . 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000320 . 19238218 . 2643528 . free .
5. Vanhecke . C. . Le-Gall . P. . Le Breton . M. . Malvy . D. . Human pentastomiasis in Sub-Saharan Africa . Médecine et Maladies Infectieuses . Elsevier BV . 46 . 6 . 2016 . 0399-077X . 10.1016/j.medmal.2016.02.006 . 269–275. 27004769 .
6. Hardi R, Babocsay G, Tappe D, Sulyok M, Bodó I, Rózsa L . 2017 . Armillifer-infected snakes sold at Congolese bushmeat markets represent an emerging zoonotic threat. EcoHealth. 14 . 4 . 743–749 . 10.1007/s10393-017-1274-5 . 29030787 . 7088293.