Armillifer grandis explained

Armillifer grandis is a species of tongue worm in the subclass Pentastomida found in tropical Central and West Africa.[1] Its typical definitive hosts are viperid snakes (such as Bitis gabonica, Bitis nasicornis, and Cerastes cerastes), 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 that is often called porocephalosis. Most human infections are asymptomatic, although some cases are debilitating and even lethal.[2] Abdominal infections are more widespread, but typically undiagnosed,[3] while ocular manifestations are rare[4] and may cause blindness.[5]

Most of the vipers sold for human consumption at the rural bushmeat markets in the Democratic Republic of Congo host A. grandis.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Christoffersen ML, De Assis JE . A systematic monograph of the Recent Pentastomida, with a compilation of their host . . 87 . 1–206 . 2013 . 10.1.1.734.4592 .
  2. Tappe . Dennis . Büttner . Dietrich W. . Bethony . Jeffrey M. . Diagnosis of Human Visceral Pentastomiasis . PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases . 24 February 2009 . 3 . 2 . e320 . 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000320 . 19238218 . 2643528 . free .
  3. Tappe . Dennis . Sulyok . Mihály . Rózsa . Lajos . Muntau . Birgit . Haeupler . Alexandra . Bodó . Imre . Hardi . Richard . Fenwick . B. W. . Molecular Diagnosis of Abdominal Armillifer grandis Pentastomiasis in the Democratic Republic of Congo . Journal of Clinical Microbiology . July 2015 . 53 . 7 . 2362–2364 . 10.1128/JCM.00336-15 . 25948609 . 4473205 .
  4. Sulyok . Mihály . Rózsa . Lajos . Bodó . Imre . Tappe . Dennis . Hardi . Richard . Ocular Pentastomiasis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo . PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases . 24 July 2014 . 8 . 7 . e3041 . 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003041 . 25058608 . 4109912 . free .
  5. Hardi . R . Sulyok . M . Rózsa . L . Bodó . I . A Man With Unilateral Ocular Pain and Blindness . Clinical Infectious Diseases . 1 August 2013 . 57 . 3 . 418, 469–70 . 10.1093/cid/cit309 . 23833277 . free .
  6. Hardi . Richard . Babocsay . Gergely . Tappe . Dennis . Sulyok . Mihály . Bodó . Imre . Rózsa . Lajos . Armillifer-Infected Snakes Sold at Congolese Bushmeat Markets Represent an Emerging Zoonotic Threat . EcoHealth . 13 October 2017 . 14 . 4 . 743–749 . 10.1007/s10393-017-1274-5 . 29030787 . 7088293 .

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