Mansonella Explained

Mansonella is a genus of parasitic nematodes. It includes three species that are responsible for the disease mansonelliasis: Mansonella ozzardi, M. perstans, and M. streptocerca. A potential fourth species has been identified in Gabon in 2015 and proposed as a new species Mansonella sp. "DEUX". Whole-genome sequences from Mansonella perstans, Mansonella ozzardi, and the newly proposed species Mansonella sp. "DEUX" have been assembled.

Species

There are nine accepted species and one proposed species:

• Mansonella barbascalensis
• Mansonella llewellyni Price, 1962
• Mansonella longicapitata Eberhard, Campo-Aasen & Orihel, 1984
• Mansonella ozzardi Manson, 1897 – parasite of humans in Central and South America
• Mansonella perstans Manson, 1891 – parasite of humans and primates in Africa and South America
• Mansonella rodhaini
• Mansonella rotundicapitata Eberhard, Campo-Aasen & Orihel, 1984
• Mansonella semiclarum Fain, 1974
• Mansonella streptocerca – parasite of humans in West and Central Africa
• Mansonella sp "DEUX" – first observation of human infections in Gabon in 2015.