Answer to Case 621

 Answer to theParasite Case of the Week 621:Poik ïlorchis(Achillurbainia)congolensis.Wow, I am so impressed with how many of you got this identification. This rare parasite was first described inNature in 1957 in a man from the Belgian Congo. From Idzi: Poikilorchis congolensis, or alternativelyAchillurbainia congolensis-as the genusPoïkilorchis (Fain and Vandepitte, 1957) was regarded by Dollfus as a synonym ofAchillurbainia (Dollfus, R. P., 1966. Personal communication).As far as I have found in the literature, it has been described in humans only eight times up ‘till now, although some authors suggest that some of the reported cases ofParagonimus(especially in Africa) could be in fact cases ofPoïkilorchisinfection.Although its hosts are not known for sure,Poïkilorchis congolensisis considered to be a zoonosis, with the common final host probably being leopards (and maybe also giant rats?) and intermediate hosts being probably freshwater crabs.The infection typically produces subcutaneous retroauricular cysts, which contain as well the eggs as the adults. Nevertheless, in many (human) cases only eggs are found in the cyst.In the literature, I found human cases in Central and West Africa, Sarawak (Malaysia), possible also one in China …Idzi and the vial of ofPoïkilorchis congolensiseggs.As many of you noted, these eggs look like those ofDiphyllobothrium/Dibothriocephalusspp., but the source is inconsistent with this identification. Similarly, the...
Source: Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites - Category: Parasitology Source Type: blogs