Answer to Case 545

Answer: Not a human parasite: earthworm (Phylum Annelida, subclass Oligochaeta, Family Lumbricidae). It could very well be a Lumbricus species as some readers suggested, but I don't know enough about the different genera of earthworms to tell you for sure. Perhaps a knowledgeable reader can educate us on this topic?

So, wow, I've been on a roll with these parasite mimics! I'll try my best to include some true parasites in upcoming posts. Those of you who have followed this blog for a while probably know that I am fond of mimics - probably because they are so commonly seen in the clinical microbiology lab and provide an interesting challenge to clinicians, patients and laboratorians alike. In this case, I'm sure the patient wouldn't have hesitated to identify this object as an earthworm if it had been in a bait and tackle shop. It's when mimics end up in unfamilar settings (i.e., the toilet bowel) that they become a cause for alarm.

So how did this earthworm end up in the toilet? My plumber friend tells me that this is not an uncommon occurrence since pipes break due to the wear and tear of being in the ground. Tree roots, it would seem, are the enemy of sewage pipes.

For those of you wondering how to tell an earthworm apart from other large worms (e.g., Ascaris lumbricoides), here are some of the defining features that are not seen in human parasites:
1. Clitellum - the thickened glandular non-segmented portion of the earthworm's body found in sexually-mature adults.
2. Segmented body with setae. Setae are the small bristles found on each segment that help the worm move through soil.
3. A mucin-secreting epithelial layer beneath a thin cuticle. This is best appreciated on histopathologic exam; you can see a nice example in my previous CASE 234.

With that, I'll leave you with an interesting 'conversation' between two of our faithful readers, Old One and Florida Fan:

Florida Fan: "Hey Old One are you going fishing?". 
Old One: " Yeh". 
Florida Fan: " Got worms?" 
Old One: " Yeh, but I'm going fishing anyway."

And here is a poem from Blaine Mathison:
To see a worm wiggling in a toilet bowl
would certainly on anyone take its toll
but there's nothing to fear
for it didn't come out your rear
but a crack in your pipes allowed contamination from the soil!

For those of you who would like a more serious poem (with no offense to Blaine's), Florida Fan and Sir Galahad remind us of the poem by Jacques Roubaud, "Le lombric" (the Earthworm). You can find a passable translation HERE. Enjoy!