Monday, September 9, 2019
Case of the Week 559
We're one week late due to my crazy travel schedule, but without further delay, here is our monthly case by Idzi Potters and the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp. It's short and sweet: The following was found in a stool specimen from a 3 year old child with diarrhea. It measures approximately 80 micrometers in diameter. Identification?
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20 comments:
Hymenolepsis nana
Hymenolepis diminuta (larger size, no polar filaments)
Definitely so, the larger size and lack of polar filaments are clues to an identification of a rat tapeworm Hymelopepis diminuta. I often wonder why it is called diminuta when actually it is about double the size of H. nana?
Florida Fan
Agree, H.diminuta egg with typical characteristic no polar filaments
Hymenolepis diminuta
Hymenolepis diminuta ( no polar filaments)
....... and larger size :-)
Agree with H.diminuta egg.
Luis.
nano = dwarf
yes, 'nana' comes from the Latin 'nanus' meaning 'dwarf' or 'small'.
You must also understand, H. diminuta was described earlier (1819) then H. nana (1851). So, at the time of its description, H. diminuta may have been the smallest tapeworm known from humans (I am not sure what host it was originally described from).
H diminuta
I agree with you; Hymenolepis diminuta.
It is almost double the size of H. nana (40 micromiter) and also it does not contain the polar filaments.
hymenolepis diminuta
Hymenolepis diminata
Agree with Hymenolepis diminuta egg.
Thank you Blaine for the concise explanation.
Rats, I did not check the chronology.
Now I know.
Florida Fan
Hymenolepsis diminuta - lack of polar filaments and the larger size.
Io aggiungerei anche il colore leggermente giallastro, che H.nana non ha, avendo un aspetto jalino
In days of yore, a village butcher, Hero, was plagued by a nasty tapeworm infection: stinky, creeping tags on his leggings, segments crawling up his tunic. He was beside himself. Then someone told him of a Smithy in the next village with great success curing this malady both in man and beast. So off our Hero went to the next village seeking a cure.
He found the Smithy bent over a huge anvil crafting horseshoes with his mighty hammer. “Good day friend” said the Smithy “how can I help you?” Hero said “I have worms and I need to be rid of them”. Smithy looked him up and down. “Yes I can help. Wait hear and I’ll get my tools”. Soon Smithy returned with 2 unshelled hardboiled eggs. “Friend, drop your leggings and lean over the anvil”. He complied, willing to do anything to end his torment. The Smithy then gently placed both eggs into Hero’s rectum. “ Now go back to your village and return in one week and I will repeat the treatment”.
Hero did what he was told and returned the next week. The process was repeated. This went on for two months. Then the day came for the cure.
Bent over the anvil, Hero noticed the Smithy had but one egg, which he gently deposited. Hero’s lower bowels began to rumble and he began to feel rectal urgency. A delicate head had emerged, connected to a ribbon like body. The “thing” appeared to look around, though it had no eyes. Then it spoke. “Where’s my other hardboiled egg”
WHAM… The mighty hammer stuck, smashing the tiny head.
What a fantastic, fun and effective treatment "Old One" has told us. I haven't stopped laughing yet. I've just included this treatment among the preferred ones for teniasis, of course.
Luis
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