Answer to Case 607

 Answer to Parasite Case of the Week 607: Beetle, not a human parasite. 

While I am not an entomologist, I fortunately have many readers who are. Blaine Mathison commented that this is likely a sap beetle in the family Nitidulidae. This was also supported by Dr. Kosta Mumcuoglu and his entomologist colleague, Mr. Ariel-Leib Friedman, MSc, who is the Coleoptera Collection Manager at The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University, Israel. Kosta said "I am not sure about the genus, but Carpophilus and Epuraea are most commonly associated with human surroundings and are considered minor agricultural and store pests." Josh, Blaine and Joshua Place also felt that this might be a carpophilus beetle. Joshua notes that none of these beetles are ectoparasites or vectors of humans disease. 

This is good news to the patient and provider, who can both be reassured that the presence of this arthropod does not represent parasitism, or a medical risk. However, it might indicate to the patient that it's time to clean up the pantry and secure windows and doors to keep further bugs out!