Monday, September 2, 2024

Answer to Case 756

 Answer to the Parasite Case of the Week 756: Cestode, most likely Rodentolepis (Hymenolepis) nana. 

The colonoscopy image shows numerous short white worms attached to the intestinal mucosa, raising the possibility of a small nematode (e.g., hookworm, Trichuris trichiura) or cestode. Fortunately, the histopathology allows us to easily differentiate between these two categories as you can see the characteristic cestode tegument, beginning of proglottids, and what appear to be a rostellum and two of the four suckers on the scolex. 

As noted by Idzi, "Histo picture in fact looks like a VERY angry parasite… frightening… 😅". I agree! Can you all see it?



2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello, I have a question. Since when has the name of the genus changed? Is there a publication?

ParasiteGal said...

The genus has been changed for a while, but it's taking time for it to be widely adopted. Here is a good reference for you:
Haukisalmi et al. Systematic relationships of hymenolepidid cestodes of rodents and shrews inferred from sequences of 28S ribosomal RNA. Zoologica Scripta. 2010; 39(6):631-641.