This week's case is very appropriate for Halloween! The following object was found attached to the wall of the terminal ileum during screening colonoscopy. It was removed and sent to the parasitology laboratory for identification where it was cleared and mounted on a glass slide. It is approximately 1-cm long. Images by Heather Morris.
What is your diagnosis? The answer will be posted on Halloween, courtesy of Dr. Jacob Rattin.
I would be fairly confident that this is an adult hookworm. However, I'm unsure if it can be speciated based on these images. The identification is based on the location of the finding (terminal ileum), and presence of mouth cutting plates. Additionally, it is a male specimen as not only does it measure within the size range of a male adult hookworm, but there is a posterior spicule present.
ReplyDeleteYes, hookworm- those teeth! Er…cutting plates. Perfect for Halloween 🎃 !
ReplyDeleteYes, size wise it fits. Tail wise, it fits a male one. My thinking is that this hook worm with such prominent hooks rather than cutting plates is more consistent with Ancylostoma.
ReplyDeleteActually the caudal bursa is typical of a male specimen. Should the picture of the tail indicate a female instead?
ReplyDeleteAncylostoma
ReplyDelete2 pairs of teeth - Ancylostoma duodenale imago (female by the tail but not sure about the spike)
ReplyDeleteAgree, adult Ancylostoma duodenale, most likely a female worm because the male genital is bursa copulatrix which look like web fingers
ReplyDeleteThis fits Ancyclostoma species but I am not sure whether it is ceylanicum or maybe braziliensis. The teeth don't look like duodenale to me from the dpdx drawings. Probable female due to size and there isn't a caudal bursa.
ReplyDeleteNot sure. A. ceylanicum? /Patrik
ReplyDeleteA. duodenale female adult
ReplyDelete