It's the first Monday of the month, and time for another great case by Idzi Potters and the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium!
The following object was found in a soil sample from a child's playground. It is approximately 80 micrometers in largest dimension.
What is your identification? What is the potential significance of this finding?
8 comments:
Thinking Ascaris, since shell appears thicker and "mammillated?". Potential for ingestion so wash hands and no pooping in the playground, kids.
Ascaris like. If from sand, it is likely be Tixoxcara canis or Toxocara catis, which can cause viscera larva migrans
It's look like Toxocara
Intercontinental business definitely contributes to invasive species. The fur demand has led to the introduction of Procyon species into Europe. The egg of Baylisascaris Procyonis closely resembles that of Toxocara canis though slightly larger (85 vs. 80 microns). Another aspect is that the shell of both are rough. Judging from the size and pitted appearance, I am in favor of Toxocara canis. From the literature, the thick shell helps the egg remains viable for years in the soil. Unfortunate humans though paratenic hosts still suffer from visceral larva migrants, ocular larva migrans as well as other sites in the body.
Florida Fan
On a side note, I don’t know if the coon hat was popular in Europe as depicted by Hollywood.
Florida Fan
Toxocara, probably Toxocara canis
The larvae could migrate to internal organs or the eyes, causing conditions known as Visceral Larva Migrans (VLM) or Ocular Larva Migrans (OLM).
/Patrik
I don't usually look at environmental samples, but Toxocara spp. would be my best guess, especially if the area is accessible to dogs and cats. I'm not sure if a distinction between canis and cati is possible based on morphology...
I'd be really curious to know: what's the best way to test a sandbox for this parasite? It sounds like a great epidemiological study waiting to be done...
Thanks for sharing this case!
My guess is Toxocara canis/cati, but don't know if can be a Baylisascaris procyonis.
I remember a professor in colege telling us the eggs of Toxocara look like golf balls, but nobody there ever saw one (a sport for only the privileged here), so when I teach I say the look like styrofoam balls (a big ball made of tiny balls).
-HLCM fan
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