Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites

This week's case was generously donated by Dr. Robin Chamberland from Saint Louis University. The specimen is "eyelash scrapings...

Answer:   Demodex sp. mites As some of the readers pointed out, the mites are a little beat-up looking (possibly damaged during the scrapi...

This week's beautiful case was donated by our loyal reader and contributor, Florida Fan. It was retrieved from a 70-year-old man and m...

Answer:   Diphyllobothrium sp. (broad fish tapeworm) The diagnosis is made by identification of key morphologic characteristics including ...

This week's case was generously donated by Dr. Susan Novak. A 27 year old woman from Africa had a history of passing worms in her stoo...

Answer:   Taenia sp. proglottids The 4 structures seen grossly are of the approximately size and shape that would be expected for Taenia p...

Happy New Year to all of my Readers!  Here is a special case for the start of 2015 - the beginnings of a parasite.  These eggs were found in...

Answer:   Ascaris lumbricoides ova, fertile What makes this case somewhat unique is that there is a larva inside of each egg. As noted by ...

This week's case was generously donated by Dr. LoAnn Peterson and Dr. Alicia Franken from Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.  Th...

Answer:   Plasmodium falciparum , heavy parasitemia This case shows several of the characteristic morphologic features of P. falciparum in...