Armillifer armillatusPentastomiasis in African Immigrant, Germany

Co-infections in Visceral Pentastomiasis, Democratic Republic of the Congo

“…Snakeborne pentastomiasis, a parasitic zoonotic disease in rural tropical areas where snake meat is eaten ( 1 , 2 ), is caused by a unique group of crustacean-related parasites ( 3 , 4 ). Adult Armillifer pentastomids inhabit the respiratory tract of large snakes (final hosts), where they sexually reproduce, resulting in shedding of infective ova into the environment by snake feces or respiratory secretions ( 5 , 6 ).…”

“…In most cases, A. armillatus has been assumed to be the etiologic agent ( 12 ). Molecular tools recently have been used successfully in human infections for species discrimination in immigrants from tropical areas ( 2 ) and local populations in Africa ( 8 , 12 ). The main risk factors for human pentastomiasis caused by snakeborne parasites are handling and eating snake products ( 1 , 3 ).…”

Molecular Diagnosis of Abdominal Armillifer grandis Pentastomiasis in the Democratic Republic of Congo

“…In such cases, the diagnosis of pentastomiasis due to an unidentified genus can be made based on cuticular remnants, perioral chitinous hooklets (1, 5), or, as found here, the sclerotized cuticular openings unique to pentastomids. Recently, PCR was used successfully to diagnose a human A. armillatus infection from a formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimen (4). In that case, the parasite was completely intact and not necrotic and was thus better suited for successful molecular analysis despite formalin fixation.…”

“…Risk factors for human infections include the consumption or handling of contaminated snakes or their products, such as meat (1,3). The majority of reported human cases have been due to Armillifer armillatus (1), a species endemic to West and Central Africa, especially the Congo region and Nigeria (1,4,5). Infections with this species in African immigrants have been documented twice in North America and Ͻ10 times in Europe (5).…”

“…Microscopic examination of an ethanolpreserved specimen from the second patient showed parts of a parasite covered by a translucent membrane, also characteristic for a pentastomid larva. PCR targeting the nuclear pentastomid 18S rRNA gene (small subunit rRNA gene [3,4]) was conducted after DNA extraction from all specimens. Only the PCR from the ethanol-fixed sample was positive.…”