Pseudoparasitism by Calodium hepaticum (syn. Capillaria hepatica; Hepaticola hepatica) in the Negro River, Brazilian Amazon

Abstract

We report the finding of eggs of Calodium spp. (syn. Capillaria spp.; Hepaticola spp.) in a fecal sample from an old woman living in a riverine community in the Negro River Basin and describe the associated epidemiological investigation. The case probably does not represent true parasitism; the eggs, which were compatible with the species Calodium hepaticum, were most likely ingested upon consumption of infected tapir (Tapirus terrestris) liver, subsequently passing through the gut and being eliminated. The evolution of these eggs to infective stages in the environment, given the poor sanitation background, could provide the risk of occurrence of hepatic disease in humans.

High occurrence of Calodium hepaticum (syn. Capillaria hepatica) spurious infection in a village in the Atlantic Forest of southern Brazil

“…Furthermore, all the infected people confessed having eaten anteater meat and viscera the night before the faecal collection, which could explain the presence of C. hepaticum eggs in their faeces. To our knowledge, anteaters have not been incriminated as hosts for C. hepaticum , but the consumption of infected liver tissue from wild mammals, such as tapir, paca, agouti and peccary, has been suggested in the literature as a probable source of contamination for human spurious infection (Carvalho-Costa et al 2009, Camargo et al 2010) and peccary hepatic infection, as confirmed by Gonçalves et al (2012).…”

“…hepatic capillariasis) described in the literature (Fuehrer et al 2011), five of which were reported from Brazil (Piazza et al 1963, Pereira & França 1981, Sawamura et al 1999). In contrast, among the 135 worldwide cases of human spurious infection, 94 are from Brazil, reported from Amazon (Coimbra Jr & Mello 1981, Santos et al 1985, 1995, Carvalho-Costa et al 2009, Hinke 2009, Palhano-Silva et al 2009, Camar- go et al 2010, Soares et al 2011, Gonçalves et al 2012) and the state of Minas Gerais (Machado et al 2008). The other spurious cases were detected in Panama, French Guinea, Taiwan, Russia, the United States of America and Zimbabwe (Fuehrer et al 2011).…”

Capillaria hepatica Pseudoinfection

“…The patient admitted eating liver of a South American Tapir ( Tapirus terrestris ) shortly before testing. These animals harbor unembryonated non-infective C. hepatica eggs in the liver parenchyma 1. The unembryonated eggs reach the environment after the infected animal dies or eggs are shed in the stools of predators feeding on infected carcasses.…”

Rattus norvegicus como indicador de la circulación de Capillaria hepatica y Taenia taeniaeformis en la Plaza Minorista de Medellín, Colombia

“…Además, se han identificado huevos de C. hepatica en muestras de heces recogidas en indígenas del norte de la amazonia brasilera, comunidades que habitan en condiciones precarias de salubridad. En estas regiones también se ha conseguido evidenciar la presencia de huevos de este nematodo en animales salvajes que son cazados por estas comunidades indígenas, lo que sugiere que podrían existir roedores silvestres participando en una forma de ciclo selvático de este parásito (29).…”