Abstract
The finding, in human feces, of very large eggs with the typical peculiarities of Trichuris trichiura eggs has been attributed to human infestation by Trichuris vulpis, a dog parasite, since Hall & Sonnenberg reported in 1956 a proven case of human infestation by T. vulpis. The present study shows good evidence that there was no infestation by T. vulpis in an 8-year old girl whích was examined. Eggs wíth sizes consistent with T. trichiura and other eggs consistent with T. vulpis were found. After administration of mebendazol, feces specimens were collected where 399 specimens of helminths were alI identified as T. trichiura. From the uterus of several females, one hundred eggs were extracted which belonged to two groups: normal eggs and large eggs. For the normal eggs the mean measurements were 54.49 x 24.50 microns, with standard deviation of 3.15 and 1.87 microns respectively. For the large eggs the mean measurements were 77.13 and 29.08 microns with standard deviations of 4.41 and 1.67 microns, respectively. The finding of eggs of a size proper of T. vulpis in the uterus of typical T. trichiura specimens has not been hitherto reported.
References
2. CHANDLER, A. - Specific characters in the genus Trichuris with a description of a new species, Trichuris tenuis, from a camelo J. parasit., 16: 198-206, 1930.
3. DINULESCU, G.; STOENESCU, D.; RICMAN, T.; RAUCHBACH, C.; DRAGOI, L; SOZANSCHI, M.; NEGRU, D.; DONCIU, I. & GIUGLEA, M. - Observatii asupra frecventei unor helmintoze la oameni si interferenta acestora eu helmintozele elinilor (Observations on the frequency of various helminthiasis in man and their eonnexion with heImininthiasis in dogs). Studii Cerco lnframicrobiol., 8 (2) :297-303, 1957 apud Trop. Dis; 55 :902, 1958. [Resumo]
4. FERREIRA, C.S.; RODRIGUES, D.C. & CARVALHO, M.E. - Resultados de medições de ovos de Trichuris encontrados em fezes humanas. Rev. paul. Med., 77:256, 1971.
5. HALL, J.E. & SONNENBERG, B. - An apparent case of human infection with the whipworm of dogs, Trichuris vulpis (Froelich 1789). J. Parasit., 42:197-99, 1956.
6. KENNEY, M. & EVELAND, L.K. - Jnf'ection of man with Trichuris vulpis, the whipworm of dogs. Am. J. din. Path., 69: 199, 1978.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 1980 Instituto Adolfo Lutz Journal