Fig 1.
Geographical distribution of human lagochilascariasis in the Americas.
Fig 2.
Cervical lesion draining pus in a patient infected with Lagochilascaris minor.
Fig 3.
Adult worm of Lagochilascaris minor migrating from the mastoid to the external auditory meatus.
Fig 4.
Lagochilascaris minor infecting egg in the intestinal lumen of an experimentally infected mouse.
Fig 5.
Third stage larvae of the Lagochilascaris minor crossing the cecal mucosa of an experimentally infected mouse.
Fig 6.
Third stage larva in the hepatic parenchyma of an experimentally infected mouse.
Fig 7.
Mouse infected with Lagochilascaris minor eggs.
Granulomatous nodules containing third stage larvae in the muscles and cellular subcutaneous tissue.
Fig 8.
Life cycle of Lagochilascaris minor.
Parasite eggs are eliminated from the host organism through feces (1), undergo division (2), and develop into the infecting stage (3). The infecting egg may be either orally inoculated into the mouse (4) or contaminate the environment (6). In experimental infection, granulomatous nodules containing third stage larvae are observed in the muscles and subcutaneous tissue of a mouse infected with the helminth (4A). Experimental definitive hosts are infected through ingestion of intermediate hosts containing third stage-encysted larvae (5). Once in the environment (6), infecting eggs are ingested by wild rodents (7). Wild felines/canines ingest intermediate hosts containing third stage larvae and eliminate parasite eggs in the environment through feces (8). Human infection originates from the ingestion of uncooked or partially cooked meat of wild rodents containing encysted larvae (9).
Table 1.
Drugs used against lagochilascariasis.
Therapeutic protocols in 20 patients infected by Lagochilascaris minor.