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Human Encounter with a Horsehair Worm (Nematomorpha): Is There a Reason To Worry?
N Miladinović-Tasić1, A Schmidt-Rhaesa2, V Petrović3
1University of Niš, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Serbia; Public Health Institute Niš, Niš Serbia.
Abstract:
We report here a specimen of the horsehair worm (Gordiida, Nematomorpha) Spinochordodes bacescui (Căpuşe, 1965) found in a patient´s urine. This is the first record of this species from Serbia and the sixth gordiid species known in Serbia. It is discussed that there is no evidence that gordiids are parasites of humans. Instead, gordiids parasitize terrestrial insects, which release their mature gordiid parasite into water and may thereby also use containers in human surroundings. Pseudoparasites, such as Spinochordodes bacescui, do not pose a threat to human health nor are they a serious public health issue.
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