Pterygodermatites nycticebi (Nematoda: spirurida) in golden lion tamarins

Pterygodermatites nycticebi (syn Rictularia nycticebi), a spirurid nematode first described in the slow loris (Nycticebus coucang), recently has been associated with morbidity and mortality in the golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia rosalia) collection at the National Zoological Park. Adult worms were found in the lumen of the small intestine with their anterior ends embedded in the mucosa. Larvae, when present, were deeper in the submucosa. A few heavily infected animals developed profound weakness, anemia, and hypoproteinemia. Infective larvae of Pterygodermatites nycticebi developed in laboratory-reared German cockroaches (Blatella germanica) that were fed tamarin feces containing eggs of Pterygodermatites nycticebi. Wild-caught German cockroaches also were found to harbor these infective larvae which implicates this ubiquitous pest as an intermediate host. Effective control of Pterygodermatites nycticebi has been achieved by regular fecal screening of all callitrichids for spirurid eggs and biannual prophylaxis with mebendazole at 40 mg/kg, as well as a rigorous cockroach extermination program.