Unexpected Infection with Armillifer Parasites

Emerg Infect Dis. 2017 Dec;23(12):2116-2118. doi: 10.3201/eid2312.171189.

Abstract

Visceral pentastomiasis is usually found incidentally during surgery. We describe a case of visceral pentastomiasis discovered during inguinoscrotal hernia surgery for a man from Benin, Africa. Because surgical removal of nymphs is needed for symptomatic patients only, this patient's asymptomatic pentastomiasis was not treated and he recovered from surgery uneventfully.

Keywords: Africa; Armillifer; parasites; pentastomida; snakes; surgery.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Benin
  • Hernia, Inguinal / diagnosis
  • Hernia, Inguinal / parasitology
  • Hernia, Inguinal / surgery*
  • Herniorrhaphy / methods
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Nymph / anatomy & histology
  • Nymph / pathogenicity
  • Parasitic Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Parasitic Diseases / parasitology
  • Parasitic Diseases / surgery
  • Pentastomida / anatomy & histology*
  • Pentastomida / physiology