Back
This information is provided by Provet for educational purposes only. You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet. Linguatula Serrata is a parasitic worm that lives in the nose and sinuses of cats, dog, reptiles, birds and humans. It is uncommon in the UK and USA, but has a prevalence of over 40% in some Middle Eastern countries.
If ingested the eggs that are passed are infective for other species of animal including humans, pigs, horses rabbits, rodents (rats and mice) and ruminants (cattle, sheep, goats). In these species (which act as Intermediate hosts for the parasite) the eggs hatch into larvae, travel to various tissues and form cysts and then develop into "nymphs". Description
The disease is transmitted to other animals including cats, dogs and occasionally humans when these "nymphs" are eaten by a potential host....usually through eating raw or under-cooked offal. Signs Usually this parasite causes no signs. In cats and dogs the main clinical signs are:
In humans the main signs are :
The human disease is called "Halzoun" in endemic countries. Diagnosis Confirmation of the diagnosis is made by :
Treatment
Updated October 2013 | |||
Copyright (c) 1999-2013 Provet. All rights reserved. Email: info@provet.co.uk |