title: Larval Gnathostoma nipponicum found in the imported Chinese loaches.
abstract: Six early third-stage larvae of Gnathostoma nipponicum were recovered from the muscle of 376 loaches, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, imported from China. They were 614 x 114 microns in average size, almost colorless except brownish intestine, and encircled by about 229 transverse rows of minute cuticular spines. Their head bulbs provided with 3 rows of hooklets, of which average number were 34.5 on the first, 36.7 on the second and 39.7 on the third. Accordingly, it is revealed that the Chinese loach is a natural second intermediate host of G. nipponicum and G. nipponicum has been distributed somewhere in China. This parasite may infect human when the imported loaches are consumed raw.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine, Inje University, Pusan, Korea.
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Kho
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D003531:Cypriniformes / Q000469:parasitology*; D006039:Gnathostoma / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D007814:Larva