Prevalence of Linguatula serrata nymphs in slaughtered sheeps in Isfahan province, southwest of Iran.
Linguatula serrata, well known as tongue worm; is an aberrant cosmopolitan parasite, which inhabits the carnivorous mammals (especially Canidae) respiratory system. The discharged eggs infect many plant feeder animals including human that produces visceral and nasopharyngeal linguatulosis which is known as Marrara syndrome in man. In current study, the prevalence rate of infection with L. serrata nymphs in mesenteric and mediastinal lymph nodes (MLNs) of slaughtered sheeps was investigated in Esfahan Province, Iran. The MLNs of 506 slaughtered sheeps, including 236 females and 270 males, were examined for L. serrata nymphs by cutting the MLNs longitudinally and then microscopic studies for L. serrata nymphs. Sheeps were categorized into four age groups, including <1 year, 1-2 years, 2-3 years and >3 years. Results showed that 11.66 % of examined sheeps were infected with L. serrata. Age had significant effect on the prevalence rate of this parasite in sheeps (infection in sheeps with >3 years old was more than other groups significantly) and sex had no significant effect on the prevalence rate of this parasite in sheeps. Infection rate in winter was significantly lower than infection rate in spring; but there were no significant differences between the other seasons. As high prevalence rate of infection in sheeps, suggesting possibly similar high rate of infection in other animals and man in the investigated area, which this emphasizes undertaking strict control measures to reduce risk of zoonotic outbreaks. This study was demonstrated infection rate of L. serrata in sheeps in central parts of Iran.
Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord University, 115, Shahrekord, Iran.
Khodadad Pirali
KP
Kheirabadi
Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord University, 34141 Shahrekord, Iran.
Aziz A
AA
Fallah
Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord University, 115, Shahrekord, Iran.
Hamidreza
H
Azizi
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord University, 115, Shahrekord, Iran.
Amir Dehghani
AD
Samani
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord University, 115, Shahrekord, Iran.
Shahram Danesh
SD
Dehkordi
Human; Iran; Isfahan province; Linguatula serrata; Sheeps