title: Larval Gnathostoma spinigerum Detected in Asian Swamp Eels, Monopterus albus, Purchased from a Local Market in Yangon, Myanmar.
abstract: The present study was performed to determine the infection status of swamp eels with Gnathostoma sp. larvae in Myanmar. We purchased total 37 Asian swamp eels, Monopterus albus, from a local market in Yangon in June and December 2013 and 2014. All collected eels were transferred with ice to our laboratory and each of them was examined by the artificial digestion technique. A total of 401 larval gnathostomes (1-96 larvae/eel) were detected in 33 (89.2%) swamp eels. Most of the larvae (n=383; 95.5%) were found in the muscle. The remaining 18 larvae were detected in the viscera. The advanced third-stage larvae (AdL3) were 2.3-4.4 mm long and 0.25-0.425 mm wide. The characteristic head bulb (0.093 × 0.221 mm in average size) with 4 rows of hooklets, muscular long esophagus (1.025 mm), and 2 pairs of cervical sacs (0.574 mm) were observed by light microscopy. The average number of hooklets in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th rows was 41, 45, 48, and 51, respectively. As scanning electron microscopic findings, the characteristic 4-5 rows of hooklets on the head bulb, a cervical papilla, tegumental spines regularly arranged in the transverse striations, and an anus were well observed. Based on these morphological characters, they were identified as the AdL3 of Gnathostoma spinigerum. By the present study, it has been confirmed for the first time that Asian swamp eels, M. albus, from Yangon, Myanmar are heavily infected with G. spinigerum larvae.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Yil
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju 52727, Korea.
authors.forename: Woon-Mok
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju 52727, Korea.
authors.forename: Byoung-Kuk
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Na
authors.affiliation: Korea Association of Health Promotion, Seoul 07649, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Bok
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Korea Association of Health Promotion, Seoul 07649, Korea.
authors.forename: Hoo-Gn
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Jeoung
authors.affiliation: Korea Association of Health Promotion, Seoul 07649, Korea.
authors.forename: Eui-Hyug
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Hoang
authors.affiliation: National Health Laboratory, Yangon 11191, Myanmar.
authors.forename: Thi Thi
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Htoon
authors.affiliation: National Health Laboratory, Yangon 11191, Myanmar.
authors.forename: Htay Htay
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Tin
mesh_terms: D000825:Animal Structures / Q000469:parasitology; D000818:Animals; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D006039:Gnathostoma / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D058429:Gnathostomiasis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008853:Microscopy; D002052:Myanmar; D023701:Smegmamorpha / Q000469:parasitology*
keywords: Asian swamp eel; Gnathostoma spinigerum; Monopterus albus; Myanmar; Yangon; advanced 3rd-stage larva (AdL3)