title: Co-infections in Visceral Pentastomiasis, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
abstract: Snakeborne Armillifer pentastomiasis is an emerging human parasitic infection in rural tropical areas where snake meat is eaten. After a series of severe ocular A. grandis larval infections and anecdotal abdominal infection in Sankuru District, Democratic Republic of the Congo, during 2014-2015, we systematically investigated possible pentastomid etiology in patients who underwent surgery in the region. Histologic and molecular analyses by established pentastomid 18S rDNA- and newly developed Armillifer-specific cytochrome oxidase PCRs revealed larval pentastomid lesions in 3.7% of patients. Some persons had A. armillatus and A. grandis co-infections. Another pentastomid larva, Raillietiella sp., was molecularly detected in 1 patient who had concomitant A. grandis and A. armillatus infection. The PCRs used were suitable for detecting pentastomid species even in highly necrotic tissues. Phylogenetic analyses of Armillifer cytochrome oxidase genes detected multiple local strains.
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tappe
authors.forename: Mihály
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sulyok
authors.forename: Therese
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Riu
authors.forename: Lajos
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rózsa
authors.forename: Imre
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bodó
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schoen
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Muntau
authors.forename: Gergely
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Babocsay
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hardi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D060085:Coinfection; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo / Q000453:epidemiology; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006801:Humans; D059413:Intraabdominal Infections; D007814:Larva; D008297:Male; D010272:Parasitic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D057078:Pentastomida / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D058974:Phylogeography; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV
keywords: Armillifer armillatus; Armillifer grandis; Democratic Republic of the Congo; PCR; Raillietiella sp.; bushmeat; co-infection; parasites; pentastomiasis; snakes; zoonoses