Dinobdella ferox | |
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(A) D. ferox infesting the eye of a dog; (B) anatomical view of D. ferox | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Annelida |
Class: | Clitellata |
Subclass: | Hirudinea |
Order: | Arhynchobdellida |
Family: | Praobdellidae |
Genus: | Dinobdella Moore, 1927 |
Species: | D. ferox |
Binomial name | |
Dinobdella ferox (Blanchard, 1896) | |
Synonyms | |
Whitmania ferox Blanchard, 1896 |
Dinobdella ferox is a species of leech in the family Praobdellidae. [1] The species is found widely in Southeast Asia and mainly feeds on the mucosal membranes of the mammalian upper respiratory tract. It has been documented to feed on humans.
D. ferox are dorsoventrally flattened with tappers at each end. Both ends contain a sucker that they use to attach to the host. The posterior end is used for locomotion and the main attachment to a host. The anterior end is where the mouth, jaws, and teeth are located. The jaws of this leech are made up of three sections that meet in a Y. [2] D. ferox has a dark red to brown coloring consistent throughout its segmented body. This species only reaches around 70mm in length when fully engorged at adult size. Juveniles enter a host at less than a centimeter and are very difficult to detect. [3]
Aquatic leeches such as D. ferox have weaker jaws than those of terrestrial leeches. This leads to them most often attaching themselves to the thin surfaces of the mucosal membranes. Aquatic leeches have been found on sites such as the nose, mouth, pharynx, larynx, conjunctiva, trachea, bronchi, esophagus, vagina, bladder, rectum, and the creases of the eyes, [4] Although most instances were found in the nasopharynx, lower airways, or upper esophagus. Humans become victims from bathing or drinking unfiltered water in less-developed areas where safe water is less accessible. Several species of leech are known to feed on humans including Tyrannobdella rex, Hirudinea granulosa , and Hirundinea viridis . [3] Human infections have been shown to not exceed more than only one leech infecting an individual. Cattle and other large animals can have more than 8 found during an examination. [2]
Dinobdella ferox is found throughout Southeast Asia, but is very common in many parts of Taiwan. These leeches are aquatic and live in stagnant low oxygen water sources. This can be in ponds or lakes where humans, cattle, or wild animals drink or bathe. Poverty and drought are examples of how humans and domesticated animals can become hosts more often. [2] Limited water sources and sharing them with wildlife can introduce leeches into the water.
Hirudiniasis is a condition characterized by an infestation of leeches. [2] Leeches can cause airway obstruction, severe respiratory distress, hemoptysis, or hematemesis. Blood loss leading to acute anemia can be deadly in children or small animals. [3] Disease transmission has not been recorded in this species. Treatment for a leech infestation starts with attempting to remove the parasites manually with artery forceps. The forceps are used to grip the leech’s mucous covered body tightly and attempt the move it laterally to minimize injury, but if the membranes are heavily damaged or the leech is too strongly attached a sodium chloride solution can be used to irrigate the nose in order to weaken or break the leech’s hold. This is because the saline disrupts the mucous layer of the leech. This is considered the best treatment if possible. It is considered to be much less painful for the victim and causes far less bleeding in the aftermath. The anemia is usually treated with iron and vitamin supplements. [4]
Aujeszky's disease, usually called pseudorabies in the United States, is a viral disease in swine that is endemic in most parts of the world. It is caused by Suid herpesvirus 1 (SuHV-1). Aujeszky's disease is considered to be the most economically important viral disease of swine in areas where classical swine fever has been eradicated. Other mammals, such as cattle, sheep, goats, cats, dogs, and raccoons, are also susceptible. The disease is usually fatal in these animal species.
Mammomonogamus is a genus of parasitic nematodes of the family Syngamidae that parasitise the respiratory tracts of cattle, sheep, goats, deer, cats, orangutans, and elephants. The nematodes can also infect humans and cause the disease called mammomonogamiasis. Several known species fall under the genus Mammomonogamus, but the most common species found to infest humans is M. laryngeus. Infection in humans is very rare, with only about 100 reported cases worldwide, and is assumed to be largely accidental. Cases have been reported from the Caribbean, China, Korea, Thailand, and Philippines.
Avipoxvirus is a genus of viruses within the family Poxviridae. Poxviridae is the family of viruses which cause the afflicted organism to have poxes as a symptom. Poxviruses have generally large genomes, and other such examples include smallpox and monkeypox. Members of the genus Avipoxvirus infect specifically birds. Avipoxviruses are unable to complete their replication cycle in non-avian species. Although it is comparably slow-spreading, Avipoxvirus is known to cause symptoms like pustules full of pus lining the skin and diphtheria-like symptoms. These diphtheria-like symptoms might include diphtheric necrotic membranes lining the mouth and the upper respiratory tract. Like other avian viruses, it can be transmitted through vectors mechanically such as through mosquitoes. There is no evidence that this virus can infect humans.
Trichuris suis is a whipworm; the variations in thickness of the anterior and posterior segments give the parasite the characteristic "whip-like" appearance. Adult females measure 6 to 8 cm and adult males 3 to 4 cm. T. suis eggs are oval and yellow-brown with bipolar plugs. T. suis is also used in helminthic therapy studies.
Heartwater is a tick-borne rickettsial disease. The name is derived from the fact that fluid can collect around the heart or in the lungs of infected animals. It is caused by Ehrlichia ruminantium —an intracellular Gram-negative coccal bacterium. The disease is spread by various Amblyomma ticks, and has a large economic impact on cattle production in affected areas. There are four documented manifestations of the disease, these are acute, peracute, subacute, and a mild form known as heartwater fever. There are reports of zoonotic infections of humans by E. ruminantium, similar to other Ehrlichia species, such as those that cause human ehrlichiosis.
Protozoan infections are parasitic diseases caused by organisms formerly classified in the kingdom Protozoa. They are usually contracted by either an insect vector or by contact with an infected substance or surface and include organisms that are now classified in the supergroups Excavata, Amoebozoa, SAR, and Archaeplastida.
Leeches are segmented parasitic or predatory worms that comprise the subclass Hirudinea within the phylum Annelida. They are closely related to the oligochaetes, which include the earthworm, and like them have soft, muscular segmented bodies that can lengthen and contract. Both groups are hermaphrodites and have a clitellum, but leeches typically differ from the oligochaetes in having suckers at both ends and in having ring markings that do not correspond with their internal segmentation. The body is muscular and relatively solid, and the coelom, the spacious body cavity found in other annelids, is reduced to small channels.
Chrysomya bezziana, also known as the Old World screwworm fly or screwworm, is an obligate parasite of mammals. Obligate parasitic flies require a host to complete their development. Named to honor the Italian entomologist Mario Bezzi, this fly is widely distributed in Asia, tropical Africa, India, and Papua New Guinea. The adult can be identified as metallic green or blue with a yellow face and the larvae are smooth, lacking any obvious body processes except on the last segment.
Ancylostoma caninum is a species of nematode known as a hookworm, which principally infects the small intestine of dogs. The result of A. caninum infection ranges from asymptomatic cases to death of the dog; better nourishment, increasing age, prior A. caninum exposure, or vaccination are all linked to improved survival. Other hosts include carnivores such as wolves, foxes, and cats, with a small number of cases having been reported in humans.
The pharynx is the part of the throat behind the mouth and nasal cavity, and above the esophagus and trachea. It is found in vertebrates and invertebrates, though its structure varies across species. The pharynx carries food to the esophagus and air to the larynx. The flap of cartilage called the epiglottis stops food from entering the larynx.
Tyrannobdella is a monotypic genus of leech, of family Praobdellidae, found in South America in the upper reaches of the Amazon. This newly found genus of leech takes sustenance from the mucous membranes of the mammalian upper respiratory tract, and is known to feed upon humans. It has eight teeth. Tyrannobdella rex was discovered feeding upon the mucous membrane of a girl who had recently bathed in the upper Amazon in Peru.
Trichomonas gallinae is a cosmopolitan parasite of birds including finches, pigeons, doves, turkeys, chickens, parrots, raptors. The condition in birds of prey is called frounce. It is believed to be an ancient pathogen causing frounce-like symptoms in theropod dinosaurs. The same condition in pigeons is commonly called canker.
Ticks of domestic animals directly cause poor health and loss of production to their hosts. Ticks also transmit numerous kinds of viruses, bacteria, and protozoa between domestic animals. These microbes cause diseases which can be severely debilitating or fatal to domestic animals, and may also affect humans. Ticks are especially important to domestic animals in tropical and subtropical countries, where the warm climate enables many species to flourish. Also, the large populations of wild animals in warm countries provide a reservoir of ticks and infective microbes that spread to domestic animals. Farmers of livestock animals use many methods to control ticks, and related treatments are used to reduce infestation of companion animals.
Oestrus ovis, the sheep bot fly, is a widespread species of fly of the genus Oestrus. It is known for its parasitic predation and damage to sheep, deer, goats and sometimes cattle. There have also been many records of horse, dog and human infestation. In some areas of the world it is a significant pest which affects the agricultural economy.
Amphistomiasis is a parasitic disease of livestock animals, more commonly of cattle and sheep, and humans caused by immature helminthic flatworms belonging to the order Echinostomida. The term amphistomiasis is used for broader connotation implying the disease inflicted by members of Echinostomida including the family Paramphistomidae/Gastrodiscidae ; whereas paramphistomiasis is restricted to that of the members of the family Paramphistomatidae only. G. discoides and Watsonius watsoni are responsible for the disease in humans, while most paramphistomes are responsible in livestock animals, and some wild mammals. In livestock industry the disease causes heavy economic backlashes due to poor production of milk, meat and wool.
Mites are small crawling animals related to ticks and spiders. Most mites are free-living and harmless. Other mites are parasitic, and those that infest livestock animals cause many diseases that are widespread, reduce production and profit for farmers, and are expensive to control.
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Praobdellidae is a family of hematophagous leeches which live on the mucous membranes of mammals and sometimes invertebrates. These are internal parasites that enter the body through natural orifices, and cause hirudiniases.
Limnatis nilotica is a species of leech in the family Hirudinidae. It is hematophagous, living on the mucous membranes of mammals.