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Mesenteric abscess caused by threadworm infection
LABORATORY MEETING
433
weeks there was little difference in the levels of i m m u n i t y . T h u s a passive t r a n s f e r of i m m u n i t y from m o t h e r to filial mice was established. A n e x p e r i m e n t involving the ' s w a p p i n g ' of litters b e t w e e n i m m u n e a n d n o r m a l m o t h e r s at b i r t h d e m o n s t r a t e d clearly t h a t this t r a n s f e r o c c u r r e d t h r o u g h t h e milk, w i t h n o m e a s u r a b l e degree of i m m u n i t y occurring in utero. W e believe that such a passive t r a n s f e r suggests t h a t u n d e r these c i r c u m s t a n c e s such i m m u n i t y is of a Immoral n a t u r e a n d does n o t seem to be of t h e delayed hypersensitivity type.
Mesenteric abscess caused by threadworm
B. B. B E E S O N
infection AND A. W. W O O D R U F F
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine A p a t i e n t aged 11 years h a d p r e s e n t e d w i t h s y m p t o m s of appendicitis a n d at operation a n o d u l a r p a t c h of t h i c k e n e d tissue h a d b e e n f o u n d in the o m e n t u m covering t h e a p p e n d i x area. P h o t o m i c r o g r a p h s of this tissue were d e m o n s t r a t e d a n d f r o m these it was clear t h a t ova of Enterobius vermicularis were the cause of the g r a n u l o m a t o u s reaction. T h e point was m a d e t h a t extra-intestinal deposition of such ova m u s t be c o n s i d e r e d as a possible cause of illnesses due to i n f l a m m a t o r y processes w i t h i n the a b d o m e n .
Experimental infections with guinea worm from a snake C. O. R. E V E R A R D , R. M U L L E R AND V I V I A N D U C K E T T
M. R. C. Staff, Trinidad Regional Virus Laboratory, University of the West Indies and Department of Medical Helminthology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine G u i n e a w o r m infection appears to be fairly c o m m o n in boas in the forest near Port-ofSpain, T r i n i d a d . F i r s t stage larvae a n d an infected tree boa (Corallus em~dris cookij were sent to L o n d o n ; a sand boa (Eryx sp.) with a w o r m e m e r g i n g 10 m o n t h s after an experim e n t a l infection was d e m o n s t r a t e d . A l t h o u g h 3 species of Dracunculus have b e e n described from m a m m a l s a n d 9 t¥om reptiles, the differences b e t w e e n each species are small a n d variable a n d 6 species have been f o u n d once only (MULLER, 1971). In view of t h e u n c e r t a i n t y c o n c e r n i n g specific identification, cross-infection e x p e r i m e n t s have b e e n a t t e m p t e d in order to d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r snakes could act as reservoir hosts for the h u m a n parasite ; infective larvae of Dracunculus sp. f r o m a snake were given orally a n d intraperitoneally to 2 rhesus m o n k e y s , a n d infective larvae of D. medinensis were similarly given to 6 snakes b e l o n g i n g to 5 species. All the animals were negative w h e n dissected 3-9 m o n t h s later. Because of this, a n d because of differences in the size a n d b e h a v i o u r of the first stage larvae, it is c o n c l u d e d that the parasite in boas is not D. medinensis. REFERENCE
MULLER, R. (1971). I n : Advances in Parasitology, 9, 73.
A c a s e o f Anisakis sp. i n f e c t i o n i n a b r o w n b e a r f r o m A l a s k a
J. T . D A V E Y
Fisheries Helminthology Unit f N E R C ) , St. Albans, Herts. Anisakis sp. n e m a t o d e larvae are c o m m o n l y e n c o u n t e r e d in teleost fish all over the world. T h e i r n o r m a l final hosts are m a r i n e m a m m a l s , b o t h cetaceans a n d p i n n i p e d s often h a r b o u r i n g e n o r m o u s n u m b e r s of the adults. T h e p r e s e n c e of the larvae in c o m m e r c i a l fish has long b e e n a source of c o n c e r n as s u c h infections are unsightly. I n t h e last decade, however, t h e c o n c e r n has g r o w n w i t h the realization t h a t the larvae are p a t h o g e n i c to m a n (THEIL et al., 1960; THEIL, 1962). As a result, m u c h work has b e e n d o n e to investigate t h e pathology a n d i m m u n o l o g y of the disease s y n d r o m e " A n i s a k i a s i s , " often by feeding t h e larvae to laboratory animals. T h i s has b e e n d o n e w i t h guinea-pigs (AsAMI a n d INOSHITA, 1967), rats (YOUNG a n d LOWE, 1969; GIBSON, 1970) a n d r a b b i t s (RUITENBERG, 1970) a n d m a r k e d host reactions h a v e usually b e e n r e c o r d e d at t h e site of p e n e t r a t i o n b y the larvae into t h e h o s t ' s gastric mucosa.
433
weeks there was little difference in the levels of i m m u n i t y . T h u s a passive t r a n s f e r of i m m u n i t y from m o t h e r to filial mice was established. A n e x p e r i m e n t involving the ' s w a p p i n g ' of litters b e t w e e n i m m u n e a n d n o r m a l m o t h e r s at b i r t h d e m o n s t r a t e d clearly t h a t this t r a n s f e r o c c u r r e d t h r o u g h t h e milk, w i t h n o m e a s u r a b l e degree of i m m u n i t y occurring in utero. W e believe that such a passive t r a n s f e r suggests t h a t u n d e r these c i r c u m s t a n c e s such i m m u n i t y is of a Immoral n a t u r e a n d does n o t seem to be of t h e delayed hypersensitivity type.
Mesenteric abscess caused by threadworm
B. B. B E E S O N
infection AND A. W. W O O D R U F F
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine A p a t i e n t aged 11 years h a d p r e s e n t e d w i t h s y m p t o m s of appendicitis a n d at operation a n o d u l a r p a t c h of t h i c k e n e d tissue h a d b e e n f o u n d in the o m e n t u m covering t h e a p p e n d i x area. P h o t o m i c r o g r a p h s of this tissue were d e m o n s t r a t e d a n d f r o m these it was clear t h a t ova of Enterobius vermicularis were the cause of the g r a n u l o m a t o u s reaction. T h e point was m a d e t h a t extra-intestinal deposition of such ova m u s t be c o n s i d e r e d as a possible cause of illnesses due to i n f l a m m a t o r y processes w i t h i n the a b d o m e n .
Experimental infections with guinea worm from a snake C. O. R. E V E R A R D , R. M U L L E R AND V I V I A N D U C K E T T
M. R. C. Staff, Trinidad Regional Virus Laboratory, University of the West Indies and Department of Medical Helminthology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine G u i n e a w o r m infection appears to be fairly c o m m o n in boas in the forest near Port-ofSpain, T r i n i d a d . F i r s t stage larvae a n d an infected tree boa (Corallus em~dris cookij were sent to L o n d o n ; a sand boa (Eryx sp.) with a w o r m e m e r g i n g 10 m o n t h s after an experim e n t a l infection was d e m o n s t r a t e d . A l t h o u g h 3 species of Dracunculus have b e e n described from m a m m a l s a n d 9 t¥om reptiles, the differences b e t w e e n each species are small a n d variable a n d 6 species have been f o u n d once only (MULLER, 1971). In view of t h e u n c e r t a i n t y c o n c e r n i n g specific identification, cross-infection e x p e r i m e n t s have b e e n a t t e m p t e d in order to d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r snakes could act as reservoir hosts for the h u m a n parasite ; infective larvae of Dracunculus sp. f r o m a snake were given orally a n d intraperitoneally to 2 rhesus m o n k e y s , a n d infective larvae of D. medinensis were similarly given to 6 snakes b e l o n g i n g to 5 species. All the animals were negative w h e n dissected 3-9 m o n t h s later. Because of this, a n d because of differences in the size a n d b e h a v i o u r of the first stage larvae, it is c o n c l u d e d that the parasite in boas is not D. medinensis. REFERENCE
MULLER, R. (1971). I n : Advances in Parasitology, 9, 73.
A c a s e o f Anisakis sp. i n f e c t i o n i n a b r o w n b e a r f r o m A l a s k a
J. T . D A V E Y
Fisheries Helminthology Unit f N E R C ) , St. Albans, Herts. Anisakis sp. n e m a t o d e larvae are c o m m o n l y e n c o u n t e r e d in teleost fish all over the world. T h e i r n o r m a l final hosts are m a r i n e m a m m a l s , b o t h cetaceans a n d p i n n i p e d s often h a r b o u r i n g e n o r m o u s n u m b e r s of the adults. T h e p r e s e n c e of the larvae in c o m m e r c i a l fish has long b e e n a source of c o n c e r n as s u c h infections are unsightly. I n t h e last decade, however, t h e c o n c e r n has g r o w n w i t h the realization t h a t the larvae are p a t h o g e n i c to m a n (THEIL et al., 1960; THEIL, 1962). As a result, m u c h work has b e e n d o n e to investigate t h e pathology a n d i m m u n o l o g y of the disease s y n d r o m e " A n i s a k i a s i s , " often by feeding t h e larvae to laboratory animals. T h i s has b e e n d o n e w i t h guinea-pigs (AsAMI a n d INOSHITA, 1967), rats (YOUNG a n d LOWE, 1969; GIBSON, 1970) a n d r a b b i t s (RUITENBERG, 1970) a n d m a r k e d host reactions h a v e usually b e e n r e c o r d e d at t h e site of p e n e t r a t i o n b y the larvae into t h e h o s t ' s gastric mucosa.