Cynodiplostomumazimi (Gohar, 1933) Dubois, 1936
(Fig. 2-8)
ETYMOLOGY:Cyno (dog) + diplo (two) + stomum (mouth) and azimi for Dr. Azim
SYNONYMS:Diplostomum azimi Gohar, 1933; Cynodiplostomumnamrui Kuntz and Chandler, 1956.
HISTORY: This trematode was originally described from a dog in Cairo, Egypt, by Gohar (1933). It was later placed in the newly created genus Cynodiplostomum by Dubois in 1936.
GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION: Egypt.
LOCATION IN HOST: Small intestine.
PARASITE IDENTIFICATION: These are small trematodes that are 0.75 to 1.2 mm long and about twice as long as they are wide. They differ from Alaria (described above) in that the tribocytic organ is more circular, the vitellaria are in the forebody and hindbody, and the ovary is opposite to the anterior testis rather than anterior to this testis. Eggs measure 100 to 110 µm by 60 to 67 µm.
LIFE CYCLE: The life cycle of this genus is not known. It is believed to be similar to Alaria and other related forms.
CLINICAL PRESENTATION AND PATHOGENESIS:: There are no reports of clinical disease in cats. The only report is from the necropsy of stray cats in Egypt without any mention of clinical presentation.
TREATMENT: Probably praziquantel, but not reported.
EPIZOOTIOLOGY: This parasite was found in 7 of 48 Egyptian cats; in the same study, it was found in 2 of 3 dogs (Kuntz & Chandler, 1956). A very similar parasite, Diplostomumtregenna, was reported from 5% of dogs in Cairo (Azim, 1938), and this may be the same parasite.
HAZARD TO OTHER ANIMALS: None. Although other hosts are infected, the major means of infection is through the ingestion of the intermediate host which requires that the appropriate snail also be available.
HAZARD TO HUMANS: None.
CONTROL/PREVENTION: It is not known what intermediate host harbors the larval stage, although fish are the suspected host.
REFERENCES:
Azim MA. 1938. On the intestinal helminths of dogs in Egypt. J Egypt Med Assoc 21:??????
Gohar M. 1933. Diplostomumazimi sp. n., a new trematode parasite of the dog. Ann Mag Nat Hist. 11:302-306.
Dubois G. 1936. Noveaux principes de classification des Trématodes du groupe des Strigeida. Note préliminaire. Rev suiss Zool. 43:507-515.
Kuntz RE, Chandler AC. 1956. Studies on Egyptian trematodes with special reference to the Heterophyids of mammals. I. Adult flukes, with descriptions of Phagicolalongicollis n. sp., Cynodiplostomumnamrui n.sp., and a Stephanoprora from cats. J Parasitol. 42:445-459.
Figure 2-8.Cynodiplostomumazimi collected from a domestic cat in Egypt