Cryptocotyle quinqueangularis (Skrjabin, 1923)
ETYMOLOGY:Crypto (hidden) + cotyle (disk) [for the small ventral sucker being incorporated, hidden within, the muscular a ring of small spines around the oral opening] and quinqueangularis for the five-sided nature of this worm.
SYNONYMS:Ciureana quinqueangularis (Skrjabin, 1923).
HISTORY: This parasite was first described by Skrjabin from specimens recovered from domestic cats in Russia.
GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION: This parasite has been reported from Russia.
LOCATION IN HOST: Small intestine.
PARASITE IDENTIFICATION: This small worm differs from the other species of Cryptocotyle in that the body is five-sided and has vitellaria extending anteriorly to the level of the intestinal bifurcation.
The eggs tend to be lop-sided, i.e., the ovals are longer on one side than the other. The dimensions are 38 µm long by 15 µm in width.
LIFE CYCLE: The typical final host are probably gulls and terns; however, the only specimens recovered have been from the cat.
CLINICAL PRESENTATION AND PATHOGENESIS: Thought to be asymptomatic.
TREATMENT: Probably praziquantel, but not reported.
EPIZOOTIOLOGY: Cats probably become infected by eating raw fish.
HAZARD TO OTHER ANIMALS: None known.
HAZARD TO HUMANS: Humans could possibly be infected if they ingested the presumed fish intermediate host.
CONTROL/PREVENTION: Probably the prevention of the ingestion of raw fish.
REFERENCES:
Skrjabin KI. 1923. Studies on the parasitic worms of carnivores II-IV.. Trudy Gos Inst Exsp Vet 1:67-71.