Contamination Of The Gnathostoma Spp Infective Stage Larvae In Fluta Alba Sold In Bangkok

In Thailand Gnathostoma spinigerum is the major causative agent of human gnathostomiasis. Usually, humans acquire the infection by consumption of G. spinigerum L3s infected hosts as partially cooked or uncooked food. Of several uncooked food, the highest prevalence of G. spinigerum L3s was found in Fluta alba (swamp eels). In Thailand, data of the prevalence and concentration of the parasite in these second intermedate hosts are limited. To provide this basic public health information, study of the distribution of Gnathostoma infective larvae in second intermediate hosts is necessary. We report here the findings of a study of G. spinigerum L3s in the livers of swamp eels from several wandering eel selling stalls in Bangkok to fulfill those previous studies. A total of 368 viscera of swamp eels for this study were obtained from several wandering eel selling stalls in order to study the prevalence of contaminated gnathostome L3s. The prevalence of L3s contamination is 15 %. The average number of larvae recovered was about 0.02 larvae/g of liver. In addition, there were also other recovered parasites such as Acanthocephalans and minute flukes. the authors concluded that the contamination of L3 in the swamp eels in Thailand is high and can be seen in any selling sources or season although there are some previous reports on the setting or seasonal predominance of contamination. We hypothesize that the finding is due to the wide distribution of the swamp eels from the original sources to several selling places, markets and wandering stalls in Thailand. The better transportation system in Thailand at present can be solution of this finding.