Prevalence of Linguatula serrata (Order: Pentastomida) nymphs parasitizing Camels and Goats with experimental infestation of dogs in Egypt

Linguatula serrata is an arthropod of the class pentastomida, found worldwide. It has a zoonotic importance to humans either by ingestion of nymphs (nasopharyngeal linguatulosis) or by ingestion of eggs (visceral linguatulosis). This study aimed to record the prevalence rate of this zoonotic parasite in camels and goats as well as experimental infestation of dogs to collect and identify the adults male and female as well as eggs. Four hundred slaughtered camels and goats (200 Goats, 200 Camels) were inspected from Cairo abattoir, of different sex and age at the period of January to December 2015. One hundred donkeys were also inspected on postmortem examination for infestation with L. serrata nymphs from slaughterhouse at Giza zoo, Egypt. Fecal samples, nasal swab were collected from 150 stray dogs for coprological detection of natural infestation with adult L. serrata with negative results. The total prevalence rate of infestation in herbivorous animals was 22.8% with L. serrata nymph. The highest infestation rate occurred in goats (30%) while, the lowest one was in donkeys (8%). The highest intensity of L. serrata nymphs was 50 in goats, while the lowest one was in donkeys (1N/MLN). The highest infestation rate was reported at age ranged from (> 24 months) in goats (50%). However, all inspected animals were found negative for L. serrata nymphs in the age less than 12 months. Nineteen adult L. serrata male and 2 female were recovered from experimental infestation of puppies, morphological parameters of nymphs, adults male and female as well as eggs were recorded.