Parasitic zoonoses in Sri Lanka: an update.

Cestodes Since 1993 (1) several cases of sparganosis caused probably by Spirometra sp. have been observed. (5,6 and Samarasinghe S, personal communication). Bertiella studeri, an anoplocephalid tapeworm, is now recognised as a parasite acquired in areas where monkey reservoir hosts abound (7). As summarised by the present author (8) this cestode (Weerasooriya MV, Edirisinghe JS, personal communications), Taenia solium, Hymenolepis diminuta (Weerasooriya MV, personal communication) and hydatid cysts of Echinococcus granulosus are seen by clinicians and parasitologists, but not reported. An unusual infection, probably a spurious one, of Taenia taeniaeformis of the cat has recently been reported in a child (9).