Prevalence of Linguatula serrata nymphs in slaughtered goats in Isfahan province

BACKGROUND: Linguatula serrata, a tongue worm, is anaberrant cosmopolitan parasite, which inhabits the caninerespiratory system (final host). The discharged eggs infect manyplant feeder, including ruminants and human being, that producevisceral and nasopharyngeal linguatulosis which is known asMarrara syndrome in man. OBJECTIVES:In the current study, theprevalence rate of infection with L. serrata nymphs inmesenteric and mediastinal lymph nodes (MLNs) of slaughteredgoats was investigated by cutting in MLNs and observing themin Isfahan Province, Iran. METHODS: The MLNs of 620slaughtered goats, including 197 females and 423 males, after thepreparation of the lymph nodes, were examined for L. serratanymphs by cutting them longitudinally and testing them by usinga dissecting microscope for L. serrata nymphs. Then, in thesuspected cases, the samples were digested by pepsin andhydrochloric acid and were examined for presence of L. serratanymphs. Goats were categorized into four age groups, including< 1.5 year, 1.5 to 2.5 years, 2.5 to 3.5 years, and > 3.5 years.RESULTS:The results showed that 54.35% of the examined goatswere infected with L. serrata. Sex had no significant effect on theprevalence rate of this parasite in goats. CONCLUSIONS: Ahighprevalence rate of infection in goats suggests a possible similarhigh rate of infection in other animals and man in the investigatedarea, which emphasizes undertaking strict control measures toreduce the risk of zoonotic outbreaks.