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Home / Equine Research Bank / Parasitol Res / Equine stomach worm, Drashia megastoma (Spirurida: Habronema...
Parasitology research2007; 101(4); 913-918; doi: 10.1007/s00436-007-0558-z

Equine stomach worm, Drashia megastoma (Spirurida: Habronematidae): first SEM report.

Abstract: Drashia megastoma (Spirurida: Habronematidae) occurs in nodules in the stomach wall and rarely free in the stomach of the horse, mule and zebra throughout the world. D. megastoma develops in the housefly Musca domestica and causes gastric haemorrhage or even perforation of the stomach. Larvae of this nematode may be found in the lung, skin and eye of the host. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to study the surface ultrastructure of adult worms of this nematode. In both sexes, the head end was separated from the rest of the body by a constriction. The stoma was infundibuliform with a wall forming two separated lateral vales. The pseudo-labia were not lobed. Around the mouth, four submedian cephalic papillae and two amphids were seen. A pair of ciliated cervical papillae was present, and an excretory pore was observed. There were two lateral alae. In the female, the vulva was opened anteriorly. The caudal end of the male was alate and the spicules were unequal. At the posterior end of the male, four pairs of stalked precloacal papillae, two median precloacal papillae close to the cloaca, two pairs of postcloacal papillae and a cluster of small papillae were present.
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Publication Date: 2007-05-10 PubMed ID: 17487510DOI: 10.1007/s00436-007-0558-zGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research article provides detailed observations of the physical characteristics of the horse stomach worm, Drashia megastoma, gathered using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).

Description of Drashia megastoma

  • Drashia megastoma is a worm that can be found in the stomachs of various animals including horses, mules, and zebras. It can cause health issues such as gastric hemorrhage and stomach perforation. Its larvae can also inhabit other areas of the host’s body like lungs, skin, and even eyes.
  • The research article mentioned that the worm develops in the common housefly, Musca domestica, implying an indirect lifecycle where the horsefly serves as the intermediary host.

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)

  • The researchers utilized Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to examine the exterior structure of the adult worms. SEM is a type of electron microscope that creates images of a sample by scanning the surface with a focused beam of electrons. This technique allows scientists to view specimens in very fine detail.

Surface Characteristics of the Drashia megastoma

  • The study provides a thorough description of the features of D. megastoma as seen under a SEM. It specifies that both males and females have a separated head end due to a constriction, and a spherical mouth duct with a wall structure that has two lateral openings.
  • Moreover, the body of the worm is adorned with several types of papillae (small, round, fleshy protuberances), including four submedian cephalic papillae and two amphids around the mouth, a set of ciliated cervical papillae, and a collection of small in the posterior area in males.
  • Besides the papillae, two lateral wings, or alae, were also observed, and an excretory pore was spotted. The research confirms that the females have an anteriorly positioned opening (vulva), while the males’ caudal end is winged and comes with unequal spicules, or sharp, spine-like structures.

Cite This Article

APA
Naem S. (2007). Equine stomach worm, Drashia megastoma (Spirurida: Habronematidae): first SEM report. Parasitol Res, 101(4), 913-918. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-007-0558-z

Publication

Parasitology research
ISSN: 0932-0113
NlmUniqueID: 8703571
Country: Germany
Language: English
Volume: 101
Issue: 4
Pages: 913-918

Researcher Affiliations

Naem, Soraya
  • Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, PO Box 1177, Urmia, Iran. sorayanaem@yahoo.com

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases / parasitology
  • Horses / parasitology
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Spirurida Infections / parasitology
  • Spirurida Infections / veterinary
  • Spiruroidea / isolation & purification
  • Spiruroidea / ultrastructure
  • Stomach / parasitology

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Citations

This article has been cited 4 times.
  1. Naem S, Asadi R. Ultrastructural characterization of male and female Physaloptera rara (Spirurida: Physalopteridae): feline stomach worms. Parasitol Res 2013 May;112(5):1983-90.
    doi: 10.1007/s00436-013-3356-9pubmed: 23455940google scholar: lookup
  2. Naem S, Houston RS, Sentíes-Cué G. New insights into morphological features of Hadjelia truncata (Spirurida: Habronematidae), as revealed by SEM. Parasitol Res 2013 Jan;112(1):327-33.
    doi: 10.1007/s00436-012-3140-2pubmed: 23064811google scholar: lookup
  3. Borji H, Raji AR, Naghibi AG. The comparative morphology of Marshallagia marshalli and Ostertagia occidentalis (Nematoda: Strongylida, Trichostrongylidae) by scanning electron microscopy. Parasitol Res 2011 Jun;108(6):1391-5.
    doi: 10.1007/s00436-010-2186-2pubmed: 21193929google scholar: lookup
  4. Buzzell GR, Tariq S, Traversa D, Schuster R. Morphology of the infective larval stage of the equid parasite Habronema muscae (Spirurida: Habronematidae), from houseflies (Musca domestica). Parasitol Res 2011 Mar;108(3):629-32.
    doi: 10.1007/s00436-010-2106-5pubmed: 20949282google scholar: lookup
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