HALICEPHALOBUS

GINGIVALIS

Zoonoses Topic

Public Health

Judith, Beccy and Anna-Mae

QUESTION 1

What type of organism is Halicephalobus

gingivalis?

Virus

Parasite

Bacteria

QUESTION 2

What species can this organism infect?

Cats, meerkats and humans

Horses, zebras and humans

Alligators, lizards and humans

QUESTION 3

What is Halicephalobus ginigivalis also

known as?

Equus africanus asinus

Micronema deletrix

Equus burchellii

Suricata suricata

QUESTION 4

How long does the organism survive in the

environment?

Free living

16 days

16 weeks

16 years

QUESTION 4

Which of these organs doesn’t it affect?

Brain

Kidneys

Liver

Adrenal glands

QUESTION 5

Which of these is a mode of infection?

Ingestion

Transcutaneous

Inhalation

Transplacental

GET THE FACTS!

Free living nematode

Found in soil

Poorly understood transmission

Believed through cutaneous or mucosal wounds

Only 5 human cases and about 65 equine cases

reported

First described 1954

QUESTION 6

Which of these is not a clinical sign?

Fever

Mental change

Lethargy

Haematuria

QUESTION 7

How is this disease diagnosed?

Haematology and biochemistry

Clinical signs

Microscopic faecal examination

PM

GET THE FACTS!

Believed haematogenous dissemination

Strong neurotropism

Development of meningoencephalitis

Fever, mental changes, lethargy

Affects multiple organs

Kidneys

Oral and Nasal cavities

Lymph nodes

Adrenal Glands

Skin

QUESTION 8

What is observed microscopically?

Neutrophils

Eosinophils

Lymphocytes

All of the above

QUESTION 9

What does this look like on histology?

A B

C

GET THE FACTS!

Granulomatous inflammation of tissue

All reported cases fatal

Apart from 2 cutaneous equine cases

one had surgical removal and IVM treatment + the other

received IVM and diethylcarbamazine

Anthelmintics ineffective

Failure to cross blood brain barrier

Most cases diagnosed post mortem

In live animal clinical signs and increased CSF eosinophils

suggestive

DDX

Toxocara canis

Angiostrongylus cantonensis

Strongyloides stercoralis

Gnathostoma spinigerum

Baylisascaris procyonis

Lagochilascaris minor

GEOGRAPHICAL SPREAD

Worldwide spread

North America

Canada

Brazil

Colombia

Japan

Belgium

Italy

UK

Ireland

PUBLIC HEALTH

Limited information

No ante-mortem diagnosis

No effective treatment

Low prevalence

Probably not economical currently to actively pursue

control measures

Advise surveillance

BONUS QUESTION

What was the name of the Zebra in madagascar?

Marty

Alex

Melman

Rico