Capillaria Philippinensis

Capillaria philippinensis is a parasitic nematode

which causes intestinal capillariasis. This sometimes
fatal disease was first discovered in Northern Luzon,
Philippines in 1964.

Epidemiology and Geographic Distribution:

Epidemic (from 1964 to 1967):

Philippines
Endemic:
Thailand

Intestinal capillariasis cases (82) reported in Thailand by

region from 1994 to 2006
Name: Ammar Sami Ashour

No.: 622

Sporadic cases:
- Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, Indonesia, Iran
and Egypt.
- Italy and Spain: were believed to be
acquired abroad.
The natural life cycle of C. philippinensis is
believed to involve fish as intermediate hosts, and fisheating birds as definitive hosts.
Humans acquire C. philippinensis by eating small
species of infested fish whole and raw.

Scientific Classification:
-

Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Subclass
Order
Family
Genus
Species

Animalia
Nematoda
Adenophorea
Enoplea
Trichurida
Trichinellidae
Capillaria
C. philippinensis

Morphology:
ADULTS:
C. philippinensis is a round worm, possess a
narrow thin anterior portion and a thicker posterior end.
It is covered by a cuticle made of scleroprotein
designed to resist the digestive juices and enzymes at
the host.
Female 2.5 4.5 mm long
3.2 mm long
It has
-

Male 2.3

hypodermis layer:
protoplasmic syncitial layer.
secretes the scleroprotein of the cuticle.
thickened into four longitudinal chords, one
dorsal, one ventral, and two lateral.

Name: Ammar Sami Ashour

No.: 622

The chords:
- project into the body cavity
- carry six longitudinal nerve trunks, and two
lateral excretory canals.
The body cavity:
- lined by a single layer of longitudinal muscle
cells.
- within it, lie the digestive, reproductive, and
parts of the excretory and nervous systems.
Digestive System:
- Patent tube begins with mouth opening ant.
and ends by (subterminal anus females &
cloacal opening males)
- The esophagus has the stichosomal pattern
& chitnized lumen.
Nervous System:
- Consists of a nerve ring surrounding the
esophagus from which nerve trunks extend
ant., post., and lat.
- No Phasmids (Aphasmidea).
Excretory System:
- Two lat. longitudinal canals connected by a
transverse tube, opens in the cervical
region.
Reproductive System:
- Series of long tubules coiled around the
intestine:
Female:
- Single set of tubules, starting with the ovary
oviduct uterus vagina vulva (in the
esophageal region).
- Is oviparous as well as larviparous.
Male:
- Single convoluted tubules, differentiated
into testis seminal vesicle ejaculatory
duct (joins the rectum & opens into the
cloaca)
Name: Ammar Sami Ashour

No.: 622

- It is characterized by a single spicule

without spines.
EGGS:
- Thin shelled: mature eggs
- Thick shelled: 45*21 , golden yellow,
immature with flattened bipolar plugs and a
striated outer shell.

LARVAE:
- Similar to adults worms, but they are
smaller.

Name: Ammar Sami Ashour

No.: 622

Name: Ammar Sami Ashour

No.: 622