(Health and Medical Publishing Group (HMPG), 2007-10) Du Plessis, Vicci; Birnie, Andrew J.; Eloff, Ivor; Reuter, Helmuth; Andronikou, Savvas
Pentastomiasis, also known as ‘tongue worm’ infestation or
porocephalosis, is a parasitic zoonosis endemic to western
and central Africa. In 1847, Pruner described the first human
infection by a pentastomid in Cairo. The definitive hosts
are snakes and other reptiles, while the intermediate hosts
are carnivorous mammals and, rarely, humans. Most cases
of human pentastomiasis are caused by two species of
pentastomids, both of which have characteristics of arthropods
and annelids, viz. Armillifer armillatus and Linguatula serrata.