Myxobolus plectroplites 1 11.jpg

Taxonomy: Myxosporea
Animal: Myxobolus plectroplites 1 11.jpg
Sites:
Comment:
Myxobolus plectroplites - TEM of longitudinal section though a mature polar capsule (thick walled and contains a coiled polar filament capable of rapid extrusion) in a spore of M. plectroplites in the musculature of the fresh water fish Plectroplites ambiguus. Myxozoan spores were detected in faecal samples from 3 patients presenting with abdominal symptoms in SE Qld, Australia. All had eaten locally caught Yellow Belly fish (Plectroplites ambiguus) which were found to contain cysts of this parasite 40-350 microns long x 20-150 microns wide. They were bounded by thin membranous walls and contained numerous refractile spores identical in size, shape and appearance to those found in the faeces of the humans. They may be common in fish, with heavy infections affecting the taste of the fish as well as the health of the fish. The presence of spores were an incidental finding passing through the gut as in 2 of the patients, other enteric pathogens were present. (Boreham et al J Clin Microbiol. 1998. 36: 3728-3730 - see Bibliography)

First Picture | Previous Picture | Next Picture | Last Picture