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Volume 23, Number 9—September 2017
Dispatch

Possible Role of Fish as Transport Hosts for Dracunculus spp. Larvae

Christopher A. ClevelandComments to Author , Mark L. Eberhard, Alec T. Thompson, Stephen J. Smith, Hubert Zirimwabagabo, Robert Bringolf, and Michael J. Yabsley
Author affiliations: University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA (C.A. Cleveland, S.J. Smith, R. Bringolf, M.J. Yabsley); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia (M.L. Eberhard); University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA (A.T. Thompson); The Carter Center, Atlanta (H. Zirimwabagabo)

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Table

Results of ferret exposure trials with 3 different fish species exposed to copepods infected with Dracunculus medinensis or D. insignis worms

Fish species Dracunculus sp. No. fish consumed/no. offered* Total no. copepods† Days until euthanasia of ferret‡ Dracunculus infection status 
of ferret No. worms recovered and sex§
Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) D. insignis 28/30 300 91 and 134 – 0
D. medinensis
 30/30
 300
 77
 +
 1M/11F
Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
 D. insignis
 27/30
 300
 91 and 134
 +
 6F¶
Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) D. insignis 30/30 300 91 and 118 + 1M

*In groups of 5 fish/day for 6 days.
†>25% of copepods infected.
‡The D. insignis worm–exposed ferrets have 2 entries for days until euthanasia because these animals were exposed to fish at 2 different time points with copepods infected with larvae from 2 different worms.
§All worms were recovered from the subcutaneous tissues of the limbs.
¶Of these 6 female worms, 5 were gravid, indicating a male worm either was missed or had died before necropsy.

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Page created: August 17, 2017
Page updated: August 17, 2017
Page reviewed: August 17, 2017
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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