Two cases of human infection with Bertiella studeri in North Sumatra, Indonesia.

Abstract

Tapeworms were recovered from a 3-year-old female and an adult male, both from North Sumatra, Indonesia. No information on clinical examinations or symptoms was obtained. The tapeworms measured 0.8 mm and 0.76 mm in length, and 5 mm and 10 mm in width, respectively. In mature proglottides, the many follicular testes were seen distributed in the anterior part and almost the entire width of the proglottid. The genital pores alternated irregularly. The cirrus sac was a strong muscular organ, cylindrical or spindle-shaped containing a narrow cirrus canal. The funnel-shaped vagina was weakly developed. The uterus was a single transverse tube with ova measuring 33-41 x 36-41 micro m. The cestode was identified as B. studeri. This is primarily a primate parasite, but as people from the patients' villages were breeding monkeys or apes, it is believed that this may have been a possible source of infection.