A case of human Linguatula Serrata infestation in Kashan

Abstract: Linguatula serrata, an ectoparasite, belonging to the arthropods order, has diverse forms of adult, nymph and larva. It causes pentastomiasis and respiratory tract disorder in reptiles or carnivorus and herbivorous mammals and rarely human. Human might be involved in case of consuming raw or semi cooked liver of animals. The infestation may lead to acute pharyngitis, dysphagia, vomiting, nasal discharge, a human infestation is usually the result of consumption of raw or semi cooked animal liver carrging lings. Human infestation usually occurs through nostrils, throat and sinuses. The clinical manifestations are pharyngitis, nausea, vomiting, pharyngeal irritation severe cough and rhinitis (Morrara syndrome). The choice of treatment is surgery and removal of parasite and using antihistamines. This is a case report of a 30-year old woman from Hassan-Abad, Kashan, presented with the typical symptoms of the disease after eating raw sheep liver. Diagnosis was made after removal of the nymph parasite from the tonsile morgin. Linguatula serrata was confirmed to be cause after morphologic study in the laboratory. Keywords: Linguatula serrata, Pentastomiasis, Marrara, Kasha