﻿KIDNEY-WORM INFESTATION OF SWINE IN THE PHILIPPINE 



ISLANDS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE 



PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES 



By William Hutchins Boynton 

 {From the Veterinary Division, Bureau of Agriculture, Manila, P. I.) 



Three plates 



INTRODUCTION 



Kidney-worm disease of swine is caused by an infestation with 

 Stephanurns dentatus Diesing, 1839.^ The infestation is char- 

 acterized by muscular pains, tenderness to pressure over the 

 kidneys, weakness, loss of appetite, emaciation, and partial or 

 complete paralysis of the hind quarters. The parasites may be 

 located in the fat surrounding the kidneys, in the ureters, and en- 

 cysted in the kidneys, liver, spleen, lymph glands, and muscles and 

 connective tissues in the region of the kidneys; also, they may 

 be found free, slightly embedded, or encysted in the connective 

 tissue of both peritoneal and thoracic cavities. 



From the reports at hand, kidney-worm infestation appears 

 to be more prevalent in subtropical and tropical climates than 

 in the colder latitudes. It has been found in the United States, 

 especially in the southern part. It is also present in South 

 America, Australia, Asia, and in the Philippine Islands. 



Observations upon the pathological changes induced by the 

 w^orm in pigs imported into the Philippines form the basis of this 

 paper. 



The following description of the worm is taken from a bulletin 

 written by Tayler- on this subject. 



Sclerostoma. — Body cylindrical, tapering but slightly at each end; mottled 

 in color; mouth terminal, circular, provided with six papillae, of which the 

 dorsal and the ventral are more prominent than the four submedian, and 

 with numerous cilialike structures, about 35-40 in number. Cuticle thicker 

 at extremities than in middle of body; transverse rings broader at extrem- 

 ities (9 M-) than in the middle (3 m) of body. Opening of cephalic gland 

 on ventro-median line near anterior end of esophagus. Alimentary tract 



' Synonyms: Sclerostoma pinguicola Verrill, 1870. Lard worm of pigs. 

 "- 16th Annual Rep. Bur. Animal Ind. for 1899. Washington (1900) , 612- 

 637. 



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