%0 Journal Article
%T Accidental vaginal parasitism by oligochaete worms (Annelida: Oligochaeta)
%A Blakemore
%A R.J.
%A Lee
%A W.
%A Ryu
%A J.-S.
%A Ahn
%A M.-H.
%J Opuscula Zoologica Instituti Zoosystematici et Oecologici Universitatis Budapestinensis
%D 2012
%I E?tv?s Lor¨˘nd University
%X Two independent cases of oligochaete worms recovered from Korean womenĄŻs vaginas are reported. Both specimens were non-parasitic cosmopolitan exotics identified as: microdrile tubificid Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri Clapar¨¨de, 1862 (Tubificidae) and megadrile dichogastrid Dichogaster bolaui (Michaelsen, 1891) (Octochaetidae) ¨C a new record for Korea. The tubificid is a freshwater euryhaline species that may reach high numbers in organically rich water e.g. in a paddy field, whereas the earthworm is commonly intercepted by quarantine in plant or vegetable cargos and also appears in bathtubs when it inhabits drainage sys tems. Thus, bathing/douching, field working or picnicking without a blanket are suggested as possible modes of ingress. Oligo chaetes rarely occur in live human bodies but the few previous historical records are reviewed.
%K Vagina
%K pseudo-parasitism
%K gynecology
%K 
%K medical
%K free-living
%K exotic worms
%U http://opuscula.elte.hu/PDF/Tomus43_2/Blakemore_Human%20parasitism.pdf