Pentastomiasis

Definition Pentastomiasis is infection by pentastomes, which are organisms in the phylum Pentastomida the approximately 95 species of the phylum, most correctly called pentastomids, are commonly known as pentastomes and will be so termed in this chapter. The single class within the phylum, Pentastomata, comprises 7 families in 2 orders, Porocephalida and Cephalobaenida. In the order Cephalobaenida, infections in humans by Raillietiella hemidactyli and Raillietiella gehyrae have been reported. Two families of the order Porocephalida-Porocephalidae and Linguatulidae-afflict humans. Infections by Armillifer moniliformis, Armillifer grandis, Armillifer agkistrodontis, Armillifer najae, Leiperia cincinnalis, and Sebekia sp are known however, species of porocephalida, Armillifer armillatus and Linguatula serrata, account for nearly all infections in humans.