# Strongyloides???



## Reef_Haven (Jan 19, 2011)

Are these Strongyloides? or possibly Rhabdias sp.
Would treatment be the same?


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## rozdaboff (Feb 27, 2005)

What magnification are these taken at? It looks like they might be images from a dissecting scope?

How was the fecal sample collected? Where was it collected from (tank vs. quarantine container)? How long did the fecal sample sit?


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## Reef_Haven (Jan 19, 2011)

This would be at 40X highest magnification I have. I just held my digital camera up to one of the eyepieces, kinda hard to keep camera steady and get a decent photo. Fecal was a guess maybe 6 hours. I would guess the nematodes were about 200 microns in length.
This frog is in quarantine and being treated with fenbendazole. I'm curious as to what to expect to see during treatment. I guess I expected the frog to pass dead nematodes, these were very much alive. One day after first treatment.


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## PeanutbuttER (Jan 1, 2011)

I'm jealous that you have a scope and can do your own fecals. I work in a lab with nematodes and am confident I could do fecals, but microscopes are so dang expensive...


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## Reef_Haven (Jan 19, 2011)

Not mine. Just borrowed from work.


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## rozdaboff (Feb 27, 2005)

Yes - at that magnification, with hatched larvae in the sample, the most likely differentials are _Rhabdias_ and _Strongyloides_. They are nearly impossible to differentiate based on larval morphology (many lungworms have a kink in their tail - but I don't find that to necessarily be the case for amphibian _Rhabdias_).

One of the mechanisms of action of fenbendazole is inhibition of glucose uptake, but the worms will still have energy stores they need to deplete before death. However, as the fenbendazole is most often sprinkled on fruit flies, you can't be sure of the exact dose the frogs are receiving, so if you continue to see live larvae in the sample - they may not be getting enough drug and you should consider another more precise treatment.


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## Reef_Haven (Jan 19, 2011)

Rozdaboff, thanks for the reply.
How long might it take to longer see live worms? 
I noticed fenbendazole does not dissolve into solution in water, more like a suspension. Can it be absorbed cutaneously? I know some liquid meds can have as much as 80% uptake, cutaneously; but I wouldn't expect that rate with a suspension.


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## rozdaboff (Feb 27, 2005)

I would wait to do the next fecal one week following the final day of treatment.

How are you administering the medication? I wouldn't recommend treating with fenbendazole as a dissolved topical. I cannot find any publications where they have studied the efficacy of percutaneous absorption - or if the formulation remains stable once dissolved.

Dr. Oz


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## Reef_Haven (Jan 19, 2011)

Ten dusted melanos. I only saw the frog eat one. There were still a couple in the container the next day. Frog is 1.0 gram and really only wants to eat springs. I guess I could make a solution and administer orally. But, I have no experience doing that.


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## rozdaboff (Feb 27, 2005)

I sent you a PM.


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## varanoid (Jan 21, 2011)

My friends laughed at me when I told them I wanted a microscope. They said I was a nerd. They then asked me what i wanted a microscope for. They nearly pissed themselves when I told them I would use the microscope to look at frog terds.


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## bricespice (Jan 4, 2010)

Do u need the mag to see them? Or can u visually see them without magnification. I found what look like the same thing swimming/flopping in my tadpole cups!


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