Syn.: Pelodera pellio, Schn., 1866; Rhabditis genitalis, Scheiber, 1880; Rhabditis pellio, Schn., 1866.
Males 0·8 to 1·05 mm. in length; females, 0·9 to 1·3 mm. in length. The posterior extremity of the body of the male has a heart-shaped bursa, and seven to ten ribs on each side; the bursa may, however, be lacking. The spicules measure 0·027 to 0·033 mm. in length, but are never quite alike. The posterior extremity of the female is long and pointed; the vulva lies somewhat behind the middle of the body, the ovary is single, the eggs are oval, 60 µ by 35 µ.
This species was found in Stuhlweissenburg by Scheiber in the acid urine (containing albumin, pus and blood) of a woman suffering from pyelonephritis, pneumonia and acute intestinal catarrh; the observer was able to convince himself that the Nematodes which were found during the whole period of the illness lived in the vagina, and were evacuated with the urine.
Oerley proved that this species had long been known; during its larval stage (Anguillula mucronata, Grube, 1849) it lives in earthworms; in its adult stage it lives in decomposing matter in the soil. By introducing individuals of this species into the vagina of mice, Oerley succeeded in obtaining infection and multiplication (facultative parasitism). These Nematodes must in some such way have got into the vagina of Scheiber’s patient.
Two other cases described by Baginsky and Peiper probably belonged to the same or a nearly related species.
Rhabditis niellyi, Blanchard, 1885.
Syn.: Leptodera niellyi, Blanchard, 1885.
In 1882 Nielly had a cabin-boy, aged 14, under observation in Brest. The lad had never left the neighbourhood of Brest, and had suffered from itching papules on the skin for five or six weeks; in the papules the observer found one or several rhabdites, measuring 0·33 mm. in length by 0·30 mm. in breadth. Their cuticle presented a delicate transverse striation; the intestine was the only internal organ recognizable, and it opened somewhat in front of the posterior extremity. Therefore, it must have belonged to the rhabditis-like larva of a Nematode, the adult stage of which is unknown.
The manner of infection was established almost certainly by a further observation of Nielly’s: at the commencement of the illness small Nematodes were found in the blood of the patient; later on, however, they disappeared, neither were Nematodes found in the fæces, urine or sputum. Therefore it must be concluded that the cabin-boy, who was in the habit of drinking water from brooks, had thus ingested embryo-containing eggs of a Nematode; the young hatched out in the intestine, perforated it, reached the blood and then settled in the skin; but, on the other hand, the entry may have been direct through the skin.