1Department of Biopathological Sciences and Hygiene of Animal and Food Production, Via San Costanzo 4, 06126 Perugia, Italy.
2Department of Environmental Sciences, Via Circonvallazione 93–95, 62024 Matelica (MC), Italy.
* For correspondence: Tel: +39 75 585 7632; Fax: +39 75 585 7631; E-mail: vera.pedini@unipg.it.
Natural infection of dogs with Mesocestoides tetrathyridia is uncommon. The present study describes the ultrastructure of this larval form collected from an ascitic dog. The presence of suckers testified that it was a cephalic form. The tegument showed the typical structure composed of an external layer with two types of microtriches and an internal layer made up of cells joined to the external layer by cytoplasmic bridges. Numerous calcareous corpuscles were found in the parenchyma.
Mesocestoides, dog, ultrastructure
