This really neat photo, captured by our clinical microbiology fellow, Dr. Sarah Jung, nicely captured the miracidium right after it had exited the egg - AND - the egg remnant is still recognizable by its characteristic terminal spine. Great job Sarah!
I've tried to the best of my ability to label all of the components of the miracidium:
We rarely get to see these in the lab - although there is a hatching test you can try if you'd interested - and so it was a real treat to see the newly-hatched form of this parasite. Sarah mentioned that this was the best type of call to get called in from home for.
If you haven't already, I encourage you to go back and read the comments on this case - they are very interesting. I am so fortunate to have such a knowledgeable group of contributors who are always willing to share information and answer each other's questions. The comments also included a poem from Blaine which I will share here:
Humpty Haematobium sat on a wall
Humpty Haematobium had good fall
All the King's horses
and all the King's men
Couldn't put Humpty Haematobium back together again!
Excellent as always Blaine! Sarah and my lab staff have just a slight modification to your poem:
Humpty Haematobium sat in some pee
Humpty Haematobium yearned to be free
All of my fellows
Both women and men
Couldn't put Humpty together again!
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