PARASITES AND RELATED PATHOLOGICAL LESIONS IN THE GASTROINTESTINAL-TRACT OF A SEAL (PHOCA-VITULINA LINNAEUS)

An immature seal, about one-year-old, died a natural death. At autopsy , a large number of Contracaecum osculatum and Pseudoterranova decipie ns, as well as some of Anisakis simplex were found in the stomach toge ther with numerous Corynosoma strumosum in the small intestine and col on. Histopathological examination revealed epithelial desquamation, co ngestion and hemorrhage in the mucosa. There were cellular infiltratio n and fibroplasia around the nematodes, collapsed nematodes and molted nematode cuticules in the stomach wall. The small intestine and colon underwent severe epithelial desquamation, catarrhal inflammation, and slight inflammatory response consisting mainly of lymphocytes. To the best of our knowledge, this may be the first report on Corynosoma str umosum in Japan.