Fig. 1

Intestinal lesions in Caretta caretta associated with Hapalotrema mistroides and Neospirorchis sp. Different pattern of distribution on the intestinal district are easily visible for the two genera. Type 1 eggs are scattered on the intestinal wall, grossly looking as small brownish spots (a) composed of a low number of fusiform eggs as revealed by stereomicroscopy (b). Big masses of type 3 eggs are visible on the intestinal mucosa as elongated black serpiginous stripes (c), formed by thousands of elements (d). Different patterns of distribution are easily visible in this case of mixed infection, in which type 3 eggs appear like grouped in a cyst like structure (e). Multifocal granulomatous enteritis (f; HE) with multinucleated giant cells (black arrow) surrounding a core of eggs and necrotic debris is detectable in intestinal sections with minimal fibrotic reaction (inset). Abbreviation: HE, haematoxylin and eosin. Scale-bars: a, 0.5 cm; b, 1 mm; c, 0.37 cm; d, 560 μm; e, 350 μm; f, 150 μm (inset: 120 μm)