International journal for parasitology最新文献

{"title":"Phylogenetic characterization of the pork tapeworm Taenia solium in Japan: implications for the enigmatic evolutionary history","authors":"Naoki Hayashi ,&nbsp;Ryo Kuwamoto ,&nbsp;Mitsuhiro Okada ,&nbsp;Kenta Suzuki ,&nbsp;Takaya Hoketsu ,&nbsp;Samuel Kelava ,&nbsp;Yuma Ohari ,&nbsp;Munehiro Okamoto ,&nbsp;Kinpei Yagi ,&nbsp;Nariaki Nonaka ,&nbsp;Ryo Nakao","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.04.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.04.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Taenia solium</em> is a tapeworm of the family Taeniidae that causes neurocysticercosis, a serious zoonotic disease in humans. Its life cycle involves pigs and wild boars as intermediate hosts and humans as the sole definitive host. Since poor sanitation and free-roaming pigs contribute to maintaining its life cycle, cysticercosis is endemic in developing countries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, while local transmission is generally absent in developed countries. However, we unexpectedly identified three cases of cysticercosis in wild boars in Japan between 2014 and 2023. Genetic analyses were performed on six cysticerci collected from two wild boars independently captured in 2023. Phylogenetic analysis using three nuclear DNA markers confirmed that the cysticerci were indeed <em>T. solium</em>. Mitogenome sequencing from these cysticerci yielded six complete mitogenomes, each 13,712 bp in length and identical to each other. Haplotype network analysis using mitochondrial <em>cox1</em> and <em>cob</em> sequences revealed that the cysticerci in Japan possess a haplotype distinct from haplogroups in other endemic regions, i.e., haplogroups in Asia, Africa/America, and Bhutan, indicating that the <em>T. solium</em> population is divided into at least four haplogroups. Subsequent phylogenetic inference from the mitochondrial 12 protein-coding genes demonstrated that the Japanese haplotype diverged from both the Asian and African/American haplogroups before the divergence of these two major haplogroups in the Early to Middle Pleistocene. Our findings indicate that the <em>T. solium</em> life cycle can be maintained in regions generally considered non-endemic, highlighting an overlooked risk of local transmission in developed countries. Furthermore, the genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships revealed in this study may provide evidence for revisiting the “Out of Africa” hypothesis for <em>T. solium</em>. Comprehensive mitogenomic analyses based on additional specimens would hold the key to unraveling the evolutionary history of this tapeworm, which currently uses humans as its sole definitive host.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"55 10","pages":"Pages 497-508"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143982248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Contrasting effects of body condition on ectoparasite abundance in a social bat: different roles of season and host sex","authors":"Áron Péter ,&nbsp;Boróka Beke ,&nbsp;Zoltán László ,&nbsp;Sándor Hornok ,&nbsp;Attila D. Sándor","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.04.015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.04.015","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the interplay between host species ecology and parasite dynamics is crucial for comprehending disease transmission patterns, population structures, and ecosystem health. In most host-parasite systems, host body condition is of primary importance in ectoparasite host choice. Bats were considered an exception, as previously several studies suggested that bat ectoparasites showed no or minimal dependence on host body condition. We investigated the relationships between host condition and ectoparasite abundance in multiple populations of European bent-winged bats (<em>Miniopterus schreibersii</em>) and their arthropod ectoparasites (mites, nycteribiid bat flies and ixodid ticks). We found weak correlations between individual host condition and combined ectoparasite abundance, with seasonal fluctuations in both, and a single seasonal peak in parasite abundance. However, when treated individually, single ectoparasite groups showed contrasting answers to changes in body condition. Body condition had a significant positive effect on wing mite abundance and a significant negative effect on the prevalence and intensity of nycteribiid bat flies, overall with no effect on tick infestation. These responses moreover showed also seasonal differences, highly correlating with the life-stages of the two host’s sexes. Our long-term, large-scale study of European bent-winged bats and their arthropod ectoparasites was able to detect major influences exerted by hosts’ body condition on ectoparasites’ host choice. Here we showed that bat populations undergo dynamic changes in their body condition during the active period of their annual cycle, with ectoparasites evolved to differentially exploit peaks or troughs of these changes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"55 10","pages":"Pages 537-546"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143997798","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"GI-NemaTracker – A farm system-level mathematical model to predict the consequences of gastrointestinal parasite control strategies in sheep","authors":"Lee Benson ,&nbsp;Ilias Kyriazakis ,&nbsp;Naomi Fox ,&nbsp;Alison Howell ,&nbsp;Giles T. Innocent ,&nbsp;Fiona Kenyon ,&nbsp;Diana Williams ,&nbsp;David A Ewing","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.04.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.04.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gastro-intestinal nematode infections are considered one of the major endemic diseases of sheep on the grounds of animal health and economic burden, both in the British Isles and globally. Parasites are increasingly developing resistance to commonly used anthelmintic treatments meaning that alternative control strategies that reduce or replace the use of anthelmintics are required. We present GI-NemaTracker, a systems-level mathematical model of the full host-parasite-environment system governing gastro-intestinal nematode transmission on a sheep farm. The model is based on a series of time-varying delay-differential equations that explicitly capture environmentally-driven time delays in nematode development. By taking a farm systems-level approach we represent both in–host and environmentally-driven free-living parasite dynamics and their interaction with a population of individually modelled lambs with diverse trait parameters assigned at birth. Thus we capture seasonally varying rates of parasite transmission and consequently variable weight gain of individual lambs throughout the season. The model is parameterised for <em>Teladorsagia circumcincta</em>, although the framework described could be applied to a range of nematode parasite species. We validate the model against experimental and field data and apply it to study the efficacy of four different anthelmintic treatment regimes (neo-suppresive treatment, strategic prophylactic treatment, treatment based on faecal egg counts and a regime which leaves <span><math><mrow><mn>10</mn><mo>%</mo></mrow></math></span> of the animals untreated) on lamb weight gain and pasture contamination. The model predicts that similar body weights at a flock level can be achieved while reducing the number of treatments administered, thus supporting a health plan that reduces anthelmintic treatments. As the model is capable of combining parasitic and free-living stages of the parasite with host performance, it is well suited to predict complex system responses under non-stationary conditions. The implications of the model and its potential as a tool in the development of sustainable control strategies in sheep are discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"55 10","pages":"Pages 509-523"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144013730","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Population genetic structure of Dactylogyrus vistulae, a gill parasite of cyprinoid fish in the Western Palearctic","authors":"M. Benovics ,&nbsp;L. Seidlová ,&nbsp;P. Papežík ,&nbsp;M. Seifertová ,&nbsp;F. Nejat ,&nbsp;L. Vetešník ,&nbsp;K. Voříšková ,&nbsp;A. Šimková","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.04.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.04.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Monogenean parasites with a broad host range and direct life cycle provide insight into population genetic structure and dispersal processes. <em>Dactylogyrus vistulae</em> infects over 50 cyprinoid fish species across the western Palearctic, making it an ideal model for assessing host and geographic influences on parasite population structure. Herein, we utilized 20 microsatellite loci and mitochondrial COI sequences to analyze the genetic variability and structure of <em>D. vistulae</em> populations, with a deeper focus on Czech river systems.</div><div>Low allelic variance was observed across most populations, except in the Aoos River, Greece, where high genetic diversity suggests either a large population size or an ancestral refugium. Moderate variance was detected in the Middle East, though some Anatolian populations exhibited reduced diversity, likely due to recent colonization. Czech populations showed weak genetic structuring despite occupying distinct river basins, likely due to fish translocations.</div><div>Mitochondrial COI analysis revealed up to 18.5% haplotype divergence, with the highest diversity in the Padano-Venetian, Caspian Sea, and Dalmatian districts. Dalmatian haplotypes formed a distinct haplogroup, though genetic similarities between Padano-Venetian and Dalmatian populations suggest historical connections or fish host introductions. These results support a south-to-north <em>D. vistulae</em> dispersal through the Balkans, associated with cyprinoid fish migration.</div><div>This study highlights the roles of host dispersal, environmental factors, and human influence in shaping fish parasite population structure, emphasizing the need for further genomic and ecological research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"55 10","pages":"Pages 525-536"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143963930","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evolution of antigenic diversity in the zoonotic multi-host parasite Schistosoma japonicum: implications for vaccine design","authors":"Daniel A.J. Parsons ,&nbsp;Anthony J. Walker ,&nbsp;Aidan M. Emery ,&nbsp;Fiona Allan ,&nbsp;Da-Bing Lu ,&nbsp;Joanne P. Webster ,&nbsp;Scott P. Lawton","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.04.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.04.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The multi-host zoonotic transmission of the blood fluke <em>Schistosoma japonicum</em> is complex, presenting challenges for China’s schistosomiasis elimination strategy. How multi-host transmission impacts the genetic diversity of <em>S. japonicum</em> populations is poorly understood and the extent of <em>Schistosoma japonicum</em> antigen coding gene (<em>Sj</em>ACG) variability remains unknown despite the implications for parasite survival, vaccine development and disease control. To address this, we sequenced the host-interacting domains of three functionally significant <em>Sj</em>ACGs previously identified as promising vaccine targets (tetraspanin 23 (TSP-23), venom allergen-like protein 7 (VAL-7), and tegument allergen-like protein 1 (TAL-1)) from FTA-archived <em>S. japonicum</em> miracidia sampled from natural infections amongst different definitive host species in mainland China. This work represents the first known analysis of <em>Sj</em>ACG variation among different host species. <em>Sj</em>ACGs were genetically diverse across host species, with 10–20 <em>Sj</em>ACG haplotypes identified from 60 to 81 sequences. Host-derived immune selection pressures may be driving this variation, impacting antigen protein structure, function, and antigenic propensity. Antigen haplotypes were broadly shared across host species, supporting prior suggestions of gene flow and underscoring the importance of zoonotic transmission in disseminating diversity. Some host adaptation was inferred through identification of host species-specific variation. Parasites sampled from humans displayed the greatest overall diversity of <em>Sj</em>ACGs, and humans shared haplotypes with all other host species. <em>Sj</em>ACG diversification appears to have occurred rapidly, and before modern humans arrived in China (∼1.7–0.66 million years ago (MYA)), suggesting that animal hosts have been important in the evolutionary history of these antigens. Collectively, the results expand our understanding of the impact of zoonotic transmission on the co-evolutionary processes driving antigenic variability and provide possible evidence of adaptive molecular evolution of certain antigen haplotypes to specific host species. Our findings have implications for the development of anti-schistosome vaccines and, ultimately, for control of zoonotic schistosomiasis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"55 8","pages":"Pages 447-460"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144007209","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mortality associated with Angiostrongylus cantonensis in non-human primates in Europe","authors":"Magdalena Garijo-Toledo ,&nbsp;Pedro María Alarcón-Elbal ,&nbsp;Estefanía Montero ,&nbsp;Daniel Bravo-Barriga ,&nbsp;José Sansano-Maestre ,&nbsp;Ana Elena Ahuir-Baraja ,&nbsp;Agustín Barragán ,&nbsp;David Viana ,&nbsp;M. Dolores Carbonell-Montes ,&nbsp;Jesús Barbero-Moyano ,&nbsp;Remigio Martínez ,&nbsp;Ignacio García-Bocanegra ,&nbsp;Joaquín Ortega","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.04.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.04.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Between December 2020 and March 2022, three cases of fatal meningoencephalitis were documented in two red-fronted brown lemurs (<em>Eulemur rufus</em>) and a ring-tailed lemur (<em>Lemur catta</em>) at the Bioparc in Valencia, eastern Spain. Post-mortem analyses revealed moderate congestion in the meninges of the brain in all cases. Multifocal areas of hemorrhage were observed in one lemur, primarily in the cerebellum and brainstem. Histopathological examination showed mainly acute hemorrhagic and necrotic changes, together with moderate eosinophilic and/or histiocytic meningoencephalitis, with perivascular cuffing, and gliosis. Numerous nematode larvae were found in the meninges, brain, and spinal cord, with or without associated inflammation, hemorrhage, and necrosis. Considering the affected host species, nematode morphology, and its anatomical localization, <em>Angiostrongylus cantonensis</em> (Nematoda: Metastrongylidae) was suspected as the causative agent. Phylogenetic studies based on the internal transcriber spacer 1/cytochrome <em>c</em> oxidase subunit I (ITS1/COI) genes confirmed the initial suspicion of this zoonotic parasite and its relationship to sequences from the Balearic and Canary Islands. This is the first known detection of <em>A. cantonensis</em> in non-human primates in Europe and it represents one of the few occurrences reported in the Palearctic region to date. Further research on this zoonotic parasite is crucial to understanding its spread in Spain, assessing public health risks, and developing effective control measures to mitigate outbreaks and protect human and animal health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"55 8","pages":"Pages 427-434"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143803209","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Morphological and autofluorescence assessment of oocysts differentiate live from dead coccidian parasites","authors":"Matthew J. Valente ,&nbsp;Hannah Streett ,&nbsp;Randi Turner ,&nbsp;Celia O'Brien ,&nbsp;Valsin Fournet ,&nbsp;Andrew Jansen ,&nbsp;Jitender P. Dubey ,&nbsp;Benjamin M. Rosenthal ,&nbsp;Mark Jenkins ,&nbsp;Asis Khan","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.04.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.04.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To assess and mitigate foodborne risk, regulatory agencies and produce growers require the means not merely to detect but moreover determine the viability of foodborne eukaryotic pathogens such as <em>Cyclospora cayetanensis.</em> Viability assessment would also aid those employing live attenuated vaccines against coccidiosis, a major problem in poultry production. Therefore, we sought to identify morphological changes differentiating viable from non-viable coccidian oocysts, employing <em>Eimeria acervulina</em> as a tractable model, enabling empirical validation by means of in vivo challenge infections in the natural chicken host. High resolution microscopic examinations identified granular structures that autofluoresce under UV exposure in dead oocysts, greatly intensifying overall autofluorescence in dead oocysts. We harnessed this intensification as a basis to sort live from dead oocysts using a Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting (FACS) cell sorter, validating their distinction by documenting infectivity in chickens using the former, and minimal shedding with the latter. Our rapid, sensitive, and robust assay holds promise for application to other species of coccidia, including those important to livestock and public health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"55 8","pages":"Pages 475-484"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144016270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of parasite infections on fish body condition: a systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Ryota Hasegawa ,&nbsp;Robert Poulin","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.03.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.03.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Using host body condition indices (BCIs) based on the relationship between host body mass and length is a general and pervasive approach to assess the negative effects of parasites on host health. Although many researchers, especially fish biologists and fisheries managers, commonly utilize BCIs, the overall general patterns among BCI – infection relationships remain unclear. Here, we first systematically reviewed 985 fish BCI – infection relationships from 216 publications and investigated the factors affecting the strength and directionality of effects in BCI – infection relationships. We specifically predicted that the BCI measure used, parasite taxonomic group, and the infection measure used would influence the observed effect size and directionality of BCI – infection relationships. We found that most studies were heavily biased towards specific BCI measures such as Fulton’s BCI and Relative BCI. Furthermore, studies using Fulton’s BCI were more likely to report significant results compared with those using other BCI measures, suggesting that index choice could lead to an overestimation of the negative effects of parasites. Our meta-regressions uncovered that the use of parasite intensity as an infection measure and studies based on experimental rather than natural infections were more likely to report significant negative effects, however there were no differences among parasite taxonomic groups. Surprisingly, many studies, especially field studies, did not report significant negative correlations between BCI and infection, contrary to widespread expectations among researchers that parasites would negatively affect fish health. We discuss potential mechanisms underlying these results. Finally, we make several recommendations for the use of BCI – infection relationships in future studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"55 8","pages":"Pages 417-426"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143964239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Modelling the small spatial scale questing abundance of Hyalomma lusitanicum Koch, 1844 (Acari: Ixodidae), vector of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus","authors":"Alfonso Peralbo-Moreno ,&nbsp;Raúl Cuadrado-Matías ,&nbsp;Sara Baz-Flores ,&nbsp;Pelayo Acevedo ,&nbsp;Francisco Ruiz-Fons","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.04.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.04.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Free-living ticks such as <em>Hyalomma lusitanicum</em> pose a risk to their hosts primarily due to their role as vectors of diseases, with Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) being an emerging disease of particular concern in the Iberian Peninsula. This study aims to understand the environmental determinants as well as the host effects that influence the abundance of <em>H. lusitanicum</em> at a small spatial scale. Understanding these factors is essential in identifying areas with a higher risk of tick abundance and, consequently, a greater likelihood of encountering a tick. We conducted 3,840 drags in 32 sampling points in a continental area of the Iberian Peninsula during the peak activity of <em>H. lusitanicum</em>, in May 2021 (1,800 drags in 15 points) and May 2022 (2,040 drags in 17 points). As potential factors influencing <em>H. lusitanicum</em> abundance, we modelled suitability for red deer and we estimated environmental variables that could influence the existence of optimal microhabitats for <em>H. lusitanicum</em>. We modelled <em>H. lusitanicum</em> abundance, performing generalized linear mixed models with a zero-inflated negative binomial distribution, using the abundance per drag as a response variable. We found that a higher local suitability for red deer is the primary determinant of small-scale abundance of <em>H. lusitanicum</em> in our study area. We found other significant factors that affect the abundance of <em>H. lusitanicum</em> which determine the presence of suitable microhabitats, such as adequate vegetation types (suggested by vegetation height), grasslands and mixed vegetation types, and low terrain permeability. This information will significantly aid in the development of more integrated, environmentally friendly, and effective long-term strategies for tick control and the prevention of tick-borne pathogens in regions with climatic and landscape conditions similar to those of our study site.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"55 8","pages":"Pages 435-445"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143979152","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tangled communities: links between predation and parasitism through trophically transmitted digeneans in aquatic communities","authors":"Cristina Llopis-Belenguer ,&nbsp;Isabel Blasco-Costa","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.04.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.04.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Many trophically transmitted digeneans (Platyhelminthes: Trematoda) benefit from prey–predator interactions to complete the last step of their life cycles. These parasites use prey as second intermediate hosts and predators as definitive hosts. We expect a relationship between predation and life-history and community aspects of trophically transmitted digeneans. We hypothesise at species level: (1) host ranges of metacercaria and adult digeneans are positively related; (2) second-intermediate-host range of a digenean relies on prey breadth of its definitive hosts. At community level: (3) digenean species that share second intermediate hosts share definitive hosts; (4) modularity (i.e., community composed of subsets of frequently interacting species) and module affiliation (i.e., tendency of species to share interacting partners across different ecological networks) is high between predator–prey, second intermediate host-metacercaria and definitive host-adult parasite networks. We used data from metacercaria and adult digeneans, their hosts and predation among hosts from nine aquatic locations or replicates. We tested hypotheses (1–3) with richness and Rao diversity dissimilarities (Spearman and Mantel correlations, respectively). For hypothesis (4), we combined the three types of networks to evaluate the multilayer network modularity and module affiliation of the species that participate in different ecological process (predation, metacercaria and/ or adult infection). We found: (1) significant positive correlations between host richness of metacercariae and adults in seven out of nine communities (Spearman correlations p &lt; 0.05). (2) The relationship between the second-intermediate-host range of metacercariae and the diet breadth of their definitive hosts varied between communities and depended on the specialisation degree of the digeneans. (3) Metacercariae sharing second intermediate hosts also shared definitive hosts as adults in seven communities (Mantel correlations p ≤ 0.05). (4) Communities were modular. Module affiliation varied from high to intermediate. Trophic ecology of definitive hosts provides a mechanistic understanding for the second-intermediate-host range and transmission pathways of trophically transmitted parasites.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"55 8","pages":"Pages 485-495"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144015052","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}