Wiadomosci parazytologiczne最新文献

The objective of the study was to check the health status of the anadromic river lamprey Lampetra fluviatilis (L.), the most frequently recorded lamprey species in Poland caught in Lake Dabie, connected with the Odra river estuary. The species composition of parasitofauna of the river lamprey from the Polish waters was compared to the pathogens of this host noted so far. The skin and fins, eyes, oral cavity and nasal mucus of 36 lamprey specimens were examined. After decapitation the brains and gills were analysed. A single gonad, liver and the kidney wet microscopic preparations were made and examined. Examination was also made of the contents of the straight alimentary tract, the body cavity and muscles from the dorsal area. The pathogens known of the river lamprey are mostly the parasites of a very low extensity. No monogeneans were found among the parasites recorded. The reasons of such species composition of the parasitic fauna are discussed against the background of the anatomy, physiology and biology of the host. In the alimentary tract of one lamprey single larva of the nematode Anisakis simplex (Rudolphi, 1809) was found, not noted yet in this host in Poland and Europe. The parasite was noted in any of the lamprey species occurring in neither fresh nor saline waters in Europe. Such a low prevalence and intensity of the infection pointed that this nematode as many other species of parasites was swallowed accidentally.

Tetrazolium salts are widely used as indicators of metabolic activity for both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. Live cells reduce the tetrazole ring in MTT or XTT salts and then a colored formazane formed can be assessed spectrophotometrically. Despite widespread use of MTT/XTT reduction tests biochemical mechanisms of the reaction are still unknown, and each test application case requires standardization of experimental conditions. In the present study we tested in vitro the utility of both MTT and XTT salts to determine the influence of selected extracellular agents for T. gondii tachyzoites and their host cells (i.e. mouse L929 fibroblasts). The results showed that MTT is reduced more intensively than XTT by host and parasite cells. The attenuation of T. gondii tachyzoites resulted in a decrease of reduction level of both tetrazolium salts, particularly of XTT. Using MTT we found also that T. gondii is not susceptible to extremely toxic substance, sodium azide. Our results confirmed a high usefulness of MTT reduction tests in numerous studies on eukaryotic cells.

Giardia duodenalis (syn. G. intestinalis, G. lamblia) is a cosmopolitan flagellate organism belonging to the most common intestinal protozoan parasites of humans and animals. Great genetic heterogeneity has been found within G. duodenalis, where only genotypes representing assemblages A and B have zoonotic potential. Fecal samples (447 specimens) obtained from 232 humans in West-central region of Poland were examined by microscopy and PCR. The total prevalence of Giardia in humans was 1.3%. DNA was extracted from three positive fecal samples and PCR products were obtained after amplification using the beta-giardin primers G7 and G759. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses showed that G. duodenalis isolates from humans belonged to A and B genotypes. Moreover, three subgenotypes, including a cosmopolitan subgenotype A2 and two new subgenotypes A and B were detected.

A total of 763 fecal samples were collected from dogs in Western Pomerania during 2006-2007 to determine the gastrointestinal parasite fauna of dogs in this region. In the city of Szczecin, 648 fecal samples were collected every month in the annual cycle from nine city areas and analysed. Six fecal samples were taken at each collection time from each site. A total of 115 fecal samples from rural areas were investigated. Each fecal sample was dissected with a needle, checked for tapeworm segments and adult forms of nematodes, and examined for parasite eggs using Willis-Schlaff flotation method. The mean prevalence of gastrointestinal parasite infection among dogs in Western Pomerania was 34.84%. The greatest number of samples containing parasites came from the Chociwel commune (46.67%), and the smallest number from the city of Szczecin (23.92%). The greatest number of samples containing parasites from the city of Szczecin originated from the Słoneczne estate (34.72%), and the smallest number from the Kasprowicz Park (13.89%). Dogs' feces were found to contain segments of Dipylidium caninum (4.07%) and Taenia sp. (3.45%) tapeworms and eggs of five species of gastrointestinal nematodes: Uncinaria stenocephala (11%), Toxocara canis (20.62%), Toxascaris leonina (2.91%), Ancylostoma sp. (4.61%), and Trichuris vulpis (0.27%). The highest prevalence of endoparasite infection among dogs was found in July (42.60%) and the lowest in February (5.56%). Both single- and multi-species infections were observed. In the area of Szczecin, single-species infections were the most common (18.83%).

The parasitofauna of the European otter (Lutra lutra) remains poorly known in Poland. In the presented study 106 fecal samples from otters living in the Białowieza Primeval Forest were examined, using standard flotation and sedimentation methods. We found that the overall prevalence of parasitic infections was 30.1%. Eggs of Alaria alata (0.9%), Opistorchis or Metorchis sp. (5.7%), Diphyllobothrium latum (1.9%) and Aonchotheca putori (1.9%) were identified, but in other cases the species of parasite could not be reliably determined. Parasitological dissections should give better results in future studies.

Malaria is caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium. Every year from 350 to 500 million of malaria cases are recorded with an estimated annual death toll of over 1.1 million deaths, making malaria the global health problem. Malaria deepens the poverty, limits the education and causes absences at schools and workplaces--what makes the progress of civilization and economy slower. This is why beside the classical methods of malaria prevention, such as the elimination of the places of mosquito breeding and, application of insecticides or chemoprophylaxis, the elaboration of effective malaria vaccine is a necessity. Despite considerably high financial investments for long term malaria research, so far it has not been possible to develop an efficient vaccine against this disease. This is why the main topic of the present review is presenting of achievements and perspectives of research on development of vaccine against malaria with special consideration of tested antigens. Our review also contains an attempt to typify the most prospective vaccine. Currently developed and tested vaccines against malaria may be divided in three groups depending on the parasite living stage which the vaccine influences: pre-erythrocytic stage vaccines, blood stage vaccines and transmission blocking vaccines. At the moment it seems that the most promising vaccine against malaria is RTS,S/ASO2A which represent the pre-erythrocytic stage vaccines. However developing a completely safe, efficient and budget-friendly vaccine still remains the far-reaching goal and requires further years of research.

Fecal samples from the hedgehogs, Erinaceus europaeus (15 samples) and E. roumanicus (44 samples) collected in the Poznań region of Poland were examined. Endoparasites were isolated using Sheather's flotation technique. The prevalence of parasitic infections in all hedgehogs examined was 74.6% (E. europaeus--73.3%; E. roumanicus--75.0%). Two species of parasites occurred in both species of hosts: Aonchotheca erinacei (60% and 80%) and Eucoleus aerophilus (6.7% and 15.9%). Brachylaima erinacei was found only in E. europaeus (33.3%) while Physaloptera sp. (13.6%) and Crenosoma striatum (4.6%) only in E. roumanicus. The intensity of infection varied from 1 to 371 eggs/1g of feces in E. europaeus and from 1 to 194 eggs/1g of feces in E. roumanicus. In both sexes the majority of infections were of low intensity, high intensity infections occurring only sporadically. No zoonotic species of endoparasites were recorded in these samples.

The ornate dog tick, D. reticulatus, is the second most common tick species in Europe. It occurs across the temperate zone of Eurasia, from England and France to the basin of the Jenisej River in Siberia, and the occurrence area ranges from 56-57 degrees N latitude down to 52 degrees N latitude. The range is divided into two distinct parts, the West-European and the Eastern part. The western region covers France and northern Spain, South-western England and Wales, Germany, Austria, Czech, Western Slovakia and Hungary. The eastern region extends from the eastern part of Poland and Slovakia, through Belarus and Russia as far east as Siberia. The southern parts of this region cover Ukraine, Eastern Hungary and Romania. From the 1970s, D. reticulatus has expanded its area of occurrence. In Poland, the front of the area is historically situated along the Vistula River. From the 1980s new tick populations has appeared to the west of this border. In the past years, new populations of D. reticulatus appeared close to the western border of Poland near Szczecin and Wrocław. These are possibly the first observations of the merge between the two separated areas of D. reticulatus occurrence.

Mosquitoes bionomics and vector role as well as integrated control methods with GPS/GIS techniques were presented. Special attention was put on GIS which enables analysis of biological and environmental data generated by GPS (Global Positioning System). Combined with data from surveillance and management activities, those techniques provide a powerful tool for the precise analysis of mosquito development, breeding sites, and effective biocontrol effects on maps.

Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) has been developed into many products for the biological control of dipteran larvae, including mosquitoes (Culicidae), black flies (Simuliidae), and midges (Chironomidae) in various parts of the World. Bti appears to pose significantly less of a risk than other chemical pesticides used for mosquito control and eradication programs. Bioproducts based on Bti are highly selective with short environmental persistence, and thus they have very little potential to cause damage to populations of non-target organisms. So far, no example of an unexpected pathogenic organism being developed in the field as well as no examples of resistance to Bti both laboratory and field populations of mosquitoes have been documented. There are some indications that large declines in insect biomass can occur after long-term use of Bti in freshwater wetlands. However, no evidence for permanent damage to ecosystem function has been found. Organisms that utilized insects for food, adapted to the declines and either switched to other food sources or migrate (birds) outside of the treated zones to acquire insects. Even though over 40 tons of Bti have been applied in West Africa alone, no indications of human health or non-target effects have been reported.