Pub Date : 2023-01-01DOI: 10.3390/parasitologia3010002
M. V. Periago
Echinococcosis is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) that affects more than 1 million people, manifested mostly as cystic or alveolar echinococcosis (CE or AE, respectively) [...]
{"title":"Special Issue: “Echinococcosis”","authors":"M. V. Periago","doi":"10.3390/parasitologia3010002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/parasitologia3010002","url":null,"abstract":"Echinococcosis is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) that affects more than 1 million people, manifested mostly as cystic or alveolar echinococcosis (CE or AE, respectively) [...]","PeriodicalId":74398,"journal":{"name":"Parasitologia (Basel, Switzerland)","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43172641","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-01-01DOI: 10.3390/parasitologia3010003
Ana Pereira, T. Mateus, L. Llaneza, M. M. Vieira-Pinto, L. M. Madeira de Carvalho
The Iberian Peninsula is one of the most humanized areas in Europe, yet humans may cohabit with large predators, such as the Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus), at the expense of many contributions to its conservation. The limited wolves’ territory leads to a close relationship between this wild species, humans, and other animals, which may promote the spillover of pathogens, such as gastrointestinal parasites. This review intends to provide an update concerning gastrointestinal parasite findings performed using coprological methods on fecal samples from Iberian wolves. Studies conducted in Portugal and Spain through coprology presented a prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites of 57.0–100% in Spain and 21.5–68.3% in Portugal. Parasites belonging to Protozoa, Trematoda, Cestoda, and Nematoda were specified, alongside thirteen genera and twenty species of gastrointestinal parasites. In this study, 76.9% (10/13) of genera and 65.0% (13/20) of species of gastrointestinal parasites were identified as having zoonotic potential. These results highlight that further studies are needed to better understand the parasitic agents circulating in the wild in humanized areas, such as the Iberian Peninsula.
{"title":"Gastrointestinal Parasites in Iberian Wolf (Canis lupus signatus) from the Iberian Peninsula","authors":"Ana Pereira, T. Mateus, L. Llaneza, M. M. Vieira-Pinto, L. M. Madeira de Carvalho","doi":"10.3390/parasitologia3010003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/parasitologia3010003","url":null,"abstract":"The Iberian Peninsula is one of the most humanized areas in Europe, yet humans may cohabit with large predators, such as the Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus), at the expense of many contributions to its conservation. The limited wolves’ territory leads to a close relationship between this wild species, humans, and other animals, which may promote the spillover of pathogens, such as gastrointestinal parasites. This review intends to provide an update concerning gastrointestinal parasite findings performed using coprological methods on fecal samples from Iberian wolves. Studies conducted in Portugal and Spain through coprology presented a prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites of 57.0–100% in Spain and 21.5–68.3% in Portugal. Parasites belonging to Protozoa, Trematoda, Cestoda, and Nematoda were specified, alongside thirteen genera and twenty species of gastrointestinal parasites. In this study, 76.9% (10/13) of genera and 65.0% (13/20) of species of gastrointestinal parasites were identified as having zoonotic potential. These results highlight that further studies are needed to better understand the parasitic agents circulating in the wild in humanized areas, such as the Iberian Peninsula.","PeriodicalId":74398,"journal":{"name":"Parasitologia (Basel, Switzerland)","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42151123","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-23DOI: 10.3390/parasitologia3010001
Mouhamadou Ndiaye, K. Diongue, M. Seck, M. Diallo, Ekoue Kouevidjin, A. Badiane, D. Ndiaye
Infectious parasites, especially the intestinal protozoan parasites, continue to be a major public health problem in Africa, where many of the same factors contribute to the transmission of these parasites. This study was conducted to investigate the parasites causing intestinal protozoal infections diagnosed in Aristide Le Dantec hospital (Senegal). Direct examination and the Ritchie technique were used. Among the 3407 stool samples studied, 645 demonstrated the presence of intestinal protozoa in single parasitism, biparasitism, or polyparasitism, representing a prevalence of 18.93%. Out of a total of 645 protozoa, 579 (16.99%) were identified in monoparasitism in the following order: Entamoeba coli (6.87%) and Blastocystis hominis (5.69%) for low pathogenic species, and Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (2.31%) and Giardia intestinalis (1.32%) for pathogenic species. The rates of biparasitism and polyparasitism were 1.88% and 0.06%, respectively. The highest rate of parasites was 24.83% between the ages of 0–15 years. A logistical regression model indicated that intestinal protozoan infections were not associated with age groups. There was an association between age groups and Giardia intestinalis and Blastocystis hominis (p < 0.05). These results demonstrated the frequency of intestinal protozoa in Senegal. There is a need to implement treatment, prevention, and control measures to limit the circulation of these protozoan infections.
传染性寄生虫，尤其是肠道原生动物寄生虫，仍然是非洲的一个主要公共卫生问题，在非洲，许多相同的因素都会导致这些寄生虫的传播。本研究旨在调查Aristide Le Dantec医院（塞内加尔）诊断的引起肠道原生动物感染的寄生虫。采用直接检查和Ritchie技术。在所研究的3407份粪便样本中，645份证明存在单寄生、双寄生或多寄生的肠道原生动物，患病率为18.93%。在总共645份原生动物中，579份（16.99%）被鉴定为单寄生，其顺序如下：低致病性物种为大肠内阿米巴（6.87%）和人芽囊原虫（5.69%），病原种为溶组织内阿米巴（2.31%）和肠贾第鞭毛虫（1.32%）。双寄生虫和多寄生虫的发生率分别为1.88%和0.06%。0～15岁年龄段寄生虫感染率最高，为24.83%。逻辑回归模型表明，肠道原生动物感染与年龄组无关。年龄组与肠贾第虫和人芽囊虫之间存在相关性（p<0.05）。这些结果表明塞内加尔肠道原生动物的频率较高。需要采取治疗、预防和控制措施来限制这些原生动物感染的传播。
{"title":"Retrospective Assessment of The Intestinal Protozoan Distribution in Patients Admitted to The Hospital Aristide Le Dantec in Dakar, Senegal, from 2011 to 2020","authors":"Mouhamadou Ndiaye, K. Diongue, M. Seck, M. Diallo, Ekoue Kouevidjin, A. Badiane, D. Ndiaye","doi":"10.3390/parasitologia3010001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/parasitologia3010001","url":null,"abstract":"Infectious parasites, especially the intestinal protozoan parasites, continue to be a major public health problem in Africa, where many of the same factors contribute to the transmission of these parasites. This study was conducted to investigate the parasites causing intestinal protozoal infections diagnosed in Aristide Le Dantec hospital (Senegal). Direct examination and the Ritchie technique were used. Among the 3407 stool samples studied, 645 demonstrated the presence of intestinal protozoa in single parasitism, biparasitism, or polyparasitism, representing a prevalence of 18.93%. Out of a total of 645 protozoa, 579 (16.99%) were identified in monoparasitism in the following order: Entamoeba coli (6.87%) and Blastocystis hominis (5.69%) for low pathogenic species, and Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (2.31%) and Giardia intestinalis (1.32%) for pathogenic species. The rates of biparasitism and polyparasitism were 1.88% and 0.06%, respectively. The highest rate of parasites was 24.83% between the ages of 0–15 years. A logistical regression model indicated that intestinal protozoan infections were not associated with age groups. There was an association between age groups and Giardia intestinalis and Blastocystis hominis (p < 0.05). These results demonstrated the frequency of intestinal protozoa in Senegal. There is a need to implement treatment, prevention, and control measures to limit the circulation of these protozoan infections.","PeriodicalId":74398,"journal":{"name":"Parasitologia (Basel, Switzerland)","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41971788","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-02DOI: 10.3390/parasitologia2040028
S. Umair, J. Knight, C. Bouchet, N. Palevich, S. Cleland, W. Grant, H. Simpson
Full-length cDNAs encoding macrophage inhibitory factor-2 (MIF-2) were cloned from Teladorsagia circumcincta (TcMIF-2) and Haemonchus contortus (HcMIF-2). TcMIF-2 and HcMIF-2 cDNA (342 bp) encoded proteins of 114 amino acids, each of which was present as a single band of about 16 kDa on SDS-PAGE. Multiple alignments of the protein sequences showed homology of 84% between TcMIF-2 and HcMIF-2, 54–76% with MIF-2s of seven nematodes, but low homology with other MIF sequences. The predicted three-dimensional structures revealed an overall structural homology of TcMIF-2 and HcMIF-2, highly conserved binding and catalytic sites and minor differences in the tautomerase binding site residues in other nematode MIF-2 homologues. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using helminth and mammalian MIF-1 and MIF-2 sequences. Soluble C-terminal MIF-2 proteins were cloned in arabinose inducible promotor AY2.4, expressed in Escherichia coli strain AY2.4 and purified. Recombinant TcMIF-2 and HcMIF-2 had similar enzyme activities in a standard tautomerase assay. Recombinant HcMIF-2 activity was approximately halved by storage at 4 °C, −20 °C or −70 °C. Antibodies in serum and saliva from field-immune, but not nematode-naïve, sheep recognised recombinant HcMIF-2 and TcMIF-2 in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Recognition of the recombinant proteins by antibodies generated by exposure of sheep to the native enzyme indicates similar antigenicity of the two proteins.
{"title":"Characterisation of Macrophage Inhibitory Factor-2 (MIF-2) in Haemonchus contortus and Teladorsagia circumcincta","authors":"S. Umair, J. Knight, C. Bouchet, N. Palevich, S. Cleland, W. Grant, H. Simpson","doi":"10.3390/parasitologia2040028","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/parasitologia2040028","url":null,"abstract":"Full-length cDNAs encoding macrophage inhibitory factor-2 (MIF-2) were cloned from Teladorsagia circumcincta (TcMIF-2) and Haemonchus contortus (HcMIF-2). TcMIF-2 and HcMIF-2 cDNA (342 bp) encoded proteins of 114 amino acids, each of which was present as a single band of about 16 kDa on SDS-PAGE. Multiple alignments of the protein sequences showed homology of 84% between TcMIF-2 and HcMIF-2, 54–76% with MIF-2s of seven nematodes, but low homology with other MIF sequences. The predicted three-dimensional structures revealed an overall structural homology of TcMIF-2 and HcMIF-2, highly conserved binding and catalytic sites and minor differences in the tautomerase binding site residues in other nematode MIF-2 homologues. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using helminth and mammalian MIF-1 and MIF-2 sequences. Soluble C-terminal MIF-2 proteins were cloned in arabinose inducible promotor AY2.4, expressed in Escherichia coli strain AY2.4 and purified. Recombinant TcMIF-2 and HcMIF-2 had similar enzyme activities in a standard tautomerase assay. Recombinant HcMIF-2 activity was approximately halved by storage at 4 °C, −20 °C or −70 °C. Antibodies in serum and saliva from field-immune, but not nematode-naïve, sheep recognised recombinant HcMIF-2 and TcMIF-2 in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Recognition of the recombinant proteins by antibodies generated by exposure of sheep to the native enzyme indicates similar antigenicity of the two proteins.","PeriodicalId":74398,"journal":{"name":"Parasitologia (Basel, Switzerland)","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44671846","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-02DOI: 10.3390/parasitologia2040029
José Gabriel Vergara-Meza, A. F. Brilhante, V. Valente, Evaristo Villalba-Alemán, P. A. Ortiz, Sueli Cosmiro de Oliveira, Maxdelles Rodrigues Cavalcante, G. R. Julião, Maria Carmelinda Gonçalves Pinto, S. A. Valente, E. Camargo, M. M. Teixeira
Acute Chagas disease (ACD) caused by Trypanosoma cruzi has emerged as a major food-borne disease in Brazilian Amazonia. For the first time, we characterized an outbreak of orally acquired ACD in Acre, in the forest community of Seringal Miraflores, affecting 13 individuals who shared the pulp of açai palm berries: 11 adults and two children (one newborn), all diagnosed by thick-drop blood smears. The fluorescent fragment length barcoding method, which simultaneously identifies species/genotypes of trypanosomes in blood samples, uncovered an unprecedented genetic diversity in patients from a single outbreak of ACD: T. cruzi TcI in all patients, mostly concomitantly with the non-pathogenic Trypanosoma rangeli of genotypes TrA or TrB, and TcI, TcIV, and TrB in the child. The patients presented persistent fever, asthenia, myalgia, edema of the face and lower limbs, hepatosplenomegaly and, rarely, cardiac arrhythmia. The clinical symptoms were not correlated to gender, age, or to trypanosome species and genotypes. The inferred SSU rRNA phylogenetic analyses of trypanosomes from humans, triatomines and sylvatic hosts included the first sequences of T. cruzi and T. rangeli from humans in southwestern (Acre and Rondônia) Amazonia, and the first TcI/TcIV sequences from Rhodnius spp. from Acre. The sylvatic transmission cycles of genetically different trypanosomes in landscapes changed by deforestation for human settlements and increasing açai production is a novel scenario favoring trypanosome transmission to humans in Acre.
{"title":"Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli in Acre, Brazilian Amazonia: Coinfection and Notable Genetic Diversity in an Outbreak of Orally Acquired Acute Chagas Disease in a Forest Community, Wild Reservoirs, and Vectors","authors":"José Gabriel Vergara-Meza, A. F. Brilhante, V. Valente, Evaristo Villalba-Alemán, P. A. Ortiz, Sueli Cosmiro de Oliveira, Maxdelles Rodrigues Cavalcante, G. R. Julião, Maria Carmelinda Gonçalves Pinto, S. A. Valente, E. Camargo, M. M. Teixeira","doi":"10.3390/parasitologia2040029","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/parasitologia2040029","url":null,"abstract":"Acute Chagas disease (ACD) caused by Trypanosoma cruzi has emerged as a major food-borne disease in Brazilian Amazonia. For the first time, we characterized an outbreak of orally acquired ACD in Acre, in the forest community of Seringal Miraflores, affecting 13 individuals who shared the pulp of açai palm berries: 11 adults and two children (one newborn), all diagnosed by thick-drop blood smears. The fluorescent fragment length barcoding method, which simultaneously identifies species/genotypes of trypanosomes in blood samples, uncovered an unprecedented genetic diversity in patients from a single outbreak of ACD: T. cruzi TcI in all patients, mostly concomitantly with the non-pathogenic Trypanosoma rangeli of genotypes TrA or TrB, and TcI, TcIV, and TrB in the child. The patients presented persistent fever, asthenia, myalgia, edema of the face and lower limbs, hepatosplenomegaly and, rarely, cardiac arrhythmia. The clinical symptoms were not correlated to gender, age, or to trypanosome species and genotypes. The inferred SSU rRNA phylogenetic analyses of trypanosomes from humans, triatomines and sylvatic hosts included the first sequences of T. cruzi and T. rangeli from humans in southwestern (Acre and Rondônia) Amazonia, and the first TcI/TcIV sequences from Rhodnius spp. from Acre. The sylvatic transmission cycles of genetically different trypanosomes in landscapes changed by deforestation for human settlements and increasing açai production is a novel scenario favoring trypanosome transmission to humans in Acre.","PeriodicalId":74398,"journal":{"name":"Parasitologia (Basel, Switzerland)","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44025190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-16DOI: 10.3390/parasitologia2040027
H. G. Avila, Rosa Graciela Cejas, M. Cabrera, M. Sawicki, G. Santillán, M. V. Periago
Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is endemic in Argentina, and approximately 30% of the national territory has characteristics appropriate for the development of the zoonotic domestic cycle of this disease. This community-wide study was implemented in rural areas of Añatuya, Santiago del Estero (northern Argentina) to determine the presence of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato in the definitive host (dogs) and the presence of CE in humans. Infection data from dogs were obtained through the collection and analysis of fecal samples; these were processed through sedimentation/flotation techniques and PCR. The presence in humans was determined by ultrasound (US) and serology (ELISA confirmed by Western Blot—WB) in the Miel de Palo settlement. A standardized questionnaire was used to investigate potential risk factors for CE; more than half of the studied population carried out activities that favor the maintenance of the cycle. The prevalence of E. granulosus s.l. in dogs from 10 rural settlements, confirmed by PCR, was 4.7% (32/678). The results of the US and serology screening showed a human prevalence of 0.55% (1/183) in Miel de Palo. This prevalence increased to 4.9% (9/183) if imaging-negative but serology-positive (ELISA+WB) individuals are included, as per national guidelines. One of the participants with CE, confirmed by US, was less than 15 years old, which evidences the presence of active transmission. A comprehensive multidisciplinary approach, taking into consideration social, behavioral, sanitary, and environmental aspects intimately tied to the parasite cycle, is needed.
囊性棘球蚴病（CE）是阿根廷的地方病，大约30%的国家领土具有适合这种疾病的人畜共患国内循环发展的特征。这项社区范围的研究在阿根廷北部Santiago del Estero的Añatuya农村地区进行，以确定最终宿主（狗）中是否存在感觉细粒棘球蚴，以及人类中是否存在CE。通过收集和分析粪便样本获得狗的感染数据；通过沉淀/浮选技术和PCR对其进行处理。在Miel de Palo定居点，通过超声波（US）和血清学（通过Western Blot-WB证实的ELISA）确定了人类中的存在。采用标准化问卷调查CE的潜在危险因素；超过一半的研究人群进行了有利于维持循环的活动。经PCR证实，来自10个农村居民点的狗中颗粒大肠杆菌的患病率为4.7%（32/678）。美国和血清学筛查结果显示，Miel de Palo的人类患病率为0.55%（1/183）。根据国家指南，如果将影像学阴性但血清学阳性（ELISA+WB）的个体包括在内，这种患病率将增加到4.9%（9/183）。其中一名经美国证实患有CE的参与者年龄不到15岁，这证明存在活动性传播。需要一种综合的多学科方法，考虑到与寄生虫周期密切相关的社会、行为、卫生和环境方面。
{"title":"A Cross-Sectional Study to Detect Cystic Echinococcosis in Añatuya, Santiago Del Estero (Argentina)","authors":"H. G. Avila, Rosa Graciela Cejas, M. Cabrera, M. Sawicki, G. Santillán, M. V. Periago","doi":"10.3390/parasitologia2040027","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/parasitologia2040027","url":null,"abstract":"Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is endemic in Argentina, and approximately 30% of the national territory has characteristics appropriate for the development of the zoonotic domestic cycle of this disease. This community-wide study was implemented in rural areas of Añatuya, Santiago del Estero (northern Argentina) to determine the presence of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato in the definitive host (dogs) and the presence of CE in humans. Infection data from dogs were obtained through the collection and analysis of fecal samples; these were processed through sedimentation/flotation techniques and PCR. The presence in humans was determined by ultrasound (US) and serology (ELISA confirmed by Western Blot—WB) in the Miel de Palo settlement. A standardized questionnaire was used to investigate potential risk factors for CE; more than half of the studied population carried out activities that favor the maintenance of the cycle. The prevalence of E. granulosus s.l. in dogs from 10 rural settlements, confirmed by PCR, was 4.7% (32/678). The results of the US and serology screening showed a human prevalence of 0.55% (1/183) in Miel de Palo. This prevalence increased to 4.9% (9/183) if imaging-negative but serology-positive (ELISA+WB) individuals are included, as per national guidelines. One of the participants with CE, confirmed by US, was less than 15 years old, which evidences the presence of active transmission. A comprehensive multidisciplinary approach, taking into consideration social, behavioral, sanitary, and environmental aspects intimately tied to the parasite cycle, is needed.","PeriodicalId":74398,"journal":{"name":"Parasitologia (Basel, Switzerland)","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-11-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46342675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-01DOI: 10.3390/parasitologia2040025
Kenneth Michaud, G. Iverson, M. Reiskind, G. Kearney, S. Richards
Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a mosquito-borne virus primarily found in Asia and Australia and is one of the few with an associated human/animal vaccine. Swine are amplifying hosts and wading birds are reservoirs of JEV, while horses and humans are incidental hosts. The primary vector is Culex tritaeniorhynchus, a generalist blood feeder not found in the United States (US); secondary vectors (e.g., Cx. pipiens, Cx. quinquefasciatus, Aedes japonicus, Ae. vexans) are widespread in the US (including North Carolina [NC]). The risk of JEV to NC was investigated because of widespread swine production, human populations, bird hosts, and possible mosquito vectors; however, recommendations can also apply to other swine producing states and regions. A brief review was conducted to identify transmission competent arthropod vectors, vertebrate hosts, and vector-host interactions for JEV. NC and other areas may be at risk for JEV emergence because of factors such as active international trade, volume of swine production, permissive climate, and widespread occurrence of potential vector species. Improved knowledge of the spatial distribution of swine farms, tracking movement of live swine, assessment of vector competence/capacity and blood feeding habits of potential JEV vectors, investigation of a JEV sentinel surveillance system, and assessment of efficacy for current biosecurity and control measures is needed to protect public and veterinary health.
{"title":"Brief Review of Japanese Encephalitis Virus: Recommendations Related to North Carolina Swine Farms and Wider Implications for Swine Farming","authors":"Kenneth Michaud, G. Iverson, M. Reiskind, G. Kearney, S. Richards","doi":"10.3390/parasitologia2040025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/parasitologia2040025","url":null,"abstract":"Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a mosquito-borne virus primarily found in Asia and Australia and is one of the few with an associated human/animal vaccine. Swine are amplifying hosts and wading birds are reservoirs of JEV, while horses and humans are incidental hosts. The primary vector is Culex tritaeniorhynchus, a generalist blood feeder not found in the United States (US); secondary vectors (e.g., Cx. pipiens, Cx. quinquefasciatus, Aedes japonicus, Ae. vexans) are widespread in the US (including North Carolina [NC]). The risk of JEV to NC was investigated because of widespread swine production, human populations, bird hosts, and possible mosquito vectors; however, recommendations can also apply to other swine producing states and regions. A brief review was conducted to identify transmission competent arthropod vectors, vertebrate hosts, and vector-host interactions for JEV. NC and other areas may be at risk for JEV emergence because of factors such as active international trade, volume of swine production, permissive climate, and widespread occurrence of potential vector species. Improved knowledge of the spatial distribution of swine farms, tracking movement of live swine, assessment of vector competence/capacity and blood feeding habits of potential JEV vectors, investigation of a JEV sentinel surveillance system, and assessment of efficacy for current biosecurity and control measures is needed to protect public and veterinary health.","PeriodicalId":74398,"journal":{"name":"Parasitologia (Basel, Switzerland)","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48437022","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-01DOI: 10.3390/parasitologia2040026
Victoria Pfordt, Pegah Kalatehjari, Céline Tolksdorf, B. Rauch, Christian Müller
Hematophagous leeches express a broad variety of secretory factors in their salivary glands; among them are hirudins, inhibitors of blood coagulation, and decorsins/ornatins, inhibitors of platelet aggregation. Here, we describe the identification and molecular and functional characterization of putative hirudins and decorsins/ornatins in two leech species of American origin, Limnobdella mexicana and Haementeria vizottoi. The leech species represent two orders of leeches, the proboscis-bearing Rhynchobdellida and the non-proboscis-bearing Arhynchobdellida. Members of the hirudin superfamily, such as hirudins or decorsins/ornatins, are described for the first time in the genus Haementeria. Both species expressed very potent inhibitors of platelet aggregation, but only the putative hirudins of L. mexicana displayed high thrombin-inhibitory potency, whereas the putative hirudin of H. vizottoi turned out to be a hirudin-like factor. The results of our study provide new insights into the evolutionary background of the blood-sucking lifestyle in leeches.
{"title":"Go West: Hirudins and Decorsin/Ornatin-like Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors in Two Representatives of American Hematophagous Leeches","authors":"Victoria Pfordt, Pegah Kalatehjari, Céline Tolksdorf, B. Rauch, Christian Müller","doi":"10.3390/parasitologia2040026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/parasitologia2040026","url":null,"abstract":"Hematophagous leeches express a broad variety of secretory factors in their salivary glands; among them are hirudins, inhibitors of blood coagulation, and decorsins/ornatins, inhibitors of platelet aggregation. Here, we describe the identification and molecular and functional characterization of putative hirudins and decorsins/ornatins in two leech species of American origin, Limnobdella mexicana and Haementeria vizottoi. The leech species represent two orders of leeches, the proboscis-bearing Rhynchobdellida and the non-proboscis-bearing Arhynchobdellida. Members of the hirudin superfamily, such as hirudins or decorsins/ornatins, are described for the first time in the genus Haementeria. Both species expressed very potent inhibitors of platelet aggregation, but only the putative hirudins of L. mexicana displayed high thrombin-inhibitory potency, whereas the putative hirudin of H. vizottoi turned out to be a hirudin-like factor. The results of our study provide new insights into the evolutionary background of the blood-sucking lifestyle in leeches.","PeriodicalId":74398,"journal":{"name":"Parasitologia (Basel, Switzerland)","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46171726","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-22DOI: 10.3390/parasitologia2040024
K. Sylla, D. Sow, Souléye Lélo, T. Dieng, R. Tine, B. Faye
Introduction: Blastocystis sp. is a unicellular obligate anaerobic protozoa found in the human intestinal tract. Its role in human health is widely discussed because of the high proportion of asymptomatic carriers. In sub-Saharan Africa, the prevalence of the disease is underestimated. This study was performed to describe the epidemiological, clinical, and parasitological aspects of Blastocystis sp. infection in patients attending to Fann University Hospital. Material and Methods: We carried out a retrospective and descriptive study among patients attending to the laboratory of Parasitology and Mycology of Fann University Hospital from January 2016 to December 2020. All stool samples collected were examined using direct examination, a formal ether concentration method, and a modified Zeilh–Nielsen staining method. A descriptive analysis was performed with Stata MP 16 software. The significance level was set at 5%. Results: Overall, 447 cases of Blastocystis sp. were reported in our study, representing a prevalence rate of 13.7% ((447/3264) (95% CI: 12.5–15.5)). The mean age of the patients was 26 ± 20.7 years. Subjects over 45 years of age were more affected, with a frequency of 14.7%. Blastocystis sp. carriage was more common in males, at 14.6%. The symptomatology was mainly represented by diarrhea, abdominal pain, and dyspeptic disorders. In asymptomatic patients, the frequency of Blastocystis sp. was 33.3%. Mono-infection was found in 78.6% of cases. In total, 96 patients were carriers of at least two parasites (21.5%). Blastocystis sp. was most associated with Entamoeba coli (8.1%) and Endolimax nanus (4.03%). The association with helminths was noted in 5 patients (3 Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and Taenia). Conclusion: These results show the frequency of Blastocystis sp. infection with a large proportion of asymptomatic carriers. The presence of the parasite in the stool, associated with digestive disorders or with the association of other intestinal parasites, could justify the initiation of an anti-parasitic treatment.
{"title":"Blastocystis sp. Infection: Prevalence and Clinical Aspects among Patients Attending to the Laboratory of Parasitology–Mycology of Fann University Hospital, Dakar, Senegal","authors":"K. Sylla, D. Sow, Souléye Lélo, T. Dieng, R. Tine, B. Faye","doi":"10.3390/parasitologia2040024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/parasitologia2040024","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Blastocystis sp. is a unicellular obligate anaerobic protozoa found in the human intestinal tract. Its role in human health is widely discussed because of the high proportion of asymptomatic carriers. In sub-Saharan Africa, the prevalence of the disease is underestimated. This study was performed to describe the epidemiological, clinical, and parasitological aspects of Blastocystis sp. infection in patients attending to Fann University Hospital. Material and Methods: We carried out a retrospective and descriptive study among patients attending to the laboratory of Parasitology and Mycology of Fann University Hospital from January 2016 to December 2020. All stool samples collected were examined using direct examination, a formal ether concentration method, and a modified Zeilh–Nielsen staining method. A descriptive analysis was performed with Stata MP 16 software. The significance level was set at 5%. Results: Overall, 447 cases of Blastocystis sp. were reported in our study, representing a prevalence rate of 13.7% ((447/3264) (95% CI: 12.5–15.5)). The mean age of the patients was 26 ± 20.7 years. Subjects over 45 years of age were more affected, with a frequency of 14.7%. Blastocystis sp. carriage was more common in males, at 14.6%. The symptomatology was mainly represented by diarrhea, abdominal pain, and dyspeptic disorders. In asymptomatic patients, the frequency of Blastocystis sp. was 33.3%. Mono-infection was found in 78.6% of cases. In total, 96 patients were carriers of at least two parasites (21.5%). Blastocystis sp. was most associated with Entamoeba coli (8.1%) and Endolimax nanus (4.03%). The association with helminths was noted in 5 patients (3 Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and Taenia). Conclusion: These results show the frequency of Blastocystis sp. infection with a large proportion of asymptomatic carriers. The presence of the parasite in the stool, associated with digestive disorders or with the association of other intestinal parasites, could justify the initiation of an anti-parasitic treatment.","PeriodicalId":74398,"journal":{"name":"Parasitologia (Basel, Switzerland)","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46954144","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-21DOI: 10.3390/parasitologia2040023
Emma O’Halloran, R. Mooney, K. Rodgers, F. Henriquez
The rapid growth in the human population has led to an increased requirement for readily available food sources. The aquaculture industry is a fundamental source for maintaining food supplies; however, it is subjected to mounting pressures to meet supply demands. Thus, limiting factors that negatively impact the cultivation of farmed aquatic organisms is essential. Gill disease is an increasing area of concern, resulting in substantial losses in farmed fish. Several microbial pathogens are known to cause gill disease and, in many instances, multiple pathogens or factors can be involved in the disease, resulting in complex gill disease (CGD). The role of mixed infections in gill disease is largely unknown, as such this review aims to examine data on previous infections and highlight the variety of microbes that might be involved in gill disease. The influence of climate change in the context of CGD is also discussed given the strong links between physicochemical extremes and numerous microbial gill pathogens. Understanding these factors will allow for improved diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to be implemented.
{"title":"Microbial Interactions That Contribute to Gill Disease in Aquaculture","authors":"Emma O’Halloran, R. Mooney, K. Rodgers, F. Henriquez","doi":"10.3390/parasitologia2040023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/parasitologia2040023","url":null,"abstract":"The rapid growth in the human population has led to an increased requirement for readily available food sources. The aquaculture industry is a fundamental source for maintaining food supplies; however, it is subjected to mounting pressures to meet supply demands. Thus, limiting factors that negatively impact the cultivation of farmed aquatic organisms is essential. Gill disease is an increasing area of concern, resulting in substantial losses in farmed fish. Several microbial pathogens are known to cause gill disease and, in many instances, multiple pathogens or factors can be involved in the disease, resulting in complex gill disease (CGD). The role of mixed infections in gill disease is largely unknown, as such this review aims to examine data on previous infections and highlight the variety of microbes that might be involved in gill disease. The influence of climate change in the context of CGD is also discussed given the strong links between physicochemical extremes and numerous microbial gill pathogens. Understanding these factors will allow for improved diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to be implemented.","PeriodicalId":74398,"journal":{"name":"Parasitologia (Basel, Switzerland)","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44373636","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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