Annals of parasitology最新文献

Thubunaea acostai sp. nov. is described and illustrated here, based on specimens found in the digestive tract of Liolaemus gracielae in the province of San Juan, Argentina. The new species differs from all other species assigned to Thubunaea by the number of caudal papillae. Thubunaea acostai sp. nov. has 30-31 papillae (12 pedunculated and 18-19 sessile), differing from other Neotropical species such as Thubunaea eleodori with 26 papillae (12 pedunculated and 14 sessile) and Thubunaea parkeri with 20 papillae, all pedunculated. The new species represents the third species for the Neotropics and the second described for Argentina.

During routine inspections of 4 bat shelters in central-eastern Poland, 36 dead bats belonging to 6 species were found: Myotis daubentonii, M. nattereri, M. myotis, Nyctalus noctula, Plecotus auritus and Eptescius serotinus. In the laboratory, 298 arthropods from 15 taxa (57 insects and 241 mites) were collected from these bats, and their relationships with their hosts were analysed. The first probable record of I. ricinus feeding on P. auritus is published.

In Europe, ticks are particularly important vectors of pathogens known as tick-borne pathogens (TBP). TBP can influence hosts, including domestic animals and humans as well as ticks. This review focuses on interactions between hard ticks and medically and veterinary significant bacterial pathogens i.e. Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., Anaplasma spp, and Rickettsia spp. The interactions between ticks and bacteria include among others the impact on gene expression and tick behaviour. Infection with TBP may influence tick salivary proteins and midgut receptors. Infection with B. burgdorferi s.l. changes the bahaviour of the tick allowing them for longer questing and increased mobility, while A. phagocytophilum increases survive in low temperatures by upregulating the expression of antifreeze glycoprotein (IAFGP). Whereas Rickettsia spp. increases ticks attraction towards the 900 MHz electromagnetic field.

Non-parasitic vermiform organisms can circumstantially be associated with humans and their identification can be challenging for medical professionals. The present report describes the finding of a worm in the toilet bowl by a patient from Brazil, who thought he had expelled it in his feces. The gross analyses in a clinical laboratory reveal the worm was different from other macroscopic organisms routinely identified, and the laboratory staff requested assistance in an academic laboratory specialized in helminthology. After preliminary analysis in a stereomicroscope, the supposed human worm was identified as an oligochaete annelid (earthworm). The patient was contacted to investigate a possible case of pseudoparasitism. However, we were informed that the organism had been collected in a toilet bowl from a rural environment where the untreated water comes from a cistern indicating our finding was circumstantial. The methodology revisited herein allowed a quick microscopic analysis of easy-to-view morphological structures, which are useful to separate oligochaete annelids from helminths and can prevent misdiagnosis in similar situations. We discuss the overly restricted view on human parasites by health professionals in collecting clinical history and laboratory analysis, providing some epistemological insights on the necessary interdisciplinarity between parasitology and other basic knowledge with health practice.

Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) have been identified as a disease agent responsible for infections in immunocompromised patients such as diabetics. We searched six electronic databases and reviewed 38 related studies using the following keywords alone or in combination: "intestinal parasites", "diabetes", "immunocompromised", "prevalence", and "human."  The pooled prevalence of IPIs in diabetic patients was 24.4% worldwide. These patients with IPIs are advised to go to health centers and perform the relevant checkups with the advent of the first symptoms of the disease, such as diarrhea and abdominal pain. Moreover, early diagnosis and treatment of IPIs in diabetic patients are highly recommended to maintain quality of life.

Capelin Mallotus villosus, a representative of the Osmeridae, is a common species found in the North Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Ocean. Being one of the main components of the diet of various fish species, it plays an important role in the circulation of different parasite species, including the nematodes of the Anisakidae. Capelin is also extensively caught and used for human food, and has become increasingly available to consumers in Poland. Thirty six capelin specimens, smoked fish bought at a store in Gdynia, were examined for the presence of Anisakidae. Ten specimens of nematode (Anisakis simplex, Contracaecum sp.) were found in eight fish. The overall prevalence for the fish was 22.2%, with a mean intensity of 1.3 (range 1-3). Despite its widespread acquisition and use, capelin has been the subject of few parasitological analyses. Our findings indicate that it is a typical host of Anisakidae nematodes, a species of great zoonotic importance. While dead nematode specimens found in smoked fish do not pose a direct threat to humans as parasites per se, they can cause food allergies. It seems, therefore, that fish intended for consumption should be the subject of constant parasitological monitoring, linked to food quality control.