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Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia... Sep 2019A total of thirty Austral thrushes Turdus falcklandii Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 (Turdidae) carcasses were brought to the Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias...
A total of thirty Austral thrushes Turdus falcklandii Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 (Turdidae) carcasses were brought to the Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, to be examined for ecto- and endoparasites. Ectoparasites were found on 20% (6/30) of the thrushes and belonged to species Brueelia magellanica Cichino, 1986 (Phthiraptera), Menacanthus eurysternus Burmeister, 1838 (Phthiraptera) and Tyrannidectes falcklandicus Mironov & González-Acuña, 2011 (Acari). Endoparasites were isolated from 26.6% (8/30) of the birds and identified as Lueheia inscripta Westrumb, 1821 (Acanthocephala), Plagiorhynchus cylindraceus Goeze, 1782 (Acanthocephala), Wardium sp. sensu Mayhew, 1925 (Cestoda), Dilepis undula (Cestoda) Schrank, 1788, and Zonorchis sp. (sensu Travassos, 1944) (Trematoda). To our knowledge, all endoparasites collected in this study are new records in T. falcklandii and expand their distributional range to Chile.
Topics: Animals; Bird Diseases; Chile; Ectoparasitic Infestations; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Songbirds
PubMed: 31531671
DOI: 10.1590/S1984-29612019067 -
Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia... 2023The Helminthological Collection of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute is the biggest in Latin America and it is among the largest collections at worldwide reference level, with...
The Helminthological Collection of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute is the biggest in Latin America and it is among the largest collections at worldwide reference level, with around 40,000 sets of specimens and approximately one million individual specimens. It contains helminths parasites of vertebrate and invertebrate animals that form part of the fauna of Brazil and other countries. The samples comprise holotypes, paratypes and representative specimens of Platyhelminthes, Acanthocephala, Nematoda and other non-helminth phyla, such as Annelida and Arthropoda. Some of the samples preserved in liquid media were found to have dried out. This made it impossible to analyze these samples morphologically for taxonomic purposes. The aim of this study was to test techniques used for rehydration of the tegument of specimens that had been found to have dried out and present protocols for such techniques. A total of 528 specimens that either no longer were immersed in preservatives or had already dried out were analyzed: 96 digenetic trematodes, 45 cestodes, 22 acanthocephalans, 357 nematodes, four hirudineans and four pentastomid crustaceans. The technique of rehydration using only distilled water on the specimens proved to be efficient for recovering tegument malleability, for all samples analyzed in this present study.
Topics: Animals; Acanthocephala; Helminths; Nematoda; Platyhelminths; Trematoda
PubMed: 37098919
DOI: 10.1590/S1984-29612023021 -
Parasitology Sep 2020Our present genetic data of Acanthocephala, especially the mitochondrial (mt) genomes, remains very limited. In the present study, the nearly complete mt genome...
Our present genetic data of Acanthocephala, especially the mitochondrial (mt) genomes, remains very limited. In the present study, the nearly complete mt genome sequences of Sphaerirostris lanceoides (Petrochenko, 1949) was sequenced and determined for the first time based on specimens collected from the Indian pond heron Ardeola grayii (Sykes) (Ciconiiformes: Ardeidae) in Pakistan. The mt genome of S. lanceoides is 13 478 bp in size and contains 36 genes, including 12 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs) and two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs). Moreover, in order to clarify the phylogenetic relationship of the genera Centrorhynchus and Sphaerirostris, and to test the systematic position of S. lanceoides in the Centrorhynchidae, the phylogenetic analyses were performed using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood methods, based on concatenated nucleotide sequences of 12 PCGs, rRNAs and tRNAs. The phylogenetic results further confirmed the monophyly of the order Polymorphida and the paraphyly of the order Echinorhynchida in the class Palaeacanthocephala. Our results also challenged the validity of the genus Sphaerirostris (Polymorphida: Centrorhynchidae) and showed a sister relationship between S. lanceoides and S. picae (Rudolphi, 1819).
Topics: Acanthocephala; Animals; Birds; DNA, Helminth; DNA, Mitochondrial; Genes, Helminth; Pakistan; Phylogeny
PubMed: 32487273
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182020000906 -
Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia... 2023European hedgehogs, Erinaceus europaeus (Linnaeus, 1758), are small mammals found in western Europe and also in parts of northern Europe. They can be seen in rural,...
European hedgehogs, Erinaceus europaeus (Linnaeus, 1758), are small mammals found in western Europe and also in parts of northern Europe. They can be seen in rural, suburban and urban areas, but are usually found in grassland with edge habitats. These animals are omnivorous and serve as definitive or paratenic hosts for several parasites, including acanthocephalans (phylum Acanthocephala). During necropsy of a European hedgehog, a single adult parasite was collected from the intestinal lumen and preserved in 70% ethanol. After morphological evaluation of the specimen, it was identified as Moniliformis cestodiformis (von Linstow, 1904) (Acanthocephala: Moniliformidae). This is the first report of M. cestodiformis in a European hedgehog, as well as in Europe. More epidemiological studies need to be carried out to map the location and prevalence of this parasite in Portugal and the European continent.
Topics: Animals; Acanthocephala; Moniliformis; Hedgehogs; Mammals; Europe
PubMed: 36946827
DOI: 10.1590/S1984-29612023014 -
Anais Da Academia Brasileira de Ciencias 2022Tambaqui is the second native fish most produced species in Brazil. Currently, tambaqui fish farms deals with serious sanitary problems due to the prevalence of the...
Tambaqui is the second native fish most produced species in Brazil. Currently, tambaqui fish farms deals with serious sanitary problems due to the prevalence of the parasite Neoechinorhynchus buttnerae. However, the prevalence of the acanthocephalan parasite infections depends on the resistance and tolerance interactions between the host organisms and parasites. The immune response against parasites is divided between innate and acquired immunity. The innate defense is a result of physical barriers, cellular and humoral compounds. Acquired defense occurs through the production of antibodies (humoral) and is mediated by cells, mainly by type 2 T helper lymphocytes. Most parasites secrete a variety of immunomodulatory compounds that allow coexistence with the host and chronicity of the parasite. The host-parasite relationship is complex and makes prevention and treatment difficult. However, some studies show that the use of immunostimulants may have "systemic" effects. These include improvement of the intestinal mucosa health and also in the production of cellular and humoral compounds in the whole body, thus assisting treatment and control. As such, it is important to understand the mechanisms of resistance and tolerance in the host organisms so that prevention and treatment measures can be effective.
Topics: Acanthocephala; Animals; Aquaculture; Characiformes; Fish Diseases; Parasites
PubMed: 35830072
DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202220210258 -
Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia... 2024The aim of this study was to record Centrorhynchus sp. associated with the exotic species Aquarana catesbeiana (bullfrog) in southern Brazil and to present a checklist...
The aim of this study was to record Centrorhynchus sp. associated with the exotic species Aquarana catesbeiana (bullfrog) in southern Brazil and to present a checklist of vertebrate hosts in South America. Twenty-nine adults and juveniles of A. catesbeiana were collected in Capão do Leão, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, between October 2019 and December 2020. We found 275 specimens of Centrorhynchus sp. cystacanths in the stomach musculature and coelomic cavity of 55.1% of hosts (16). There was no significant differences in the prevalence and mean intensity of infection with cystacanths when compared males and females of A. catesbeiana. The prevalence was significantly higher in adults than in juveniles. The checklist presents 106 species of vertebrate hosts and 14 taxa of Centrorhynchus recorded in nine South American countries. Avian were the main definitive hosts of Centrorhynchus spp. and snakes Dipsadidae, anurans Hylidae and Leptodactylidae the main paratenic hosts in South America. This is the first record of Centrorhynchus cystacanths in A. catesbeiana in the South America. The study provides tools to help understand the parasitic relationships between species of Centrorhynchus and A. catesbeiana and other hosts in areas where bullfrog have been introduced.
Topics: Animals; Anura; Female; Male; Checklist; Brazil; Acanthocephala; South America; Prevalence; Helminthiasis, Animal; Vertebrates; Birds; Snakes
PubMed: 38836808
DOI: 10.1590/S1984-29612024024 -
Parasitology Apr 2023Anthropogenic interference is a major driver of ecological change in freshwater ecosystems. Pollution and the introduction of new species not only alter macrozoobenthic...
Anthropogenic interference is a major driver of ecological change in freshwater ecosystems. Pollution and the introduction of new species not only alter macrozoobenthic community structures, but can also affect their respective parasite communities. The ecology of the Weser river system experienced a drastic decline in biodiversity over the past century due to salinization caused by the local potash industry. As a response, the amphipod was released into the Werra in 1957. A few decades after the introduction and subsequent spread of this North American species, its natural acanthocephalan was recorded in the Weser in 1988, where it had captured the European eel as a novel host. To assess the recent ecological changes in the acanthocephalan parasite community, we investigated gammarids and eel in the Weser river system. In addition to , 3 species and cf. were discovered. The introduced serves as a novel intermediate host for the acanthocephalans and cf. in the tributary Werra. is persistent in the tributary Fulda in its indigenous host . colonized the Weser with its Ponto-Caspian intermediate host . This study highlights the anthropogenically driven changes in ecology and evolution in the Weser river system. Based on morphological and phylogenetic identification, the shifts in distribution and host usage described here for the first time contribute to the puzzling taxonomy of the genus in times of ecological globalization.
Topics: Animals; Rivers; Ecosystem; Phylogeny; Host-Parasite Interactions; Acanthocephala; Amphipoda; Parasites; Anguilla
PubMed: 36793230
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182023000124 -
Journal of Parasitic Diseases :... Sep 2021Till date 34 species of have been validated with almost negligible studies on its molecular phylogeny. The discovered species of the genus are confined only to the...
Till date 34 species of have been validated with almost negligible studies on its molecular phylogeny. The discovered species of the genus are confined only to the Asian continent. Many different species of Acanthocephala infecting commercially important freshwater as well as the marine fishes have been recorded from India mainly on the basis of morphology. The original record of morphological characteristics of (Bhalerao 1931) Baylis, 1933 can be traced back to the Bhalerao, 1931 from () from the state of Uttar Pradesh, India without the separate documentation of male and female characteristics. Same species has also been reported to infect from different parts of India as well as from the Indonesia and Ceylon (Baylis, 1933 and Fernando and Furtado, 1963). The present study compiles the morphological characteristics of male and female along with the comparison with similar species from same geographical region. This study also reports the first record of 18S, 28S rRNA and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 gene sequences of generated for analyzing the phylogeny within this taxonomic group. together with the other species of reported from India distinctly formed a sub-clade separating it from the other members of same genus.
PubMed: 34475662
DOI: 10.1007/s12639-021-01356-3 -
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety May 2022Modern wastewater treatment plants cannot completely remove pollutants. Often, effluents entering the aquatic environment still contain micropollutants such as...
Modern wastewater treatment plants cannot completely remove pollutants. Often, effluents entering the aquatic environment still contain micropollutants such as pharmaceuticals or pesticides, which may impose adverse effects on aquatic biota. At the same time, a large proportion of free-living aquatic species are known to be infected with parasites, which raises the question of interactions between environmental stressors (such as micropollutants) and parasite infection. We chose the freshwater amphipod Gammarus fossarum (Koch, 1835) as a test organism to investigate potential pollutant-parasite interactions. This gammarid is frequently used in ecotoxicological tests and is also commonly infected with larvae of the acanthocephalan parasite species Polymorphus minutus (Zeder, 1800) Lühe, 1911. We exposed infected and uninfected specimens of G. fossarum to conventionally-treated wastewater and river water in a 22-day flow channel experiment. The test organisms' response was measured as mortality rates, concentrations or activities of five biomarkers, and overall locomotor activity. No significant differences were found between mortality rates of different exposure conditions. Contrastingly, three biomarkers (phenoloxidase activity, glycogen, and lipid concentrations) showed a significant increase in infected gammarids, while the effect of the water type was insignificant. Infected gammarids also showed a significantly higher locomotor activity in both water types. Our results suggest that the response of G. fossarum during the exposure experiments was mainly driven by parasite infection. This implies that parasites may act as additional biotic stressors in multiple stressor scenarios, and therefore, might play an important role when measuring the response of organisms to chemical stressors. Future ecotoxicological studies and assessments thus should consider parasite infection as an additional test parameter.
Topics: Acanthocephala; Amphipoda; Animals; Biomarkers; Host-Parasite Interactions; Locomotion; Parasitic Diseases; Wastewater; Water; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 35390685
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113474 -
Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia... 2020Siganids are the most important marine fish distributed along the African coast. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate parasite fauna infects one of the most...
Siganids are the most important marine fish distributed along the African coast. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate parasite fauna infects one of the most important mariculture fish species in the Red Sea, the Rabbit fish Siganus rivulatus. One acanthocephalan species has been isolated from the posterior region of fish intestine, belonging to the Neoechinorhynchidae family, and named as Neoechinorhynchus macrospinosus Amin & Nahhas, 1994 based on its morphological and morphometric features. In order to determine the accurate taxonomic position of this acanthocephalan species, molecular phylogenetic analysis was carried out based on the partial sequences of 18S rDNA gene region. The obtained data revealed that this species was associated with a close identity ˃71% for other species belonging to the Neoechinorhynchidae family. In addition, the recovered species deeply embedded in the Neoechinorhynchus genus, closely related to the previously described Neoechinorhynchus sp., N. mexicoensis, and N. golvani with identity percent of 95.14, 93.59, 93.59%, respectively. Therefore, the present study provide a better understanding about the taxonomic status of N. macrospinosus based on 18S rDNA that can be useful for achieving a proper assessment of biodiversity.
Topics: Acanthocephala; Animals; DNA, Helminth; Fish Diseases; Helminthiasis, Animal; Phylogeny; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S
PubMed: 32638835
DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612020034