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Parasitology Jul 2023Canine soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) cause important zoonoses in the tropics, with varying degrees of intensity of infection in humans and dogs. This study aimed to...
Canine soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) cause important zoonoses in the tropics, with varying degrees of intensity of infection in humans and dogs. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated risk factors for STHs in community dogs residing in Grenada, West Indies. In May 2021, 232 canine fecal samples were examined for zoonotic helminths by microscopy (following flotation), and genomic DNA from a subset of 211 of these samples were subjected to multiplex qPCR for the detection and specific identification of hookworms, spp. and . Microscopic examination revealed that 46.5% (108/232, 95% CI 40–52.9), 9% (21/232, 95% CI 5.35–12.7) and 5.2% (12/232, 95% CI 2.3–8) of the samples contained eggs of spp., spp. and , respectively. Multiplex qPCR revealed that, 42.2% (89/211, 95% CI 35.5–48.8) were positive for at least 1 zoonotic parasite. Of these, 40.8% (86/211, 95% CI 34.1–47.3) of samples tested positive for spp., 36% (76/211, 95% CI 29.5–42.9) were positive for 13.3% (28/211, 95% CI 9–18.6) for , 5.7% for (12/211, 95% CI 2.97–8.81) and 1% (2/211, 95% CI 0–2.26) for spp. (identified as and by conventional PCR-based Sanger sequencing). Using a multiple logistic regression model, a low body score and free-roaming behaviour were significant predictors of test-positivity for these parasitic nematodes in dogs ( < 0.05). Further studies of zoonotic STHs in humans should help elucidate the public health relevance of these parasites in Grenada.
Topics: Animals; Dogs; Humans; Ancylostoma; Dog Diseases; Feces; Grenada; Helminths; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Toxocara; Zoonoses
PubMed: 37184089
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182023000495 -
International Journal of Molecular... Mar 2021The integrin αIIbβ3 is the most abundant integrin on platelets. Upon platelet activation, the integrin changes its conformation (inside-out signalling) and outside-in... (Review)
Review
The integrin αIIbβ3 is the most abundant integrin on platelets. Upon platelet activation, the integrin changes its conformation (inside-out signalling) and outside-in signalling takes place leading to platelet spreading, platelet aggregation and thrombus formation. Bloodsucking parasites such as mosquitoes, leeches and ticks express anticoagulant and antiplatelet proteins, which represent major sources of lead compounds for the development of useful therapeutic agents for the treatment of haemostatic disorders or cardiovascular diseases. In addition to hematophagous parasites, snakes also possess anticoagulant and antiplatelet proteins in their salivary glands. Two snake venom proteins have been developed into two antiplatelet drugs that are currently used in the clinic. The group of proteins discussed in this review are disintegrins, low molecular weight integrin-binding cysteine-rich proteins, found in snakes, ticks, leeches, worms and horseflies. Finally, we highlight various oral antagonists, which have been tested in clinical trials but were discontinued due to an increase in mortality. No new αIIbβ3 inhibitors are developed since the approval of current platelet antagonists, and structure-function analysis of exogenous disintegrins could help find platelet antagonists with fewer adverse side effects.
Topics: Actins; Ancylostoma; Animals; Binding Sites; Blood Platelets; Diptera; Disintegrins; Drug Design; Fibrinolytic Agents; Humans; Ligands; Platelet Activation; Platelet Aggregation; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; Platelet Function Tests; Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex; Signal Transduction; Snake Venoms; Snakes; Thrombosis
PubMed: 33806083
DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073366 -
International Maritime Health 2023Dermatological disorders are among the most common complaints of patients seeking medical assistance after returning from trips to tropical countries. Among exotic...
Dermatological disorders are among the most common complaints of patients seeking medical assistance after returning from trips to tropical countries. Among exotic dermatoses, one of the frequently encountered diagnoses is Cutaneous Larva Migrans (CLM), primarily caused by the nematodes Ancylostoma braziliense and A. caninum. Cats and dogs, which serve as the definitive hosts for these nematodes, excrete with their stool parasite eggs into the environment, where they transform into larvae. Human infection occurs through the invasive form of the larvae, which penetrate the skin, causing itching and the characteristic serpiginous, slightly raised, and enlarging lesion at the site of invasion. Diagnosis is made based on the highly characteristic clinical presentation, although in non-endemic countries, diagnostic errors and delays in initiating effective causal treatment are relatively common. Effective therapy includes oral albendazole and ivermectin. Prevention of CLM involves avoiding skin contact with potentially contaminated soil by wearing shoes and using towels and mats on the beach. Due to the high interest in travel and the risk of importing exotic diseases, it is important to promote knowledge of tropical medicine among healthcare professionals as well as the travellers.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Cats; Dogs; Larva Migrans; Ivermectin; Albendazole; Travel; Feces
PubMed: 38111246
DOI: 10.5603/imh.98098 -
Parasitology Research Dec 2021Medium sized opossums (Didelphis spp.) are among the most fascinating mammals of the Americas, playing important ecological roles (e.g., dispersal of seeds and control... (Review)
Review
Medium sized opossums (Didelphis spp.) are among the most fascinating mammals of the Americas, playing important ecological roles (e.g., dispersal of seeds and control of insect populations) in the environment they inhabit. Nevertheless, as synanthropic animals, they are well adapted to human dwellings, occupying shelters within the cities, peripheral areas, and rural settings. These marsupials can harbor numerous pathogens, which may affect people, pets, and livestock. Among those, some protozoa (e.g., Leishmania infantum, Trypanosoma cruzi, Toxoplasma gondii), helminths (e.g., Ancylostoma caninum, Trichinella spiralis, Alaria marcianae, Paragonimus spp.) and arthropods (e.g., ticks, fleas) present substantial public health and veterinary importance, due to their capacity to cause disease in humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. Here, we reviewed the role played by opossums on the spreading of zoonotic parasites, vectors, and vector-borne pathogens, highlighting the risks of pathogens transmission due to the direct and indirect interaction of humans and domestic animals with Didelphis spp. in the Americas.
Topics: Americas; Animals; Didelphis; Humans; One Health; Opossums; Parasites; Toxoplasma
PubMed: 33788021
DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07072-4 -
Parasitology Research Jan 2023Coproantigen immunoassays (IDEXX Fecal Dx® antigen tests) were evaluated for their ability to identify Toxocara cati and Ancylostoma tubaeforme infections in cats and...
Coproantigen immunoassays (IDEXX Fecal Dx® antigen tests) were evaluated for their ability to identify Toxocara cati and Ancylostoma tubaeforme infections in cats and Uncinaria stenocephala infection in dogs. Five cats were experimentally infected with 500 embryonated eggs of T. cati, eight cats with 500 third-stage larvae (L3) of A. tubaeforme and seven dogs with 500 L3 of U. stenocephala. In addition to the three coproantigen tests, the course of infection was monitored by a combined sedimentation-flotation method with ZnSO as flotation medium (specific gravity: 1.28-1.30) and a modified McMaster method in case of copromicroscopically positive samples. Eggs of T. cati were first observed between 28 and 54 days post infection (dpi) in four of the five infected cats. In these four cats, positive roundworm coproantigen signals were obtained between 16 and 44 dpi. Positive coproantigen signal always preceded egg observations, but the interval varied between 6 and 30 days. Hookworm-specific positive coproantigen signals were detected in seven of the eight A. tubaeforme infected cats between 10 and 52 dpi, while consecutive egg excretion was observed in three cats between day 26 and 54 pi. Of these three, coproantigen signal preceded egg observation by 12 to 24 days. Four cats had positive coproantigen results in the absence of egg excretion, and one cat never achieved a positive result for egg or coproantigen. In six of seven U. stenocephala infected dogs, infection was confirmed by copromicroscopy between 16 and 24 dpi as well as for hookworm coproantigen between 10 and 14 dpi. Coproantigen signal was detected prior to egg observation by 2 to 14 days. No cross-reactions between the roundworm, hookworm und whipworm tests occurred in study animals. The results of this study demonstrate the ability of the coproantigen tests to detect the common roundworm and hookworm infections in cats and U. stenocephala infections in dogs as well as the ability to detect the prepatent stage of infection.
Topics: Cats; Animals; Dogs; Ancylostoma; Toxocara; Ancylostomatoidea; Nematoda; Nematode Infections; Immunoassay; Feces; Cat Diseases; Dog Diseases
PubMed: 36385307
DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07715-0 -
Current Research in Parasitology &... 2022This paper describes a multicentric field study which has evaluated the safety and efficacy of a novel spot on formulation containing emodepside 2.04% w/v, praziquantel...
Multicenter randomized, and blinded European field study evaluating the efficacy and safety of Felpreva®, a novel spot-on formulation containing tigolaner, emodepside and praziquantel, in treating cats with mixed infection with intestinal nematodes, cestodes and/or lungworms.
This paper describes a multicentric field study which has evaluated the safety and efficacy of a novel spot on formulation containing emodepside 2.04% w/v, praziquantel 8.14% w/v and tigolaner 9.79% w/v (Felpreva®, Vetoquinol) when administered at the intended commercial dose of 0.15 ml/kg body weight to privately owned cats infected with major intestinal nematodes (, , , ) and/or cestodes (, ) and/or lungworms (, ). A total of 219 cats from 26 veterinary clinics located in Albania, Greece, Hungary, Italy and Portugal were included in the study. Feces from the cats were examined on a single occasion between Study Day -7 and Day 0 (baseline) and post-treatment (i) twice between Day 7 and Day 14 (± 2) (for intestinal helminths) or (ii) twice between Day 21 (± 2) and Day 28 (± 2) (for lungworms). Cats were allocated into two groups at a ratio of 2:1 (Felpreva®: Profender®, i.e. a commercial control product containing emodepside and praziquantel). Cats infected with intestinal helminths were treated once on Day 0 (i) with Felpreva® (Group 1) or (ii) with Profender® (Group 2). Animals infected with lungworms received a second treatment with Profender® on Day 14 (± 2) regardless of group allocation. Faecal egg or larval count reduction for Felpreva® was 97.47% for intestinal nematodes and 96.80% for lungworms. No cats infected with cestodes at baseline resulted positive after treatment with Felpreva®. However, the low number of cats ( = 10) did not allow for a statistical analysis to be performed. Non-inferiority of Felpreva® compared to Profender® was statistically demonstrated for all target intestinal and respiratory parasites. No adverse events nor application site reactions were observed. These results show that the new topical combination product Felpreva® is highly safe and efficacious in treating infections caused by major species of feline intestinal nematodes, cestodes and lungworms under field conditions.
PubMed: 35991086
DOI: 10.1016/j.crpvbd.2022.100098 -
Parasites & Vectors Aug 2023For decades, zinc sulfate centrifugal fecal flotation microscopy (ZCF) has been the mainstay technique for gastrointestinal (GI) parasite screening at veterinary clinics...
BACKGROUND
For decades, zinc sulfate centrifugal fecal flotation microscopy (ZCF) has been the mainstay technique for gastrointestinal (GI) parasite screening at veterinary clinics and laboratories. Elsewhere, PCR has replaced microscopy because of generally increased sensitivity and detection capabilities; however, until recently it has been unavailable commercially. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to compare the performance of real-time PCR (qPCR) and ZCF for fecal parasite screening. Secondary aims included further characterization of markers for hookworm treatment resistance and Giardia spp. assemblages with zoonotic potential and qPCR optimization.
METHODS
A convenience sampling of 931 canine/feline fecal samples submitted to a veterinary reference laboratory for routine ZCF from the Northeast US (11/2022) was subsequently evaluated by a broad qPCR panel following retention release. Detection frequency and agreement (kappa statistics) were evaluated between ZCF and qPCR for seven GI parasites [hookworm/(Ancylostoma spp.), roundworm/(Toxocara spp.), whipworm/(Trichuris spp.), Giardia duodenalis, Cystoisospora spp., Toxoplasma gondii, and Tritrichomonas blagburni] and detections per sample. Total detection frequencies were compared using a paired t-test; positive sample and co-infection frequencies were compared using Pearson's chi-squared test (p ≤ 0.05 significant) and qPCR frequency for hookworm benzimidazole (BZ) resistance (F167Y) and zoonotic Giardia spp. assemblage markers calculated. Confirmatory testing, characterization, and qPCR optimization were carried out with Sanger sequencing.
RESULTS
qPCR detected a significantly higher overall parasite frequency (n = 679) compared to ZCF (n = 437) [p = < 0.0001, t = 14.38, degrees-of-freedom (df) = 930] and 2.6 × the co-infections [qPCR (n = 172) vs. ZCF (n = 66)], which was also significant (p = < 0.0001, X = 279.49; df = 1). While overall agreement of parasite detection was substantial [kappa = 0.74; (0.69-0.78], ZCF-undetected parasites reduced agreement for individual and co-infected samples. qPCR detected markers for Ancylostoma caninum BZ resistance (n = 5, 16.1%) and Giardia with zoonotic potential (n = 22, 9.1%) as well as two parasites undetected by ZCF (T. gondii/T. blagburni). Sanger sequencing detected novel roundworm species, and qPCR optimization provided detection beyond ZCF.
CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrate the statistically significant detection frequency advantage offered by qPCR compared to routine ZCF for both single and co-infections. While overall agreement was excellent, this rapid, commercially available qPCR panel offers benefits beyond ZCF with detection of markers for Giardia assemblages with zoonotic potential and hookworm (A. caninum) BZ resistance.
Topics: Cats; Animals; Dogs; United States; Parasites; Cat Diseases; Coinfection; Dog Diseases; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Giardiasis; Ancylostoma; Giardia; Gastropoda; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
PubMed: 37587483
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05904-z -
IDCases 2023Cutaneous larva migrans is a common disease in the tropics and among travelers. The itchy, serpentigious rash often appears within days to weeks after transmission....
Cutaneous larva migrans is a common disease in the tropics and among travelers. The itchy, serpentigious rash often appears within days to weeks after transmission. There are only few reported cases of late relapses. Here, we present a case of a relapse of cutaneous larva migrans more than one year after exposure.
PubMed: 37663135
DOI: 10.1016/j.idcr.2023.e01885 -
Infectious Disease Reports Jul 2020Relationship between humans and cats has negative impact associates with zoonotic diseases. It is the reason why studies on the prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI)...
Relationship between humans and cats has negative impact associates with zoonotic diseases. It is the reason why studies on the prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) parasites in cats are important. Some of zoonotic GI parasites in cats are spp, sp, and . The current study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of GI parasites in owned and stray cats in Lumajang East Java Indonesia. One hundred and twenty fecal samples were collected from owned and stray cats on November 2018 to January 2019. The samples were examined by direct smears, sedimentation and flotation techniques. Identification of parasites was determined based on the morphology of worm eggs and protozoan cysts. The results showed that gastrointestinal parasites were found in 68.33% (82/120) examined samples, respectively, 48.33% (29/60) and 88.33% (53/60) from owned cats and stray cats. We found 7 genera of parasites, 4 genera of worm eggs and 2 genera protozoan oocyst. The egg worm were (40 %), . (10.33%), sp. (18.33%), sp. (3.33%) and (1.67%). The protozoan oocyst were (27.5%), (13.33%) and spp. (8.33%). , sp. (hookworm), sp. and were zoonotic parasites. Rate infection in younger and older cat were no significant difference. One cat can be infected one or more parasite. To conclude, the prevalence of zoonotic GI parasites both in owned and stray cats were high. It is necessary to plan a program to control this zoonotic parasites.
PubMed: 32874473
DOI: 10.4081/idr.2020.8747 -
Parasites & Vectors May 2021The hookworm, Ancylostoma caninum, is a common and important zoonotic intestinal nematode parasite that infects dogs globally. Both the immature and adult stages of A....
Effectiveness of a novel orally administered combination drug product containing milbemycin oxime and lotilaner (Credelio Plus) for the treatment of larval and immature adult stages of Ancylostoma caninum in experimentally infected dogs.
BACKGROUND
The hookworm, Ancylostoma caninum, is a common and important zoonotic intestinal nematode parasite that infects dogs globally. Both the immature and adult stages of A. caninum ingest large volumes of blood during the feeding process and can cause severe anemia and death in young dogs, even before patent infections can be diagnosed using routine faecal examination methods. Thus, effective treatment of any pre-patent stages of immature hookworms can reduce or eliminate the risk of clinical disease in infected dogs and additionally reduce environmental contamination of eggs and infective larvae. Two randomized, blinded, GCP-compliant, pivotal laboratory dose confirmation studies were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a new novel combination of lotilaner and milbemycin oxime tablets (Credelio Plus) administered orally to dogs experimentally infected with immature (L4 and immature adult [L5]) stages of A. caninum.
METHODS
Treatments using the intended global commercial tablet formulation of Credelio Plus were administered in a time frame relative to inoculation with infective larvae so that effectiveness could be assessed against each specific immature stage of A. caninum. In each study, dogs were randomized to one of six (study 1) or four (study 2) treatment groups. Each treatment group contained 8 (study 1) or 10 (study 2) dogs that had been experimentally inoculated with infective A. caninum larvae on day 0 and were dosed once on day 7 or day 11. Enrolled subjects were administered placebo tablets, Credelio Plus tablets, or lotilaner mono tablets to provide minimum dosages of 0.75 mg/kg of milbemycin oxime and 20 mg/kg of lotilaner. All dogs were necropsied 5 days after their respective treatment. All nematodes recovered from the gastrointestinal tract at necropsy were counted by species and stage.
RESULTS
For both dose confirmation studies and based on geometric mean worm counts, efficacy of Credelio Plus was ≥ 97.3% against L4 larval stage of A. caninum and ≥ 98.7% against immature adult (L5) A. caninum.
CONCLUSIONS
These studies demonstrated that the orally administered Credelio Plus combination tablet was highly efficacious in treating immature (L4 and immature adult [L5]) stages of A. caninum in experimentally infected dogs.
Topics: Administration, Oral; Ancylostoma; Ancylostomiasis; Animals; Anthelmintics; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Drug Combinations; Female; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Larva; Macrolides; Male; Oxazoles; Parasite Egg Count; Random Allocation; Thiophenes; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 34001200
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04761-y