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Parasitology Jun 2021The large-sized tapeworm Dibothriocephalus latus is known as the broad or fish-borne cestode of mammals that is capable to infect humans and cause diphyllobothriosis....
The large-sized tapeworm Dibothriocephalus latus is known as the broad or fish-borne cestode of mammals that is capable to infect humans and cause diphyllobothriosis. Recently, molecular data on D. latus has been accumulating in the literature and a complete genome sequence has been published; however, little is known about the karyotype and chromosome architecture. In this study, an in-depth karyological analysis of 2 D. latus specimens was carried out. The plerocercoids originated from a perch caught in subalpine Lake Iseo (Italy) and the tapeworms were reared in hamsters. Both specimens contained cells with a highly variable number of chromosomes ranging from18 to 27. Nevertheless, the largest portion of mitotic figures (47%) showed a number corresponding to the triploid set, 3n = 27. Accordingly, the karyotype of the analyzed specimens consisted of 9 triplets of metacentric chromosomes. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with the 18S rDNA probe clearly demonstrated the presence of 3 clusters of hybridization signals on the triplet of chromosome 7, thus confirming the triploid status of the specimens. FISH with a telomeric (TTAGGG)n probe confined hybridization signals exclusively to the terminal chromosomal regions, supporting the earlier findings that this repetitive motif is a conserved feature of tapeworm telomeres.
Topics: Animals; Chromosomes; Cytogenetic Analysis; Diphyllobothriasis; Diphyllobothrium; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; Karyotype; RNA, Helminth; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; Triploidy
PubMed: 33678200
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182021000408 -
The American Journal of Tropical... Nov 2019Human sparganosis is a cestode infection which is neglected as a differential diagnosis outside endemic countries. Diagnosis and therapy may be challenging depending on...
Human sparganosis is a cestode infection which is neglected as a differential diagnosis outside endemic countries. Diagnosis and therapy may be challenging depending on the clinical presentation and anatomic localization. The disease manifests predominantly as subcutaneous nodule(s) or intracranial mass lesion(s). Infection is primarily acquired by ingesting raw or undercooked amphibian or reptile flesh or by drinking water containing copepods. We report an unusual case of subcutaneous sparganosis presenting with two nonmigratory nodules in close proximity to each other on the right thigh of a Thai woman living in Switzerland.
Topics: Animals; Base Sequence; DNA, Helminth; Emigrants and Immigrants; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Sparganosis; Spirometra; Subcutaneous Tissue; Switzerland; Thailand
PubMed: 31571569
DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.19-0456 -
Parasites & Vectors Apr 2021The systematic of several marine diphyllobothriid tapeworms of pinnipeds has been revised in recent years. However, 20 species of Diphyllobothrium from phocids and...
BACKGROUND
The systematic of several marine diphyllobothriid tapeworms of pinnipeds has been revised in recent years. However, 20 species of Diphyllobothrium from phocids and otariids are still recognized as incertae sedis. We describe a new species of Diphyllobothrium from the intestine of California sea lions Zalophus californianus (Lesson) (type-host) and South American sea lions Otaria flavescens (Shaw).
METHODS
Zalophus californianus from the Pacific coast of the USA and O. flavescens from Peru and Argentina were screened for parasites. Partial fragments of the large ribosomal subunit gene (lsrDNA) and the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) mitochondrial gene were amplified for 22 isolates. Properly fixed material from California sea lions was examined using light and scanning electron microscopy.
RESULTS
A total of four lsrDNA and 21 cox1 sequences were generated and aligned with published sequences of other diphyllobothriid taxa. Based on cox1 sequences, four diphyllobothriid tapeworms from O. flavescens in Peru were found to be conspecific with Adenocephalus pacificus Nybelin, 1931. The other newly generated sequences fall into a well-supported clade with sequences of a putative new species previously identified as Diphyllobothrium sp. 1. from Z. californianus and O. flavescens. A new species, Diphyllobothrium sprakeri n. sp., is proposed for tapeworms of this clade.
CONCLUSIONS
Diphyllobothrium sprakeri n. sp. is the first diphyllobothriid species described from Z. californianus from the Pacific coast of North America, but O. flavescens from Argentina, Chile and Peru was confirmed as an additional host. The present study molecularly confirmed the first coinfection of two diphyllobothriid species in sea lions from the Southern Hemisphere.
Topics: Animals; Diphyllobothriasis; Diphyllobothrium; Female; Genes, Mitochondrial; Intestines; Male; North America; Phylogeny; Sea Lions; South America
PubMed: 33888151
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04661-1 -
Parasitology International Apr 2022Even though the cetacean tapeworm Diphyllobothrium stemmacephalum occurs in both cold and warm waters, human infections and final host occurrences have been confined to...
Diphyllobothrium stemmacephalum (Cestoda: Diphyllobothriidae) found from a harbor porpoise in northern Japan, with comments on a geographical gap with human infection cases in southern Japan.
Even though the cetacean tapeworm Diphyllobothrium stemmacephalum occurs in both cold and warm waters, human infections and final host occurrences have been confined to temperate areas in and near Japan. We recently obtained a strobila of this cestode that was excreted from a harbor porpoise accidentally caught offshore of Hokkaido of northern Japan. Genetic analysis of 28S rDNA and cox1 genes confirmed that the cestode was D. stemmacephalum. Our finding sets the northernmost record of D. stemmacephalum in the western Pacific, suggesting that the risk of human infections by this parasite in northern Japan deserves further attention.
Topics: Animals; Diphyllobothriasis; Diphyllobothrium; Humans; Japan; Male; Phocoena; Phylogeny
PubMed: 34757158
DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2021.102487 -
Parasitology International Oct 2021A 92-year-old Japanese woman presented with a mass in the left breast, and sparganosis was suspected by biopsy of the mass. The mass disappeared once, but it reappeared...
A 92-year-old Japanese woman presented with a mass in the left breast, and sparganosis was suspected by biopsy of the mass. The mass disappeared once, but it reappeared at the same site one year later. For a definitive diagnosis, the mass was surgically removed, and a sparganum-like worm was detected. The causative agent was confirmed as Spirometra Type I (most probably Spirometra mansoni) by mitochondrial DNA analysis. The serological examination also proved the case as sparganosis. Considering the presence of two Spirometra species (Type I and II) in Asia, particularly Japan, molecular analysis of the causative agents is highly recommended to understand the epidemiology, infection sources, and pathogenicity in humans in both species, if the parasite specimens are available.
Topics: Aged, 80 and over; Animals; Breast Diseases; Female; Humans; Japan; Mammary Glands, Human; Sparganosis; Sparganum; Spirometra
PubMed: 34044106
DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2021.102383 -
The Korean Journal of Parasitology Jun 2020Human sparganosis is a zoonotic disease caused by infection and migration of the plerocercoid of Spirometra spp. Although sparganosis were reported from most parts of...
Human sparganosis is a zoonotic disease caused by infection and migration of the plerocercoid of Spirometra spp. Although sparganosis were reported from most parts of the body, the sparganum parasitizing inside cerebral artery is remarkably uncommon. We report a case of cerebral intravascular sparganosis in an elderly patient with acute ischemic stroke who was diagnosed by retrieving sparganum during mechanical thrombectomy. Finally, the parasites were identified as Spirometra erinaceieuropaei using multiplex PCR and cox1 gene sequencing.
Topics: Aged, 80 and over; Animals; Asian People; Cerebral Arteries; Humans; Male; Sparganosis; Sparganum; Spirometra; Stroke; Thrombectomy
PubMed: 32615744
DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2020.58.3.309 -
The Journal of Veterinary Medical... Jan 2024Cats normally play a role of the definitive host in which the plerocercoid (sparganum), the second larval form of Spirometra spp., develops into an adult in the...
Cats normally play a role of the definitive host in which the plerocercoid (sparganum), the second larval form of Spirometra spp., develops into an adult in the intestines. However, some cases of cats with visceral or subcutaneous sparganosis were sporadically reported worldwide. We herein documented the discovery of a sparganum in abdominal cavity of a domestic cat during a surgery of dystocia. The larva was molecularly identified as Spirometra mansoni, belonging to Type I, that was recently misidentified to be S. erinaceieuropaei in several Asian countries. This is the first report for sparganum of S. mansoni in the cat. The future study is necessary to provide further insights into the species of Spirometra causing sparganosis and spirometrosis in humans and other animals.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Cats; Spirometra; Sparganum; Sparganosis; Vietnam; Larva; Abdominal Cavity; Cat Diseases
PubMed: 38030282
DOI: 10.1292/jvms.23-0236 -
BMC Veterinary Research Apr 2024Sparganosis is a rare zoonotic disease caused by plerocercoid larvae of the genera Spirometra or Sparganum (Cestoda: Diphyllobothriidae). The larvae of Spirometra...
BACKGROUND
Sparganosis is a rare zoonotic disease caused by plerocercoid larvae of the genera Spirometra or Sparganum (Cestoda: Diphyllobothriidae). The larvae of Spirometra generally do not undergo asexual reproduction, whereas those of Sparganum can induce proliferative lesions in infected tissues. This paper presents an unusual case of proliferative sparganosis due to infection with Spirometra mansoni in a cat, normally considered a definitive host of the species.
CASE PRESENTATION
A 9-year-old male domestic cat was presented with a mass on the right side of the face that underwent progressive enlargement for 1 month. The morphological and histopathological examinations revealed multiple asexual proliferative cestode larvae in the lesions, suggestive of proliferative sparganosis. Next-generation sequencing analysis of formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded specimens of surgically excised tissue indicated that the worm was Spirometra mansoni.
CONCLUSION
Although S. mansoni a common tapeworm species found in the small intestine of domestic cats and dogs in Japan, proliferative sparganosis is extremely rare. This is the first confirmed case of proliferative sparganosis due to infection with S. mansoni in cat.
Topics: Male; Cats; Animals; Dogs; Spirometra; Sparganosis; Sparganum; Cestode Infections; Japan; Cat Diseases; Dog Diseases
PubMed: 38643141
DOI: 10.1186/s12917-024-03995-z