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Acta Parasitologica Mar 2024Hookworms are blood-feeding nematodes that infect millions of people and animals worldwide. The most common species infecting dogs in Europe are representatives of the...
BACKGROUND
Hookworms are blood-feeding nematodes that infect millions of people and animals worldwide. The most common species infecting dogs in Europe are representatives of the family Ancylostomatidae, which differ in invasiology, biology and morphological features. However, the differentiation of invasions of species such as Uncinaria stenocephala and Ancylostoma caninum based on a coproscopic examination is problematic. For this reason, it is recommended to use molecular diagnostics for this purpose. The authors of the article investigated the prevalence of U. stenocephala in dogs kept in various living conditions in Slovakia and developed a two-step morphology-molecular analysis-based strategy to identify the genus and the species of eggs and larvae of the Ancylostomatidae family in dogs.
CONCLUSIONS
In our opinion, this work is very much needed as it shows how to effectively diagnose hookworm infestations. However, we do not agree with the information in the title of the article because such studies have already been carried out in Central Europe by other authors.
Topics: Animals; Dogs; Dog Diseases; Hookworm Infections; Ancylostomatoidea; Slovakia; Prevalence; Larva; DNA, Helminth; Feces
PubMed: 37991680
DOI: 10.1007/s11686-023-00737-3 -
Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology 2023Traditional microscopy-based methods may provide inaccurate estimates of Soil transmitted helminth (STH) infections in mild intensity of infection. Therefore, we aimed...
PURPOSE
Traditional microscopy-based methods may provide inaccurate estimates of Soil transmitted helminth (STH) infections in mild intensity of infection. Therefore, we aimed to determine the prevalence of STH infections using molecular diagnostic methods and compare the diagnostic performance of microscopy with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in stool samples collected from pregnant women in primary care settings in Puducherry, India.
METHODOLOGY
A singleplex PCR assay was developed to detect three species of STHs, namely Ascaris lumbricoides, Necator americanus, and Ancylostoma duodenale, by targeting the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS1 and ITS2) of 5.8S rRNA. The PCR generated 420, 662, and 515 base pairs of DNA for the respective organisms. In addition to singleplex PCR, wet and concentration microscopy techniques were used. The results were expressed as percentages with 95% confidence intervals, and the diagnostic performance of microscopy was compared with PCR in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and positive, negative predictive values and kappa statistics.
RESULTS
Among the 650 pregnant women included, 48.8% were aged 25 years or less, 59% were primigravida, and half were from rural areas. The overall prevalence of any STH infection was higher in PCR compared to microscopy (8.9% vs. 7.2%). The prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides was higher by microscopy (5.4% vs 2.6%), while the prevalence of Necator americanus was higher by PCR (6.3%) than by microscopy (1.8%). No species of Ancylostoma duodenale was detected. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of microscopy for detecting any STH infection was 22.4%, 94.3%, 27.7%, and 92.5%, respectively. The agreement between microscopy and PCR for the identification is as follows: for any STH infection, k = 0.12, Ascaris k = 0.16, and Necator k = 0.20, respectively.
CONCLUSION
The prevalence of any STH infection identified by PCR was higher than microscopy, and the agreement between the two methods was poor.
Topics: Pregnancy; Animals; Female; Humans; Soil; Prevalence; Microscopy; Helminthiasis; Ascaris lumbricoides; Necator americanus; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Feces
PubMed: 37945120
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmmb.2023.100427 -
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology Mar 2024Cutaneous larva migrans (CLM) results from hookworm larvae infestation, mainly Ancylostoma braziliense or Ancylostoma caninum. It is common in Sub-Saharan Africa, often...
Cutaneous larva migrans (CLM) results from hookworm larvae infestation, mainly Ancylostoma braziliense or Ancylostoma caninum. It is common in Sub-Saharan Africa, often acquired through soil contact, especially in sandy beaches, manifesting as serpiginous, erythematous and intensely pruritic tracts within the epidermis, and presenting with diverse clinical appearances. Diagnosis is mostly clinical; however, dermoscopy can enhance diagnostic accuracy and distinction from mimics. The current body of literature is deficient in its representation of dermoscopic data for CLM in Black patients. This study explores dermoscopy in nine dark-skinned patients with 16 CLM lesions. Distinctive serpiginous structureless areas displaying a range of colours, peripheral scales surrounding brown areas and brown dots were predominant features, whereas vascular characteristics were less evident. This article highlights the presence of distinct reaction patterns, including brown dots, scales, and accentuated, often disrupted brown reticular lines in addition to the characteristic winding tracts in darker skin.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Larva Migrans; Gambia; Epidermis; Ancylostoma; Black People
PubMed: 37940115
DOI: 10.1093/ced/llad381 -
Topics in Companion Animal Medicine 2024The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of zoonotic enteroparasites in the feces of dogs from public shelters, squares, parks, and public roads in the city... (Review)
Review
Occurrence of zoonotic enteric parasites in fecal samples from dogs in shelters, parks, squares and public roads, and the dog guardians' perception of zoonoses as for the risk to public health in the city of Guarapuava, Paraná, Brazil.
The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of zoonotic enteroparasites in the feces of dogs from public shelters, squares, parks, and public roads in the city of Guarapuava, Paraná, Brazil, and to evaluate the perception of dog guardians regarding zoonoses and their risk to public health. Fecal samples were collected, coproparasitological examinations were performed to detect zoonotic enteroparasites, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to identify Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp. Questionnaires were given to guardians who walked their dogs in parks, squares, and public roads, as to assess their perception of zoonoses. A total of 333 samples were collected, of these 75, 123, and 135 of them were from public shelters, squares and parks, and public roads, respectively. One or more parasites were identified in 166 (50 %) samples, of which 58/75 (77 %) were from public shelters, 50/123 (41 %) from squares and parks, and 58/135 (43 %) from public roads. The parasites detected included Ancylostoma spp., Giardia spp., Trichuris spp., Toxocara spp., and Cystoisospora spp., with Ancylostoma spp. having the highest occurrence. PCR was performed on 161 samples for convenience due to financial limitations, because only a portion of the study was funded by the municipal government, of which 15.6 % were positive for Giardia spp., and all were negative for Cryptosporidium spp. In total, 246 guardians were interviewed, of which 36 % said they did not collect their animals' feces during walks, 20 % did not use anti-helminthics on their dogs, and 23 % did not know which diseases could be transmitted by feces. Therefore, we conclude that there is a high infection rate of parasites with zoonotic potential in public places, showing the need to raise awareness among guardians about the diseases transmitted by dog feces, correct vermifugation and the importance of collecting feces in public places.
Topics: Animals; Dogs; Public Health; Parasites; Cryptosporidiosis; Brazil; Cryptosporidium; Zoonoses; Feces; Perception; Dog Diseases; Prevalence
PubMed: 37884174
DOI: 10.1016/j.tcam.2023.100826 -
Tropical Parasitology 2023The complex life cycle of geohelminth parasites make it difficult to manage repeated infections that occur in endemic areas, that requires the development of new...
BACKGROUND
The complex life cycle of geohelminth parasites make it difficult to manage repeated infections that occur in endemic areas, that requires the development of new therapeutic strategies. Human hookworm . and . are a serious problem in many areas of the world where the old age anti-helminthics are ineffective. To address this, we have tried a non-traditional therapeutic approach for a sustainable solution to manage parasite infections.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
In this study, we attempted to develop a new type of therapy using value-added probiotics-producing antiparasitic RNA interference (RNAi) molecules against a vital hookworm ( sp.) enzyme, astacin-like metalloprotease -MTP-1. A new gut delivery RNAi vector was designed to produce double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) against the target to be delivered by feeding with a probiotic lactis that when administered in endemic areas can potentially be used to control the spread of infection by interrupting the life cycle of hookworm.
RESULTS
The engineered probiotics colonizing the gut, when consumed by the parasite released the dsRNA that which knocked down the target by RNAi interfering with their moulting and tissue migration. The initial penetration of the larvae into the gut lining was reduced by 70%, followed by a reduction of up to 50% in migration to the critical organs. The damage caused to the liver (30%-40%) and the kidneys (50%-60%) by the hookworm in mouse models as quantitated by enzymes released in the blood was totally reversed when the worms were pre fed with the engineered L. lactis before the parasite challenge.
CONCLUSIONS
We believe that this is the first demonstrated knockdown of a target gene in hookworms using probiotics genetically engineered to stimulate RNAi (RNAi food), administered through the oral route. This novel method of parasite control when extended to other hookworms, and can augment the efficacy of the existing anthelminthics if combined with them.
PubMed: 37860612
DOI: 10.4103/tp.tp_74_22 -
Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia... 2023We investigated the occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites in dogs in rural areas of the municipality of Painel, Santa Catarina, Brazil. For this, 91 canine feces...
We investigated the occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites in dogs in rural areas of the municipality of Painel, Santa Catarina, Brazil. For this, 91 canine feces samples were collected from 82 farms between August, 2017 and January, 2018. These fecal materials were processed using the techniques of spontaneous sedimentation, centrifugation-floatation in zinc sulfate and Ziehl-Neelsen staining. A questionnaire in the form of an interview was administered to the dogs' owner and information about the farm and the main care provided for the dogs was obtained. Among 91 sampled dogs, 27 (29.7%) were positive for at least one parasite species. Ancylostoma was the most prevalent genus (16.5%), followed by Giardia duodenalis (14.3%), Trichuris vulpis (6.6%), Toxocara canis (5.5%), Entamoeba spp. (4.8%), Cryptosporidium spp. (3.3%) and Taeniidae (1.1%). Most dogs do not receive veterinarian care and rarely received antiparasitic treatment. They were free to roam and had free access to animal remains and garbage, which was reflected in the significant associations with the occurrence of parasites that were found. We conclude that rural dogs harbor gastrointestinal parasites, but that their owners are unaware of the risks that these parasites can bring to human health.
Topics: Animals; Dogs; Humans; Parasites; Cryptosporidiosis; Brazil; Cryptosporidium; Dog Diseases; Prevalence; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Feces
PubMed: 37851715
DOI: 10.1590/S1984-29612023061 -
BMC Veterinary Research Oct 2023The zoonotic hookworms Ancylostoma caninum and Uncinaria stenocephala are widespread soil-transmitted helminths in dogs in Europe. Given the veterinary and public health...
BACKGROUND
The zoonotic hookworms Ancylostoma caninum and Uncinaria stenocephala are widespread soil-transmitted helminths in dogs in Europe. Given the veterinary and public health importance of hookworms in dogs and the recent changes in the molecular epidemiology of some species, there is a need to continuously monitor the epidemiological and molecular prevalence of these parasites also at the "local" level. The present study aimed to update the epidemiological scenario of hookworm infections in both owned and stray dogs in southern Italy and to discriminate between different hookworm species (A. caninum and U. stenocephala) through molecular analyses. For this purpose, a retrospective analysis was performed over 10 years (2011-2021), including a total of 7008 owned dogs and 5642 stray dogs referred to our laboratory for copromicroscopic examinations. Moreover, 72 faecal samples, from dogs naturally infected by hookworms, were used to discriminate between A. caninum and U. stenocephala using two PCR protocols. Prior to molecular analyses, a subsample of 40/72 positive faecal samples was used for morphometric investigations on hookworm eggs.
RESULTS
The results of the ten-year retrospective analysis (2011-2021) showed an overall prevalence of hookworm infection of 9.16%, specifically 5.1% in owned dogs and 14.2% in stray dogs. Logistic regression showed a significant association between positivity to hookworms and the variable "puppies" both in stray (13.84%; OR = 2.4) and owned (7.07%; OR = 2.2) dogs. The results of molecular analyses showed that positivity was confirmed only in 21/72 samples, specifically, 6 samples using protocol A and 19 with protocol B. Sequencing revealed 15 samples positive to U. stenocephala and 6 to A. caninum.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this study showed a high prevalence of hookworm infections in dogs in southern Italy, updating the epidemiological scenario of the last decade. Moreover, the results of the study revealed the first identification of hookworm species in dogs in Italy by molecular studies, highlighting that U. stenocephala is more prevalent than A. caninum.
Topics: Animals; Dogs; Ancylostomatoidea; Retrospective Studies; Dog Diseases; Hookworm Infections; Italy; Feces; Ancylostoma
PubMed: 37833701
DOI: 10.1186/s12917-023-03765-3 -
Helminthologia Jun 2023The wild cat (), spread in Romania from the Danube Delta to the mountain range is present in the Banat area, on the hunting ground that can be contaminated with...
The wild cat (), spread in Romania from the Danube Delta to the mountain range is present in the Banat area, on the hunting ground that can be contaminated with different stage developmental forms of parasites, some of them having real zoonotic potential. The wild cat is an animal protected by the Romanian law of protection animals. Coprological samples from 88 wild cats from 16 hunting grounds, as well as the gastrointestinal tract collected from six wild cats cadavers and the molecular characterization of the cestodes identified in their intestines, allowed us to establish intestinal parasitic fauna. During coprological examination oocysts, tapeworm eggs, eggs of , . and were found. At the same time, the form of genera Mesocestoides, Taenia, Toxocara/Toxascaris and Ancylostoma were identified at necropsy. Further polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identification revealed the species of , and , the latter providing a zoonotic potential. This study, the first in the western part of the country (Banat area, Timis County), provides information about the parasitic fauna of wild cats and underlines the importance of the human contamination risk.
PubMed: 37818174
DOI: 10.2478/helm-2023-0015 -
International Journal of Molecular... Sep 2023Parasitic nematodes and their products are promising candidates for therapeutics against inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Two species of nematodes, the hookworm and...
Parasitic nematodes and their products are promising candidates for therapeutics against inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Two species of nematodes, the hookworm and the whipworm , are being used in clinical treatment trials of IBD referred to as "helminth therapy". is a well-known model for human hookworm infections. Excretory-secretory (ES) products of L4 stage that developed during colitis show a different immunomodulatory effect compared to the ES of from healthy mice. The aim of the study was to evaluate excretory-secretory proteins produced by L4 stage males and females that developed in the colitic milieu. Mass spectrometry was used to identify proteins. Blast2GO was used to investigate the functions of the discovered proteins. A total of 387 proteins were identified in the ES of L4 males (HpC males), and 330 proteins were identified in the ES of L4 females that developed in the colitic milieu (HpC females). In contrast, only 200 proteins were identified in the ES of L4 males (Hp males) and 218 in the ES of L4 females (Hp females) that developed in control conditions. Most of the proteins (123) were detected in all groups. Unique proteins identified in the ES of HpC females included annexin, lysozyme-2, apyrase, and galectin. Venom allergen/Ancylostoma-secreted protein-like, transthyretin-like family proteins, and galectins were found in the secretome of HpC males but not in the secretome of control males. These molecules may be responsible for the therapeutic effects of nematodes in DSS-induced colitis.
PubMed: 37762428
DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814127 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Sep 2023Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are caused by roundworms (Ascaris lumbricoides), whipworms (Trichuris trichiura), and hookworms (Necator americanus and...
BACKGROUND
Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are caused by roundworms (Ascaris lumbricoides), whipworms (Trichuris trichiura), and hookworms (Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale). In Uganda, baseline surveys conducted during the late 1990s and early 2000s suggested STH infections were common, with prevalence >50% among surveyed schoolchildren. In 2003, a national program was launched with mass preventative chemotherapy (PC) and health education for children 1-14 years old. Little evidence is available to show the impact of national deworming.
METHODS
We conducted population-based, cross-sectional household surveys in five districts (Buikwe, Kassanda, Kiryandongo, Kisoro, and Rubanda) in March and May 2022. Our primary objective was to estimate STH prevalence by species due to infections of any intensity and infections of moderate-to-heavy intensity among preschool-aged children (PSAC, 1-4 years old), school-aged children (SAC, 5-14 years old), and women of reproductive age (WRA, 15-49 years old). Laboratory technicians used duplicate Kato-Katz microscopy to determine fecal egg count.
RESULTS
Overall, 3,352 PSAC; 3,884 SAC; and 1,226 WRA provided stool samples. The prevalence of any infection remained high in Kisoro at or above ~50% within all risk groups. In other districts, the prevalence of any infection ranged from approximately 5 to 16% among PSAC, 6 to 23% among SAC, and 12 to 19% among WRA. Moderate-to-heavy intensity infection prevalence was highest in Kisoro (~15-26%), followed by Rubanda (<5%), and was ≤1% in other districts. A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura infections were largely confined to Kisoro and Rubanda, whereas hookworm was most common in other districts.
CONCLUSIONS
The STH prevalence has decreased markedly in three districts in Uganda. Based on our findings, the national deworming program should consider decreasing PC distribution frequency in these districts per the World Health Organization guidelines. Efforts are needed to understand why the Kisoro and Rubanda districts did not demonstrate similar gains.
Topics: Child; Child, Preschool; Animals; Humans; Female; Adolescent; Young Adult; Adult; Middle Aged; Infant; Uganda; Cross-Sectional Studies; Prevalence; Helminthiasis; Ancylostoma
PubMed: 37751418
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011605