-
Scientific Reports Jun 2018Camp dogs in indigenous communities in the Western Australian Kimberley Region, share the domestic environment with humans and have the potential to act as carriers of,...
Camp dogs in indigenous communities in the Western Australian Kimberley Region, share the domestic environment with humans and have the potential to act as carriers of, and sentinels for, a wide range of zoonotic agents, including intestinal parasites and antimicrobial resistant bacteria. In this study, we investigated the carriage of extended-spectrum-cephalosporin-resistant (ESC-resistant) Escherichia coli, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and species of hookworm and Giardia among camp dogs in remote Western Australian Aboriginal communities. A total of 141 canine faecal samples and 156 nasal swabs were collected from dogs in four communities of the Western Australian Kimberley region. Overall, ESC-resistant E. coli was detected in 16.7% of faecal samples and MRSA was isolated from 2.6% of nasal swabs. Of most significance was the presence of the community-associated Panton-Valentine leucocidin (PVL)-positive MRSA ST93 and ST5 clones and ESC-resistant E. coli ST38 and ST131. The most prevalent zoonotic intestinal parasite infection was Ancylostoma caninum (66%). The prevalence of Giardia was 12.1%, with the main genotypes of Giardia detected being dog specific assemblages C and D, which are unlikely to cause disease in humans.
Topics: Ancylostoma; Ancylostomiasis; Animals; Australia; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Giardia; Giardiasis; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Prevalence; Staphylococcal Infections; Zoonoses
PubMed: 29880792
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26920-5 -
BioMed Research International 2018To develop a -shift method for detection of dog-derived and three sets of primers were designed based on three SNPs (ITS71, ITS197, and ITS296) of their internal...
To develop a -shift method for detection of dog-derived and three sets of primers were designed based on three SNPs (ITS71, ITS197, and ITS296) of their internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) sequences. The detection effect of the -shift was assessed through the stability, sensitivity, accuracy test, and clinical detection. The results showed that these three sets of primers could distinguish accurately between and . The coefficient of variation in their values on the three SNPs was 0.09% and 0.15% (ITS71), 0.18% and 0.14% (ITS197), and 0.13% and 0.07% (ITS296), respectively. The lowest detectable concentration of standard plasmids for and was 5.33 × 10 ng/L and 5.03 × 10 ng/L. The -shift results of ten DNA samples from the dog-derived hookworms were consistent with their known species. In the clinical detection of 50 fecal samples from stray dogs, the positive rate of hookworm detected by -shift (42%) was significantly higher than that by microscopic examination (34%), and the former can identify the species. It is concluded that the -shift method is rapid, specific, sensitive, and suitable for the clinical detection and zoonotic risk assessment of the dog-derived hookworm.
Topics: Ancylostoma; Ancylostomiasis; Animals; DNA, Helminth; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
PubMed: 29862291
DOI: 10.1155/2018/7617094 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases May 2018The soil-transmitted nematodes (STNs) or helminths (hookworms, whipworms, large roundworms) infect the intestines of ~1.5 billion of the poorest peoples and are leading...
In vivo and in vitro studies of Cry5B and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist anthelmintics reveal a powerful and unique combination therapy against intestinal nematode parasites.
BACKGROUND
The soil-transmitted nematodes (STNs) or helminths (hookworms, whipworms, large roundworms) infect the intestines of ~1.5 billion of the poorest peoples and are leading causes of morbidity worldwide. Only one class of anthelmintic or anti-nematode drugs, the benzimidazoles, is currently used in mass drug administrations, which is a dangerous situation. New anti-nematode drugs are urgently needed. Bacillus thuringiensis crystal protein Cry5B is a powerful, promising new candidate. Drug combinations, when properly made, are ideal for treating infectious diseases. Although there are some clinical trials using drug combinations against STNs, little quantitative and systemic work has been performed to define the characteristics of these combinations in vivo.
METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
Working with the hookworm Ancylostoma ceylanicum-hamster infection system, we establish a laboratory paradigm for studying anti-nematode combinations in vivo using Cry5B and the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonists tribendimidine and pyrantel pamoate. We demonstrate that Cry5B strongly synergizes in vivo with both tribendimidine and pyrantel at specific dose ratios against hookworm infections. For example, whereas 1 mg/kg Cry5B and 1 mg/kg tribendimidine individually resulted in only a 0%-6% reduction in hookworm burdens, the combination of the two resulted in a 41% reduction (P = 0.020). Furthermore, when mixed at synergistic ratios, these combinations eradicate hookworm infections at doses where the individual doses do not. Using cyathostomin nematode parasites of horses, we find based on inhibitory concentration 50% values that a strongylid parasite population doubly resistant to nAChR agonists and benzimidazoles is more susceptible or "hypersusceptible" to Cry5B than a cyathostomin population not resistant to nAChR agonists, consistent with previous Caenhorhabditis elegans results.
CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE
Our study provides a powerful means by which anthelmintic combination therapies can be examined in vivo in the laboratory. In addition, we demonstrate that Cry5B and nAChR agonists have excellent combinatorial properties-Cry5B combined with nAChR agonists gives rise to potent cures that are predicted to be recalcitrant to the development of parasite resistance. These drug combinations highlight bright spots in new anthelmintic development for human and veterinary animal intestinal nematode infections.
Topics: Ancylostoma; Ancylostomiasis; Animals; Anthelmintics; Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins; Bacterial Proteins; Cricetinae; Drug Therapy, Combination; Endotoxins; Female; Hemolysin Proteins; Horse Diseases; Horses; Humans; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Male; Mesocricetus; Nicotinic Antagonists; Receptors, Nicotinic
PubMed: 29775454
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006506 -
International Journal For Parasitology.... Aug 2018Hookworms are intestinal nematode parasites that infect nearly half a billion people and are globally one of the most important contributors to iron-deficiency anemia....
Hookworms are intestinal nematode parasites that infect nearly half a billion people and are globally one of the most important contributors to iron-deficiency anemia. These parasites have significant impacts in developing children, pregnant women and working adults. Of all the soil-transmitted helminths or nematodes (STNs), hookworms are by far the most important, with disease burdens conservatively estimated at four million DALYs (Disability-Adjusted Life Years) and with productivity losses of up to US$139 billion annually. To date, mainly one drug, albendazole is used for hookworm therapy in mass drug administration, which has on average ∼80% cure rate that is lower (<40%) in some places. Given the massive numbers of people needing treatment, the threat of parasite resistance, and the inadequacy of current treatments, new and better cures against hookworms are urgently needed. Cry5B, a pore-forming protein produced by the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has demonstrated good efficacy against Ancylostoma ceylanicum hookworm infections in hamsters. Here we broaden studies of Cry5B to include tests against infections of Ancylostoma caninum hookworms in dogs and against infections of the dominant human hookworm, Necator americanus, in hamsters. We show that Cry5B is highly effective against all hookworm parasites tested in all models. Neutralization of stomach acid improves Cry5B efficacy, which will aid in practical application of Cry5B significantly. Importantly, we also demonstrate that the anti-nematode therapeutic efficacy of Cry5B is independent of the host immune system and is not itself negated by repeated dosing. This study indicates that Bt Cry5B is a pan-hookworm anthelmintic with excellent properties for use in humans and other animals.
Topics: Ancylostoma; Ancylostomatoidea; Ancylostomiasis; Animals; Anthelmintics; Bacillus thuringiensis; Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins; Bacterial Proteins; Cricetinae; Dogs; Endotoxins; Hemolysin Proteins; Hookworm Infections; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Necator americanus; Necatoriasis
PubMed: 29772478
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2018.05.001 -
Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine Apr 2018The present study aimed to determine the diagnostic yield of OMOM capsule endoscopy for small bowel diseases in adults. A total of 89 patients, including 45 cases of...
The present study aimed to determine the diagnostic yield of OMOM capsule endoscopy for small bowel diseases in adults. A total of 89 patients, including 45 cases of obscure abdominal pain, 22 of chronic diarrhea, 18 of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding and 4 of obscure anemia were enrolled in the present study. The transit time of the endoscopy capsule in the digestive tract was recorded and the testing results were analyzed. All detections were completed except for four capsule retentions and the completion rate was 95.51%. The average transit time of the endoscopy capsule in the esophagus, stomach and small intestine was 62.18±64.23 sec, 67.46±63.13 and 346.53±102.81 min, respectively. Of the 89 patients, 54 (60.67%) were found to have lesions, among which 19 had mucosal erosion (21.35%), 15 had anabrosis (16.85%), 9 were diagnosed with polyps (10.11%), 5 with angiodysplasia (5.62%); furthermore, tumors were identified in 5 patients (5.62%) and ancylostomiasis in 1 patient (1.12%). The results confirmed the feasibility and validity of OMOM capsule endoscopy for diagnosing small bowel diseases in adults.
PubMed: 29545870
DOI: 10.3892/etm.2018.5864 -
Revista Chilena de Infectologia :... Oct 2017For 11 years, a 38-year-old male residing in a subtropical region of Ecuador, was repeatedly diagnosed with chronic anemia, and treated with blood transfusions in a...
For 11 years, a 38-year-old male residing in a subtropical region of Ecuador, was repeatedly diagnosed with chronic anemia, and treated with blood transfusions in a hospital of province of Cotopaxi, Ecuador. He was transferred to Quito for severe anemia, having hemoglobin of 4 g/dL. Duodenoscopy was performed and adult nematodes, identified later as Ancylostoma duodenale, were observed. The patient was successfully treated with albendazole for five consecutive days and given blood transfusions. In the control visit at eight months, without anemia and no hookworm ova in the stool examined were found.
Topics: Adult; Ancylostoma; Ancylostomiasis; Anemia; Animals; Biopsy; Chronic Disease; Duodenal Diseases; Duodenoscopy; Ecuador; Humans; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Intestinal Mucosa; Male
PubMed: 29488595
DOI: 10.4067/S0716-10182017000500499 -
Parasites & Vectors Jan 2018We present evidence that the dog hookworm (Ancylostoma caninum) is underutilised in the study of host-parasite interactions, particularly as a proxy for the... (Review)
Review
We present evidence that the dog hookworm (Ancylostoma caninum) is underutilised in the study of host-parasite interactions, particularly as a proxy for the human-hookworm relationship. The inability to passage hookworms through all life stages in vitro means that adult stage hookworms have to be harvested from the gut of their definitive hosts for ex vivo research. This makes study of the human-hookworm interface difficult for technical and ethical reasons. The historical association of humans, dogs and hookworms presents a unique triad of positive evolutionary pressure to drive the A. caninum-canine interaction to reflect that of the human-hookworm relationship. Here we discuss A. caninum as a proxy for human hookworm infection and situate this hookworm model within the current research agenda, including the various 'omics' applications and the search for next generation biologics to treat a plethora of human diseases. Historically, the dog hookworm has been well described on a physiological and biochemical level, with an increasing understanding of its role as a human zoonosis. With its similarity to human hookworm, the recent publications of hookworm genomes and other omics databases, as well as the ready availability of these parasites for ex vivo culture, the dog hookworm presents itself as a valuable tool for discovery and translational research.
Topics: Ancylostoma; Ancylostomiasis; Animals; Disease Models, Animal; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Host-Parasite Interactions; Humans; Translational Research, Biomedical
PubMed: 29370855
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2621-2 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Jul 2017Molecular-based surveys have indicated that Ancylostoma ceylanicum, a zoonotic hookworm, is likely the second most prevalent hookworm species infecting humans in Asia....
BACKGROUND
Molecular-based surveys have indicated that Ancylostoma ceylanicum, a zoonotic hookworm, is likely the second most prevalent hookworm species infecting humans in Asia. Most current PCR-based diagnostic options for the detection of Ancylostoma species target the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) regions of the ribosomal gene cluster. These regions possess a considerable degree of conservation among the species of this genus and this conservation can lead to the misidentification of infecting species or require additional labor for accurate species-level determination. We have developed a novel, real-time PCR-based assay for the sensitive and species-specific detection of A. ceylanicum that targets a non-coding, highly repetitive genomic DNA element. Comparative testing of this PCR assay with an assay that targets ITS sequences was conducted on field-collected samples from Argentina and Timor-Leste to provide further evidence of the sensitivity and species-specificity of this assay.
METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
A previously described platform for the design of primers/probe targeting non-coding highly repetitive regions was used for the development of this novel assay. The assay's limits of detection (sensitivity) and cross-reactivity with other soil-transmitted helminth species (specificity) were assessed with real-time PCR experiments. The assay was successfully used to identify infections caused by A. ceylanicum that were previously only identified to the genus level as Ancylostoma spp. when analyzed using other published primer-probe pairings. Further proof of sensitive, species-specific detection was provided using a published, semi-nested restriction fragment length polymorphism-PCR assay that differentiates between Ancylostoma species.
CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE
Due to the close proximity of people and domestic/wild animals in many regions of the world, the potential for zoonotic infections is substantial. Sensitive tools enabling the screening for different soil-transmitted helminth infections are essential to the success of mass deworming efforts and facilitate the appropriate interpretation of data. This study describes a novel, species-specific, real-time PCR-based assay for the detection of A. ceylanicum that will help to address the need for such tools in integrated STH deworming programs.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ANZCTR.org.au ACTRN12614000680662.
Topics: Ancylostoma; Ancylostomiasis; Animals; Argentina; DNA, Helminth; Feces; Humans; Phylogeny; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Species Specificity; Timor-Leste; Zoonoses
PubMed: 28692668
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005734 -
Ghana Medical Journal Dec 2016Humans can get infected through direct or indirect contact with infective stages of zoonotic parasites shed to the environment through dog faeces.
BACKGROUND
Humans can get infected through direct or indirect contact with infective stages of zoonotic parasites shed to the environment through dog faeces.
OBJECTIVES
This study was designed to investigate the presence of gastrointestinal parasites present in dog faeces shed on the street of Ibadan metropolis, one of the largest cities in Africa.
METHODS
Twenty-three locations were randomly selected using grid-sampling method. A total of 203 faecal samples collected from the streets of selected areas were processed for detection of helminth eggs and protozoan oocysts using flotation technique. Eggs/oocysts per gram of faeces was counted using modified McMaster technique.
RESULTS
The prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was 43.3% (88/203). Single and multiple infections were 69 (78.4%) and 19 (21.6%) respectively. The parasites detected were sp. 24.6% (50/88) sp. 14.2% (29/88), sp. 9.8% (20/88), sp. 2.5% (5/88) and sp, 3.9% (8/88). sp. (320 × 10 epg) and sp. (5 × 10 epg) had the highest and least intensity respectively. Streets within residential areas having markets had the highest number of positive samples. All the genera of parasites detected in this study have zoonotic potential.
CONCLUSION
The high prevalence of zoonotic parasites detected in dog faeces from Ibadan metropolis showed that infected stray dogs roam the streets and constitute potential risk to human health. This study suggests the need for enforcement of laws restraining roaming or straying dogs and proper veterinary care of dogs.
FUNDING
None declared.
Topics: Ancylostoma; Ancylostomatoidea; Ancylostomiasis; Animals; Dogs; Feces; Hookworm Infections; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Isospora; Isosporiasis; Nigeria; Parasitic Diseases, Animal; Prevalence; Toxocariasis; Zoonoses
PubMed: 28579625
DOI: 10.4314/gmj.v50i4.2 -
Parasites & Vectors Jun 2017Hookworms belonging to the genus Ancylostoma (Dubini, 1843) cause ancylostomiasis, a disease of considerable concern in humans and domestic and wild animals. Molecular...
BACKGROUND
Hookworms belonging to the genus Ancylostoma (Dubini, 1843) cause ancylostomiasis, a disease of considerable concern in humans and domestic and wild animals. Molecular and epidemiological data support evidence for the zoonotic potential among species of Ancylostoma where transmission to humans is facilitated by rapid urbanization and increased human-wildlife interactions. It is important to assess and describe these potential zoonotic parasite species in wildlife, especially in hosts that have physiological similarities to humans and share their habitat. Moreover, defining species diversity within parasite groups that can circulate among free-ranging host species and humans also provides a pathway to understanding the distribution of infection and disease. In this study, we describe a previously unrecognized species of hookworm in the genus Ancylostoma in the giant panda, including criteria for morphological and molecular characterization.
METHODS
The hookworm specimens were obtained from a wild giant panda that died in the Fengtongzai Natural Reserve in Sichuan Province of China in November 2013. They were microscopically examined and then genetically analyzed by sequencing the nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS, ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) genes in two representative specimens (one female and one male, FTZ1 and FTZ2, respectively).
RESULTS
Ancylostoma ailuropodae n. sp. is proposed for these hookworms. Morphologically the hookworm specimens differ from other congeneric species primarily based on the structure of the buccal capsule in males and females, characterized by 2 pairs of ventrolateral and 2 pairs of dorsolateral teeth; males differ in the structure and shape of the copulatory bursa, where the dorsal ray possesses 2 digitations. Pairwise nuclear and mitochondrial DNA comparisons, genetic distance analysis, and phylogenetic data strongly indicate that A. ailuropodae from giant pandas is a separate species which shared a most recent common ancestor with A. ceylanicum Looss, 1911 in the genus Ancylostoma (family Ancylostomatidae).
CONCLUSION
Ancylostoma ailuropodae n. sp. is the fourth species of hookworm described from the Ursidae and the fifteenth species assigned to the genus Ancylostoma. A sister-species association with A. ceylanicum and phylogenetic distinctiveness from the monophyletic Uncinaria Frölich, 1789 among ursids and other carnivorans indicate a history of host colonization in the evolutionary radiation among ancylostomatid hookworms. Further, phylogenetic relationships among bears and a history of ecological and geographical isolation for giant pandas may be consistent with two independent events of host colonization in the diversification of Ancylostoma among ursid hosts. A history for host colonization within this assemblage and the relationship for A. ailuropodae n. sp. demonstrate the potential of this species as a zoonotic parasite and as a possible threat to human health. The cumulative morphological, molecular and phylogenetic data presented for A. ailuropodae n. sp. provides a better understanding of the taxonomy, diagnostics and evolutionary biology of the hookworms.
Topics: Ancylostoma; Ancylostomiasis; Animals; Base Sequence; China; DNA, Helminth; DNA, Mitochondrial; Female; Male; Phylogeny; Sequence Alignment; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Ursidae
PubMed: 28576124
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2209-2