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Journal of Wildlife Diseases Jul 2023Feral swine (Sus scrofa) are an introduced species to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), US, and serve as carriers of several diseases that are considered...
Feral swine (Sus scrofa) are an introduced species to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), US, and serve as carriers of several diseases that are considered a threat to other wildlife, domestic animals, and humans. During 2013 and 2015, fecal samples from 67 feral swine from the GSMNP within both Tennessee and North Carolina, US, were opportunistically collected as part of a feral swine removal program and submitted to the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Knoxville, Tennessee, for parasite screening by centrifugal sugar flotation. Ten taxa from the phyla Acanthocephala, Apicomplexa, and Nematoda were identified: Ascaris spp., Strongylid-type spp., Capillaria spp., Trichuris suis, Metastrongylus spp., Macracanthorhynchus spp., Coccidia, Sarcocystis spp., and Cryptosporidium spp. In 98.5% of samples, at least one parasite was found. No differences in parasite prevalence or species diversity were noted based on state of collection (Tennessee or North Carolina), sex, or age. The high prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in these feral swine, some of which are zoonotic, represents a potential public health risk as well as a concern for free-range swine farmers.
Topics: Humans; Swine; Animals; Parasites; Prevalence; Cryptosporidiosis; Parks, Recreational; Swine Diseases; Cryptosporidium; Sus scrofa
PubMed: 37151148
DOI: 10.7589/JWD-D-22-00155 -
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 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Apr 2023The phylum Acanthocephala is an important monophyletic group of parasites, with adults parasitic in the digestive tracts of all major vertebrate groups. Acanthocephalans...
The phylum Acanthocephala is an important monophyletic group of parasites, with adults parasitic in the digestive tracts of all major vertebrate groups. Acanthocephalans are of veterinary, medical, and economic importance due to their ability to cause disease in domestic animals, wildlife, and humans. However, the current genetic data for acanthocephalans are sparse, both in terms of the proportion of taxa surveyed and the number of genes sequenced. Consequently, the basic molecular phylogenetic framework for the phylum is still incomplete. In the present study, we reported the first complete mitochondrial genome from a representative of the family Pseudoacanthocephalidae Petrochenko, 1956. The mitogenome of (Shipley, 1903) is 14,056 bp in length, contains 36 genes (12 protein-coding genes (PCGs) (lacking ), 22 tRNA genes, and 2 rRNA genes ( and )) and two non-coding regions ( and ), and displayed the highest GC-skew in the order Echinorhynchida. Phylogenetic results of maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) using the amino acid sequences of 12 protein-coding genes in different models provided further evidence for the resurrection of the family Pseudoacanthocephalidae and also supported that the order Echinorhynchida is paraphyletic. A monophyletic clade comprising and suggests a close affinity between Pseudoacanthocephalidae and Cavisomatidae. Our phylogenetic analyses also showed that Polymorphidae has a closer relationship with Centrorhynchidae than Plagiorhynchidae in the monophyletic order Polymorphida.
PubMed: 37048513
DOI: 10.3390/ani13071256 -
Zootaxa Mar 2023We provide a morphological and molecular-based description of the eumonostiliferous hoplonemertean Oerstedia fuscosparsa sp. nov. based on two specimens dredged from a...
We provide a morphological and molecular-based description of the eumonostiliferous hoplonemertean Oerstedia fuscosparsa sp. nov. based on two specimens dredged from a depth between 11 and 18 m off Kouyatsu, Tateyama, Chiba, Japan. This Oerstedia differs from its congeners by having a deep brownish pigmentation in the head, four orange ocelli, and imprecise dorsal and ventral transverse bands composed of numerous small brown spots. One of the specimens, herein designated as the holotype, has deep brown spots situated mid-dorsally onto the transverse bands running throughout the body. These dorsal markings are absent in the other specimen designated as a paratype. Internally, the species has accessory lateral nerves, and the proboscis nerves are not distinct. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on partial sequences of the 16S, 18S, 28S rRNA, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, and histone H3 gene markers along with the sequences from 22 Oerstedia species available in public databases confirmed that our species is sister to Oerstedia phoresiae (Kulikova, 1987) and belongs to the recently established Paroerstediella clade within the genus Oerstedia.
Topics: Animals; Phylogeny; Japan; Acanthocephala; RNA, Ribosomal, 28S; Pigmentation
PubMed: 37044743
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5249.5.6 -
International Journal For Parasitology May 2023Dispersal of alien species is a global problem threatening native biodiversity. Co-introduction of non-native parasites and pathogens adds to the severity of this...
Dispersal of alien species is a global problem threatening native biodiversity. Co-introduction of non-native parasites and pathogens adds to the severity of this threat, but this indirect impact has received less attention. To shed light on the key factors determining the richness of microorganisms in native and invasive host species, we compared symbiotic (parasitic and epibiotic) communities of gammarids across different habitats and localities along the Baltic coast of Poland. Seven gammarid species, two native and five invasive, were sampled from 16 freshwater and brackish localities. Sixty symbiotic species of microorganisms of nine phyla were identified. This taxonomically diverse species assemblage of symbionts allowed us to assess the effect of host translocation and regional ecological determinants driving assembly richness in the gammarid hosts. Our results revealed that (i) the current assemblages of symbionts of gammarid hosts in the Baltic region are formed by native and co-introduced species; (ii) species richness of the symbiotic community was higher in the native Gammarus pulex than in the invasive hosts, probably reflecting a process of species loss by invasive gammarids in the new area and the distinct habitat conditions occupied by G. pulex and invasive hosts; (iii) both host species and locality were key drivers shaping assembly composition of symbionts, whereas habitat condition (freshwater versus brackish) was a stronger determinant of communities than geographic distance; (iv) the dispersion patterns of the individual species richness of symbiotic communities were best described by Poisson distributions; in the case of an invasive host, the dispersion of the rich species diversity may switch to a right-skewed negative binomial distribution, suggesting a host-mediated regulation process. We believe this is the first analysis of the symbiotic species richness in native and invasive gammarid hosts in European waters based on original field data and a broad range of taxonomic groups including Microsporidia, Choanozoa, Ciliophora, Apicomplexa, Platyhelminthes, Nematoda, Nematomorha, Acanthocephala and Rotifera, to document the patterns of species composition and distribution.
Topics: Animals; Amphipoda; Parasites; Microsporidia; Ecosystem; Platyhelminths; Introduced Species; Host-Parasite Interactions; Crustacea
PubMed: 37004736
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2023.02.006 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Mar 2023Fish are a source of high-quality protein with low cholesterol, but they are susceptible to parasitic infections, which have a significant impact on aquaculture, in...
Fish are a source of high-quality protein with low cholesterol, but they are susceptible to parasitic infections, which have a significant impact on aquaculture, in addition to their zoonotic potential. The present study estimated parasitic infections and evaluated the diversity of zoonotic parasites in freshwater Nile tilapia () in Assiut Governorate, Upper Egypt. A total of 300 samples were randomly collected from the Assiut Governorate. These fish were examined for both ectoparasites and endoparasites, followed by the experimental infection of mice with encysted metacercariae (EMC) for the retrieval of the adult worms. The overall prevalence of the variable parasites was 82% (246 of 300). Both ecto- and endoparasites were detected in 41% (123 of 300) of the examined fish. The identified ectoparasites were , , , and , in 5%, 4%, 22%, 6% and 4% of the fish, respectively. The endoparasites were trematodes 3%), nematodes (. 2%), acanthocephala ( 25%) and protozoa that included and spp., in 1% and 8% of fish, respectively. was detected in 2% of the examined fish. The overall prevalence of encysted metacercariae (EMC) was 95% (285 of 300), while infection with macroscopic EMC had a prevalence of 37% and microscopic EMC had a prevalence of 58%. The adult worms recovered from the experimental infections were and spp., which belong to the family . Collectively, these findings reflect the relatively high occurrence of parasites among the studied fish, confirming the necessity of strict measures to control infection.
PubMed: 36978630
DOI: 10.3390/ani13061088 -
Journal of Helminthology Mar 2023Adult specimens of (Alegret, 1941) were recorded from the intestines of the double-crested cormorant (Lesson) (type host) and brown pelican L. in two localities from...
Adult specimens of (Alegret, 1941) were recorded from the intestines of the double-crested cormorant (Lesson) (type host) and brown pelican L. in two localities from Mexico: Celestún, Yucatan (south-eastern) and Punta Piedra, Tamaulipas (north-eastern). The specimens of are morphologically characterized by having a pipe-shaped body without swellings, the absence of small trunk spines between the two fields of spines on the foretrunk and a cylindrical proboscis with 14-16 rows of 10-12 hooks per row. Newly generated partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (1) gene were generated from adult isolates of from Mexico and compared with one sequence of and with sequences of other polymorphid acanthocephalans available in GenBank. Phylogenetic analyses based on maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods of the 1 dataset placed all the species of in a single clade, with weak support. The analyses of the 1 dataset placed Presswell, García-Varela & Smales, , as sister to the clade formed by , (Yamaguti, 1939), Presswell, García-Varela & Smales, and an unidentified species of from Japan. The newly generated 1 sequences of from piscivorous birds of Mexico formed a strongly supported clade with the published sequence of from the double-crested cormorant from the south-eastern coast of Mexico. The intraspecific genetic divergence among isolates identified as ranged from 0.0% to 2.2%. A 1 haplotype network inferred with 14 sequences revealed the presence of nine haplotypes, two of which were shared between the populations of piscivorous birds from the north-eastern and south-eastern coasts of Mexico and seven of which were unique. The fixation index between the populations from north-eastern and south-eastern Mexico was low (0.06949), which suggests genetic flow. This can be explained by the migration patterns of the brown pelican and the double-crested cormorant along the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico.
Topics: Animals; Acanthocephala; Phylogeny; Gulf of Mexico; Bayes Theorem; Birds; Mexico
PubMed: 36960830
DOI: 10.1017/S0022149X22000955 -
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 -
The Journal of Parasitology Mar 2023This study reports a new case of acanthocephalan (thorny-headed worm) eggs in a coprolite from Bonneville Estates Rockshelter in eastern Nevada and uses archaeological... (Review)
Review
This study reports a new case of acanthocephalan (thorny-headed worm) eggs in a coprolite from Bonneville Estates Rockshelter in eastern Nevada and uses archaeological and ethnographic data to better understand long-term relationships between people and acanthocephalans. Acanthocephalans are parasitic worms that use arthropods as intermediate hosts in their multi-host life cycles. Though acanthocephaliasis is rare among humans today, cases have increased in the last decade, and the discovery of acanthocephalan eggs in coprolites from archaeological sites in the Great Basin suggests a deep, shared history. At Bonneville Estates Rockshelter, 9 acanthocephalan eggs were recovered using a modified rehydration-homogenization-micro-sieving protocol on a coprolite that was radiocarbon dated to 6,040 ± 60 14C BP (7,160-6,730 cal BP), pushing back the oldest evidence of human acanthocephalan infection by 3 millennia. Researchers have proposed that the paleoepidemiology of acanthocephalans may relate to subsistence practices due to overlap in locations of infection and areas where insects are part of traditional foodways. This paper considers the paleoepidemiology of acanthocephalan infection through the first combined review of paleoparasitological, ethnographic, and archaeological records in western North America. Ethnographic and archaeological records support the hypothesis that archaeological cases of human acanthocephaliasis may be linked to entomophagy. Additional parasitological analyses are advised to determine whether this distribution is the result of dietary practices, host ecology, taphonomic issues, sampling biases, or a combination of factors.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Acanthocephala; Arthropods; Helminthiasis; Nevada
PubMed: 36930699
DOI: 10.1645/22-92 -
The Science of the Total Environment Jun 2023Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are resistant to breakdown and are now considered ubiquitous and concerning contaminants. Although scientific and legislative...
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are resistant to breakdown and are now considered ubiquitous and concerning contaminants. Although scientific and legislative interest in these compounds has greatly increased in recent decades, our knowledge about their environmental fate and their effects on organisms is still incomplete, especially those of the new generation PFAS. In this study, we analysed the level of PFAS contamination in the fish fauna of the Po River, the most important waterway in Italy, to evaluate the influence of different factors (such as fish ecological traits and parasitism) on the accumulation of 17 PFAS. After solvent extraction and purification, hepatic or intestinal tissues from forty specimens of bleak, channel catfish, and barbel were analysed by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LOQ = 2.5 ng/g w.w.). The prevalent PFAS were perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), present in all samples at the highest concentration (reaching a maximum of 126.4 ng/g and 114.4 ng/g in bleak and channel catfish, respectively), and long-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFDA and PFUnDA). Perfluorooctanoic acid and new generation PFAS (Gen X and C6O4) were not detected. Comparison of the hepatic contamination between the benthic channel catfish and the pelagic bleak showed similar concentrations of PFOS (p > 0.05) but significantly higher concentrations of other individual PFAS and of the sum of all measured PFAS (p < 0.05) in bleak. No correlation was found between the hepatic level of PFAS and fish size in channel catfish. For the first time, PFAS partitioning in a parasite-fish system was studied: intestinal acanthocephalans accumulated PFOS at lower levels than the intestinal tissue of their host (barbel), in contrast to what has been reported for other pollutants (e.g., metals). The infection state did not significantly alter the level of PFAS accumulation in fish, and acanthocephalans do not appear to be a good bioindicator of PFAS pollution.
Topics: Animals; Rivers; Environmental Monitoring; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Acanthocephala; Fluorocarbons; Ictaluridae; Alkanesulfonic Acids; Italy
PubMed: 36924966
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162828