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Parasite (Paris, France) 2014A total of 6257 helminths of 19 taxa were recovered from the digestive tract and lungs of 67 bobcats in Illinois. Infections caused by Alaria mustelae, Diphyllobothrium... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
A total of 6257 helminths of 19 taxa were recovered from the digestive tract and lungs of 67 bobcats in Illinois. Infections caused by Alaria mustelae, Diphyllobothrium latum, and Macracanthorhynchus ingens are reported for the first time in bobcats. From all the taxa recovered, only three species occurred in high prevalence and caused intense infections: Taenia rileyi, Alaria marcianae, and Toxocara cati, with prevalence and mean intensity of 70% and 6; 42% and 193, and 25% and 14 individuals, respectively. Prevalence lower than 15% of 14 helminth species suggests bobcats are not continuously exposed to infective stages of a single parasite, and may be exposed to a large variety of generalists during their lifespan. No significant difference in parasite species according to host sex or age was detected, except for Diphyllobothrium spp., which were found more frequently in females and in trapped bobcats, and the hookworm, Ancylostoma caninum, which infected juveniles more frequently. Average species richness per infracommunity was 2.4 (±1.2), and the parasite component community showed low qualitative similarity with neighbor communities. The taxa A. caninum, Alaria spp., Diphyllobothrium spp., Paragonimus kellicotti, and T. cati are etiological agents of epizootic and zoonotic diseases.
Topics: Animals; Data Collection; Female; Gastrointestinal Tract; Helminthiasis; Helminthiasis, Animal; Illinois; Intestinal Diseases; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Liver; Lung; Lung Diseases, Parasitic; Lynx; Male; Midwestern United States; Prevalence; Species Specificity; Zoonoses
PubMed: 24521984
DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2014005 -
Journal of Parasitic Diseases :... Mar 2014The nodular tapeworm, Raillietina echinobothrida is a well studied avian gastrointestinal parasite of family Davaineidae (Cestoda: Cyclophyllidea). It is reported to be...
Molecular characterization of the Indian poultry nodular tapeworm, Raillietina echinobothrida (Cestoda: Cyclophyllidea: Davaineidae) based on rDNA internal transcribed spacer 2 region.
The nodular tapeworm, Raillietina echinobothrida is a well studied avian gastrointestinal parasite of family Davaineidae (Cestoda: Cyclophyllidea). It is reported to be the largest in size and second most prevalent species infecting chicken in north-east India. In the present study, morphometrical methods coupled with the molecular analysis of the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) region of ribosomal DNA were employed for precise identification of the parasite. The annotated ITS2 region was found to be 446 bp long and further utilized to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships and its species-interrelationships at the molecular level. In phylogenetic analysis similar topology was observed among the trees obtained by distance-based neighbor-joining as well as character-based maximum parsimony tree building methods. The query sequence R. echinobothrida is well aligned and placed within the Davaineidae group, with all Raillietina species well separated from the other cyclophyllidean (taeniid and hymenolepid) cestodes, while Diphyllobothrium latum (Pseudophyllidea: Diphyllobothriidae) was rooted as an out-group. Sequence similarities indeed confirmed our hypothesis that Raillietina spp. are neighboring the position with other studied species of order Cyclophyllidea against the out-group order Pseudophyllidea. The present study strengthens the potential of ITS2 as a reliable marker for phylogenetic reconstructions.
PubMed: 24505172
DOI: 10.1007/s12639-012-0184-2 -
Emerging Infectious Diseases Feb 2014The cause of diphyllobothriosis in 5 persons in Harbin and Shanghai, China, during 2008-2011, initially attributed to the tapeworm Diphyllobothrium latum, was confirmed...
The cause of diphyllobothriosis in 5 persons in Harbin and Shanghai, China, during 2008-2011, initially attributed to the tapeworm Diphyllobothrium latum, was confirmed as D. nihonkaiense by using molecular analysis of expelled proglottids. The use of morphologic characteristics alone to identify this organism was inadequate and led to misidentification of the species.
Topics: Animals; China; DNA, Helminth; Diphyllobothriasis; Diphyllobothrium; Electron Transport Complex IV; Female; Humans; Male; Molecular Typing; Phylogeny; Sequence Analysis, DNA
PubMed: 24447495
DOI: 10.3201/eid2002.121889 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 2013A total number of 14 valid species of Diphyllobothrium tapeworms have been described in literature to be capable of causing diphyllobothriosis, with D. latum being the... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
A total number of 14 valid species of Diphyllobothrium tapeworms have been described in literature to be capable of causing diphyllobothriosis, with D. latum being the major causative agent of all human infections. However, recent data indicate that some of these infections, especially when diagnosed solely on the basis of morphology, have been identified with this causative agent incorrectly, confusing other Diphyllobothrium species with D. latum. Another widely distributed species, D. dendriticum, has never been considered as a frequent parasite of man, even though it is found commonly throughout arctic and subarctic regions parasitizing piscivorous birds and mammals. Recent cases of Europeans infected with this cestode called into question the actual geographic distribution of this tapeworm, largely ignored by medical parasitologists.
METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS
On the basis of revision of more than 900 available references and a description and revision of recent European human cases using morphological and molecular (cox1) data supplemented by newly characterized D. dendriticum sequences, we updated the current knowledge of the life-cycle, geographic distribution, epidemiological status, and molecular diagnostics of this emerging causal agent of zoonotic disease of man.
CONCLUSIONS
The tapeworm D. dendriticum represents an example of a previously neglected, probably underdiagnosed parasite of man with a potential to spread globally. Recent cases of diphyllobothriosis caused by D. dendriticum in Europe (Netherlands, Switzerland and Czech Republic), where the parasite has not been reported previously, point out that causative agents of diphyllobothriosis and other zoonoses can be imported throughout the world. Molecular tools should be used for specific and reliable parasite diagnostics, and also rare or non-native species should be considered. This will considerably help improve our knowledge of the distribution and epidemiology of these human parasites.
Topics: Animals; Communicable Diseases, Emerging; Diphyllobothriasis; Diphyllobothrium; Humans; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; Molecular Epidemiology; Neglected Diseases; Topography, Medical
PubMed: 24386497
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002535 -
The Korean Journal of Parasitology Aug 2013Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiense has been reported in Korea as Diphyllobothrium latum because of their close morphologic resemblance. We have identified a human case of D....
Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiense has been reported in Korea as Diphyllobothrium latum because of their close morphologic resemblance. We have identified a human case of D. nihonkaiense infection using the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) gene sequence analysis. On 18 February 2012, a patient who had consumed raw fish a month earlier visited our outpatient clinic with a long tapeworm parasite excreted in the feces. The body of the segmented worm was 2 m long and divided into the scolex (head) and proglottids. It was morphologically close to D. nihonkaiense and D. latum. The cox1 gene analysis showed 99.4% (340/342 bp) homology with D. nihonkaiense but only 91.8% (314/342 bp) homology with D. latum. The present study suggested that the Diphyllobothrium spp. infection in Korea should be analyzed with specific DNA sequence for an accurate species identification.
Topics: Animals; Cyclooxygenase 1; Diphyllobothriasis; Diphyllobothrium; Female; Helminth Proteins; Humans; Mitochondrial Proteins
PubMed: 24039292
DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2013.51.4.471 -
Euro Surveillance : Bulletin Europeen... Jan 2013Following a first clinical case of infection by Diphyllobothrium dendriticum in Switzerland in 2006, we report a second case in the country. The species was identified...
Following a first clinical case of infection by Diphyllobothrium dendriticum in Switzerland in 2006, we report a second case in the country. The species was identified by molecular methods. In the Swiss, French and Italian subalpine regions, human diphyllobothriasis has seen a comeback since the late 1980's, and Diphyllobothrium latum is usually considered the causative agent of the disease. In addition, several locally acquired and imported clinical infections due to allochthonous Diphyllobothrium species have been documented in the last years. Due to the colonisation potential of these parasites and their probably underestimated presence in the human population, there is a need for discriminating them at the medical laboratory level. Because the morphological characters are very similar among the different taxa, a correct identification requires the use of molecular methods. Molecular identification would improve diagnosis and help monitor the distribution of Diphyllobothrium species in Europe.
Topics: Animals; Child, Preschool; Diphyllobothriasis; Diphyllobothrium; Feces; Humans; Male; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Praziquantel; Taq Polymerase; Travel
PubMed: 23351654
DOI: No ID Found -
The American Journal of Tropical... Nov 2012Twenty cases of Dyphillobothrium pacificum (fish tapeworm) infections were prospectively studied to determine whether this tapeworm is associated with megaloblastic...
Twenty cases of Dyphillobothrium pacificum (fish tapeworm) infections were prospectively studied to determine whether this tapeworm is associated with megaloblastic anemia, as commonly reported for D. latum infections. The most frequent symptoms were fatigue and mild abdominal pain, which were identified in approximately 66.6% of the 18 patients interviewed. Fourteen patients received treatment with niclosamide and all were cured. The other six patients spontaneously eliminated the tapeworms. One patient, who also had chronic diabetes and gastric atrophy, had low vitamin B12 levels and megaloblastic anemia. In all other patients, including three other patients with anemia, baseline vitamin B12 levels were in the reference range and did not significantly change when re-assessed three months later. Unlike D. latum, infection with D. pacificum is seldom associated with megaloblastic anemia or vitamin B12 deficit.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Anemia, Megaloblastic; Child; Child, Preschool; Diphyllobothriasis; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Vitamin B 12; Young Adult
PubMed: 22987655
DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2012.12-0067 -
The Korean Journal of Parasitology Jun 2012Diphyllobothrium latum infections in 4 young Korean men detected from 2008 to 2012 are presented. Three were diagnosed based on spontaneously discharged strobila of the...
Diphyllobothrium latum infections in 4 young Korean men detected from 2008 to 2012 are presented. Three were diagnosed based on spontaneously discharged strobila of the adult worm in their feces, and 1 case was diagnosed by finding the worm at colonoscopy examination in a local clinic. The morphologic characteristics of the gravid proglottid and eggs were consistent with D. latum. All patients were treated with praziquantel 15 mg/kg, and follow-up stool examinations were done at 2 months after the medication. The main clinical complaints were intermittent gastrointestinal troubles such as indigestion, abdominal distension, and spontaneous discharge of tapeworm's segments in their feces. The most probable source of infection was the flesh of salmon or trout according to a patient's past history. These are the 45th to 48th recorded cases diagnosed by the adult worm in the Republic of Korea since 1971.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Animals; Anthelmintics; Colonoscopy; Diphyllobothriasis; Diphyllobothrium; Feces; Humans; Male; Microscopy; Praziquantel; Republic of Korea; Young Adult
PubMed: 22711926
DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2012.50.2.143 -
Journal of Research in Medical Sciences... May 2011Malaria and intestinal helminths are parasitic diseases causing high morbidity and mortality in most tropical parts of the world, where climatic conditions and...
BACKGROUND
Malaria and intestinal helminths are parasitic diseases causing high morbidity and mortality in most tropical parts of the world, where climatic conditions and sanitation practices favor their prevalence. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and possible impact of falciparum malaria and intestinal helminths co-infection among school children in Kajola, Osun state, Nigeria.
METHODS
Fresh stool and blood samples were collected from 117 primary school children age range 4-15 years. The stool samples were processed using both Kato-Katz and formol-ether concentration techniques and microscopically examined for intestinal parasitic infections. Blood was collected by finger prick to determine malaria parasitemia using thick film method; and packed cell volume (PCV) was determined by hematocrit. Univariate analysis and chi-square statistical tests were used to analyze the data.
RESULTS
The prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum, intestinal helminth infections, and co-infection of malaria and helminth in the study were 25.6%, 40.2% and 4.3%, respectively. Five species of intestinal helminths were recovered from the stool samples and these were Ascaris lumbricoides (34.2%), hookworm (5.1%), Trichuris trichiura (2.6%), Diphyllobothrium latum (0.9%) and Trichostrongylus species (0.9%). For the co-infection of both malaria and intestinal helminths, females (5.9%) were more infected than males (2.0%) but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.3978). Children who were infected with helminths were equally likely to be infected with malaria as children without intestinal helminths [Risk Ratio (RR) = 0.7295]. Children with A. lumbricoides (RR = 1.359) were also likely to be infected with P. falciparum as compared with uninfected children.
CONCLUSIONS
Asymptomatic falciparum malaria and intestinal helminth infections do co-exist without clinical symp-toms in school children in Nigeria.
PubMed: 22091292
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of Clinical Microbiology Sep 2010The specific identification of broad tapeworms (genus Diphyllobothrium) infecting humans is very difficult to perform by morphological observation. Molecular analysis by...
The specific identification of broad tapeworms (genus Diphyllobothrium) infecting humans is very difficult to perform by morphological observation. Molecular analysis by PCR and sequencing represents the only reliable tool to date to identify these parasites to the species level. Due to the recent spread of human diphyllobothriosis in several countries, a correct diagnosis has become crucial to better understand the distribution and the life cycle of human-infecting species as well as to prevent the introduction of parasites to disease-free water systems. Nevertheless, PCR and sequencing, although highly precise, are too complicated, long, and expensive to be employed in medical laboratories for routine diagnostics. In the present study we optimized a cheap and rapid molecular test for the differential identification of the most common Diphyllobothrium species infecting humans (D. latum, D. dendriticum, D. nihonkaiense, and D. pacificum), based on a multiplex PCR with the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene of mitochondrial DNA.
Topics: Animals; DNA, Helminth; Diphyllobothriasis; Diphyllobothrium; Electron Transport Complex IV; Helminth Proteins; Humans; Molecular Sequence Data; Parasitology; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Sequence Analysis, DNA
PubMed: 20592146
DOI: 10.1128/JCM.00445-10