Buffaloes represent an important economic resource for several regions of the world including Romania. In the present study, we examined 104 faecal samples collected from 38 buffalo calves (2-11 weeks old) from household rearing systems in Romania for gastrointestinal parasites. All samples were tested using the saturated salt flotation, McMaster and modified Ziehl-Nielsen staining methods. PCR coupled with sequencing isolates were used to identify assemblages of Giardia lamblia (Kunstler, 1882) and species of Cryptosporidium Tyzzer, 1907. Overall, 33 out of 38 examined buffalo calves were infected with different gastrointestinal parasites: 16 had single infections and 17 had mixed infections with two or three parasites. Species of Eimeria Schneider, 1875 (32/38; 84%) were the most prevalent parasites; eight species were identified according to the oocyst morphology, including the pathogenic E. bareillyi (Gill, Chhabra et Lall, 1963) which was detected for the first time in buffaloes from Romania. The nematodes Toxocara vitulorum (Goeze, 1782) (11/38; 37%) and Strongyloides papillosus (Wedl, 1856) (6/38; 16%) were also detected. Cryptosporidium spp. were found in four (11%) buffalo calves; two of them were molecularly identified as C. ryanae Fayer, Santin et Trout, 2008, and another one clustered in the same clade with C. ryanae, C. bovis Fayer, Santin et Xiao, 2005, and C. xiaoi Fayer et Santin, 2009. Giardia duodenalis assemblage E was also molecularly detected in a single (2.6%) buffalo calf. The presence of other buffaloes in the same barn was identified as a risk factor for infection with T. vitulorum. Our results indicate extensive parasitic infections in buffalo calves from northwestern Romania and underline the necessity of prophylactic treatments for T. vitulorum and E. bareillyi.
Avian haemosporidians are common vector-borne blood parasites that have been reported in birds all over the world. Investigations of avian haemosporidian parasites are conducted mainly on passerine birds. However, studies that focus on non-passerine avian hosts are important for our understanding of the true diversity, host specificity and genetic variability among these widespread parasites. In the present study, blood samples from a total of 22 raptor birds belonging to two orders, two families and six species from the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey were investigated for three genera of avian haemosporidians (Plasmodium Marchiafava et Celli, 1885, Haemoproteus Kruse, 1890 and Leucocytozoon Sambon, 1908) using a combination of microscopic examination of blood films and nested PCR targeting the parasite mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (cyt-b). In total, six individual raptor birds identified positive for species of Plasmodium or Leucocytozoon and one individual was found co-infected with all three haemosporidian genera. We identified five parasite cyt-b haplotypes, three of which were reported for the first time. Among these, one Plasmodium haplotype is linked to a corresponding morphospecies (P-TURDUS1, Plasmodium circumflexum Kikuth, 1931). All haplotypes were clearly distinguishable in phylogenetic analyses. As one of the first studies to investigate blood parasites from non-passerine birds in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey, this study provides important new information on the phylogenetic relationships and genetic diversity of avian haemosporidian parasites from raptor birds. We discuss these findings in the context of avian haemosporidian host-parasite relationships and we draw attention to the need for microscopy to detect parasite sexual development stages in surveys of avian haemosporidians., Arif Ciloglu, Alparslan Yildirim, Onder Duzlu, Zuhal Onder, Zafer Dogan, Abdullah Inci., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The Government of Indonesia (GoI) has been facing problems in providing affordable houses for Indonesian low-income peoples. Research on the housing preferences of low-income people is important in order for the GoI to understand and be able to provide affordable housing that meets the needs of low-income people. According to Turner (1968a), the housing preferences of low-income migrants is largely influenced by economic factors, so Turner divides low-income migration into three stages: namely the bridgeheader, land consolidator, and status seeker. But the question arises as to whether it is possible for first time low-income migrants to arrive and live in the city centre directly, without any prior experience? If not, then is there a stage before the bridgeheader stage? If it is, then what are the first-housing preferences of low-income migrants? This paper critiques Turner’s theory of the low-income’s migration stage, that there is a possibility of stage before bridgeheader, we call it ‘kindred campers’.
A new species of the genus Lemuralges Fain, 1963 (Acariformes: Psoroptidae: Makialginae) is described from the Malagasy lemur Propithecus diadema (Bennett) (Primates: Indriidae) based on all postembryonic instars. This new species differs from the only known species in this genus, Lemuralges intermedius Fain, 1963, by the following features: both sexes of L. propithecus sp. n. show a pair of medioventral projections of the subcapitulum (vs without projections in L. intermedius) and the propodonotal shield is slightly ornamented (vs unornamented); in males the hysteronotal shield is completely covered by longitudinal striae (vs median part without striae), setae c2 are 120-140 µm long (vs 200-210 µm long), and femur III has a short transverse furrow dorsally (vs a longitudinal furrow); in females, setae h2 are, at least, 2 times shorter than h3 (vs slightly longer, or subequal to, h3), tibia IV has a ventro-apical projection (vs without projection). Larvae and protonymphs of the new species show some unique developmental delays. Female and male tritonymphs differ by their external morphology., Andre V. Bochkov, Hans Klompen, Randall E. Junge, Cathy V. Williams., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Species of the genus Lamellodiscus Johnston et Tiegs, 1922 (Monogenea: Diplectanidae) are characterised by a complex haptor bearing many different attachment elements: two pairs of main hooks joined by medial bars, 14 peripheral marginal hooks and one or two lamellodiscs, formed by several overlapping sclerotised plates (lamellae). These haptoral structures appear gradually during parasite development and, therefore, attachment strategies vary with developmental stage. The main aim of this work was to study the developmental changes of Lamellodiscus theroni Amine, Euzet et Kechemir-Issad, 2007 under experimental conditions, with special attention to the gradual variations in attachment strategies and the pathological implications. Throughout the gradual development of the sclerotised structures, six developmental phases were distinguished in L. theroni: phase I, with only 14 peripheral marginal hooks; phase II, with main hooks (ventral and dorsal) formed; phase III, with ventral bar formed; phase IV, with dorsal bars formed; phase V, with dorsal and ventral lamellodiscs formed; and phase VI, adult stage with male copulatory organ formed. During development, parasites attach to different parts of the first and secondary gill lamellae and the mode of attachment changes from unspecific stage, i.e. based on piercing any flat gill tissue in the early stages, through an intermediate stage when ventral and dorsal main hooks are completely functional and parasites become restricted to the interlamellar space, and finally to the definitive adult attachment stage when lamellodiscs are fully developed. The timing of key events in the development of L. theroni was used to establish adequate intervals for anthelmintic drug administration., Neus Sánchez-García, Juan A. Raga, Francisco E. Montero., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Dactylogyrus Diesing, 1850 is the most species-rich genus in Platyhelminthes, with over 900 documented species, that are mostly strictly specific to freshwater cyprinoids. The morphological Dactylogyrus groups afrobarbae-type, carpathicus-type, pseudoanchoratus-type, and varicorhini-type are known to occur in Africa. This study describes a new species of Dactylogyrus of the varicorhini-type from the gills of the endemic smallmouth yellowfish Labeobarbus aeneus (Burchell) from the Vaal River, Free State Province, South Africa. Dactylogyrus matlopong sp. n. is unique among its varicorhini-type congeners mainly by the accessory piece of the male copulatory complex that presents a hook-shaped subunit with defined round base not reaching the male copulatory organ, combined with the presence of a conspicuous medial projection on the anterior margin of the ventral bar. Sequences of the partial 28S and 18S rRNA genes, together with entire ITS1 region, were generated for the first time for a species of Dactylogyrus from South Africa. Concatenated phylogenetic analyses of selected Dactylogyrus spp. showed that these parasites group according to their morphological types.
Two species of Myxobolus Bütschli, 1882 were found in yellow catfish Tachysurus fulvidraco (Richardson). A species of Myxobolus infecting the gills was morphologically identified as Myxobolus voremkhai (Akhmerov, 1960) and it was characterised here with additional morphological and molecular data. The other species of Myxobolus infecting the host's skin did not conform to any known myxosporean species. It is characterised by the presence of round, black or milky white plasmodia with black spots. Myxospores are pyriform in frontal view and lemon-shaped in lateral view, measuring 12.9-16.2 μm (14.6 ± 0.7 μm) in length, 8.1-10.8 μm (9.4 ± 0.5 μm) in width, and 6.1-8.1 μm (7.0 ± 0.4 μm) in thickness. Two ampullaceous polar capsules are slightly unequal in size, larger polar capsule 7.2-9.5 μm (7.9 ± 0.4 μm) long by 3.0-3.9 μm (3.5 ± 0.2 μm) wide, smaller capsule 6.9-8.0 μm (7.4 ± 0.3 μm) long by 2.9-3.9 μm (3.4 ± 0.2 μm) wide. Polar filaments are coiled with seven to nine turns. Histologically, the plasmodia develop in the stratum spongiosum of skin dermis, resulting in epithelial cell shedding and immunological cell infiltration. Given the morphological and molecular differences between this species and other species of Myxobolus, we proposed the name of Myxobolus pseudowulii sp. n. for this parasite from the skin of yellow catfish. Interestingly, some spores of the new species possess Henneguya-like caudal appendages. Phylogenetically, M. pseudowulii sp. n. and M. voremkhai infecting yellow catfish group together in one clade with other parasites of Siluriformes, indicating that parasites clustering according to the fish host order may be an important factor affecting the evolution of species within the Myxobolus clade., Bo Zhang, Yanhua Zhai, Yang Liu, Zemao Gu., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Parasites of the genus Cryptosporidium Tyzzer, 1910 are one of the most common protistan parasites of vertebrates. Faecal samples from 179 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes [Linnaeus]), 100 grey wolves (Canis lupus Linnaeus), 11 golden jackals (Canis aureus Linnaeus), and 63 brown bears (Ursus arctos Linnaeus) were collected in the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia. Samples were examined for the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. using microscopy and PCR/sequence analysis. Phylogenetic analysis based on the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU), actin and 60-kDa glycoprotein (gp60) genes using the maximum likelihood method revealed the presence of Cryptosporidium tyzzeri Ren, Zhao, Zhang, Ning, Jian et al., 2012 (n = 1) and C. andersoni Lindsay, Upton, Owens, Morgan, Mead et Blackburn, 2000 (n = 2) in red foxes, C. canis Fayer, Trout, Xiao, Morgan, Lai et Dubey, 2001 (n = 2) and C. ubiquitum Fayer, Santín et Macarisin, 2010 (n = 2) in grey wolves, and C. galli Pavlásek, 1999 in brown bears (n = 1) and red foxes (n = 1). Subtyping of isolates of C. ubiquitum and C. tyzzeri based on sequence analysis of gp60 showed that they belong to the XIId and IXa families, respectively. The presence of specific DNA of C. tyzzeri, C. andersoni and C. galli, which primarily infect the prey of carnivores, is probably the result of their passage through the gastrointestinal tract of the carnivores. Finding C. ubiquitum XIId in wolves may mean broadening the host spectrum of this subtype, but it remains possible this is the result of infected prey passing through the wolf - in this case deer, which is a common host of this parasite. The dog genotype of C. canis was reported for the first time in wolves.
Bats of the family Phyllostomidae are common hosts to streblids known as bat flies. Here, we discuss the component community, prevalence and intensity of infection with species of Streblidae on an assemblage of phyllostomid bats in the Cafuringa Environmental Protection Area (APA Cafuringa) in the core area of the Cerrado in Central Brazil. A total of 1 841 streblid individuals of 24 species occurred on 752 bats of 14 species. Ten species of streblids infected Glossophaga soricina (Pallas), whereas seven or fewer streblid species infected the other bat species. Nine bat fly species presented a prevalence of more than 50%, whereas some differences in the abundance of bat flies among hosts were observed. Strebla wiedemanni Kolenati, 1856 and Trichobius furmani Wenzel, 1966 were more host-specific compared to the other streblids, and they occurred in greater abundance on their preferred hosts. Trichobius uniformis Curran, 1935 and Strebla mirabilis (Waterhouse, 1879) were the least host-specific, occurring on five and six hosts, respectively., Ludmilla M. S. Aguiar, Yasmine Antonini., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The present study was undertaken to identify potentially immunoreactive proteins of the muscle larvae (ML) and adult stage (Ad) of the nematode Trichinella spiralis Owen, 1835. To identify immunoreactive proteins that are specifically recognised by anti-Trichinella antibodies, ML and Ad crude extracts and their excretory-secretory (E-S) products were subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblot with serum samples from pigs experimentally infected with T. spiralis. A total of 18 bands were selected for final identification by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. To further understand the functions of the proteins identified in this study, gene ontology terms were applied. Results showed that the specific antibodies against T. spiralis reacted with protein bands matching heat shock proteins, aminopeptidase, enolase, isocitrate dehydrogenase NADP-dependent, tropomyosin, P49 antigen, serine proteinase, secreted 5'-nucleotidase, antigen targeted by protective antibodies, 53 kDa E-S antigen, putative trypsin and paramyosin. Three proteins common for both adult stage and muscle larvae, including heat shock proteins, enolase and 5'-nucleotidase, might play important role during T. spiralis infection. These proteins are presumably presented to the host immune system and may induce humoral immune response. Thus, these proteins may be potential antigens for early diagnosis and the development of a vaccine against the parasite., Justyna Bien, Wladyslaw Cabaj, Bozena Moskwa., and Obsahuje bibliografii