The glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are a family of multifunctional enzymes involved in cellular detoxification. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of albendazole - drug of choice for trichinellosis - on the total activity and kinetics of cytosolic GST in the mouse intestines during experimental trichinellosis. Our results showed a statistically significant decrease in the total GST activity both in the small and large intestines of the mice infected with the nematode Trichinella spiralis (Owen, 1835) and treated with albendazole, compared with the control mice that were infected but untreated with the drug. Furthermore, albendazole administration modified the kinetics of substrate saturation of GST in the intestines of the infected mice because the drug caused changes in Michaelis constant values of this enzyme. Based on our observations, we suggest that the quaternary structure of GST from the mouse intestines is impacted by this drug during trichinellosis.
An outbreak of trichinellosis occurred in Stari Banovci, a settlement in the municipality of Stara Pazova, Srem, Republic of Serbia, in March-April 2019. A total of 28 persons were exposed and trichinellosis was confirmed in 24 of them. This outbreak involved members of eight families, their relatives and friends. The infection, due to Trichinella spiralis (Owen, 1835), was associated with consumption of pork sausages procured in a local butcher's shop. The trace-back study revealed that the meat originated from swine that was raised on a small farm belonging to the owner of the shop, who did not have permission from the Veterinary Directorate for slaughtering animals and who put on the market sausages prepared from uninspected meat. Trichinellosis was accompanied by typical clinical symptoms. However, the unusual occurrence of high percentage of pulmonary complications was noticed. The description of this outbreak indicates that medical practitioners should initiate treatment immediately in cases of high suspicion of trichinellosis, even if the serology is negative, to prevent the complications of the disease. In spite of significant achievements in the control of Trichinella infection among domestic pigs and humans in the last 10 years, it is obvious that such cases of breeding animals under inappropriate conditions, slaughtering them without approval and placing uninspected pork on the market represent a source of sporadic outbreaks in Serbia.
Investigations on the epizoic fauna of Gadus morhua (L.), Piatichthys flesus (L.) and Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum) from the Kiel Fjord and Kiel Bight were carried out from September 1996 to March 1997. Smears from 120 G. morhua and 92 P. flesus caught using fish traps and trammel nets, and of 35 O. mykiss obtained from a local fish farm in the Kiel Fjord revealed the presence of three species of trichodinid ciliatcs, Trichodina claviformis sp. n., Trichodina jadranica Haider, 1964 and Trichodina raahei Loin, 1962. The new species can be distinguished from other trichodinids by its large size in combination with the characteristically shaped adhesive disc containing denticles with club-like formed thorns. The thorns are directed anteriorly and not towards the centre of the adhesive disc. As the Kiel Bight and Kiel Fjord are new locality records for T. jadranica and T. raabei, morphological data are provided for both species. Trichodina claviformis is the first record of a pcrilrichous mobiline ciliate from Atlantic cod of the Baltic Sea. An identification Icey for 16 Trichodina species occurring on Baltic Sea fishes is provided based on the morphology of the adhesive disc and other well-established features The occurrence of trichodinid ciliates on G. morhua and P. flesus in the Baltic Sea is discussed, especially considering the biology of the host and a possible host specificity of the species.
During parasitological surveys in the Okavango Delta and Panhandle in Botswana, two species of climbing perches belonging to the family Anabantidae were investigated for ectoparasites. The fishes were the blackspot climbing perch, Microctenopoma intermedium (Pellegrin) and the manyspined climbing perch, Ctenopoma multispine Peters. Five trichodinid species were found from the skin, fins and gills of these anabantids. One is a known species, i.e., Trichodina microspina Van As et Basson, 1992, for which a comparative description is provided. Four other species are described as new species using silver impregnation, i.e., Trichodina labyrinthipiscis sp. n., Trichodina anabantidarum sp. n., Tripartiella microctenopomae sp. n., and Tripartiella ctenopomae sp. n.
During surveys of parasites of the whitemouth croaker Micropogonias furnieri (Desmarest) and the mullet Mugil platanus Günther from Samborombón Bay, Argentina, Trichodina puytoraci, T. lepsii, T. jadranica, T. murmanica, Diparitella simplex and Trichodina scalensis sp. n. were morphologically studied. Taxonomic and morphometric data for these trichodinids based on dry silver nitrate-impregnated specimens are presented. This study is the first formal report of these trichodinids from the southwest Atlantic Ocean, and the description of a new species from M. platanus.
Článek stručně shrnuje základní adaptace xerotermních rostlin. K těm patří i povrchové struktury vzniklé z epidermis. Blíže je v textu pojednáno o krycích chlupech (trichomech), jejich funkci a morfologii. Článek doplňuji fotografie různých typů těchto trichomů., This article briefly summarises essential adaptations of xerothermic species. These include epidermal structures covering plant surface. The plant hairs (trichomes), their function and morphology are described in detail. The text is supplemented with photos of some trichome types., and Hana Mašková.
The protein pattern of Trichuris chilensis obtained by sodium dodecyl sulfatc-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was analyzed. Complex protein band patterns covering a wide range of molecular weights were obtained. The molecular weights of the major proteins present in different tissue homogenatcs were estimated. Antisera raised in rabbits against homogenates of T. chilensis and sera from naturally infected Ctenomys australis were used in Western blotting, Immunoelectrophoresis and passive hemagglutination to compare the antigenicity of the adult male, adult female, eggs, oocytes, stichosome and cuticle of this parasite. Specific antibodies to parasite antigens were also detected in faecal preparations and caecum mucosal extracts of C. australis naturally infected with T, chilensis.
Experimental infection of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum) with the monogenean Discocotyle sagittata (Leuckart, 1842) allowed comparison between trickle and single exposure, two infection modes demonstrated to occur in the wild. Both types of infection resulted in mean larval attachment success around 50%, which was significantly dependent on dose of infective larvae used (P < 0.0001), but was not affected by mode of infection (P = 0.244). Worms recovered from fish exposed to the same number of oncomiracidia but different mode of infection differed in their rate of development. The developmental stage attained by parasites was significantly affected by number of infective larvae used (P = 0.005), and by the interaction between dose and mode of infection (P = 0.026), suggesting competition among attached larvae. Statistical analysis demonstrated that in the early stages of infestation, worm distribution over the gill arches can be explained by the relative amount of water flowing over them. One, two and three months post-infection parasite numbers were comparable (P = 0.805), but their observed distribution gradually decreased in gill arches III and IV and increased in gill arch I, suggesting that parasites migrate after initial attachment. These results reproduce phenomena observed in the field, indicating that the experimental infection system could be employed to study infection dynamics and host-parasite interactions under controlled conditions.