When parasites invade paired structures of their host non-randomly, the resulting asymmetry may have both pathological and ecological significance. To facilitate the detection and visualisation of asymmetric infections we have developed a free software tool, Analysis of Symmetry of Parasitic Infections (ASPI). This tool has been implemented as an R package (https://cran.r-project.org/package=aspi) and a web application (https://wayland.shinyapps.io/aspi). ASPI can detect both consistent bias towards one side, and inconsistent bias in which the left side is favoured in some hosts and the right in others. Application of ASPI is demonstrated using previously unpublished data on the distribution of metacercariae of species of Diplostomum von Nordmann, 1832 in the eyes of ruffe Gymnocephalus cernua (Linnaeus). Invasion of the lenses appeared to be random, with the proportion of metacercariae in the left and right lenses showing the pattern expected by chance. However, analysis of counts of metacercariae from the humors, choroid and retina revealed asymmetry between eyes in 38% of host fish., Matthew T. Wayland, James C. Chubb., and Obsahuje bibliografii
As part of a biodiversity study in northwestern Hungary, we conducted a parasitological survey of small mammals. In both common shrews (Sorex araneus Linnaeus) and pygmy shrews (Sorex minutus Linnaeus), we found myxospores of a species of Soricimyxum Prunescu, Prunescu, Pucek et Lom, 2007 (Myxosporea) and plasmodia in the bile ducts within the liver. Spores from both species of shrewswere morphologically and morphometrically indistinguishable, but differed in their SSU rRNA gene sequences by 3.3%. We identified spores and developmental stages from the common shrew as Soricimyxum fegati Prunescu, Prunescu, Pucek et Lom, 2007, based on morphometric data and DNA sequence similarity. Spores from the pygmy shrew were only 96.7% similar to S. fegati, hence we identified them as a novel myxosporean Soricimyxum minuti sp. n. This is only the second myxosporean parasite species described from mammals., Csaba Székely, Gábor Cech, Stephen D. Atkinson, Kálmán Molnár, László Egyed, András Gubányi., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Myxozoans (Cnidaria: Myxozoa) are almost exclusively endoparasites of aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates, with the notable exception being two species of Soricimyxum Prunescu, Prunescu, Pucek et Lom, 2007 described from terrestrial shrews (Soricidae) in central Europe. Myxospores of the two parasites are morphologically indistinguishable, but have SSU rDNA sequences that differ by about 4%. Herein, we report additional molecular and histology data from Soricimyxum fegati Prunescu, Prunescu, Pucek et Lom, 2007 from common shrew (Sorex araneus Linnaeus) from Hungary, and add a new geographic record for S. fegati in pygmy shrew (Sorex minutus Linnaeus) from Slovakia. A limited survey of shrews from the northern United States, Blarina brevicauda Say and Sorex sp. from New York, and Sorex spp. from Oregon, did not discover any infections, which is in stark contrast to the relatively high infection rates (up to 66%) in European shrew populations. We also provide a summary and discussion of literature records of species of Soricimyxum and a host survey. Given the lack of distinguishing morphological or morphometric characters between Soricimyxum spp., and the overlap in vertebrate hosts and geographic ranges, unambiguous identification of these closely related shrew parasites can presently only be achieved through sequence comparison of one or more variable SSU rDNA regions., Csaba Székely, Stephen D. Atkinson, Kálmán Molnár, László Egyed, András Gubányi, Gábor Cech., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The notifiable freshwater pathogen Gyrodactylus salaris Malmberg, 1957 tends to be a generalist in contrast to other monogeneans. Whilst it causes most damage to its primary host, the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar Linnaeus), transport and reservoir hosts likely play a key role in maintaining the parasite in the environment. Here, we tested the ability of G. salaris (strain River Lierelva, southern Norway) to infect and reproduce on a population of wild caught alpine bullhead (Cottus poecilopus Heckel). Exposure of alpine bullhead yearlings (0+) to G. salaris for 24 h at low (6.5 °C) or high temperature (11.5 °C) resulted in the establishment of 1 to 104 parasites per fish. Eight to nine days post-infection at high temperature, the infection of G. salaris was eliminated, indicative of innate host immunity. In contrast, at low temperature G. salaris infections persisted for 47-48 days. The relative lengthy infection of alpine bullhead with G. salaris compared to other non-salmonids tested may be due to low temperature and high initial infection load in combination with an epibiont infection. The present results suggest that this non-salmonid may function as a temperature-dependent transport or reservoir host for G. salaris.
Data mining animal of genomes has been used before to identify endoparasites, and may be a particularly useful tool to surpass some difficulties faced by studies in the marine environment. We detected a species of Sarcocystis Lankester, 1882, contamination in the sperm whale (Physeter catodon Linnaeus) reference genome available in the GenBank database. We identified and extracted multiple gene fragments and placed the sequences in a phylogenetic framework. Our results indicate that the sequences of Sarcocystis sp. found in the genome do not correspond to any currently described species, despite a few other similar sequences having been identified in fur seals (Pinnipedia) and another sperm whale. Including data from previous studies, we suggest there is enough evidence to support the occurrence of at least four species of Sarcocystis in marine mammals. We also demonstrate that the term "S. canis-like" has been used for samples not closely related to Sarcocystis canis Dubey et Speer, 1991.
Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) plays a central role in the inflammatory process. In the skin, it contributes to immune containment of tick-transmitted pathogens like Borrelia burgdorferi. In the saliva of some tick species, active compounds are present that inhibit detection of TNF in specific ELISA. We compared the presence of anti-TNF activity in saliva or salivary gland extract from 11 tick species from the family Ixodidae and demonstrated it in genera Ixodes Latreille, 1795 and Haemaphysalis Koch, 1844. Analysis of anti-TNF activity in Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus, 1758) saliva during the feeding period showed that it is present in the late, rapid phase of engorgement. Significance of anti-TNF activity for tick feeding and transmission of tick-borne pathogens is discussed., Markéta Rezková, Jan Kopecký., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The usurpation of house martin nests by house sparrows has previously been reported. However, our study demonstrates how neighbouring house martins cooperatively defended against nest-usurping attempts by house sparrows. House martins collectively helped a conspecific pair build their nest at a much faster pace than would be possible for the breeding pair alone, within several hours as compared to a couple of days, in order to overcome the continued attempts of house sparrows to usurp the partially built nest. In our study, between the two breeding seasons of 2018 and 2019, the number of breeding house martins at the study site decreased by almost 63% while in contrast the number of house sparrow breeding pairs increased almost sixfold. The number of usurped nests by house sparrows was comparatively higher in 2019 as compared to 2018.
Parasitic infections of the South China tigers in the Meihua Mountains have not been explored previously. Faeces of 22 South China tigers from the China Tiger Park in the Meihua Mountains were examined. Eggs of ascaridoid nematodes and oocysts of coccidia were detected by Mini-FLOTAC assay. Morphological observation and molecular characterisation of the oocysts were carried out. The prevalence of Toxascaris leonina (von Linstow, 1902) was 18% (4/22), and the highest egg per gram (EPG) count in the faeces was 27,150. The prevalence of Cystoisospora sp. was 45% (1 0/22) and the highest oocysts per gram (OPG) in the faeces was 6,000. In addition, we found one ascaridoid nematode in the South China tiger's faeces and was molecularly and morphologically identified as T. leonina. The oocysts in the faeces were sporulated in vitro and identified as Cystoisospora sp. Amplification of full-length internal transcribed spacers (ITS) resulted in sequences 1,622 bp long. Using the sequences, Cystoisospora sp. of the South China tiger was closest to Isospora belli (Wenyon, 1923) and Cystoisospora suis (Biester, 1934).
Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) is the etiological agent of Lyme disease, transmitted by ticks of the genus Ixodes Latreille. Diagnosis of Lyme disease in humans is often difficult and a detailed knowledge of the circulation of B. burgdorferi s.l. in tick hosts is therefore fundamental to support clinical procedures. Here we developed a molecular approach for the detection of B. burgdorferi s.l. in North Italian Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus). The method is based on the amplification of a fragment of the groEL gene, which encodes a heat-shock protein highly conserved among B. burgdorferi s.l. species. The tool was applied in both qualitative and Real-time PCR approaches testing ticks collected in a North Italian area. The obtained results suggest that this new molecular tool could represent a sensitive and specific method for epidemiological studies aimed at defining the distribution of B. burgdorferi s.l. in I. ricinus and, consequently, the exposure risk for humans.
Congenital toxoplasmosis is reportable disease in Europe. To prevent it antibody serological tests were introduced in several European countries as a part of screening programmes. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) avidity index testing is one of these tests for diagnosing acute infection with Toxoplasma gondii (Nicolle et Manceaux, 1908) in pregnant women. However, a low or moderate IgG avidity index can give inconclusive results for predicting woman's status. From June 2012 until the end of 2014, 17,990 women were included in the national screening program to prevent congenital toxoplasmosis. One hundred and twenty-six women were consecutively included in the study because they had low or moderate IgG avidity. Every woman with possible acute toxoplasmosis was followed up every month till delivery. Fifty-eight of 126 (46%) women got infected in months before current pregnancy, 39 women (31%) were infected early in pregnancy. Twenty-nine pregnant women of 126 (23%) got infected in the second/third trimester of pregnancy. New cut off for IgG avidity index was 0.11. With this cut off, we were able to exclude T. gondii acute infection in the first trimester with very good diagnostic accuracy (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.95, 95% confidence Interval (CI) 0.91-0.99, sensitivity 0.95, specificity 0.86). If an IgG avidity index above 0.11 is measured in a woman's serum and she is in the first trimester of pregnancy, then a odds ratio (OR) for acute infection with T. gondii is below 1 (OR 0.11, 95% CI 0.05-0.25, P < 0.0001). If we measure IgG avidity index that is ≥ 0.11 in the first trimester of pregnancy, we can exclude infection with T. gondii with good diagnostic accuracy in our cohort of women. With a new cut off we could reduce number of invasive procedures such as amniocentesis and put less pregnant women in distress.