SEM studies on the copulatory apparatus of male Oesophagostomum columbianum
C.L. Duggal1, H. Kaur2
1Department of Zoology, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160014, India; 2Department of Zoology, Punjabi University, Patiala-147002, India
Summary
SEM studies on the cloacal opening of Oesophagostomum columbianum indicate that it is located on a raised conical structure called the “genital cone”. The genital cone is provided with a ventral lip and a pair of subdorsal gential appendages. The vental lip is a triangular structure having a single papilla on it and the genital appendages are covered with wrinkled cuticle with a nerve process projecting to the exterior in center. The bursa is supported by muscular rays which end up as knob-like sessile genital papillae. The inner surface of the bursa is porous. Spicules are two, equal, each provided with an ala which decreases in height distally and end up much prior to the spicular tip.
HELMINTHOLOGIA, 43, 1: 7-10, 2006
Congenital transmission of Trichinella spiralis in experimentally infected mice
J. Cui*, Z. Q. Wang, H. M. Han
Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, P. R. China, E-mail: cuij@zzu.edu.cn
Summary
Congenital transmission of T. spiralis infection in BALB/c mice was studied. Pregnant mice were each infected with 300 larvae 5, 7, 15 and 17 days after fertilization. Newborn mice were examined by artificial digestion of muscles. Out of 6 offspring born to the mother-mouse infected 7 days after fertilization, two offspring were found to be infected, 7 and 24 larvae were recovered respectively. Other 7 female mice were first infected with T. spiralis larvae and then gestated, only the offspring born to the mother-mice fertilized 8 and 22 days after infection were found to be infected with a larval burden ranging from 1 – 3 larvae per animal. All of the larvae recovered from the offspring were the non-encapsulated larvae. The cross-fostering in which one-day old young born to healthy mother-mice were nursed by infected mothers for 21 days, showed that no young were found to be infected. These findings showed that tansplacental transimission of T. spiralis could occur in mice, if the female were infected during mid-pregnancy or fertilized in 1 month after infection (e.g., infected in one month before fertilization). The larvae transmitted from maternal-to-neonatal mice may be migrating. Transmam-mary transimission of T. spiralis was not observed.
HELMINTHOLOGIA, 43, 1: 11 - 15, 2006
DOT-ELISA and parasitological examination for diagnosis of Schistosoma mansoni infection in Nigeria
H. B. Mafuyai1, C. J. Uneke2*, M. O. Njoku 3, G. Chuga1
1Department of Zoology University of Jos. P.M.B. 2084 Jos, Nigeria; 2Department of Medical Microbiology/Parasitology, Faculty of Clinical Medicine, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki Nigeria, E-mail: Unekecj @yahoo.com; 3GEDE AIDS/Infectious Diseases Research Institute, Abuja, Nigeria
Summary
Schistosoma mansoni infection constitutes significant economic and public health consequences. Accurate diagnosis of the infection is imperative in order to identify subjects needing care in the broadest sense. In this study the dot-ELISA and direct parasitological method were compared in the diagnosis of S. mansoni infection in Jos, Nigeria. Of the 106 subjects studied 64.2 % were S. mansoni positive serologically while only 10.4 % of them were found to have the parasite’s egg in their stools. Individuals aged 20 – 29 years of both sexes had highest prevalence of 73.9 % and 21.7% by serological and parasitological diagnosis respectively. Prevalence of infection among males was 13.5 % and 7.4 % among females by parasitology. By sero-logy the corresponding figures were 59.6 % and 68.5 % respectively. No significant difference was observed by parasitology (c2=4.534, P < 0.05) and by serology (c2=2.00, P < 0.05). Results advocate for serodiagnostic technique over parasitological method in S. mansoni surveillance and epidemiological studies.
HELMINTHOLOGIA, 43, 1: 17 - 19, 2006
Evaluation of a coproantigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the diagnosis of canine echinococcosis in Iran
M. R. Siavashi1, Gh. R Motamedi2
1Department of Parasitology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran, E-mail: m_siavashi@hotmail.com; 2Department of Parasitology, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute of Iran, Karaj, Iran
Summary
Echinococcosis is one of the most important zoonosis in Iran. Due to this fact that providing a reliable diagnostic method for detection of this infection in definitive host is a critical prerequirement for the establishment of appropriate control programs in our country, one hundred and sixteen carnivores including 80 dogs, 27 jackals, 8 foxes and one wolf were collected from rural areas of Hamadan, Azar-baijan and Tehran provinces and examined for Echinococcus granulosus infection. Canine echinococcosis was diag-nosed upon direct microscopic examination of intestinal contents and mucosal scraping for adult tapeworms, and a coproantigen detection enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (CA-ELISA) for Echinococcus granulosus. The overall prevalence of canine echinococcosis using the ELISA test was 43.1 % (50/116). The relative frequency of canine echinococcosis was 37 % (43/116) by microscopic exami-nation.The sensitivity and specificity of the CA- ELISA test as referenced by necropsy findings was 72.1 % and 74 % res-pectively. We found this assay to be a very suitable and advantageous method for the surveillance of canine population especially in regions with endemic echinococcosis.
HELMINTHOLOGIA, 43, 1: 21-26, 2006
The epidemiology of swine trichinellosis in China during 1999 – 2004
J. Cuia,*, Z. Q. Wanga, D. S. Hub
aDepartment of Parasitology, bDepartment of Epidemiology, Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, P. R. China; E-mail: cuij@zzu.edu.cn
Summary
The epidemiology of swine trichinellosis in China during 1999 – 2004 was reported in this paper. The seroepidemiological survey of swine trichinellosis was carried out by ELISA in 4 Provinces or Autonomous Regions (P/A), the seroprevalence was from 1.63 % to 15.21 %. The prevalence of Trichinella infection in swine slaughtered at abattoirs varied from 0.0001 % to 23 % in 7 P/A. Both of the seroprevalence and prevalence of swine trichinellosis in China has obviously decreased compared with that in 1990’s. The decrease was probably due to a combination of factors, in-cluding development of industrialized pig farms, application of commercial grain forages, the improvement of pig production practices and the shortening of swine feeding time. At present, swine trichinellosis in China still is main-ly transmitted by garbage (ie. feeding pigs with raw swill). Trichinella infected pigs are predominately from the small farms of suburbs where pigs are fed on swill from the restaurants and from some mountainous areas where pigs are raised outdoors. Pigs were sometimes slaughtered clandes-tinely at home in rural and mountainous areas without veterinary inspection. The prevalence of Trichinella infection in pork sold at the market was from 0.52 % to 3.66 % in 3 P/A. 17 outbreaks of human trichinellosis, with 828 cases and 11 deaths, were recorded in 8 P/M of China during 2000 – 2004. Out of 17 outbreaks, 13 (76.47 %) outbreaks were caused by eating raw or poorly cooked pork. Hence, the pig-rearing mode should be changed and all pigs should be raised in piggery, and the mandatory inspection of meat be further strengthen for the control of trichinellosis.
HELMINTHOLOGIA, 43, 1: 27-32, 2006
Helminth fauna of sympatric Przewalski’s Equus przewalskii Poljakov, 1881 and domestic horses E. caballus L. in the Chernobyl exclusion zone, Ukraine
K. Slivinska1, G. Dvojnos1, G. Kopij2
1Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Sciences of the Ukraine, B. Khmelnitski Str.15, Kiev 30, MSP, Ukraine 01601, E-mail: kateryna@izan.kiev.ua; 2Department of Zoology & Ecology, Agricultural University of Wroclaw, ul. Kozuchowska 5b, 51-630 Wroclaw, Poland, E-mail: kopij@ozi.ar.wroc.pl
Summary
In 1998 Przewalski’s horses have been introduced in the Chernobyl exclusion zone (CEZ), N Ukraine. They live in the zone under natural conditions. No anthelminthic treatment to these introduced horses has been applied to date. In this same area, 19 domestic horses were also stabled by some peasants. Eighteen years after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, and five years after this introduction, the diagnostic dehelminthisation method has been applied both to the Przewalski’s horses (n = 21) and the domestic horses (n = 6). In addition, in one Przewalski’s and one domestic horse helmith fauna was surveyed using the post-mortem me-thod. A total of 29 and 19 helminth species has been re-corded in the Przewalski’s and domestic horses respectively. Only six helminth species were common for the two horse species compared. Species from the family Strongylidae constituted the dominant helminth group. Four cyathostomine species (Cyathostomum catinatum; Cylicostephanus minutus, C. longibursatus, Cylicocyclus nassatus) formed the majority of helminth parasites both in the Przewalski’s and domestic horses. Our findings suggest that the CEZ has no effect on the species diversity of helminth fauna parasiting Przewalski’s horses, neither it has an effect on the prevalence and intensity of parasite infestation. Behavioural and ecological studies also support the lack of such effect.
HELMINTHOLOGIA, 43, 1: 33-36, 2006
Syncuaria squamata (Linstow, 1883) (Nematoda: Acuariidae) in the Great Cormorant [Phalacrocorax carbo sinensins (Blumenbach, 1798)] in northern Poland
G. KANAREK, L. ROLBIECKI
University of Gdañsk, Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Al. Marsz. Pi³sudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, Poland, E-mail: kanarek@sat.ocean.univ.gda.pl
Summary
Of the 105 great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensins) from northern Poland (the Vistula Lagoon and Masurian Lake District), examined in 2000 – 2001, 67 proved hosts of the nematode Syncuaria squamata (Linstow, 1883). The prevalence, mean intensity, and intensity range amounted to 63.8 %, 36.2 specimens, and 1 – 120 specimens, respectively. The infection was heavier in the immature birds (84.6 %, 40.9 inds, and 1 – 120 inds) than in the adults (3.7 %, 1 ind.). The nematodes were dominated by gravid females (n=1846), followed by males (n=157), im-mature females (n=79), and L4 larvae (n=2). Measurements of the parasite are provided. S. squamata is a new species for the parasite fauna of Poland.
HELMINTHOLOGIA, 43, 1: 37-41, 2006
Intestinal helminth communities of Podarcis bocagei and Podarcis carbonelli (Sauria: Lacertidae) in NW Portugal
M.A. Galdón1, V. Roca1*, D. Barbosa2,3, M.A. Carretero3
1Departament de Zoologia (Parasitologia Animal), Facultat de Ciències Biològiques, Universitat de València, Dr. Moliner, 50, 46100 Burjassot, València, Spain, E-mail: Vicente.roca@uv.es; 2Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Universitat de València. Apartado 22085, 46071 Paterna, València, Spain; 3Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos (CIBIO/UP), Campus Agrário de Vairão. 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
Summary
A survey of gastrointestinal helminth communities of Podarcis bocagei and Podarcis carbonelli (Sauria: Lacerti-dae) from NW Portugal was conducted to determine the prevalence, intensity and diversity of intestinal parasites in these lizards. A few parasite species were found in both hosts, their prevalences, mean intensities and abundances of infection being low or very low. Low values of richness and abundance of parasite species were also found in the helminth infracommunities of individuals of both host species. These low values of parameters of infection and diversity are discussed and compared between both host species and among other Iberian lacertid lizards.
HELMINTHOLOGIA, 43, 1: 43-50, 2006
Xiphinema simile (Nematoda: Longidoridae) in the Czech Republic and a note on other Xiphinema species
S. KUMARI
Research Institute of Crop Production, Division of Plant Medicine, Drnovská 507, Ruzynì, 16106 Prague 6, Czech Republic, E-mail: kumari@vurv.cz
Summary
A nematode survey was carried out in South Moravia and Bohemia (Czech Republic) to assess the occurrence of Xiphinema in the rhizosphere of fruit orchards. Sixty six orchards in South Moravia and seven in Bohemia were studied during the years 2003 and 2004. Four Xiphinema species (X. diversicaudatum, X. pachtaicum, X. simile and X. vuittenezi) were recorded. X. simile constitutes a first re-cord for the nematodes fauna of the Czech Republic.
HELMINTHOLOGIA, 43, 1: 51-57, 2006
Nematode communities in greenhouse soil of different ages from Shenyang suburb
Y. LIU1,2, J. HUA1,2, Y. JIANG1,*2, Q. LI1,2, D. WEN1
1Key Laboratory of Terrestrial Ecological Process, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China; 2 Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China; E-mail: jiangyong@iae.ac.cn
Summary
The distribution of nematode communities with depth in greenhouse soil of different ages from Shenyang suburb was investigated in October 2004. Thirteen families and 23 genera were observed in our study. Heterocephalobus was dominant genus in all treatments. The numbers of total nematodes and trophic groups declined with soil depth but increased with greenhouse age. Bacterivores were the most abundant trophic group in all treatments, followed by plant parasites and omnivores-predators, while fungivores were the least, only accounted for less than 4 % of the total abundance. Maturity index (MI) and plant parasite index (PPI) were effective in distinguishing differences in nematode community structure in different ages of greenhouses. The numbers of total nematodes were positively correlated with soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, nitrate, and electrolytic conductivity, but negatively with soil pH.
HELMINTHOLOGIA, 43, 1: 57-58, 2006
Research note
The finding of the nematode Daniconema anguillae Moravec et Køie, 1987 (Spirurida, Dracunculoidea: Daniconematidae) in Lithuania
S. G. Sokolov, B. E. Kazakov, D. G. Tseitlin
Institute of Parasitology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninskij pr. 33, 119071 Moscow, Russia; E-mail: SokolovSG@sevin.ru, SokolovSG@mail.ru
Summary
The third-stage larvae of Daniconema anguillae Moravec et Køie, 1987 are found in the eels fins caught from Dringis Lake (Lithuanian National park). The morphology of these larvae is briefly described.