Influence of the transmission of parasites from prey fishes on the composition of the parasite community of a predatory fish

1995 ◽  
Vol 52 (S1) ◽  
pp. 233-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Tellervo Valtonen ◽  
Markku Julkunen
Keyword(s):  
Parasite Community ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Predatory Fish ◽  
Helminth Parasites ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Complex Life Cycles ◽  
Lota Lota ◽  
Gymnocephalus Cernuus ◽  
Adult Trematode ◽  
Bothnian Bay

Helminth parasites and diet of seven freshwater fishes (Lota lota and six common prey species) from the Bothnian Bay, Baltic Sea, were studied monthly or bimonthly during 1978. Twenty-one of the 32 parasites with complex life cycles were shared between Lota lota and its prey fishes and are thus transmissible from prey to predator. Gymnocephalus cernuus and L. lota had the greatest number of shared species (13). Larval and adult cestodes, nematodes, and acanthocephalans could re-establish in the predator, but only one adult trematode was capable of this transition. Infracommunity species diversity was highest in L. lota (eH′ = 3.54), which also had the most species (24), the highest mean number of species and individuals of a given species per fish (6.3 and 62, respectively), and the greatest number of worms in one fish (520). Variety of diet was key in determining exposure to parasite species. However, most specificity finally determined if a given parasite could establish and mature. No ecologically explicable suites of parasites were found in any fish species, except in a few cases where parasites used related intermediate hosts. However, the composition of these suites was not retained in the predator. Unlike in L. lota, important parasites of prey fishes were typically specialists.

Intestinal helminth parasites in flounderPlatichthys flesusfrom the River Thames: an infracommunity analysis

2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (4) ◽  
pp. 297-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Guillen-Hernandez ◽  
P.J. Whitfield
Keyword(s):  
Parasite Species ◽  
Parasite Community ◽  
Intestinal Helminth ◽  
Helminth Parasites ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Component Community ◽  
Parasite Communities ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Marine Influence ◽  
River Thames

AbstractAn analysis was undertaken of intestinal helminth communities in flounderPlatichthys flesusfrom two sites on the River Thames. A comparison was made between helminth community richness and diversity from these sites at the component and infracommunity levels. At the component community level, a richer and more diverse parasite community was found in flounder from the Tilbury location (marine influence) than that from the Lots Road location (freshwater influence). At the infracommunity level, more parasite species and parasite individuals per host were found at Lots Road and the percentage of similarity values were low at both locations. Helminth species with high prevalence values in the parasite communities of the flounder are the dominant species in any individual fish, harbouring multi-specific infections. The presence of more invertebrate species, which are intermediate hosts in the helminth life cycle in the Thames, fish vagility and the high prevalence and abundance values ofPomphorhynchus laevisin the flounder, may explain the differences between the two locations.

Evolution of complex life cycles in helminth parasites

Nature ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 425 (6957) ◽  
pp. 480-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoff A. Parker ◽  
Jimmy C. Chubb ◽  
Michael A. Ball ◽  
Guy N. Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycles ◽  
Helminth Parasites ◽  
Complex Life Cycles

Pan-American marine coastal distribution of the acanthocephalan Profilicollis altmani based on morphometric and phylogenetic analyses of cystacanths from the mole crab Emerita brasiliensis

2016 ◽  
Vol 91 (3) ◽  
pp. 371-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.M. Rodríguez ◽  
G. D'Elía
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Morphological Evidence ◽  
South American ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Complex Life Cycles ◽  
Present Complex ◽  
The World ◽  
Pan American

AbstractThorny-headed acanthocephalan worms of the genus Profilicollis are widely distributed in the oceans of the world and present complex life cycles with intermediate and definitive hosts. The genus is still poorly known, with an unstable taxonomy and, for most species, incompletely characterized geographical distributions. In this study, based on molecular and morphological evidence, we report that the species Profilicollis altmani is also distributed along the South American Atlantic coast, using the mole crab Emerita brasiliensis as an intermediate host. As such, our record shows that P. altmani has a Pan-American distribution where five species of Emerita are utilized as intermediate hosts.

Helminths and the transmammary route of infection

Parasitology ◽  
1981 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
pp. 335-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grover C. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Mammary Glands ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Helminth Parasites ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Sweet Potatoes ◽  
Infected Female ◽  
Larval Stages ◽  
Route Of Infection ◽  
Lactating Mammary Gland ◽  
Major Route

SUMMARYThe transfer of infective larval stages of helminths via the mammary glands is probably more common than generally recognized. Recent investigations of both natural and experimental infections of various animals have shown that the transmammary transmission of some helminths is a major avenue of infection. Other studies indicate that there are at least 13 helminth parasites which may be transmitted as prenatal infections and at least 17 transmitted via the mammary glands. The majority of these are nematodes. However, in one case the tetrathyridia of the cestode Mesocestoides was observed. In this report the life-cycle and transmission of 2 species of diplostomatid trematodes in the genus Pharyngostomoides is described. The raccoon, Procyon lotor, is the only definitive host; a planorbid snail, Menetus dilatatus, and a branchiobdellid annelid, Cambarincola osceola, a commensal on crayfishes, are intermediate hosts. Records for a period of 11 years are now available for the maternal transmission and longevity of this trematode. During this time one infected female raccoon was maintained in the laboratory on a diet of commercial dog food, sweet potatoes and corn. She produced 25 offspring, most of which were infected with Pharyngostomoides, through the 6th litter. There was a declining number of worms in each litter, ranging from nearly 2000 in one of the 1st litter, to none in the 7th litter. After nearly 12 years she continues to pass a few trematode ova. Rather than assume she has retained the same adult worms for 12 years, it is reasonable to conclude that mesocercariae move through her body and eventually mature in the intestine. Because the mesocercariae have a predilection for the lactating mammary gland, it seems likely that a hormonal influence is present. The transmammary transmission of larvae is a viable alternative in the life-cycles of a number of helminths, and in some instances it is probably the major route of infection.

scholarly journals Parasite-modified behaviour in non-trophic transmission: trematode parasitism increases the attraction between snail intermediate hosts

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (7) ◽  
pp. 417-424
Author(s):  
L.K. Eliuk ◽  
S. Brown ◽  
R.C. Wyeth ◽  
J.T. Detwiler
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycles ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Free Swimming ◽  
Complex Life Cycles ◽  
Trophic Transmission ◽  
Y Maze ◽  
Second Intermediate Host ◽  
Behavioural Experiments ◽  
Lymnaea Elodes ◽  
Host Parasite

Many parasites with complex life cycles cause host behavioural changes that increase the likelihood of transmission to the next host. Parasite modification is often found in trophic transmission, but its influence on non-trophic transmission is unclear. In trematodes, transmission from the first to second intermediate host is non-trophic, suggesting that free-swimming larvae (cercariae) emerging in closer proximity to the next host would have higher transmission success. We performed a series of behavioural experiments with echinostome trematodes and their snail hosts to determine if potential second hosts (ramshorn snail, genus Planorbella Haldeman, 1842) were more attracted to parasitized first hosts (marsh pondsnail, Lymnaea elodes Say, 1821). In a Y maze, a responding snail (Planorbella sp.) was placed in the base and its response to five treatments was assessed: no stimulus, turion duckweed (Lemna turionifera Landolt; a food item), non-parasitized L. elodes, parasitized L. elodes, and finally parasitized versus non-parasitized L. elodes. Snails showed some attraction to uninfected snails, but had a stronger response to infected first host snails. These results indicate that potential second host snails were more attracted to parasitized, heterospecific first host snails over non-parasitized heterospecific snails. This study demonstrates that echinostome trematodes alter snail behaviour by changing navigational choices in uninfected potential hosts through a chemical communication mechanism.

Influence of ocean ecosystem variation on trophic interactions and survival of juvenile coho and Chinook salmon

2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (11) ◽  
pp. 1747-1757 ◽  
Author(s):  
James P. Losee ◽  
Jessica A. Miller ◽  
William T. Peterson ◽  
David J. Teel ◽  
Kym C. Jacobson
Keyword(s):  
Chinook Salmon ◽  
Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha ◽  
Coho Salmon ◽  
Parasite Community ◽  
Parasite Fauna ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Marine Parasites ◽  
Ocean Ecosystem ◽  
Marine Parasite

The community of trophically transmitted marine parasites of juvenile coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) salmon across 8 years (2002–2009) was related to indices of physical and biological ocean conditions and adult returns. When the biomass of lipid-poor, southern origin copepods in the coastal ocean was high during juvenile salmon outmigration from fresh water (April–June), yearling coho and Chinook salmon harbored a different trophically transmitted parasite fauna and exhibited lower survival compared with years when the southern copepod biomass was low. As copepods are key intermediate hosts in many marine parasite life cycles, these results support a trophic linkage between the copepod community and salmon prey. Interannual variation in the parasite community was correlated with survival of coho salmon (r = −0.67) measured 1 year later and adult returns of Upper Columbia River summer and fall Chinook salmon (r = −0.94) 3 years from the time of ocean entry.

scholarly journals When should a trophically and vertically transmitted parasite manipulate its intermediate host? The case of Toxoplasma gondii

2013 ◽  
Vol 280 (1765) ◽  
pp. 20131143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maud Lélu ◽  
Michel Langlais ◽  
Marie-Lazarine Poulle ◽  
Emmanuelle Gilot-Fromont ◽  
Sylvain Gandon
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Vertical Transmission ◽  
Death Rate ◽  
Predation Rate ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Complex Life Cycles ◽  
Virulent Strains ◽  
Host Behaviour ◽  
Different Levels

Parasites with complex life cycles are expected to manipulate the behaviour of their intermediate hosts (IHs), which increase their predation rate and facilitate the transmission to definitive hosts (DHs). This ability, however, is a double-edged sword when the parasite can also be transmitted vertically in the IH. In this situation, as the manipulation of the IH behaviour increases the IH death rate, it conflicts with vertical transmission, which requires healthy and reproducing IHs. The protozoan Toxoplasma gondii , a widespread pathogen, combines both trophic and vertical transmission strategies. Is parasite manipulation of host behaviour still adaptive in this situation? We model the evolution of the IH manipulation by T. gondii to study the conflict between these two routes of transmission under different epidemiological situations. Model outputs show that manipulation is particularly advantageous for virulent strains and in epidemic situations, and that different levels of manipulation may evolve depending on the sex of the IH and the transmission routes considered. These results may help to understand the variability of strain characteristics encountered for T. gondii and may extend to other trophically transmitted parasites.

scholarly journals Promising Technologies in the Field of Helminth Vaccines

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dilhan J. Perera ◽  
Momar Ndao
Keyword(s):  
Viral Vectors ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Helminth Parasites ◽  
Chronic Infections ◽  
Complex Life Cycles ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Human Infections ◽  
Conventional Vaccine ◽  
Induced Immunity ◽  
Antigenic Mimicry

Helminths contribute a larger global burden of disease than both malaria and tuberculosis. These eukaryotes have caused human infections since before our earliest recorded history (i.e.: earlier than 1200 B.C. for Schistosoma spp.). Despite the prevalence and importance of these infections, helminths are considered a neglected tropical disease for which there are no vaccines approved for human use. Similar to other parasites, helminths are complex organisms which employ a plethora of features such as: complex life cycles, chronic infections, and antigenic mimicry to name a few, making them difficult to target by conventional vaccine strategies. With novel vaccine strategies such as viral vectors and genetic elements, numerous constructs are being defined for a wide range of helminth parasites; however, it has yet to be discussed which of these approaches may be the most effective. With human trials being conducted, and a pipeline of potential anti-helminthic antigens, greater understanding of helminth vaccine-induced immunity is necessary for the development of potent vaccine platforms and their optimal design. This review outlines the conventional and the most promising approaches in clinical and preclinical helminth vaccinology.

Tranmission pattern differences of miracidia and cercariae larval stages of digenetic trematode parasites

2016 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael R. Zimmermann ◽  
Kyle E. Luth ◽  
Gerald W. Esch
Keyword(s):  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Digenetic Trematode ◽  
Snail Species ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Complex Life Cycles ◽  
Larval Stages ◽  
Digenetic Trematodes ◽  
Trematode Parasites

AbstractDigenetic trematodes have complex life cycles involving multiple hosts and free-living larval stages. Some species have 2 lar-val stages that infect snails, with miracidia and cercariae using these molluscs as first and second intermediate hosts, respec-tively. Although both larval stages may infect the same snail species, this is accomplished using different chemical cues and may be influenced by different biotic and abiotic factors. Significant differences in the infection patterns of these parasitic stages regarding host size and density were observed in 2 separate field studies. The prevalence of sporocysts/rediae and mean abundance of

scholarly journals The trophic vacuum and the evolution of complex life cycles in trophically transmitted helminths

2014 ◽  
Vol 281 (1793) ◽  
pp. 20141462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel P. Benesh ◽  
James C. Chubb ◽  
Geoff A. Parker
Keyword(s):  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Complex Life Cycles ◽  
High Fecundity ◽  
Modes Of Transmission ◽  
Host Penetration ◽  
Trophic Chains ◽  
Large Predators ◽  
Parasitic Worms

Parasitic worms (helminths) frequently have complex life cycles in which they are transmitted trophically between two or more successive hosts. Sexual reproduction often takes place in high trophic-level (TL) vertebrates, where parasites can grow to large sizes with high fecundity. Direct infection of high TL hosts, while advantageous, may be unachievable for parasites constrained to transmit trophically, because helminth propagules are unlikely to be ingested by large predators. Lack of niche overlap between propagule and definitive host (the trophic transmission vacuum) may explain the origin and/or maintenance of intermediate hosts, which overcome this transmission barrier. We show that nematodes infecting high TL definitive hosts tend to have more successive hosts in their life cycles. This relationship was modest, though, driven mainly by the minimum TL of hosts, suggesting that the shortest trophic chains leading to a host define the boundaries of the transmission vacuum. We also show that alternative modes of transmission, like host penetration, allow nematodes to reach high TLs without intermediate hosts. We suggest that widespread omnivory as well as parasite adaptations to increase transmission probably reduce, but do not eliminate, the barriers to the transmission of helminths through the food web.

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