First report of Dipetalonema gracile in a captive Marcgrave’s capuchin monkey (Sapajus flavius) in northeastern Brazil: Scientific communication

Parasitic infections are important concern to the Wildlife Conservation Biology, particularly in endangered species. Herein, we report a parasitism by Dipetalonema gracile Rudolphi, 1809 (Spirurida, Filarioidea, Onchocercidae), in the peritoneal cavity of a captive Marcgrave’s capuchin monkey (Sapajus flavius) that died at the Wild Animal Screening Center (CETAS) of the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) in the municipality of Cabedelo, state of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil. The necropsy revealed two filarial worms D. gracile in the abdominal cavity. Exudates, thin fibrin layers and fibrous adhesions were also present in the mesentery and spleen capsule. The mesenteric, mandibular, and tracheobronchial lymph nodes were enlarged. Multiple small nodules were seen in the spleen parenchyma. Microscopic examination of the lymph nodes and spleen revealed markedly and diffuse inflammatory reaction, with edema, plasma cells, eosinophils, histiocytes, lymphocytes and rare multinuclear giant cells, with obliteration of the normal histological architecture of the organ. This is the first report of D. gracile parasitism in Marcgrave’s capuchin monkeys, a critically endangered species. Studies of this nature significantly contribute to the knowledge of the parasitic fauna of endangered species, in addition to helping to formulate conservation strategies (in situ and ex situ) and records of new hosts and new areas of occurrence of parasites.

Benzimidazole and Aminoalcohol Derivatives Show in Vitro Anthelmintic Activity Against Trichuris Muris and Heligmosomoides Polygyrus

Background: Infections by gastrointestinal nematodes cause significant economic losses and disease in both human and animals worldwide. The discovery of novel anthelmintic drugs is a crucial point in maintaining control of these parasitic infections.Methods: For this purpose, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential anthelmintic activity of three series of compounds against the gastrointestinal nematodes Trichuris muris and Heligmosomoides polygyrusin vitro. The compounds tested are derivatives of benzimidazole, lipidic aminoalcohols and diamines. A primary screening was performed to select those compounds with an ability to inhibit T. muris L1 motility by more than 90% at a single concentration of 100 µM, and then, their respective IC50s were calculated. Those compounds with IC50 lower than 10 µM were also tested against the adult stage of T. muris and H. polygyrus at a single concentration of 10µM.Results: Of the 41 initial compounds screened, only compounds AO14, BZ6 and BZ12 had IC50s lower than 10 µM on T. muris L1 assay, showing IC50 values of 3.30, 8.89 and 4.17 µM, respectively. However, only two of them displayed activity against the adult stage of the parasites: BZ12 killed 81% of adults of T. muris (IC50 of 8.1 µM) and 53% of H. polygyrus while BZ6 killed 100% of H. polygyrus adults (IC50 of 5.3 µM) but only 17% of T. muris. Conclusions: BZ6 and BZ12 could be considered as potential candidates for further in vivo efficacy testing.

Autochthonous Human Dirofilaria repens Infection in Austria

Purpose This report describes a rare autochthonous case of human D. repens infection in Austria. Dirofilariosis is a mosquito-borne parasitic infection that predominantly affects dogs. Human D. repens infections have primarily been reported in Mediterranean countries, but are emerging throughout Central and Northern Europe. Methods The worm was removed surgically and identified using PCR and DNA sequencing. The consensus sequences were compared against reference sequences of Dirofilaria repens from GenBank. Results The 56-year-old woman acquired the infection, which presented as a subcutaneous nodule, in Vienna, Austria. This is the second autochthonous case of human D. repens infection in Austria. Conclusion The reasons for the emergence of D. repens and other parasitic infections in Central and Northern Europe are manifold, including climate change and globalization. This case demonstrates that with the growing number of D. repens infections, health care professionals must place further emphasis on emerging infectious diseases to ensure appropriate diagnostics and treatment in the future.

Aplikasi pengendalian hayati untuk penyakit parasitik pada Kerbau Rawa di Desa Tanjung Pering Kecamatan Inderalaya Kabupaten Ogan Ilir

One of the problems that occur in buffalo farms in tanjung pering village is that buffaloes often experience health problems caused by parasites. The results of initial observations showed that livestock showed symptoms such as dry skin, hair loss, loss of appetite, lethargy and finally decreased productivity and even death. This disease often appears during the transition from the rainy season to the dry season. Based on the results of research that has been carried out on faecal samples of swamp buffalo in the villages of tanjung pering and tanjung senai, the identification of the presence of parasite eggs of cestode, nematode and trematode. This activity aims to provide knowledge innovation to the farming community in tanjung pering village about the methods and importance of biological control as an alternative to controlling the spread of parasitic diseases. The methods used in this activity are counseling, training in the form of demonstrations and activity evaluations. The results of the extension activities show that there is an increase in the understanding of farmers about the causes and symptoms of the disease, how to handle and biological control of parasites by using the nematophagus fungus. The conclusion of this activity is the existence of continuous application of disease control using biological agents to suppress livestock populations experiencing parasitic infections.

​Faecal Consistency: A Measure of Gastrointestinal Parasitic Infections in Goats

Background: Gastrointestinal (GI) parasitism in goats is a serious and widely distributed problem. Diarrhoea, moderate or severe, though a result of various factors involving feed, fodder, seasons and state of gut physiology of digestion, is a common symptom in goats infested with GI parasites, the nematodes and coccidia. Intensity of diarrhoea corresponds to quantum and type of parasitism. Methods: In the present study, 1451 faecal samples collected from goats of different ages ( less than 3 M, greater than 3-6 M, greater than 6-12 M and greater than 12 M) were categorized as normal, lumpy and diarrheic based on their consistency and were processed for parasitic infections. The GI parasitic load was quantified by faecal eggs/oocysts counting (FEC and FOC) per gram of faeces through the modified Mac-master technique. Identification of parasites was based on the morphology of third-stage larvae procured by coproculture of randomly selected positive samples. FEC/FOC data (strongyle and coccidian), being skewed and uneven, were log-transformed to normalize. The transformed data [loge (100+n)] was analyzed statistically and results were interpreted. Result: Means of FEC and FOC in three type of faecal samples viz. normal, lumpy and diarrheic, were significantly different. Similarly, the effect of age on FEC and FOC was significant. The interaction between animals age × faecal sample type was significant in coccidian and non-significant in strongyle infection. The results were discussed to support the hypothesis that faecal consistency was a measure of coccidian and strongyle worm load in goats and can be a basis of targeted selective treatment.

First report of Eimeria sp. from Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Iran

In Iran, wild boar is distributed throughout the country, except the Central Desert. One of the important habitats of this animal is the northern mountainous area. They may pass infected faeces in these areas, which can lead to zoonotic disease, though information about parasitic infections in wild boar is rare in Iran and further study is necessary. In February 2019, a wild boar carcass was submitted to the Veterinary Parasitology Department of the Science and Research University of Tehran by the Department of Environment of Mazandaran province in order to study its parasitic infections. Faeces and the gastrointestinal tract were separated and their contents were tested using two flotation methods (Willis and Clayton-Lane), and the samples were referred to the Parasitology Laboratory of Urmia University for further study. The sample was infected with Eimeria protozoa; Eimeria porci and Eimeria neodebliecki were diagnosed based on the size and morphology factors of the isolated oocysts. This is the first report of wild boar infection by Eimeria sp. protozoa in Iran.

Comparative Study of Intestinal Parasitic Infection among Pregnant and Non-Pregnant Women in Owerri, Nigeria: A Case Study of the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri

A survey of intestinal parasites of pregnant and non-pregnant women attending the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria was carried out between November 2010 and April 2011. A total of 300 samples (150 from pregnant women and 150 from non – pregnant women respectively) were randomly collected from these women who attended the hospital. The samples were examined using the direct wet preparation and formol ether concentration technique. A total of 41 (13.67%) women were infected. The infected stool samples contained eggs of Ascaris lumbricoides (48.78%), Hookworm (39.02%), and Cysts of Entamoeba histolytica (12.20%). Although, more pregnant women (16(39.02%)), the difference was not statistically significant. The highest prevalence of 20% was observed in the pregnant women within the age – group of 27-30 while the age group of 19-22 years. The difference between the prevalence of infection in the age group was significant. However personal hygiene improved health education programs and supervised public toilets together with food vendor's education have been recommended as measures to eradicate intestinal parasitic infections among pregnant and non-pregnant women. It has been recommended that stool analysis should be part of the antenatal screening tests particularly in subjects with a high level of parasitemia.

Prevalence of cestodes infection among school children of urban parts of Lower Dir district, Pakistan

Tapeworms of zoonotic importance have been described as a leading public health problem. Current research was aim to assess the prevalence of tapeworms among 5-12years school children residing in district Lower Dir, Pakistan from January 2019-December 2019. The wet mount preparation in saline/iodine/methods were used for stool examination. Data was analyzed using appropriate descriptive, static methods. Of the 400 children studied 71.7% were infected with one or more species of intestinal parasites. Single infection of cestode species was found in 69 individuals with 17.2% prevalence and multiple parasitic infections were identified in 19.7% (n=79/400) individuals. The multiple infection were comprised as 10% (n=40) double, 6.75% (n=27) triple and 3% (n=12) quadruple. A total of 9 species of helminths and one species of protozoan infection. Among the helminths Ascaris lumbricoides was the most prevalent 33.1% (n=95), Taenia saginata 22.6% (n=65), hookworm 19.8% (n=57), Hymenolepis nana 18.8% (n=54), Enterobius vermicularis and Hymenolepis diminuta 1.39% (n=4each), Trichuris trichura 1.04% (n=3), Toxocara spp 0.69% (n=2) and Schistosoma japonicum 0.34% (n=1) were reported. One protozoan species was Cryptosporidium spp 0.69% (n=2) in current study. In case of A.lumbricoides, hookworm, E.vermicularis, T.trichura, T.saginata, H.nana and H.diminuta the male children of below 8 years of age were highly infected. Other infections are reported in the same prevalence with slight difference if any. We conclude that there is a need for mass scale campaigns to create awareness regarding health and hygiene in children and the need for development of effective poverty control programs because deworming alone is not adequate to control parasitic infections.