First report of Eucoleus boehmi in red foxes (Vulpis vulpis) in Denmark, based on coprological examination

Red foxes can be infected with diverse range of parasite species that can be transmitted to humans and pet animals, and the differential diagnosis is essential for veterinary and zoonotic risk assessment. In the present study, faecal flotation and microscopy of parasite eggs was done on 31 foxes originating from two distant localities in Denmark, the city of Copenhagen in the north east part of the island Zealand and from the southern part of the peninsular Jutland. In total, eggs of Eucoleus boehmi were recovered from a surprisingly high number of foxes (n = 22 samples; 71%). The findings represent the first observations of E. boehmi in Denmark, which is likely an overlooked infection of the upper respiratory tract of red foxes, which can be also found in other canids. Several morphological features of the eggs of E. boehmi can be used to distinguish it from other the closely related trichuroid eggs. Detecting cardiopulmonary parasites by faecal examination can be indicative of the presence of cardiopulmonary parasites based on the more sensitive post mortem analysis.     

Sarcoptesräude (Sarcoptes tapiri nov. spec.) bei Tapiren (Tapirus terrestris L.)

Zusammenfassung Es wird das klinische und pathologisch-anatomische Bild einer schweren Sarcoptesräude bei Flachlandtapiren (Tapirus terrestris) beschrieben. Der Erreger wird auf Grund seiner morphologischen und biologischen Eigenschaften einer neuen Art, Sarcoptes tapiri zugeordnet.

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Sarcoptic mange (Sarcoptes tapiri nov. spec.) of tapirs (Tapirus terrestris L.)

Summary The clinical and patho-anatomical type of a severe sarcoptic manage of tapirs (Tapirus terrestris) is being described. The sarcoptic mite is classified as a new species, Sarcoptes tapiri, owing to its morphological and biological qualities.

     

The first report of Angiostrongylus vasorum (Nematoda; Metastrongyloidea) in Poland,in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

Angiostrongylus vasorum belongs to the superfamily of Metastrongyloidea. This nematode occurs in foxes, dogs and other predators. The Nematode A. vasorum place themselves in the pulmonary artery and its branches, and in the right ventricle and atrium of the heart. Numerous species of land snails are the intermediate hosts of the parasite. In 2013, lungs and hearts of 76 foxes shot in the Forest District G??boki Bród in Augustowska Primeval Forest were parasitologically necropsied. Four of the examined foxes were infected with the nematode A. vasorum, a prevalence of 5.2%. In one fox pericardium there were 6 male and 6 female nematodes. In the remaining three foxes nematodes were localized in the pulmonary artery. In two foxes 2 specimens of nematodes were detected (male and female, and two females) while 1 female was detected in the other fox. This is the first report of the presence of the nematode A. vasorum in fox in Poland.     

Ectoparasites of goats in three agroecologies in central Oromia, Ethiopia

A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors for ectoparasites infestation in 979 goats in three agroecologies in central Oromia, Ethiopia from October 2009 through April 2010. The results of the study showed that of the total goats examined 487 (49.7 %) of them were infested with one or more ectoparasites. The ectoparasites identified were (16.5 %) Linognathus spp., 8.8 % Sarcoptes, 5 % Ctenocephalides spp. 11.8 % Amblyomma variegatum, 5.9 % Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, 4.3 % Rhipicephalus pravus, 1.6 % Boophilus decoloratus, 1.8 % Rhipicephalus sanguineus, 1.3 % Rhipicephalus praetextatus, and 0.4 % Hyalomma truncatum. Statistically significant (OR?=?0.477, p?=?0.000) difference was observed in prevalence of Linognathus stenopsis among highland, lowland and midland. Significantly higher prevalence of tick infestation in the lowland than both the midland and highland agroecology was recorded. The risk of tick infestations in lowland and midland was 2.841 and 5.635 times, respectively, higher than in highlands. Age-related variation was not observed in the prevalence of both Linognathus and tick infestations in examined goats. Significantly (OR?=?7.864, p?=?0.000) higher prevalence of sarcoptic mange in the lowland than the midland was observed. Goats in lowland were 7.864 times at higher risk for sarcoptic mange than those in the midlands. Sex-related variation in the prevalence of ectoparasites was never recorded in goats. Significantly higher prevalence of sarcoptic mange (OR?=?0.266, p?=?0.000) and Ctenocephalides spp. (OR?=?2.430, p?=?0.005) on young than adult goats was recorded. The logistic regression results showed statistically significant difference in prevalence of tick infestations (OR?=?0.565, p?=?0.000) and sarcoptic mange (OR?=?0.582, p?=?0.003) between goats with poor and good body condition. Further studies on role of ectoparasites in transmission of diseases to goats, comparative prevalence and load, and the importance of goats as alternative hosts in different agroecology and management systems in Ethiopia are recommended so as to design applicable control program in the country. Furthermore, the threat of ectoparasites on overall productivity of goats and the tanning industry warrants detail studies and urgent control intervention.     

Effects of temperature on the survival of Sarcoptes scabiei of black bear (Ursus americanus) origin

For two decades, the incidence and range of sarcoptic mange in black bears (Ursus americanus) in Pennsylvania has increased. The causative agent, Sarcoptes scabiei, can be directly or indirectly transmitted; therefore, data on environmental persistence is important for guiding management and public communications. The objective of this study was to determine the survival of S. scabiei at different temperatures. Full section skin samples and superficial skin scrapes were collected from bears immediately after euthanasia due to severe mange. After ~ 24 h on ice packs (shipment to lab), samples were placed in dishes at 0, 4, 18, or 30 °C and 60, 20, 12, and 25% relative humidity, respectively, and the percentage of mites alive, by life stage, was periodically determined. Humidity was recorded but not controlled. Temperature significantly affected mite survival, which was shortest at 0 °C (mostly ≤ 4 h) and longest at 4 °C (up to 13 days). No mites survived beyond 8 days at 18 °C or 6 days at 30 °C. Mites from full-thickness skin sections survived significantly longer than those from superficial skin scrapes. Adults typically survived longer than nymphs and larvae except at 30 °C where adults survived the shortest time. These data indicate that at cooler temperatures, S. scabiei can survive for days to over a week in the environment, especially if on host skin. However, these data also indicate that the environment is unlikely to be a long-term source of S. scabiei infection to bears, other wildlife, or domestic animals.

     

New insights onto cardiopulmonary nematodes of dogs in Sardinia,Italy

Dog heartworms Angiostrongylus vasorum and Dirofilaria immitis cause severe parasitological diseases; the importance of these parasitosis is growing due to their health impact on animals, the possible zoonotic implications and the recent spreading across several European countries and previously non-endemic areas. The aim of this study is to update the epidemiological scenario of cardiopulmonary nematodes A. vasorum and D. immitis in dogs of Sardinia island and to perform a morphological identification of larvae by the use of the Baermann and Knott techniques respectively and the molecular characterization of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) and the second ribosomal transcribed spacer region (ITS-2) of larvae L1 of A. vasorum. In the present study, 3.4 % (5/146) of dogs resulted positive at Baermann technique for A. vasorum while 8.9 % (61/684) to D. immitis. If on one side A. vasorum can be considered an emerging parasite in Sardinia, the parasitic pressure and the risk of infection for D. immitis in the island seems to be increased compared with the recent past.     

Development of Conventional and Real-Time Quantitative PCR Assays for Diagnosis and Monitoring of Scabies

Scabies remains the most prevalent, endemic, and neglected ectoparasitic infestation globally and can cause institutional outbreaks. The sensitivity of routine microscopy for demonstration of Sarcoptes scabiei mites or eggs in skin scrapings is only about 50%. Except for three studies using conventional or two-tube nested PCR on a small number of cases, no systematic study has been performed to improve the laboratory diagnosis of this important infection. We developed a conventional and a real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay based on the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene of S. scabiei. The cox1 gene is relatively well conserved, with its sequence having no high levels of similarity to the sequences of other human skin mites, pathogenic zoonotic mites, or common house dust mite species. This mitochondrial gene is also present in large quantities in arthropod cells, potentially improving the sensitivity of a PCR-based assay. In our study, both assays were specific and were more sensitive than microscopy in diagnosing scabies, with positive and negative predictive values of 100%. The S. scabiei DNA copy number in the microscopy-positive specimens was significantly higher than that in the microscopy-negative specimens (median S. scabiei DNA copy number, 3.604 versus 2.457 log₁₀ copies per reaction; P = 0.0213). In the patient with crusted scabies, the qPCR assay performed on lesional skin swabs instead of scrapings revealed that the parasite DNA load took about 2 weeks to become negative after treatment. The utility of using lesional skin swabs as an alternative sample for diagnosis of scabies by PCR should be further evaluated.     

Efficacy of topically applied invermectin against sarcoptic mange (Sarcoptes scabiei var.bovis) of cattle

A total of 12 adult cattle with sarcoptic mange were included in a study to confirm the efficacy of ivermectin applied topically at 500 g/kg againstSarcoptes scabiei var.bovis. Animals were allocated by restrictive randomization according to mite counts to serve as untreated controls or were treated with a topical formulation of ivermectin applied along the backline on healthy skin. Mites were counted in epidermal scrapings made prior to treatment and at 7, 14, 21, 28, 42, and 56 days thereafter. Except for three mites recovered from one animal on day 28, no mites were found after day 14 over the remainder of the trial in scrapings from animals treated with invermectin. Differences in the numbers of mites recovered from animals treated with ivermectin and those found on controls were significant (P<0.05) for counts carried out on days 14–56. Clinical signs of mange resolved following treatment, whereas the extent of lesions and severity of clinical signs increased in the control animals over the trial period.     

Molecular survey of knockdown resistance to pyrethroids in human scabies mites

There are growing concerns about the emergence of resistance of Sarcoptes scabiei to permethrin and other pyrethroid derivatives. Sarcoptes scabiei mites collected from 40 patients visiting two hospitals near Paris, France, were genotypically characterized considering two parts of their voltage-sensitive sodium channel gene. No nucleotide polymorphism resulting in a codon change at codon 733 or other positions associated with knockdown resistance in other arthropods has been identified. These data may establish a reference line for future surveys of the susceptibility of S. scabiei in the area.     

Molecular identification of novel intermediate host species of Angiostrongylus vasorum in Greater London

Angiostrongylus vasorum is a parasitic nematode that can cause serious and potentially fatal disease in dogs and other canids. The aim of this study was to determine the intermediate slug species infected in nature by sampling sites in Greater London and Hertfordshire located within a known hyperendemic region. Overall, A. vasorum larvae were recovered from 6/381 slugs (1.6 %) by tissue digestion, and their identity was confirmed by PCR. Infected slugs originated from three different sites in the Greater London area: one in Waltham Forest and two in Bromley. Slugs parasitised by A. vasorum were identified by a combination of external morphological characteristics and molecular techniques and belonged to three different families: the Arionidae, the Milacidae and the Limacidae. This includes two new host records for the parasite: Arion distinctus and Tandonia sowerbyi. This is the first record of A. vasorum in the family Milacidae, indicating that the parasite has a broader intermediate host range than previously recognised.     

On the substantial variation in serological responses in pigs to<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Sarcoptes scabiei</Emphasis> var.<Emphasis Type="Italic"> suis</Emphasis> using different commercially available indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays

Two trials were carried out to compare the use of different enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for the detection of antibodies against Sarcoptes scabiei var. suis. In the first trial, we employed four tests and 70 selected sera from a closed pig farm with sarcoptic mange. The sera were taken from the breeding area as well as from the finishing unit and compared with skin scrapings. The SARCOPTES-ELISA 2001 yielded the most positive results (88.58%), followed by the ELISA of the National Veterinary Institute, Uppsala (70%), the Acar-Test P-ELISA (52.86%), skin scrapings (48.57%), and the CHEKIT Sarcoptest (30%). In the second trial, eight litters from infected sows were examined from weeks 1–12 of life using the CHEKIT Sarcoptest and the SARCOPTES-ELISA 2001. The presence of maternal antibodies was highest on day 7 in both ELISAs and could be detected until weeks 5–9 of life. Antibodies increased as a result of an active immune response between days 56 and 63 in the SARCOPTES-ELISA 2001 and between days 70 and 77 of life in the CHEKIT Sarcoptest. Significant differences between the first and second litters were observed.     

Pathological findings of Angiostrongylus vasorum infection in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from Central Italy,with the first report of a disseminated infection in this host species

In Europe, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is considered the reservoir of Angiostrongylus vasorum, nematode residing in the pulmonary arteries and right heart of dogs and many species of wild carnivores. Italy is considered one of the European countries where this nematode is actually spreading. Between May 2007 and November 2013, 62 foxes found dead in Central Italy were necropsied. Right heart and pulmonary arteries were opened and checked for the presence of adult parasites. Impression smears from sectioned lungs were examined for the presence of first-stage larvae, and samples of lungs were processed for histological examination. In order to detect eventual disseminated infections, samples of heart, pulmonary lymph nodes, liver, kidneys, and brain of foxes positive for A. vasorum at necropsy or lungs histological examination were processed for histological examination. An overall prevalence of 43.5 % was recorded. Light, mild, and severe lung lesions were detected in 33.3, 22.2, and 25.9 % of infected animals, respectively. Severe lesions were more frequent in animals younger than 12 months. In five infected foxes (18.5 %), no gross lesions were observed, while for three animals, angiostrongylosis was considered the cause of death. A case of disseminated angiostrongylosis was detected and another one was suspected. This is the firs report of disseminated angiostrongylosis in the fox.     

First autochthonous case of canine Angiostrongylus vasorum in Slovakia

Angiostrongylus vasorum is a metastrongyloid nematode that may cause cardiopulmonary disease, neurological signs and coagulopathies in dogs. The parasite has an indirect life cycle with molluscs as intermediate hosts, in which the infective third larval stage develops. Recently, A. vasorum has been repeatedly reported in dogs outside the endemic areas, indicating that this parasite is widely distributed over Europe. This is the first record of an autochthonous infection in a dog from Slovakia that was casually diagnosed during routine preventive parasitological examination. A. vasorum first-stage larvae were recovered using the Baermann technique and identified by length and characteristic tail morphology. The animal originated from Slovakia and had not travelled abroad. The dog had been regularly walked on grass fields with a concentrated presence of common species of Gastropoda and frogs. The owner reported that the dog had been licking and eating grass and it had shown curiosity for molluscs and frogs. The first finding of A. vasorum-infected dog in Slovakia has confirmed that the parasite is spreading beyond the traditional hyperendemic foci, which accentuates the need for monitoring and increasing of disease awareness in primary care clinical practice.     

Characterisation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sarcoptes scabiei</Emphasis> antigens

In pig herds, the status of Sarcoptes scabiei infections is routinely monitored by serodiagnosis. Crude antigen for ELISA is usually prepared from S. scabiei var. canis or other variations and may lead to variations in the outcome of different tests, making assay standardisation difficult. This study was performed to investigate the antigen profiles of S. scabiei, including differences between hydrophilic and more hydrophobic protein fractions, by Western blotting with sera from pigs with defined infection status. Potential cross-reactivity among S. scabiei (var. canis, suis and bovis), Dermatophagoides farinae and Tyrophagus putrescentiae was also analysed. Hydrophobic S. scabiei antigens were detectable in the range of 40–50 kDa, whilst the hydrophilic fraction showed no specific antigenicity. In the hydrophobic fractions of D. farinae and T. putrescentiae, two major protein fractions in a similar size range could be identified, but no cross-reactivity with Sarcoptes-positive sera was detectable. However, examination of the hydrophilic fractions revealed cross-reactivity between Sarcoptes-positive sera and both the house dust mite and the storage mite in the range of 115 and 28/38 kDa. Specific bands in the same range (42 and 48 kDa) could be detected in blots from hydrophobic fractions of all three tested variations of S. scabiei (var. canis, bovis and suis). These results show that there are considerable differences in mange antibody reactivity, including reactions with proteins from free-living mites, which may interfere with tests based on hydrophilic antigens. Further refinement of antigen and the use of specific hydrophobic proteins could improve ELISA performance and standardisation.     

Parasitization of invasive gobiids in the eastern part of the Central trans-European corridor of invasion of Ponto-Caspian hydrobionts

Four gobiid species, Babka gymnotrachelus, Neogobius melanostomus, Neogobius fluviatilis, and Proterorhinus semilunaris, were parasitologically studied in different localities of the Dnieper and Vistula river basins. The highest number of parasitic species was found in N. fluviatilis (35 taxa). The parasite fauna of N. melanostomus, B. gymnotrachelus, and P. semilunaris consists of 23, 22, and 15 taxa, respectively. The species accumulation curves show stable accumulation of parasite species by all four fish hosts along the studied part of the corridor, from the Dnieper Estuary to the Vistula River delta. The plot reveals also that the studied gobies lose the parasites common in the host native range and accept new parasites from the colonized area. In the case of N. melanostomus, it complies with the enemy release hypothesis, as the parasite load was low in the invaded area if compared to the native range. The three other alien gobies are vector for Gyrodactylus proterorhini in the Baltic basin. Moreover, populations of this alien monogenean tend to be more abundant in their new range in comparison with the Black Sea basin. In general, the number of parasite species in the colonized area was of the same rank as in the native one for N. fluviatilis, and even higher for B. gymnotrachelus. This results from accumulating new parasite species along the gobiid invasion route. In particular, the N. fluviatilis, B. gymnotrachelus, and P. semilunaris lost some of their native parasites and gained the local ones after entering the post-dam part of the Vistula River; it can be interpreted as a partial escape from parasites.     

Ectoparasites of dogs and cats in Albania

One hundred eighty-one dogs and 26 short-hair cats from suburban areas around Tirana, Albania were examined for ectoparasite infestation. The dogs were examined on several occasions from 2005 through 2009 representing three seasons: winter (December–February), spring (March–May), and summer (June–August); the cats were examined in late autumn (November). In addition, deep ear swab specimens of 30 dogs were examined for ear mites. The arthropod ectoparasite fauna of the dogs included two tick species (Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Ixodes ricinus), three mite species (Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis, Otodectes cynotis, and Demodex canis), three flea species (Ctenocephalides canis, Ctenocephalides felis, and Pulex irritans), and one louse species (Trichodectes canis). In the dogs, rates of infestation were 23.8% for R. sanguineus, 0.6% for I. ricinus, 4.4% for S. scabiei var. canis, 6.7% for O. cynotis, 0.6% for D. canis, 75.7% for C. canis, 5.0% for C. felis, 8.3% for P. irritans, and 6.6% for T. canis. Mixed infestation with two or three species of ectoparasites was recorded on 38.1% of the dogs. Fleas infested 75.7% dogs (geometric mean, 3.96; range, 1–80) and were observed in winter, spring, and summer with increasing prevalences of 64.3%, 75.9%, and 100%. Ticks parasitized 24.3% of the dogs (geometric mean, 0.41; range, 1–331). R. sanguineus ticks were recorded on 34.2% and 50% of the dogs examined in spring and summer, respectively, but were absent on the dogs during winter except for a single I. ricinus specimen observed. Prevalence of infestation with R. sanguineus, S. scabiei var. canis, C. felis, P. irritans, and T. canis did not differ between dogs ≤6 months and dogs >6 months of age; however, prevalence of infestation with C. canis was significantly (p?<?0.01) higher in dogs >6 months old. There was no difference between the sexes for the prevalences of infestation with those parasites. The examination of the cats revealed infestation with only one species of ectoparasite, C. felis (prevalence, 100%; geometric mean, 2.5; range, 1–9).     

Effect of host species diversity on multiparasite systems in rodent communities

Reduced species diversity has been suggested to increase transmission rates and prevalence of infectious diseases. While this theory has been studied mostly in single pathogen systems, little is known regarding multiple pathogens systems in vertebrates at the community level. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of host richness and diversity on multiple parasite systems on a local scale. We captured small rodents and collected feces in three different vegetation types in a natural protected area in Janos, Chihuahua, Mexico. The flotation technique was used to identify parasite eggs or oocysts. Analysis of linear correlations was conducted between parasite prevalence and host and parasite diversity and richness. Negative correlation was detected between parasite prevalence and host diversity (p?=?0.02 r ²?=?0.86), but no significant correlations was detected between parasite prevalence and host richness or parasite diversity or richness. Our study shows that at local scale, host diversity could affect multiple parasite systems in the same way that single pathogens do. Further studies should be performed on larger temporal and spatial scales to more thoroughly investigate the correlation observed in our analysis.     

Spatio-temporal variation in the prevalence of trematodes in the bivalve Perumytilus purpuratus

Perumytilus purpuratus is an abundant bivalve located in the intertidal rocky zone of South America that has been considered as a key species of the ecosystem. There are few studies of the host-parasite relationship of this bivalve; thus, this research aims to analyse the spatial and temporal variation in the prevalence of trematodes in P. purpuratus. Bivalves were collected from three localities (El Tabo, Las Cruces and Montemar) of central Chile (33°S, 71°W) during different seasons of 2010. The bivalves were also collected every metre, from the lowest to the highest level of the intertidal rocky zone, to determine the parasite distribution within the localities. Three species of trematodes as sporocyst stages were found: Prosorhynchoides carvajali, Proctoeces sp. and an undetermined fellodistomid species. Of the 37,692 bivalve specimens collected, 2.68% were parasitised. The undetermined fellodistomid species was the most prevalent parasite observed (1.69%). There were little detected differences in the prevalence of some trematode species between seasons. The prevalence of P. carvajali varied between localities, being most prevalent at Montemar. The distribution of trematodes along the rocky zone within the localities was variable, with P. carvajali being more prevalent in the mid-lowest level of the intertidal zone and the undetermined fellodistomid species being more prevalent in the mid-highest level. Both the abundance of definitive hosts and the environmental conditions likely result in different levels of infection by trematodes in P. purpuratus between and within the localities.     

Echinococcus multilocularis in south-eastern Europe (Romania)

Echinococcus multilocularis, the causative agent of alveolar echinococcosis (AE) in humans, has been found in 4.8% of 561 red foxes originating from various regions of Romania. Infected foxes were identified in 8 of 15 counties with average prevalence rates between 1.7% and 14.6%. In previous studies, E. multilocularis was not found in 535 foxes from three counties, but larval stages (metacestodes) were present in four species of rodents. Furthermore, AE was diagnosed in two patients. Experiences from other European regions indicate that several factors (such as increasing fox populations with higher parasite prevalences and urban cycles of the parasite) may result in an increased infection risk for humans.