Pseudascarophis brasiliensis sp. nov. (Nematoda: Cystidicolidae) parasitic in the Bermuda chub Kyphosus sectatrix (Perciformes: Kyphosidae) from southeastern Brazil

A new species of Pseudascarophis (Nematoda: Cystidicolidae) found in the stomach of Kyphosus sectatrix (Linnaeus) (Kyphosidae), off Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is described. The new species can be differentiated from the other congeners by the presence of lateral alae, distinct but inconspicuous cephalic papillae at the anterior end, three pairs of precloacal and one pair of adcloacal papillae in males, egg morphology and morphometry of glandular oesophagus and spicules. Pseudascarophis tropica is transferred to Ascarophis as Ascarophis tropica (Solov'eva) comb. n. due to its ambiguous diagnosis.

Mansonelliasis, a neglected parasitic disease in Haiti

Reported in Haiti as early as 1923, Mansonella ozzardi is still a neglected disease ignored by the health authorities of the country. This review is an update on the geographic distribution of the coastal foci of mansonelliasis in Haiti, the epidemiological profile and prevalence rates of microfilariae in people living in endemic areas, the clinical impact of the parasite on health and the efficiency of the transmission of the parasite among three Culicoides biting-midge species identified as vectors in Haiti. Additionally, interest in establishing a treatment programme to combat this parasite using a single dose of ivermectin is emphasised.

Biology and parasitic potential of Doryctobracon areolatuson Anastrepha fraterculus larvae

The objective of this work was to study the biology and parasitic potential of Doryctobracon areolatus on larvae of Anastrepha fraterculus. The egg-adult period, the sex ratio, the longevity, the pupal viability, and the parasitism rate of D. areolatus were determined in laboratory, using A. fraterculus as host. The parasitoid development from oviposition to adult emergence required 25.00±1.70 days, the sex ratio was 0.62±0.09, and the mean longevity was 16.36±3.62 days for males and 10.24±1.71 days for females. The mean parasitism rate was 53.50±8.93%, varying from 41.60 to 68.60%, which shows the potential of this parasitoid for biological control of A. fraterculus.

Parasitic fauna in hybrid tambacu from fish farms

The objective of this work was to evaluate the parasitic fauna of hybrid tambacu (Colossoma macropomum x Piaractus mesopotamicus) from fish farms and the host-parasite relationship. A hundred and fourteen fish were collected from four fish farms in Macapá, in the state of Amapá, Brazil, 80.7% of which were infected by: Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Ciliophora); Piscinoodinium pillulare (Dinoflagellida); Anacanthorus spatulatus, Notozothecium janauachensis, and Mymarothecium viatorum (Monogenoidea); Neoechinorhynchus buttnerae (Acanthocephala); Cucullanus colossomi (Nematoda); Perulernaea gamitanae (Lernaeidae); and Proteocephalidae larvae (Cestoda). A total of 8,136,252 parasites were collected from the examined fish. This is the first record of N. buttnerae, C. colossomi, N. janauachensis, M. viatorum, and Proteocephalidae for hybrid tambacu in Brazil. Ichthyophthirius multifiliis was the most prevalent parasite, whereas endohelminths were the less. A positive correlation was observed between number of I. multifiliis and total length and weight of fish, as well as between number of P. gamitanae and total length. The infection by I. multifiliis had association with the parasitism by Monogenoidea. Low water quality contributes to high parasitism of hybrid tambacu by ectoparasites, which, however, does not influence the relative condition factor of fish.

Development of new dissolution test and HPLC-RP method for anti-parasitic ornidazole coated tablets

This work aimed the development and validation of a new dissolution test for ornidazole coated tablets. The dissolution conditions were determined after testing Sink conditions, dissolution medium, apparatus, stirring speed, 24 h stability and medium filtration influence. The best conditions were paddle at a stirring speed of 75 rpm and 900 mL of 0.1 M HCl. A new HPLC quantification method was developed and validated. The dissolution test and quantification method showed to be adequate for their purposes and could be applied for quality control of ornidazole coated tablets, since there is no official monograph.

Nematicidal effect of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on the plant-parasitic nematode Meloidogyne javanica

Previous studies have demonstrated that volatile organic compounds (VOCs), produced by the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, were able to inhibit the development of phytopathogenic fungi. In this context, the nematicidal potential of the synthetic mixture of VOCs, constituted of alcohols and esters, was evaluated for the control of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica, which causes losses to crops of high economic value. The fumigation of substrate containing second-stage juveniles with VOCs exhibited nematicidal effect higher than 30% for the lowest concentration tested (33.3 µL g-1 substrate), whereas at 66.6 and 133.3 µL g-1 substrate, the nematode mortality was 100%. The present results stimulate other studies on VOCs for nematode management.

Screening of antigenemia and isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii from cloaca and crop of birds in the state of Paraná, Brazil

Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii are associated with dry bird excreta but rarely recovered from birds' digestive tract. The objective of the present study was (1) to verify the existence of C. neoformans and C. gattii in crop and cloaca of wildlife and captivity birds hypothesizing about a possible primary source of this yeast in the excreta, and (2) to determine the fungi's invasive capability in avian species through latex agglutination. For that purpose, 172 cloacal and 77 crop samples of domestic pigeon, Passerine, and Psittacine birds were collected. None of these samples was positive, suggesting that the yeast is not saprobiotic in the digestive tract of these birds. Only one out of 82 serum samples collected from pigeons and Psittacine birds was positive (title 1:2) showing that Cryptococcus sp. probably has a low invasive capability in birds, and is thus considered only a dry excreta colonizer.

Inefficacy of albendazole sulphoxide and ivermectin for the treatment of bovine parasitic otitis caused by rhabditiform nematodes

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of orally administered albendazole sulphoxide and pour-on ivermectin for the treatment of bovine parasitic otitis caused by rhabditiform nematodes. Eighteen Gyr cows presenting clinical otitis were divided in three groups with six animals each. The first one did not receive any treatment (control group). The second one was treated with 0.5% pour-on ivermectin, 500µg/kg of body weight, and the third group was treated with oral 6% albendazole sulphoxide, at 6.0mg/kg. Both ear canals of each animal were reexamined on days 7 and 21 post treatment. The animals in the control group remained infected throughout the days of observation. Ivermectin treatment did not show effectiveness on days 7 or 21 post treatment. The albendazole sulphoxide treatment had an efficacy of 16.7 and 25% on days 7 and 21, respectively. Further studies are required to assess an effective treatment for this parasitic disease, especially via alternative administration routes, because of its significant impact on Bos taurus indicus cattle breeding in Tropical and Subtropical Regions.

Turgida turgida (Nematoda: Physalopteridae) parasitic in white-bellied opossum, Didelphis albiventris (Marsupialia: Didelphidae), state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Turgida turgida have been largely reported parasitizing Didelphis species in North and South America based on light microscopy observation. However, the features that differentiate T. turgida from other physalopterid species should be observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A female white-bellied opossum, Didelphis albiventris, arrived dead at the Centro de Reabilitação de Animais Silvestres (CRAS) in the municipality of Campo Grande, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. During the necropsy, adult nematodes were collected from stomach and intestine. The nematodes were determined to be adult specimens and submitted to SEM for the species determination. This is the first report of T. turgida confirmed by SEM in the Neotropical region and the first report in an urban area in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.

Serogroups and virulence genes of Escherichia coli isolated from psittacine birds

Escherichia coli isolates from 24 sick psittacine birds were serogrouped and investigated for the presence of genes encoding the following virulence factors: attaching and effacing (eae), enteropathogenic E. coli EAF plasmid (EAF), pili associated with pyelonephritis (pap), S fimbriae (sfa), afimbrial adhesin (afa), capsule K1 (neu), curli (crl, csgA), temperature-sensitive hemagglutinin (tsh), enteroaggregative heat-stable enterotoxin-1 (astA), heat-stable enterotoxin -1 heat labile (LT) and heat stable (STa and STb) enterotoxins, Shiga-like toxins (stx1 and stx2), cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 (cnf1), haemolysin (hly), aerobactin production (iuc) and serum resistance (iss). The results showed that the isolates belonged to 12 serogroups: O7; O15; O21; O23; O54; O64; O76; O84; O88; O128; O152 and O166. The virulence genes found were: crl in all isolates, pap in 10 isolates, iss in seven isolates, csgA in five isolates, iuc and tsh in three isolates and eae in two isolates. The combination of virulence genes revealed 11 different genotypic patterns. All strains were negative for genes encoding for EAF, EAEC, K1, sfa, afa, hly, cnf, LT, STa, STb, stx1 and stx2. Our findings showed that some E. coli isolated from psittacine birds present the same virulence factors as avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC), uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) and Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) pathotypes.

Farmers' perception about parasitic otitis in Gyr breed from three states of Brazil

This study aimed to know the perception of Gir cattle breeders and farm employees about parasitic otitis and practices regarding methods of treatment and control. A questionnaire was applied on specific topics about the disease. The results showed that the otitis occurred in 25 (89.3%) of the 28 farms studied, where the main etiologic agents were the nematodes Rhabditis spp. The majority of the farmers regarded the disease as a serious problem, mainly in cattle older than eight years of age. About half of the respondents did not observe a correlation between season and prevalence of the otitis; however, 30.8% reported an increase of its incidence during the rainy season. In addition to various methods and products for the rhabditiosis treatment, a lack of standardized preventive or curative protocols was found, suggesting insufficient knowledge about control of the disease.

Isospora bocamontensis (Protozoa: Apicomplexa) in captive yellow cardinal Gubernatrix cristata (Passeriformes: Emberezidae)

The yellow cardinal (Gubernatrix cristata) is a passerine found in southern Brazil, especially along the border with Uruguay and Argentina. It is an endangered species and its population is decreasing. Among the parasites that affect passerines, the genus Isospora is the most easily found in both captive and free-living birds. This parasite commonly causes injury to the intestinal tissue and could occasionally affect other organs. In this work we examined the occurrence of coccidiosis in captive yellow cardinals and its association with factors such as sex, use of parasiticides, type of enclosure, contact with feces, type of food and cleaning frequency. We collected fecal samples of 45 yellow cardinals, healthy and kept in captivity, in late afternoon at the end of the reproductive period. The examination showed parasitic infection by Isospora bocamontensis in 44.5% of the birds. This infection is not influenced by the sex of birds, but is significantly affected by the type of enclosure, contact with the feces, use of parasiticides, type of food and cleaning frequency. The results indicate that to keep yellow cardinals captive, these factors must be observed.

Variability in the fecal egg count and the parasitic burden of hair sheep after grazing in nematode infected paddocks

This study aimed to evaluate the variability in the fecal egg count (FEC) and the parasitic burden of naive hair sheep after grazing in nematode infected paddocks. The research was carried out in Tabasco, Mexico, during two periods (August and December). In each period 32 lambs were grazed for one month on African star grass (Cynodon plectostachyus) contaminated with gastrointestinal parasitic nematodes. FEC, packed cell volume (PCV) and body weight (BW) were recorded. Gastrointestinal worms were recovered at necropsy. Data were analyzed with the MIXED procedure of SAS using a model of repeated measurements over time. A higher number of Haemonchus contortus worms was found in December (2814±838) than in August (1166±305). The opposite occurred with Cooperia curticei (2167±393 and 3638±441, respectively). The FEC and correlation coefficient in respect to the worm burden were higher in December (6516 ± 1599, r=0.83, respectively) than in August (4364±771, r=0.44, respectively). A high variability in resistance-susceptibility to gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) occurred in Katahdin × Pelibuey lambs after grazing.

Plasmodium spp. and Haemoproteus spp. infection in birds of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest detected by microscopy and polymerase chain reaction

In recent years haemosporidian infection by protozoa of the genus Plasmodium and Haemoproteus, has been considered one of the most important factors related to the extinction and/or population decline of several species of birds worldwide. In Brazil, despite the large avian biodiversity, few studies have been designed to detect this infection, especially among wild birds in captivity. Thus, the objective of this study was to analyze the prevalence of Plasmodium spp. and Haemoproteus spp. infection in wild birds in captivity in the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil using microscopy and the polymerase chain reaction. Blood samples of 119 different species of birds kept in captivity at IBAMA during the period of July 2011 to July 2012 were collected. The parasite density was determined based only on readings of blood smears by light microscopy. The mean prevalence of Plasmodium spp. and Haemoproteus spp. infection obtained through the microscopic examination of blood smears and PCR were similar (83.19% and 81.3%, respectively), with Caracara plancus and Saltator similis being the most parasitized. The mean parasitemia determined by the microscopic counting of evolutionary forms of Plasmodium spp. and Haemoproteus spp. was 1.51%. The results obtained from this study reinforce the importance of the handling of captive birds, especially when they will be reintroduced into the wild.

Parasitic infections in germfree animals

The association of vertebrate hosts with the indigenous microbiota and its effect on the response to infections has long been a subject of scientific curiosity. From the first theory supported by Louis Pasteur that life would be impossible in the absence of associated microorganisms to the development of germfree mammals for research, a lot was learned about how the normal microbiota influences the environment in which pathogens may find themselves. In the present review, we attempt to summarize the more recent results from our group and others on the influence of the normal microbiota on the outcome of parasitic infections. Our results and those of others point to a complex relationship between the mammalian system and its indigenous microbiota, leading to greater resistance to some infections and enhanced susceptibility to others