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The pichi is an endemic xenarthran from central and southern of Argentina and Chile. The aim of the present work was to describe the intestinal parasites of a pichis population from Malargüe (Mendoza, Argentina), and to assess which factors (intrinsic or extrinsic) have a major influence on them. Feces from 120 pichis were collected between 2015 and 2016, studied by coproparasitological analysis and the total prevalence was estimated. By means of generalized linear models (GLM), the influence of intrinsic factors of the host (sex, age and physical condition) and extrinsic (seasonality and year) on the dynamics of the parasite structure was evaluated. Virtually all the samples were parasitized (95 %). Four different types of coccidian oocysts, eggs of Cestoda and Nematoda (Aspidodera and two morphotypes of Trichostrongylina) were found. Coccidia sp. 2, Aspidodera spp. and Trichostrongylina morphotype 2 (Tricho 2) were the most prevalent. GLM indicated that in winter the parasitism in adults of Z. pichiy by Trichostrongylina morphotype 1 (Tricho 1) was inffuenced by the physical condition of the host. On the other hand, prevalence of Coccidia sp. 2 and Tricho 2 was influenced by the year. Regarding hosts analyzed in 2016, prevalence with Tricho 1 is also affected by physical condition, and that of Coccidia sp. 4 and Tricho 2 by seasonality. Prevalence of Tricho 2 in 2016 was higher in juveniles than in adults, and the prevalence for both ages decreased during the summer. This study allowed us to know the parasitic fauna and the synergy of different factors in the prevalence between parasites in the studied population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reconstructs a controversy that arose in the city of Buenos Aires in 1891 regarding infractions against the law on the practice of medicine, allegedly committed by two actors who specialized in the treatment of tapeworms, a foreign doctor and a healer. not graduated. Based on the examination of the sources related to that case, the text proposes a reflection on three topics. Firstly, the multiple curative offers available to address this condition are traced, since it is understood that taking these offers into consideration helps to more accurately understand the components of that controversy. Secondly, the background of the social actors involved in this conflict is documented, with the understanding that it is an illustrative case of the trajectories of many other agents in the world of health in those years. Thirdly, the discussion referring to the relationships of complementarity or negotiation established between certified medicine and its unauthorized competitors is recovered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 326 parasitic helminths were obtained from 94 specimens of Halichoeres bivittatus (Pisces: Labridae) at two sites in the reef zone at the limits of the Veracruz Reef System National Park, Veracruz, Mexico, southwestern Gulf of Mexico: Punta Gorda (n = 51) and Mata de Uva (n = 43). Fish were caught from May to September 2001. Each sample was examined at the levels of the component community and infracommunity. Three parasitic helminth species were found in intestines: Nicolla halichoeri (Digenea: Plagiorchiida: Opecoelidae) is a new geographic record, Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) garnotus (Nematoda) is a new host record, and larvae of Tetraphyllidea gen. sp. (Cestoda) were the parasites with the highest prevalence and the average intensity at both sites. Species richness (S = 3) and the Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H'= 0,42; 0,49) were lower than those previously estimated for the labrid host-parasite community in the study area. No correlations between the total number of species or the total number of helminths and the total length or weight of the host were observed. An analysis of the accumulated curve for the component community suggested that the inventory of helminth species was almost complete for both sites. The abundance of cestode larvae infers H. bivittatus is an intermediate host of the parasite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de la Asociación Odontológica Argentina is the property of Asociacion Odontologica Argentina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective. To identify and determine the infection parameters of the metacestode Parvitaenia in different culture stages of Dormitator latifrons and to evaluate the histological damage caused by this parasite. Materials and methods. Forty-five specimens were examined, 15 in each phase: prebreeding, pre-fattening, and fattening, to identify the metacestode and tissue damage caused using conventional parasitology and histology techniques. Prevalence, intensity, and median intensity were calculated. A Mood’s median test evaluated the difference between intensity per culture phase. Total length, weight, condition factor, and hepatosomatic index were correlated with intensity by linear correlation analysis. Liver fragments were evaluated to identify the tissue damage. Results. A total of 29,151 cestodes were found and were identified as Parvitaenia cochlearii. Cestode prevalence was 100% in each culture phase. The median intensity ranged from 22 to 625 individuals and showed significant differences between culture phases (X² = 29.391; p<0.0001). Intensity showed moderate positive correlation with total fish length (r² = 0.45; p<0.05) and low correlation with weight (r² = 0.38; p<0.05). In less parasitized livers, fibrosis and congestion around the cysts were observed, while in livers with high levels of infection, parenchymal reduction, fibrosis, and increase in melanomacrophage centers were observed. Conclusions. This is the first report of P. cochlearii on D. latifrons in aquaculture. We suggest that there is a tendency for cestode accumulation during fish growth, which could have negative implications for trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Biológico Agropecuaria Tuxpan is the property of Revista Biologico Agropecuaria Tuxpan and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Parasitic diseases of wild species are of importance because of their direct or indirect effect on the animal population, as well as their epidemiological importance and their relationship with human and/or domestic animal health. The objective of this study was to determine the presence of gastrointestinal parasites in captive carnivorous mammals. Fecal samples were collected from 39 animals and analyzed by flotation (sucrose-saturated solution) and rapid sedimentation (physiological solution) techniques to search for parasites through their various forms (eggs, larvae, cysts or oocysts). The prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was 46.15% and 5 genera of parasites were identified. Of the parasites found, most were nematodes, with the genus Toxascaris sp. being the most frequent, followed by Toxocara sp. and Syphacia sp. These are identified in black and spotted jaguar, African lion, white lion, puma, Bengal tiger, spotted hyena and raccoon. In addition, protozoa (Eimeria sp.) are identified in dingo, leopard and raccoon, and cestodes (Mesocestoides sp.) in Bengal tiger. This work allowed us to determine the sanitary status, in terms of the possible existence of gastrointestinal parasites that infect the population of carnivorous mammals in captivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To assess the community structure of helminths and parasitic crustaceans in the splittail bass Hemanthias peruanus (Steindachner, 1875) from northern Peru. Materials and methods. 75 specimens (34 males and 41 females) of H. peruanus were captured from Puerto Cabo Blanco, Piura, Peru. Total length and sex data of the fish were recorded. For the analysis of the parasitic community, the ecological parasitological indices, aggregation indices, alpha diversity indices and association between the biometric parameters of the fish and the parasitological indices were calculated. Results. The percentage of total prevalence in maidens infected with at least one parasitic metazoan species was 65.33%, that is, 49 parasitized hosts. The community component of the parasitic eumetazoan fauna in the evaluated fish was dominated by the presence of ectoparasites (three species of monogeneans and one species of isopod). Endoparasite abundance (two species of trematodes, one species of tapeworms and one species of acanthocephalan) was comparatively low. Biotic factors such as fish length and sex were not found to be related to parasitological indices of any parasitic species. The lack of association is probably due to the influence of other biotic or abiotic factors. The most prevalent parasites presented an aggregate type distribution. The Chao-1 estimator indicates that the expected richness was eight. Conclusions. We registered H. peruanus as a new host for Ceratothoa gaudichaudii, Corynosoma australe, Parancylodiscoides signifer, Pronotogrammella scholzi and Scolex pleuronectis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The present study was to identify gastro-intestinal endoparasitic helminths in wild rats. Materials and methods. a parasitological study was carried out to know the helminth-fauna in different urban and rural areas in five provinces of the Republic of Ecuador, during 2014-2017. The rodents were captured and transported to the National Parasitology Reference Center of the National Institute of Public Health Research - Guayaquil, for further analysis. Results. 125/211 (59.2%) rats with endoparasites were found, 13/20 (65%) for R. rattus and 112/191 (58.6%) R. norvegicus. The most prevalent nematode: was Nippostrongylus brasiliensis for both species and Heterakis spumosa; followed by the cestodes: Hymenolepis diminuta, H. nana, Moniliformis moniliformis and Cysticercus fasciolaris. Conclusions. The presence of four species of zoonotic cestodes in the sampled rodents that live near human communities, represent a potential risk of infection for the inhabitants. Therefore, the control of the population of rodents in residential areas and the awareness of the local population about the risk of disease transmission through rodents seems to be totally necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate on the presence of helminths in Didelphis marsupialis and Rattus rattus in zones invaded by the African Giant Snail Achatina fulica in the Metropolitan area of Bucaramanga, Santander. Methodology. Specimens of Didelphis marsupialis and Rattus rattus, were captured and examined for the presence of helminths in internal organs. Results. Angiostrongylus sp. was not found in the blood vessels of the two mammal species examined. The following adult nematodes were observed in the gastrointestinal tract of Didelphis marsupialis: Physaloptera sp., Aspidodera sp., Travassostrongylus sp., Cruzia sp., Trichuris sp., and Capillaria sp., along with the trematode Rhopalias sp. In the digestive tract of Rattus rattus two nematodes: Nippostrongylus sp. and Heterakis sp., as well as two cestodes: Hymenolepis sp. and a strobilocercus of Taenia taeniaeformis, were found; the latter cestode was found in the liver. Strongylid Type eggs, in addition to Ascaroidea, Spiruroidea and Trichuroidea eggs, were observed in Didelphis marsupialis feces. In Rattus rattus feces, Strongylid Type, Ascaroidea and Hymenolepididae eggs, were detected. Conclusions. Possums (D. marsupialis) and rats (R. rattus) from the metropolitan area of Bucaramanga seem to be parasitized by a wide variety of helminths in their digestive system, judging by the findings of several genera of nematodes, cestodes and trematodes, with only having processed two specimens of each mammal species. The authors recommend further similar studies in the region including a larger number of animals and the examination of more organs, like the heart and the gall bladder, in addition to the digestive tract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The aim of this work was to characterize and describe the frequency of the gastrointestinal parasites in synanthropic rodents captured at the Barranquilla Zoo. Materials and methods. The rodents were captured using Tomahawk traps with the help of non-toxic bait and subsequently sacrificed by isoflurane inhalation. The diagnosis and identification of parasites in the intestinal contents was performed using direct examination in NaCl (0.9%), modified Sheather's flotation, and modified Ritchie's sedimentation techniques. Results. A total of 34 rodents (Rattus rattus) were captured, with an infection frequency of 82.4% (95% CI = 68.8%-95.8%, 28/34). The most prevalent parasites were nematodes (63.2%, 95% CI = 49.2%-77.2%, 31/49), followed by protozoans (20.4%, 95% CI = 8.7%-32.1%, 10/49) and cestodes (16.3%, 95% CI = 5.6%-27%, 8/49), with significant differences between the three groups (= 20.7, p<0.01). Among the nematodes, Strongylidae was the most prevalent family (24/31), followed by Ascarididae (4/31), Ancylostomatidae (1/31), Oxyuridae (1/31), and Trichostrongylidae (1/31); for the protozoans, the most prevalent families were Eimeriidae (6/10) and Entamoebidae (4/10), and for the cestodes, the only family found was the Hymenolepididae (8/8) family. Conclusions. The R. rattus species was the only species of synanthropic rodents caught in the Barranquilla Zoo; because it was infected with various species of gastrointestinal parasites, it should be considered a risk factor for the transmission of these parasites to humans and other animals in the zoo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objetivo: Determinar las diferencias en la duración de la fase preclínica de la neurocisticercosis, en relación con la localización del parásito. Antecedentes: La neurocisticercosis (NC) es una enfermedad heterogénea (síntomas, tratamiento, pronóstico), dependiendo principalmente de la localización de los parásitos (parenquimatoso (PAR), intraventricular (IV), y subaracnoidea (SA)). Este aspecto también parece modular el tiempo entre infección y síntomas que puede ser muy prolongado en ciertas localizaciones. (protocolo número 07/17) Métodos: Se reclutaron 99 pacientes con diagnóstico de neurocisticercosis definitiva en fase vesicular, 56 SA, 19 IV y 24 PAR. Se aplicó un cuestionario estandarizado para determinar los factores de riesgo clásicos que presentaban a diferentes tiempos antes del diagnóstico. Se estableció un sistema de puntuación basado en el número de factores de riesgo a los cuales los pacientes eran expuestos, se evaluó su frecuencia a los diferentes tiempos considerados y se compararon los resultados entre los pacientes afectados por NC PAR, NC IV y NC SA. Los análisis estadísticos se realizaron por medio de regresión lineal, y utilizando las pruebas U de Mann-Whitney, Kruskall Wallis, y Chi-cuadrado. Resultados: 43 mujeres y 56 hombres fueron incluidos. La proporción hombres/mujeres y las edades fueron similares entre los 3 grupos considerados. Hubo una disminución altamente significativa de la exposición a los factores de riesgo con el tiempo cuando todos los pacientes eran incluidos o cuando consideramos solamente los pacientes afectados por NC SA (p<0.0001 en ambos casos). Esta tendencia fue igualmente significativa cuando los pacientes afectados por NC IV y PAR fueron considerados (p=0.011 en ambos casos) aunque menos pronunciado. Particularmente, 5 años antes del diagnóstico, los pacientes con NC PAR y NC IV presentaban una exposición significativamente más alta que los pacientes con NC SA (p=0.043). (Figura 1) Conclusiones: La exposición a los factores de riesgos "clásicos" de la NC ha disminuido de manera significativa durante los últimos 20/30 años en México, lo que conlleva una disminución de la incidencia de la infección, principalmente de la NC PAR e IV. En efecto, en estas formas la fase preclínica es corta. Las características anatómicas de los diferentes compartimentos afectados explican las diferencias de duración de la fase preclínica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neoblasts are totipotent cells, solely responsible for the proliferation and maturation of tissues in free-living flatworms. Similar cells have been isolated from parasitic flatworms such as Echinococcus. Taenia solium causes human taeniasis (intestinal) and cysticercosis in humans and pigs. Brain infection with larvae (cysts) of T. solium results in neurocysticercosis which is hyperendemic in Peru, and its treatment is associated with serious neurological symptoms. The proliferative capacity and development stages of T. solium have not been described and the neoblasts of this parasite have not been characterized We looked for cell proliferation in T. solium cysts collected from an infected pig, which were identified when replicating and incorporating bromodeoxyuridine nucleotide detected with a monoclonal antibody. A stable cell line of neoblasts would be useful for systematic in vitro studies on drug efficacy and the biology of T. solium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inermicapsifer madagascariensis is a parasite rarely seen in human infections since it is a little dimension cestode described in rodents. In Cuba, some sporadic cases have come into sight. In the present paper, it is compiled information about 47 patients from two towns for one year which are far one from the other in Pinar del Río province, Cuba, whose consultation's reason was the expulsion of whitish structures similar to rice grains in their fecal material. All of them were diagnosed as parasitized with Inermicapsifer madagascariensis because of the macro and microscopic characteristics of the proglottids and eggs capsules and the expulsion of the adult parasite in some cases as well. The total of patients was children, much of them were lactating children with artificial or mixed lactation. From the total of children infected, 19 (40, 4%) were treated with niclosamide and the rest with prazicuantel. From those who were treated with niclosamide, 17 (89, 4%) came back to consultation with similar manifestations in a period of about a month, being treated this time with prazicuantel and achieved the recovery of the 100% of the cases. The therapeutic possibilities are good in order to treat this parasite, but the prophylaxis is not at all. The uncertainties about of its vital cycle are a weak point. The parasitism for this agent in spite of its not very noxious nature constitutes a challenge for the current parasitology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad is the property of Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Instituto de Biologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista de Investigaciones Veterinarias del Peru is the property of Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: to explore the role of T regulatory (Treg) cells during infection by Taenia crassiceps in C57BL/6 mice. Materials and methods: female C57BL/6J, 4-5-weeks-old mice were used. Mice were distributed in two groups. Mice from group I were intraperitoneally inoculated with 20 cysticerci each. Mice from group II were not infected and were used as control. At different times post-infection (5, 30, 90, and 130 days) Treg cells level was evaluated at peritoneum, mesenteric ganglia, Peyer's patches, and spleen. Concurrently, the proliferative capacity of spleen cells was assessed, by stimulating them both with Concanavalin A (ConA) and T. crassiceps antigens. Results: treg levels at the site of parasite establishment (peritoneum) were similar in the control group and the infected group during the period of study. Likewise, similar proliferation levels were observed in both groups when cells were stimulated with ConA. Cysticercal specific antigens failed to induce T effector or Treg cell proliferation. These results show that T. crassiceps promotes a decrease in the proliferative capacity of T lymphocytes, which does not depend on antigen-specific Tregs. Conclusions: the resistance to infection by T. crassiceps cysticerci in the strain C57BL/6 is not associated to the presence of Treg cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydatid cyst is a human parasitic disease caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus. Prevalence of human hydatid disease in Peru during the last 5 years ranges from 7-11 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The disease is mainly localized in the liver (>65% of cases) and in the lungs (25%). Involvement of the heart is rare, reported in 0.5-2% of cases. We present the case of an 11-year-old child with cardiac hydatidosis successfully removed using extracorporeal circulation and aortic cross-clamp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe the clinical and epidemiological features of patients with neurocysticercosis in a general hospital in Lima. Methods: Observational and descriptive study in 225 patients with neurocysticercosis at Hospital Maria Auxiliadora from 2002 to 2010. Information was gathered from the clinical charts. Results: 150 out of 225 cases were confirmed. The two most affected age groups were patients from 20-64 years of age (49.3%) and patients below 14 years (27.4%); 52% were females; 90% come from Lima; 40% were students; 26% were housewifes; 8.7% were labors; 10% were rural workers, and 5.3% were maidservants. The most frequent symptoms were headache unresponsive to treatment (76%), seizures (74.7%) and loss of conscious (43.3%); 68.7% of patients were admitted. All patients received medical treatment and 19.3% were treated surgically. Conclusions: Neurocysticercosis was mainly observed among the active economical population from 20 to 64 years of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is the most common parasitic disease of the central nervous system and is caused by larvae of the tapeworn Taenia solium. NCC is endemic in almost all developing countries. It presents as intraparenchymal forms associated with seizures or as extraparenchymal forms associated with intracranial hypertension. The clinical and epidemiological suspicion are important but the diagnosis is made primarily by images and conirmed by serology. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging tests are used. Inmunodiagnosis by Western Blot, which is currently perform in the Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Neurológicas in serum and cerebrospinal luid serves as conirmatory test. Treatment involves symptomatic measures (control of seizures or intracranial hypertension) and anticysticercal medications (albendazole and praziquantel). Anticysticercal treatment should be used under hospital conditions because of secondary effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objetivo: generar una nueva estrategia proteómica y bioinformática para identificar y caracterizar proteínas de secreción de cisticercos de Taenia solium. Antecedentes: la neurocisticercosis es causada por el establecimiento del cisticerco de T. solium en el sistema nervioso central. El cisticerco secreta proteínas en su metabolismo, para favorecer su establecimiento y para evadir la respuesta inmune. Por ello, la caracterización de las proteínas de secreción es vital para diagnosticar la enfermedad y para identificar blancos vacunales y terapéuticos. Sin embargo, las proteínas de secreción se obtienen en bajas concentraciones, lo que impide conocer su secuencia por espectrometría de masas. En este trabajo se propone una nueva estrategia para identificar y caracterizar proteínas del cisticerco de T. solium. Métodos: Se combinaron dos estrategias, una proteómica y una bioinformática. En la primera, se obtuvieron proteínas de secreción de cultivos cisticercos provenientes de cinco cerdos infectados naturalmente. Las proteínas de cada cultivo se separaron con geles 2D y se analizaron con el programa ImageMaster para determinar su punto isoeléctrico y peso molecular. Por otro lado, en la segunda estrategia se usó el genoma publicado de T. solium para predecir la secuencia proteica de cada spot identificado en los geles 2D según su punto isoeléctrico y su peso molecular. Las secuencias permitieron identificar proteínas conservadas y diferenciales entre cultivos. La funcionalidad de las proteínas se determinó con los programas BlastKOALA y KOBrite. Resultados: en total se identificaron 108 proteínas conservadas y 186 diferenciales en los cinco cultivos analizados. Entre las proteínas predichas con nuestra estrategia identificamos 14 que son comunes en cuatro de cada cinco cultivos de cisticercos, y podrían usarse para diseñar vacunas o métodos de diagnóstico para la neurocisticercosis. El análisis bioinformático de las secuencias predichas mostró que el parásito libera proteínas mediante un mecanismo exosome-like, lo que podría ser de interés biológico. Conclusiones: la combinación de estrategias proteómicas y bioinformáticas permitió analizar proteínas de secreción del cisticerco sin necesidad de secuenciación por espectrometría de masas. La caracterización funcional de las proteínas conservadas mejora nuestro conocimiento sobre el rol de las proteínas de secreción en la cisticercosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to evaluate the effectiveness of albendazole and praziquantel against Thysanosoma actinioides, sheep faeces samples were taken directly from the rectum and macroscopically observed for finding and identifying cestode proglottids. The faecal qualitative analysis was applied to detect, under the microscope, the presence of eggs from T. actinoides. The positive animals were divided into three homogeneous groups (control and treated) of 20 sheep each one (with homogeneity in age, sex and weight), with the objective to evaluate the drugs. The results showed 45% effectiveness with Albedazol and 95% with Praquinzantel, thus the thainal product can be used for treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sixteen horses of different ages and body weights were slaughtered at a livestock center to assess parasitosis intensity and extension caused by Anoplocephala perfoliata. Small and large intestines were examined. In terms of parasitic invasion, results revealed an extension rate of 87,5 %, while intensity rate fluctuated between 80 and 450 parasites per animal. Taking into account that each horse was purchased at a price of 1 800 pesos (national currency), but its value dropped by 25 % after being infested by A. perfoliata, such a loss amounted 7 200 pesos for the 16 horses. These findings are consistent with the higher levels of parasitic infection detected in horses under current conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]