Article
Biology
Melodi Yenmis, Yusuf Bayrakci, Dincer Ayaz
Summary: This study compares the scale microstructure of two snake species that occupy different ecological niches, and finds that microstructural features may be indicative of taxonomic relationship while pore number is negatively correlated with wettability.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Serkan Gul, Kaan Karaoglu, Zehra Ozcifci, Kamil Candan, Cetin Ilgaz, Yusuf Kumlutas
Summary: This study investigated the presence of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract of two water snake species and found that fibers were the most common type of plastic. The uptake of microplastics was not related to the size and weight of the snakes and was not consistently present in all samples.
WATER AIR AND SOIL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Megan A. Hahn, Agnes Piecyk, Fatima Jorge, Robert Cerrato, Martin Kalbe, Nolwenn M. Dheilly
Summary: This study demonstrates that helminths have an impact on the gut microbiome of their host. The microbiome of stickleback fish varies depending on ecoevolutionary variables, such as the genotype of the host and parasite, and the composition of the parasite's microbiome. The study also reveals that the association between the microbiome and immune gene expression increases in infected individuals and varies with parasite genotype. Additionally, it shows that the parasite's microbiome is distinct from its host and affects the host's immune response to infection.
Article
Biology
Vincent Stin, Ramiro Godoy-Diana, Xavier Bonnet, Anthony Herrel
Summary: We present a method for measuring the 3D vortical structures generated by anguilliform swimmers using volumetric velocimetry. By quantifying the wake of freely swimming dice snakes (Natrix tessellata), we observed the formation of multiple vortices along the snake's body due to its undulation. These vortices typically consisted of paired vortex tubes, with some connected to form a hairpin structure.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tom Sistermans, Juliane Hartke, Marah Stoldt, Romain Libbrecht, Susanne Foitzik
Summary: Parasites with complex life cycles can induce phenotypic changes in intermediate hosts to increase transmission to the final host. The consequences of parasite load on transcriptional activity and morphology of the cestode Anomotaenia brevis and its intermediate host, the ant Temnothorax nylanderi, were investigated. The study revealed that heavily infected hosts showed a stronger immune response and fight against oxidative stress, while the cestodes became smaller when competing with other parasites for resources from a single host, indicating shifts in host immune avoidance, starvation resistance, and vesicle-mediated transport.
Article
Zoology
Irene S. Gamil, Dalia Fouad
Summary: A new species of tapeworm, Ophiotaenia tessellata sp. n., was identified and described from the intestine of the dice water snake Natrix tessellata in Egypt. Morphological characteristics and genetic analysis revealed its distinctiveness from other Ophiotaenia species found in African snakes and colubrid snakes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated a close relationship between O. tessellata sp. n. and O. lapata, a parasite of the endemic snake Madagascarophis colubrinus from Madagascar, both infecting African colubrid snakes.
PAKISTAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Yusuf Bayrakci, Dincer Ayaz
Summary: Monitoring snakes is challenging due to their secretive nature, but accurate population size estimates are essential for conservation purposes. This study in Lake I????kl??, Denizli province, Turkey used PIT tags to track Natrix natrix and Natrix tessellata, with population size estimates and annual survival rates provided for both species. The study offers the first comprehensive demographic estimates of Natrix species in Turkey.
TURKISH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Daniele Marini, Matteo R. Di Nicola, Veronica Crocchianti, Tommaso Notomista, Daniel Iversen, Luca Coppari, Michela Di Criscio, Vanessa Brouard, Jean-Lou C. M. Dorne, Joelle Ruegg, Maria Luisa Marenzoni
Summary: Ophidiomycosis is an emerging infectious disease caused by the fungus Ophidiomyces ophidiicola (Oo) which has been recorded in snakes from various continents. A pilot survey was conducted in Italy to investigate Oo presence in wild snakes and a complete diagnostic workflow was established. Oo infection was detected in snakes from Lake Garda, with clinical signs and histopathological examination confirming the disease.
VETERINARY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Marika Asztalos, Dincer Ayaz, Yusuf Bayrakci, Murat Afsar, Cemal Varol Tok, Carolin Kindler, Daniel Jablonski, Uwe Fritz
Summary: By utilizing mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite loci, the study found evidence of frequent interspecific hybridization and a shared biogeographic history between grass snakes and dice snakes. It is suggested that three subspecies of grass snakes should be recognized in the study region. The mitochondrial divergence in dice snakes matches nuclear genomic differentiation, while the high diversity in grass snakes indicates potential involvement of multiple species.
VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Bartlomiej Zajac, Stanislaw Bury, Natalia Kusmierek, Henryk Okarma
Summary: Land disturbances caused by urban development can negatively impact wildlife populations, but it is unclear how these changes affect parasitism in urban wildlife. A study in Krakow found that up to 35% of grass snakes in urban areas were infected with Leptophallus nigrovenosus, a trematode commonly found in the intestine. However, there were no negative effects of the infection on the snakes' body size or condition. Competition with other parasites in suburban and non-urban habitats may explain the absence of L. nigrovenosus in snakes from these areas. More research is needed to understand the biology of L. nigrovenosus.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Vasco Menconi, Perla Tedesco, Paolo Pastorino, Ivano Confortini, Giuseppe Esposito, Mattia Tomasoni, Davide Mugetti, Andrea Gustinelli, Alessandro Dondo, Elisabetta Pizzul, Maria Letizia Fioravanti, Marino Prearo
Summary: The study investigated the parasitism of Eustrongylides excisus in freshwater fish in Lake Garda, Italy, and found significant differences in prevalence values among different fish species. Piscivorous fish species were more likely to be positive for E. excisus, with the highest prevalence in Micropterus salmoides. Additionally, a negative correlation between body size and E. excisus was observed in Perca fluviatilis, which mainly feeds on zooplankton and benthic invertebrates.
Article
Microbiology
Lianne I. M. Lansink, Oliver P. Skinner, Jessica A. Engel, Hyun Jae Lee, Megan S. F. Soon, Cameron G. Williams, Arya SheelaNair, Clara P. S. Pernold, Pawat Laohamonthonkul, Jasmin Akter, Thomas Stoll, Michelle M. Hill, Arthur M. Talman, Andrew Russell, Mara Lawniczak, Xiaoxiao Jia, Brendon Chua, Dovile Anderson, Darren J. Creek, Miles P. Davenport, David S. Khoury, Ashraful Haque
Summary: Understanding how host inflammatory responses affect malaria parasite maturation is important. This study found that systemic host inflammation caused by innate immune stimulus or acute Plasmodium infection slows down parasite progression and inhibits maturation in vitro. The researchers also identified candidate inhibitory metabolites in the plasma that may impair parasite growth in vivo.
Article
Biology
Abdirahman Abdi, Fiona Achcar, Lauriane Sollelis, Joao Luiz Silva-Filho, Kioko Mwikali, Michelle Muthui, Shaban Mwangi, Hannah W. Kimingi, Benedict Orindi, Cheryl Andisi Kivisi, Manon Alkema, Amrita Chandrasekar, Peter C. Bull, Philip Bejon, Katarzyna Modrzynska, Teun Bousema, Matthias Marti
Summary: The malaria parasite life cycle involves asexual replication in human blood and differentiation into gametocytes for transmission to mosquitoes. Host factors influence the commitment to differentiate into gametocytes, but the exact mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we analyzed data from 828 children in Kenya over 18 years to understand the relationship between host immunity, parasite growth, and transmission investment. We found that reduced plasma lysophosphatidylcholine levels, which are associated with inflammatory responses, are correlated with increased transmission investment and reduced asexual replication.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Raquel A. Rodrigues, Gabriel M. F. Felix, Mauro Pichorim, Patricia A. Moreira, Erika M. Braga
Summary: The study investigated avian haemosporidian parasites in a protected area in northeastern Brazil, showing that migration and temperature may predict parasite prevalence. Individual-level traits and other species-specific factors were not related to infection probability.
Article
Immunology
Patrick J. Skelly, Akram A. Da'dara
Summary: Schistosomes are parasitic worms that infect millions of people globally. Researchers have discovered a second gene responsible for surface acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, which is essential for the worms' ability to establish infection. This finding clarifies confusion regarding schistosome AChEs and could lead to new therapeutics for schistosomiasis.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bethan Mason, Alex K. Piel, David Modry, Klara J. Petrzelkova, Fiona A. Stewart, Barbora Pafao
Summary: Human disturbance poses a continuous threat to wildlife species, leading to an increase in parasite infections. The study found positive relationships and a trend towards increased parasite prevalence in different taxa, which were associated with human disturbance, baboon troop size, and host age. The results highlight the importance of monitoring parasite infections in developing conservation strategies for non-human primates.
Article
Microbiology
Angela Monica Ionica, Georgiana Deak, Radu Boncea, Calin Mircea Gherman, Andrei Daniel Mihalca
Summary: This study provides evidence of the presence of Dirofilaria immitis, a canine heartworm, in Romania, and reports new host species, the European badger and the raccoon dog.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Marieta Braks, Francis Schaffner, Jolyon M. Medlock, Eduardo Berriatua, Thomas Balenghien, Andrei Daniel Mihalca, Guy Hendrickx, Cedric Marsboom, Wim Van Bortel, Renate C. Smallegange, Hein Sprong, Celine M. Gossner, Ewelina Czwienczek, Sofie Dhollander, Olivier Briet, William Wint
Summary: Public and animal health authorities face challenges in surveillance and control of vector-borne diseases. VectorNet, a joint project of EFSA and ECDC, collects and shares distribution data for pathogens carried by ticks, mosquitoes, sand flies, and biting midges, facilitating risk assessments and providing free distribution maps and raw data.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Roland Eric Yessinou, Cristina Daniela Cazan, Sarah Irene Bonnet, Souaibou Farougou, Andrei Daniel Mihalca
Summary: This study collected data on ticks and associated pathogens in four West African countries to provide an update on tick biodiversity and tick-host associations. The findings contribute to understanding the diversity of ticks in the region.
Article
Parasitology
Vlad-Dan Cotutiu, Angela Monica Ionica, Menelaos Lefkaditis, Cristina Daniela Cazan, Alina Diana Hasas, Andrei Daniel Mihalca
Summary: This study assessed the presence, prevalence, and distribution of Thelazia lacrymalis in horses in Romania. The results showed a low prevalence rate of the infection, which may be attributed to the widespread use of macrocyclic lactones.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Luciana Catalina Panait, Angela Monica Ionica, Cristina Daniela Cazan, Mircea Coroian, Ana Maria Diacu, Ana Maria Boncea, Cosmin Mateescu, Andrei Daniel Mihalca
Summary: This study aimed to assess the occurrence of Babesia spp., Cytauxzoon spp., and Hepatozoon spp. in domestic cats in Romania using molecular tools. The results showed that 19.4% of the sampled cats were positive for piroplasmids, with 15.1% being positive for Babesia spp. and 0.5% for Hepatozoon spp. The study highlights the importance of mitochondrial genes as targets for molecular protocols.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Jonno Jorn Stelder, Andrei Daniel Mihalca, Ann Sofie Olesen, Lene Jung Kjaer, Anette Ella Boklund, Thomas Bruun Rasmussen, Mihai Marinov, Vasile Alexe, Oana Maria Balmos, Rene Bodker
Summary: Mosquitoes can transmit various vector-borne pathogens affecting pigs, and different mosquito species have different preferences and behaviors towards hosts. The feeding preferences of mosquitoes on pigs were observed to vary, and the abundance of certain mosquito species could contribute to pathogen transmission.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Roland Eric Yessinou, Cristina Daniela Cazan, Luciana Catalina Panait, Eyabana Mollong, Abel S. S. Biguezoton, Sarah Irene Bonnet, Souaibou Farougou, Martin H. H. Groschup, Andrei Daniel Mihalca
Summary: This study investigated the presence of zoonotic pathogens in ticks collected from cattle in Benin and Togo, revealing the presence of Bartonella spp. and Rickettsia spp. This information is important for raising awareness among physicians and veterinarians, monitoring the spread of these pathogens, and implementing necessary measures to control the transmission of tick-borne diseases.
VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Eva Noskova, David Modry, Vojtech Balaz, Barbora Cervena, Katerina Jirku-Pomajbikova, Kristina Zechmeisterova, Clotilde Leowski, Klara J. Petrzelkova, Ilona Psenkova, Roman Vodicka, Sharon E. Kessler, Barthelemy Ngoubangoye, Joanna M. Setchell, Barbora Pafco
Summary: Cysts and trophozoites of vestibuliferid ciliates and larvae of Strongyloides were found in fecal samples from captive orangutans, indicating a potential zoonotic transmission risk.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Microbiology
Jie Feng, Tao Lin, Andrei D. Mihalca, Qingli Niu, Marinda C. Oosthuizen
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Lucia Anettova, Anna Sipkova, Elena Izquierdo-Rodriguez, Vivienne Velic, David Modry
Summary: This article examines the survival of third-stage larvae of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in low temperature conditions and finds that they can continue infecting definitive hosts, suggesting the potential for further spread to higher latitudes or altitudes.
Review
Parasitology
Marcos Antonio Bezerra-Santos, Filipe Dantas-Torres, Jairo Alfonso Mendoza-Roldan, R. C. Andrew Thompson, David Modry, Domenico Otranto
Summary: Invasive wild mammals pose a major threat to native ecosystems and can act as spreaders of zoonotic parasites. Europe has the highest number of zoonotic parasites associated with invasive wild mammals.
TRENDS IN PARASITOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Parasitology
Mohammed Lamine Bendjeddou, Farouk Khelfaoui, Awatef Abiadh, Noureddine Mechouk, Andrei Daniel Mihalca, Attila D. Sandor
Summary: This study aims to identify the distribution and host-parasite associations of bat ectoparasites in the Grand Maghreb region. The research revealed 43 ectoparasite species, including ticks, mites, bat flies, bugs, and fleas. Several new country records were also documented. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the epidemiological implications and highlight the ecological and public health importance of bat ectoparasites.
ACTA PARASITOLOGICA
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Martina Sloufova, Zuzana Lhotska, Milan Jirka, Klara J. Petrzelkova, C. Rune Stensvold, Ondrej Cinek, Katerina Jirku Pomajbikova
Summary: Blastocystis is a commonly found intestinal protist, and accurate detection and differentiation of its subtypes are crucial for understanding its epidemiology and role in human health. This study compared the sensitivity of different detection methods and found that real-time PCR showed higher positivity rates than conventional PCR, and NGS had higher sensitivity for detecting mixed subtype colonization within one host. The combination of qPCR and NGS can provide valuable information for epidemiological and surveillance studies.
