Parasitic infections in mixed system-based heliciculture farms: dynamics and key epidemiological factors

Filling Analytical Gaps in Allergen Detection─Real-Time PCR for the Detection of Commercially Relevant Cephalopods and Gastropods in Food

Mollusks belong to the group of shellfish, which are considered to be among the elicitors of severe food allergies worldwide. In recent years, numerous PCR detection methods have been developed for other shellfish such as crustaceans. However, cephalopods and gastropods were not considered in the development of these shellfish detection systems. In this study, we have developed highly specific real-time PCR methods for the comprehensive detection of all commercially relevant cephalopod species and the gastropod families Helicidae, Buccinidae, and Muricidae in food matrices. In total, we cross-tested over 100 animal and plant species to show the specificity of our systems. The limit of detection (LOD12) was set at 1 pg of cephalopod and gastropod DNA or 10 ppm (mg/kg) spiked in a vegetarian food product. The robustness of the protocol was confirmed by testing multiple parameters while cooking and autoclaving of samples ensured the practical applicability of the systems.

Potential of 3-octanone as a lure and kill agent for control of the Brown Garden Snail

The brown garden snail (Cornu aspersum) is a major agricultural pest, causing damage to a wide range of economically important crops. Withdrawal or restricted use of pollutant molluscicides like metaldehyde has prompted a search for more benign control products. This study investigated the response of snails to 3-octanone; a volatile organic compound (VOCs) produced by the insect pathogenic fungus Metarhizium brunneum. Concentrations of 1 - 1000 ppm of 3-octanone were first assessed in laboratory choice assays to determine behavioural response. Repellent activity was found at 1000 ppm whereas attractance was found for the lower concentrations of 1, 10 and 100 ppm. These three concentrations 3-octanone were carried forward in field evaluations to assess potential for use in "lure and kill" strategies. The highest concentration (100 ppm) was the most attractive to the snails but also the most lethal. Even at the lowest concentration this compound proved toxic making 3-octanone an excellent candidate for the development as a snail attractant and molluscicide.

Intraspecies Variation in Tetrahymena rostrata

Two distinct isolates of the facultative parasite, Tetrahymena rostrata were compared, identifying and utilising markers that are useful for studying clonal variation within the species were identified and utilised. The sequences of mitochondrial genomes and several nuclear genes were determined using Illumina short read sequencing. The two T. rostrata isolates had similar morphology. The linear mitogenomes had the gene content and organisation typical of the Tetrahymena genus, comprising 8 tRNA genes, 6 ribosomal RNA genes and 45 protein coding sequences (CDS), twenty-two of which had known function. The two isolates had nucleotide identity within common nuclear markers encoded within the histone H3 and H4 and small subunit ribosomal RNA genes and differed by only 2–4 nucleotides in a region of the characterised actin genes. Variation was observed in several mitochondrial genes and was used to determine intraspecies variation and may reflect the natural history of T. rostrata from different hosts or the geographic origins of the isolates.

Brachylaimiasis: Brachylaima spp. (Digenea: Brachylaimidae) Metacercariae Parasitizing the Edible Snail Cornu aspersum (Helicidae) in Spanish Public Marketplaces and Health-Associated Risk Factors

The edible land snail Cornu aspersum (Pulmonata: Stylommatophora) acts as a second intermediate host in the terrestrial life cycle of Brachylaima spp. trematodes, harboring unencysted metacercariae in its kidney. The ingestion of undercooked infected snails by humans may allow metacercariae to potentially develop to adult stage in the intestine, causing brachylaimiasis, as already seen in Australia. The prevalence and dynamics of C. aspersum parasitization by Brachylaima spp. metacercariae in specimens intended for human consumption in Spanish marketplaces were studied. In total, 3,710 C. aspersum specimens were analyzed over 5 yr, which were obtained from public marketplaces in the Spanish cities of Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Tudela, Valencia, and Zaragoza. The overall prevalence was 41.97% (95% CI: 40.38-45.56%). The Tudela marketplace had the highest values for both the seasonal prevalence and abundance in all studies during autumn (93.57% and 3.09, respectively). This market also gave the highest individual metacercarial burden recorded, 212 metacercariae in a single specimen. Overall, the highest prevalence of Brachylaima spp. occurred in autumn (58.65%) and the lowest in winter (22.64%). There was a seasonal effect on prevalence, which increased from summer to autumn and then decreased in winter. In total, 96 experimental Brachylaima adults were obtained from the metacercariae parasitizing the analyzed snails. These were identified through morphometric tools (principal component analysis) as Brachylaima mascomai (56 in Barcelona, 1 in Bilbao, 7 in Tudela, and 3 in Valencia), and Brachylaima llobregatensis (17 in Barcelona, 8 in Bilbao, 1 in Valencia, and 3 in Zaragoza). Logistic regression modeling, conducted to predict the probability of purchasing parasitized snails using city and season as predictors showed a correct prediction overall of 79.0%, with a significant (p = 0.001) risk effect in the Barcelona-autumn interaction (2.551-38.442), a significant (p = 0.049) protection effect in the Tudela-spring interaction (0.076-0.997), a significant (p < 0.001) risk effect in the Tudela-autumn interaction (4.330-78.584), and a significant (p = 0.014) protection effect in the Valencia-spring interaction (0.033-0.687). The high overall prevalence of Brachylaima spp. metacercariae should be a matter of concern for public health authorities, mainly in countries where C. aspersum is consumed.

Cohesion of Clonal Life History, Senescence and Rejuvenation Induced by Autogamy of the Histophagous Ciliate Tetrahymena rostrata

The histophagous ciliate Tetrahymena rostrata was found as a parasite in the renal organs of the land snails Zonitoides nitidus and Cochlicopa lubrica. A starvation medium induced encystment, meiosis, autogamy, and development of new macronuclei. The cell division rate declined linearly with number of divisions from the last autogamy until senescence. The senescing strains were rejuvenated by further encystment-induced autogamy. It is expected, that these processes contribute to genetic variability among the local, small, and isolated T. rostrata populations. Consistent with this expectation, small divergences in the cox-1 sequences appeared even among these strains, which had been isolated from different specimens of the same host species at the same site. The divergences in this gene between our T. rostrata strains from Z. nitidus and other strains from C. lubrica, Helix aspersa, and Deroceras reticulatum in Spain (Segade et al. 2009, Parasitology 136:771-782), were beyond the limits of intra-species variability within the genus Tetrahymena. However there is the lack of inter-strain differences in the life history and cytology among our, the Spanish, and those T.rostrata strains, that are not available for "barcoding" anymore. Therefore, variability in the life history and morphology within T .rostrata is constrained by natural selection.

Infections of Larval Stages of Dicrocoelium dendriticum and Brachylaima sp. in Brown Garden Snail, Helix aspersa, in Turkey

The aim of this study was to determine the presence and prevalence of larval stages of Dicrocoelium dendriticum and Brachylaima sp. in the first intermediate host, a species of land snail, Helix aspersa, in Turkey. A total of 211 snails were collected in April-May 2014 from pastures in Mersin District. Larval stages of D. dendriticum were identified under a light microscope. Hepatopancreas from naturally infected H. aspersa snails were examined histologically. The prevalence of larval stages of D. dendriticum and Brachylaima sp. in H. aspersa snails was found to be 2.4% and 1.9%, respectively, in Mersin, Turkey. Cercariae were not matured in sporocysts at the beginning of April; however, it was observed that cercariae matured and started to leave sporocysts by early-May. Thus, it was concluded that H. aspersa acts as an intermediate host to D. dendriticumin and Brachylaima sp. in Mersin, Turkey. A digenean trematode Brachylaima sp. was seen for the first time in Turkey.

Encystment/excystment response and serotypic variation in the gastropod parasite Tetrahymena rostrata (Ciliophora, Tetrahymenidae)

Tetrahymena rostrata, which is characterized by a particular encystment-excystment cycle involving autogamy, has been recently found infecting the kidney of edible Helix aspersa snails under farming conditions. In this work, the effects of several factors on its encystment/excystment behaviour and the occurrence of different serotypes were investigated. The encystment/excystment response under starvation conditions was seriously affected by temperature. While a peak of encystment at 48 h followed by a progressive spontaneous excystment was observed at 18 and 25 °C, the encystment response was practically inhibited at 5 °C and clearly slowed down at 10 °C. At 30 °C, most of surviving ciliates remained encysted throughout the experiment, with spontaneous excystment being detected only after switching the temperature to 18 °C. Soil components also affected the encystment/excystment behaviour at 18 °C, with spontaneous excystment occurring in the presence of a sterile-filtered soil extract or mineral water but being strongly minimized with a non-filtered soil extract. Resting cysts formed in the latter extract exhibited a 3–4 times thicker and ultrastructurally more complex wall than that formed in mineral water and retained the excystment ability for about 4 weeks. Incomplete desiccation did not affect significantly the encystment response, while the mucus and kidney extracts from snails as well as a ciliate extract strongly stimulated a rapid excystment. Finally, two different serotypes infecting H. aspersa in heliciculture farms of Galicia (NW Spain) were identified, but no differences were observed between the encystment/excystment responses exhibited by two isolates belonging to each serotype.

Re-description of the slug-parasitic nematode Alloionema appendiculatum Schneider, 1859 (Rhabditida: Alloionematidae)

Alloionema appendiculatum is a common juvenile parasite of many terrestrial molluscs. Its third-stage juveniles (dauers) invade the foot muscle of snails and slugs and develop into fourth-stage juveniles, which then leave the host. Later they mature and reproduce in the soil. A population of A. appendiculatum was isolated from infected individuals of the invasive slug Arion vulgaris (= A. lusitanicus), collected in the city of České Budějovice, Czech Republic, and was designated as the AL strain. This nematode is also able to reproduce on pig kidney in laboratory culture. Our isolate was compared primarily with the description published by Mengert (1953) and in some aspects with the original description published by Schneider (1859). Insufficient morphology, morphometrics, phylogeny and an absence of pictorial material encouraged us to re-describe this frequent slug parasite and to add some new information on its life-cycle. The species is characterised by the absence, in adults, of ridges in the lateral fields. At this life stage the stoma is short, narrow and approximately twice as long as it is broad. Fourth-stage female juveniles produce a mucus-like substance from the phasmids. Males possess six pairs of papillae and a single inconspicuous papilla. The nematode has both parasitic and saprophytic life-cycles. Parasitic adults are bigger than the saprophytes and have a thick, digitate tail, whereas the smaller saprophytic generation has a filiform tail. The species is amphimictic, displaying a higher proportion of females, but males are frequent.