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Peter N, Schantz AV, Dörge DD, Steinhoff A, Cunze S, Skaljic A, Klimpel S. Evidence of predation pressure on sensitive species by raccoons based on parasitological studies. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2024; 24:100935. [PMID: 38638363 PMCID: PMC11024658 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2024.100935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
To demonstrate predation and potential impacts of raccoons on various species, a total of 108 raccoons from aquatic-associated nature reserves and natural areas in three federal states of Germany, Hesse (n = 36), Saxony-Anhalt (n = 36) and Brandenburg (n = 36), were investigated from a dietary ecological perspective in the present study. Fecal analyses and stomach content examinations were conducted for this purpose. Additionally, as a supplementary method for analyzing the dietary spectrum of raccoons, the parasite fauna was considered, as metazoan parasites, in particular, can serve as indicators for the species and origin of food organisms. While stomach content analyses allow for a detailed recording of trophic relationships solely at the time of sampling, parasitological examinations enable inferences about more distant interaction processes. With their different developmental stages and heteroxenous life cycles involving specific, sometimes obligate, intermediate hosts, they utilize the food web to reach their definitive host. The results of this study clearly demonstrate that spawning areas of amphibians and reptiles were predominantly utilized as food resources by raccoons in the study areas. Thus, common toad (Bufo bufo), common newt (Lissotriton vulgaris), grass frog (Rana temporaria), and grass snake (Natrix natrix) were identified as food organisms for raccoons. The detection of the parasite species Euryhelmis squamula, Isthmiophora melis, and Physocephalus sexalatus with partially high infestation rates also suggests that both amphibians and reptiles belong to the established dietary components of raccoons from an ecological perspective, as amphibians and reptiles are obligate intermediate hosts in the respective parasitic life cycles of the detected parasites. The study clearly demonstrates that raccoons have a significant impact on occurrence-sensitive animal species in certain areas and, as an invasive species, can exert a negative influence on native species and ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norbert Peter
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt/Main, D-60439, Germany
| | - Anna V. Schantz
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt/Main, D-60439, Germany
| | - Dorian D. Dörge
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt/Main, D-60439, Germany
| | - Anne Steinhoff
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt/Main, D-60439, Germany
| | - Sarah Cunze
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt/Main, D-60439, Germany
| | - Ajdin Skaljic
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt/Main, D-60439, Germany
| | - Sven Klimpel
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt/Main, D-60439, Germany
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberganlage 25, Frankfurt/Main, D-60325, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, D-60325, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- Branch Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392, Giessen, Germany
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Fernández MV, Beltramino AA, Vogler RE, Hamann MI. Morphological and molecular characterization of brown-banded broodsacs and metacercariae of Leucochloridium (Trematoda: Leucochloridiidae) parasitizing the semi-slug Omalonyx unguis (Succineidae) in Argentina. J Invertebr Pathol 2024; 204:108112. [PMID: 38631556 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2024.108112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Trematodes of the genus Leucochloridium exhibit an unusual transmission strategy among mollusks (intermediate host). The fully developed sporocyst, housing encysted metacercariae, displays vivid coloration and rhythmic activity in the snail's tentacle, mimicking insect larvae. These strategies attract insectivorous birds, their final hosts, thereby increasing the chances of completing their life cycle. In South America, the reports of adults and larval stages of Leucochloridium are scarce. Brown-banded broodsac of Leucochloridium sp. were obtained from Omalonyx unguis collected in a shallow lake from Corrientes Province, Argentina. Here, we morphologically characterized the larval stages (broodsac and metacercaria), identified the parasite through DNA sequences from nuclear 28S-rRNA (28S) and the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) genes, and explored its evolutionary affinities with the Leucochloridium species available in GenBank. The present broodsac displays brown bands, with a yellowish background in the first two-thirds and yellowish-white in the last third. Based on morphological comparisons, the broodsac and metacercaria described in this study could not be conclusively categorized under any known South American species of Leucochloridium. In relation to the phylogenetic reconstructions, Leucochloridium sp. consistently clustered with L. perturbatum, and species delimitation analyses resulted in recognized Leucochloridium sp. from Argentina as a distinct species. The DNA sequences obtained in this study constitute the first genetic data generated for sporocyst broodsacs in South America. Future studies, incorporating morphology, genetic, and biological data, will be essential for both species identification and the elucidation of leucochloridiid diversity in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- María V Fernández
- Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas-Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Corrientes, W 3400, Argentina.
| | - Ariel A Beltramino
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas-Universidad Nacional de Misiones, Posadas, N3300LDX, Argentina
| | - Roberto E Vogler
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas-Universidad Nacional de Misiones, Posadas, N3300LDX, Argentina
| | - Monika I Hamann
- Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas-Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Corrientes, W 3400, Argentina
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Faltýnková A, Jouet D, Nielsen ÓK, Skírnisson K. First species record of Strigea falconis Szidat, 1928 (Trematoda, Strigeidae) from gyrfalcon Falco rusticolus in Iceland-pros and cons of a complex life cycle. Parasitol Res 2024; 123:147. [PMID: 38433153 PMCID: PMC10909778 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-024-08161-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Strigea falconis is a common parasite of birds of prey and owls widely distributed in the Holarctic. We aimed to characterise S. falconis from Iceland via integrative taxonomic approach and to contribute to the understanding of its circulation in the Holarctic. We recovered adult S. falconis from two gyrfalcons (Falco rusticolus) collected in 2011 and 2012 in Iceland (Reykjanes Peninsula, Westfjords) and characterised them by morphological and molecular genetic (D2 of rDNA, cox1, ND1 of the mDNA) methods. We provide the first species record of S. falconis in Iceland which to the best of our knowledge is its northernmost distributional range. The presence of S. falconis in Iceland is surprising, as there are no suitable intermediate hosts allowing completion of its life cycle. Gyrfalcons are fully sedentary in Iceland; thus, the only plausible explanation is that they acquired their infection by preying upon migratory birds arriving from Europe. Our data indicate that the most likely candidates are Anseriformes and Charadriiformes. Also, we corroborate the wide geographical distribution of S. falconis, as we found a high degree of similarity between our haplotypes and sequences of mesocercariae from frogs in France and of a metacercaria from Turdus naumanni in Japan, and adults from Buteo buteo and Circus aeruginosus from the Czech Republic. The case of Strigea falconis shows the advantages of a complex life cycle and also depicts its pitfalls when a parasite is introduced to a new area with no suitable intermediate hosts. In Iceland, gyrfalcons are apparently dead-end hosts for S. falconis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Faltýnková
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, Brno, 613 00, Czech Republic.
| | - Damien Jouet
- ESCAPE UR7510, USC ANSES PETARD, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, 51 Rue Cognacq-Jay, 51096, Reims Cedex, France
| | | | - Karl Skírnisson
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Institute for Experimental Pathology, Keldur, University of Iceland, IS-112, Reykjavík, Iceland
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Sitko J, Heneberg P. Avian trematodes of central European corvids are heterogeneous regarding preferences for host species and age. J Helminthol 2024; 98:e17. [PMID: 38325410 DOI: 10.1017/s0022149x23001001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Corvids are highly adaptive birds that respond well to anthropogenic changes in their environment. Trematode communities of corvids were studied mainly in the 1950s through 1970s in regularly flooded parts of the Volga River delta in Russia; more recent studies and data from other regions where the corvids are in less contact with postflooding habitats are limited. Data for Corvus corax were lacking. Using our samples obtained from 1963 to 2023, we performed a large-scale analysis of trematode species composition and community structure in Corvus frugilegus, Corvus cornix, C. corax, Coloeus monedula, Pica pica, and Garrulus glandarius; all originated from the Czech Republic. We identified corvids as hosts of mutually overlapping component communities of only a few species of trematodes (Brachylecithum lobatum, Lyperosomum petiolatum, Lyperosomum longicauda, Tamerlania zarudnyi, Urogonimus macrostomus), with the presence of many rare and incidental findings of other trematode species. Only a few species used corvids as their core hosts (L. longicauda and B. lobatum). Trematode component communities in first-year birds included Prosthogonimus cuneatus, Prosthogonimus ovatus, Plagiorchis asperus, and Morishitium dollfusi due to an increased share of insects (intermediate hosts of Prosthogonimus and Plagiorchis) and snails (intermediate hosts of Morishitium) in the diet of juveniles. The trematode component communities of corvid species overlapped but were heterogeneous at the level of host individuals, likely reflecting differences in food sources related to the respective host ages and nesting sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Sitko
- Comenius Museum, Moravian Ornithological Station, Přerov, Czech Republic
| | - P Heneberg
- Charles University, Third Faculty of Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic
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Usmanova RR, Prokhorova EE. Finding of an Unusually Colored Sporocyst of the Genus Leucochloridium in a Succinea putris Snail. DOKLADY BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES : PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE USSR, BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES SECTIONS 2023; 511:222-227. [PMID: 37833576 DOI: 10.1134/s0012496623700473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
A Leucochloridium sp. Carus, 1835 sporocyst with a mature colored broodsac was found in a Succinea putris L., 1758 snail in the Boksitogorsk district of Leningrad Region (Russia). The pigmentation of the sporocyst's broodsac was different from those of other Leucochloridium Carus, 1835 species previously described for Europe. The obtained sporocyst is most similar by the coloration of its broodsac to the trematodes of the same genus from Japan. The genotyping of the investigated sporocyst by the rDNA gene fragments (complete ITS1, ITS2, 5.8S and partial 18S and 28S sequences) was conducted. Genetic distances between the obtained sporocyst and the previously described species of the genus Leucochloridium were higher than intraspecific ones in the most cases. These data and the data of morphological analysis imply that the investigated sporocyst belongs to a separate species of the Leucochloridium genus, previously not described in the European region.
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Affiliation(s)
- R R Usmanova
- Laboratory of Experimental Zoology, Herzen State Pedagogical University, 191186, St. Petersburg, Russia.
| | - E E Prokhorova
- Laboratory of Experimental Zoology, Herzen State Pedagogical University, 191186, St. Petersburg, Russia
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Usmanova RR, Ataev GL, Tokmakova AS, Tsymbalenko NV, Prokhorova EE. Genotypic and morphological diversity of trematodes Leucochloridium paradoxum. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:997-1007. [PMID: 36872373 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07805-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Abstract
The sporocysts of the trematode Leucochloridium paradoxum parasitise land snails Succinea putris. The sporocysts form broodsacs whose tegument contains green and brown pigments. The colouration changes during maturation. The pattern and colour of the broodsacs may vary in different individuals and sometimes even in one sporocyst. We studied the broodsacs of 253 sporocysts of L. paradoxum collected in the European part of Russia and Belarus, and identified four main colouration types. An analysis of genetic polymorphism by a fragment (757 bp) of the mitochondrial cox1 gene revealed 22 haplotypes. Using the nucleotide sequences of the cox1 gene fragment of L. paradoxum from Japan and Europe available in GenBank, we constructed haplotype networks. A total of 27 haplotypes were identified. The haplotype diversity of L. paradoxum by this gene was rather low, on the average 0.8320. A low genotypic diversity by the mitochondrial marker is consistent with rDNA conservativeness of Leucochloridium spp. noted previously. The most broadly represented haplotypes, Hap_1 and Нap_3, were described in both sporocysts and adults of L. paradoxum. We suggest that the mobility of birds, which are the definitive hosts of L. paradoxum, provides the necessary conditions for the genotypic diversity of its sporocysts parasitising different populations of snails Succinea putris.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina R Usmanova
- Laboratory of Experimental Zoology, Department of Zoology and Genetics, Faculty of Biology, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, 191186, Moyka river 48, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Gennady L Ataev
- Laboratory of Experimental Zoology, Department of Zoology and Genetics, Faculty of Biology, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, 191186, Moyka river 48, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Arina S Tokmakova
- Laboratory of Experimental Zoology, Department of Zoology and Genetics, Faculty of Biology, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, 191186, Moyka river 48, St. Petersburg, Russia.
| | - Nadezhda V Tsymbalenko
- Laboratory of Experimental Zoology, Department of Zoology and Genetics, Faculty of Biology, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, 191186, Moyka river 48, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Elena E Prokhorova
- Laboratory of Experimental Zoology, Department of Zoology and Genetics, Faculty of Biology, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, 191186, Moyka river 48, St. Petersburg, Russia
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Helminths associated with terrestrial slugs in Swedish agricultural fields. J Helminthol 2023; 97:e27. [PMID: 36815309 DOI: 10.1017/s0022149x23000093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Slugs are important agricultural pests causing yearly yield losses. However, parasitizing helminths potentially could affect the size of the slug population. Here, a survey of terrestrial slug-parasitic helminths (nematodes and trematodes) was conducted for the first time in Sweden. In total, 268 terrestrial slugs were collected from 27 agricultural field edges in three seasons over 2020 and 2021 and dissected for presence of helminth parasites. Slugs belonging to the genus Arion were molecularly identified by mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) while parasites were identified using ribosomal RNA (18S). Overall, 13% of the collected slugs had helminth parasites and the likelihood of a slug being parasitized was highest in autumn. Slugs identified as Arion vulgaris were more likely to be parasitized than native slug species. The prevalence of nematodes and trematodes were similar; the dominant species found were Alloionema appendiculatum and Brachylaima thompsoni, respectively. This is the first record of the presence of these two species in Sweden.
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Sitko J, Heneberg P. Long-term study reveals central European aerial insectivores as an unusual group of hosts that harbor mostly helminths that are unable to complete life-cycles in the nesting quarters of their hosts. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:32. [PMID: 36703152 PMCID: PMC9878787 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05636-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Central European aerial insectivores are long-distance migrants that winter in sub-Saharan Africa. Most of them employ the fly-and-forage migrating strategy and differ in their food composition. The composition and structure of helminth component communities of these hosts are poorly understood, and information regarding seasonality and long-term changes is unavailable. METHODS From 1963 to 2022, we analyzed the population trends of helminths in five aerial insectivore species. Namely, we examined Apus apus, Hirundo rustica, Delichon urbicum, Riparia riparia, and Ficedula albicollis; all originated from the Czech Republic. RESULTS We identified central European aerial insectivores as hosts that are parasitized mostly by helminths that cannot complete their life-cycles in the nesting quarters of their hosts. This phenomenon is unknown in other bird host species. In contrast, only a single dominant trematode species that completes its life-cycle locally colonized the central European aerial insectivores. All other dominant species of Trematoda, all Nematoda, and all Acanthocephala were dependent on intermediate hosts unavailable in the nesting quarters of the examined bird hosts. Surprisingly, these helminths transmitted from winter quarters or migratory routes were diverse, and many of them were abundant in terms of both prevalence and intensity of infection. The helminth component communities of aerial insectivores were dynamic systems. During the study period, three species became new and regularly encountered members of helminth fauna of examined hosts, and other species gradually increased or decreased their intensity of infection. In contrast to other groups of bird hosts, the dominant helminth species of aerial insectivores did not experience local extinctions or rapid population losses. CONCLUSIONS The analysis of helminths of five central European aerial insectivores revealed component communities that heavily rely on completing host-parasite cycles at migration routes or wintering grounds. The composition of the analyzed component communities changed dynamically during the 60-year-long study period, but there was no evidence of large-scale declines in abundance or prevalence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiljí Sitko
- Moravian Ornithological Station, Comenius Museum, Prerov, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Heneberg
- Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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Rząd I, Okulewicz A, Sałamatin R, Szenejko M, Panicz R, Nowakowski JK, Stapf A. Helminth Community Structure of Tits Cyanistes caeruleus and Parus major (Paridae) during Their Autumn Migration on the Southern Baltic Coast. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13030421. [PMID: 36766310 PMCID: PMC9913555 DOI: 10.3390/ani13030421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The research problem undertaken in this study is to determine the scale of infection of Eurasian blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus and Great tit Parus major and the biological diversity of their internal parasites, helminths. The aim of the study is to gain new knowledge about the structure of the helminth communities of the Eurasian blue tit and Great tit on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea during autumn migration to their wintering grounds. Helminths of tits were collected in 2008-2012 on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea in Poland. PAST v. 2.11 software was used for the calculations. Barcoding DNA was used to identify trematodes initially classified based on morphological characters to the genera Leucochloridium and Urogonimus. Cestodes Anonchotaenia globata were recorded for the first time in Poland. The Eurasian blue tit is a new host in Poland for three species of helminths: cestode Monosertum parinum and filarial nematodes, Cardiofilaria pavlovskyi, and Diplotriaena henryi. The Great tit is a new host in Poland for trematode Urogonimus macrostomus, cestode A. globata and M. parinum, and filarial nematode Diplotriaena obtusa. The nematode C. pavlovskyi was the species most frequently recorded in both host species. A high degree of similarity was found between the component communities and infracommunities of helminths in Eurasian blue tit and Great tit. The new information provided in this study has increased our knowledge of the transmission of helminths in Central Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izabella Rząd
- Institute of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Szczecin, Wąska 13, 71-415 Szczecin, Poland
- Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Centre, University of Szczecin, Wąska 13, 71-415 Szczecin, Poland
- Correspondence:
| | - Anna Okulewicz
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 63, 51-148 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Rusłan Sałamatin
- Department of General Biology and Parasitology, Medical University of Warsaw, Chałubińskiego 5, 02-004 Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw, Kazimierza Wóycickiego 1/3, 01-938 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Magdalena Szenejko
- Institute of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Szczecin, Wąska 13, 71-415 Szczecin, Poland
- Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Centre, University of Szczecin, Wąska 13, 71-415 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Remigiusz Panicz
- Department of Meat Science, Faculty of Food Science and Fisheries, West Pomeranian University of Technology, 4 Kazimierza Królewicza Street, 71-550 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Jarosław K. Nowakowski
- Bird Migration Research Station, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Agata Stapf
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sport Science in Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poznan University of Physical Education, Estkowskiego 13, 66-400 Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland
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Peter N, Dörge DD, Cunze S, Schantz AV, Skaljic A, Rueckert S, Klimpel S. Raccoons contraband - The metazoan parasite fauna of free-ranging raccoons in central Europe. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2023; 20:79-88. [PMID: 36688078 PMCID: PMC9852791 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The invasive raccoon (Procyon lotor) is an abundant carnivore and considered as an important potential vector of infectious diseases and parasites in Europe. Raccoons show a broad, opportunistic, omnivorous food spectrum. Food supply and habitat quality in urban areas are very attractive for the generalist raccoon. This inevitably leads to increased interaction with humans, domestic animals and livestock, making the raccoon a potentially suitable zoonosis vector. In its autochthonous range, especially in the Eastern and Midwestern United States, the raccoon has been studied very intensively since the beginning of the 20th century. Whereas, basic field biology and parasitology studies in Germany and Europe are lacking and have only been conducted sporadically, regionally and on small sample sizes. In the presented study 234 raccoons from central Germany were comprehensively examined for their metazoan parasite fauna. The present study shows for the first time an extremely diverse parasite fauna in raccoons outside their native range and proves their essential role as intermediate hosts and hosts for ecto- and endoparasites. A total of 23 different parasite species were identified, five of which are human pathogens, 14 of which are new for the parasite fauna of raccoons in Europe. The human pathogenic raccoon roundworm Baylisascaris procyonis is the most common parasite species in this study, with a prevalence of up to 95%. The digenetic trematode Plagiorchis muris, another human pathogenic parasite species, was detected for the first time in raccoons. The ongoing spread of invasive carnivores and the associated spread and transmission of their parasites and other pathogens increases the potential health risk of wild and farmed animals as well as humans. An increase in parasitic diseases in humans (e.g. raccoon roundworm) is to be expected, especially in urban areas, where raccoons are becoming more and more abundant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norbert Peter
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt, Main, D-60438, Germany
| | - Dorian D. Dörge
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt, Main, D-60438, Germany
| | - Sarah Cunze
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt, Main, D-60438, Germany
| | - Anna V. Schantz
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt, Main, D-60438, Germany
| | - Ajdin Skaljic
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt, Main, D-60438, Germany
| | - Sonja Rueckert
- School of Applied Sciences and Center for Conservation and Restoration Science, Edinburgh Napier University, Sighthill Campus, Sighthill Court, Edinburgh, EH11 1HX, UK
| | - Sven Klimpel
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt, Main, D-60438, Germany,Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberganlage 25, Frankfurt, Main, D-60325, Germany,LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, D-60325, Frankfurt, Main, Germany,Corresponding author. Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt, Main, D-60439, Germany.
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Chiu MC, Lin ZH, Hsu PW, Chen HW. Molecular identification of the broodsacs from Leucochloridium passeri (Digenea: Leucochloridiidae) with a review of Leucochloridium species records in Taiwan. Parasitol Int 2022; 91:102644. [PMID: 35961577 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2022.102644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Leucochloridium spp. have been established in Taiwan since the 1930s, with five species listed: Leucochloridium turdi, Leucochloridium passeri, Leucochloridium muscularae, Leucochloridium sime, and Leucochloridium taiwanese listed until now. Because of the similar morphology among the adults of the Leucochloridiidae family, the taxonomic status of most of them should be reconsidered. Broodsacs are the most distinct characteristic shared by Leucochloridium flukes, and L. passeri is, by far, the only one whose broodsacs have been described. In this study, broodsacs collected from an infected Succinea sp. (amber snails) in Taiwan were morphologically compared to previous descriptions and sequenced using both nuclear and mitochondrial genetic markers for identification. Our samples resembled broodsacs of L. passeri previously described in northern Taiwan and those recently collected in Okinawa, Japan. The conspecific status of the broodsacs collected in Taiwan and Okinawa was supported by the identical DNA sequences identified in this study. Broodsacs have rarely been reported in tropical and subtropical regions, although some Leucochloridium spp. have been recorded. In such cases, genetic markers will be crucial to link Leucochloridium broodsacs in snails (intermediate host) with their corresponding adult stage in birds (definitive host).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Chung Chiu
- Department of Biology, National Changhua University of Education, Changhua 500, Taiwan
| | - Zhao-Hui Lin
- Endemic Species Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Nantou, 552, Taiwan; Department of Biological Resources, National Chiayi University, Chiayi 600, Taiwan
| | - Po-Wei Hsu
- Department of Biology, National Changhua University of Education, Changhua 500, Taiwan
| | - Hsuan-Wien Chen
- Department of Biological Resources, National Chiayi University, Chiayi 600, Taiwan.
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12
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Sasaki M, Iwaki T, Nakao M. REDISCOVERY OF MICHAJLOVIA TURDI (DIGENEA: BRACHYLAIMOIDEA) FROM JAPAN. J Parasitol 2022; 108:122-126. [PMID: 35267025 DOI: 10.1645/21-93] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Michajlovia turdi (Yamaguti, 1939) (Digenea: Brachylaimoidea) has been found from the Japanese thrush, Turdus cardis Temminck, 1831, in Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan. This is a rediscovery of M. turdi in Japan after approximately 80 years from the original description of the species as Leucochloridium turdiYamaguti, 1939. Here we redescribe the morphology of M. turdi and generate DNA barcodes for the species by sequencing nuclear ribosomal RNA (18S and 28S) and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) genes. Our molecular phylogenetic analysis was not effective at determining the taxonomic rank of Michajlovia in Brachylaimoidea, and consequently the genus remains as incertae sedis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mizuki Sasaki
- Department of Parasitology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa 078-8510, Japan
| | - Takashi Iwaki
- Meguro Parasitological Museum, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-0064, Japan
| | - Minoru Nakao
- Department of Parasitology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa 078-8510, Japan
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13
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Waki T, Nakao M, Sasaki M, Ikezawa H, Inoue K, Ohari Y, Kameda Y, Asada M, Furusawa H, Miyazaki S. Brachylaima phaedusae n. sp. (Trematoda: Brachylaimidae) from door snails in Japan. Parasitol Int 2022; 86:102469. [PMID: 34534656 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2021.102469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The metacercarial infections of door snails (Gastropoda: Clausiliidae) with unknown species of the genus Brachylaima (Trematoda: Brachylaimidae) have recently been reported in eastern Honshu and Kyushu, Japan. A large scale snail survey was carried out to clarify their taxonomic status. From the period of 2015 to 2020, a total of 1239 land snails (768 door snails and 471 others) were collected from 32 localities in Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. The resulting trematode isolates were identified as Brachylaima sp. by mitochondrial DNA barcoding. The sporocysts were found only a few from Megalophaedusa sublunellata (Clausiliidae), Tauphaedusa subaculus (Clausiliidae), and Aegista trochula (Camaenidae), while the metacercariae were frequently detected from 14 species of Clausiliidae and 2 species of other families. Although Brachylaima sp. showed a broad range of intermediate hosts, door snails seem to be very important to drive the life cycle. The gravid adults of Brachylaima sp. was experimentally raised from metacercariae using immunosuppressed mice. Morphological, phylogenetical, and ecological considerations prompted us to propose Brachylaima phaedusae n. sp. for this unknown species. The definitive hosts of the new species are completely unknown. The wide geographic distribution and high genetic diversity of the new species suggest a possibility that the definitive host is ground-foraging birds, which prefer door snails.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsukasa Waki
- Faculty of Science, Toho University, 2-2-1, Miyama, Funabashi-city, Chiba 274-8510, Japan.
| | - Minoru Nakao
- Department of Parasitology, Asahikawa Medical University, Midorigaoka-Highashi 2-1, Asahikawa 078-8510, Japan
| | - Mizuki Sasaki
- Department of Parasitology, Asahikawa Medical University, Midorigaoka-Highashi 2-1, Asahikawa 078-8510, Japan
| | - Hiromi Ikezawa
- Ibaraki Nature Museum, 700 Osaki, Bando, Ibaraki 306-0622, Japan
| | - Ken Inoue
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, 1677-1 Yoshida, Yamaguchi 753-8515, Japan; Laboratory of Nematology, Department of Applied Biological Sciences, Saga University, 1 Honjo, Saga-city, Saga 840-8502, Japan; Saga Prefectural Meat Sanitary Inspection Station, 4127 Minamitaku, Taku-city, Saga 846-0024, Japan
| | - Yuma Ohari
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita-ku Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan
| | - Yuichi Kameda
- Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Nature and Science, 4-1-1 Amakubo, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0005, Japan
| | - Masahito Asada
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, 13, Nishi 2 Sen, Inada, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Haruki Furusawa
- Faculty of Science, Toho University, 2-2-1, Miyama, Funabashi-city, Chiba 274-8510, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Miyazaki
- Kyushu Mollusc Study Society, 4-21-17 Konan, Miyazaki, Miyazaki 880-0944, Japan
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14
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Nematodes and trematodes associated with terrestrial gastropods in Nottingham, England. J Helminthol 2022; 96:e81. [DOI: 10.1017/s0022149x22000645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
A parasitological survey of terrestrial slugs and snails was conducted at popular dog walking locations across the city of Nottingham, with the intensions of finding gastropods infected with parasites of medical (or veterinary) importance such as lungworm (metastrongyloid nematodes) and trematodes. A total of 800 gastropods were collected from 16 sites over a 225 km2 area. The extracted nematodes and trematodes were identified by molecular barcoding. Of the 800 gastropods collected, 227 were infected (172 had nematode infections, 37 had trematode infections and 18 had both nematode and trematode infections). Of the nematode infected gastropods genotyped, seven species were identified, Agfa flexilis, Angiostoma gandavense, Angiostoma margaretae, Cosmocerca longicauda, Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita, Phasmarhabditis neopapillosa and an unknown Cosmocercidae species. Of the trematode infected gastropods genotyped, four species were identified, Brachylaima arcuate, Brachylaima fuscata, Brachylaima mesostoma and an unknown Plagiorchioidea species. No lungworm species were found within the city of Nottingham. To our knowledge, this study represents the first survey of gastropod-associated nematodes and trematodes in the East midlands of the United Kingdom.
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Sasaki M, Iwaki T, Waki T, Nakao M. An unknown species of Leucochloridium (Trematoda: Leucochloridiidae) from northern Honshu, Japan. Parasitol Int 2021; 87:102491. [PMID: 34728378 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2021.102491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Pulsating broodsacs of Leucochloridium sp. (Trematoda: Leucochloridiidae) were found from amber snails (Succinea lauta) in Iwate, the northern part of Honshu, Japan. A pattern with red-brown vertical stripes was characteristic of the broodsac. Very similar broodsacs were already detected from Okinawa Islands, the southern archipelago of Japan, and tentatively identified as Leucochloridium cf. passeri. A phylogenetic analysis based on DNA sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) showed that Leucochloridium sp. is different at species level from L. cf. passeri and that both species are related to Leucochloridium vogtianum from Europe. In this study the definitive identification of larval Leucochloridium sp. was impossible, but the resulting phylogeny confirmed that at least 4 species of Leucochloridium are distributed in Japan, depending on locality and climate. The DNA barcode generated in this study will be useful in detecting the adult stage of Leucochloridium sp. from birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mizuki Sasaki
- Department of Parasitology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido 078-8510, Japan.
| | - Takashi Iwaki
- Meguro Parasitological Museum, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-0064, Japan
| | - Tsukasa Waki
- Faculty of Science, Toho University, Funabashi, Chiba 274-8510, Japan
| | - Minoru Nakao
- Department of Parasitology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido 078-8510, Japan
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Gérard C, Ansart A, Decanter N, Martin MC, Dahirel M. Brachylaima spp. (Trematoda) parasitizing Cornu aspersum (Gastropoda) in France with potential risk of human consumption. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 27:15. [PMID: 32167465 PMCID: PMC7069358 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2020012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The edible land snail Cornu aspersum, native to the Mediterranean coastlines of North Africa, is widely distributed on most continents and often invasive in areas where introduction is recent. This species could contribute to the geographic spread of parasites as demonstrated for Brachylaima spp. These cosmopolitan trematodes may represent a threat to human health, like in Australia where Brachylaima cribbi infects humans. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time the occurrence of Brachylaima spp. in two French populations of C. aspersum, Thorigné-Fouillard (Ille-et-Vilaine), and Arçais (Deux-Sèvres), with an overall prevalence of 10.4% (Thorigné-Fouillard) and 73.3% (Arçais), respectively and a metacercarial intensity on average three times higher in Thorigné-Fouillard (37) than in Arçais (11). Cornu aspersum may act as a first and second intermediate host, as demonstrated in Arçais. The morphometrics of metacercariae, particularly the great body length about 2 mm, discriminate our Brachylaima species from those already described in C. aspersum (B. cribbi in Australia, and B. aspersae, B. llobregatensis and B. mascomai in Europe). Molecular analysis, based on 28S and COI, suggests the occurrence of two species in our study, one of which is probably Brachylaima mesostoma, an intestinal parasite of passeriform birds described in Central Europe. We underline the need for further research to identify species of Brachylaima in France and measure the health hazard of consuming field-collected snails.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Gérard
- Université de Rennes, CNRS, ECOBIO (Ecosystèmes, biodiversité, Évolution) - UMR 6553, 35000 Rennes, France
| | - Armelle Ansart
- Université de Rennes, CNRS, ECOBIO (Ecosystèmes, biodiversité, Évolution) - UMR 6553, 35000 Rennes, France
| | - Nolwenn Decanter
- Université de Rennes, CNRS, ECOBIO (Ecosystèmes, biodiversité, Évolution) - UMR 6553, 35000 Rennes, France
| | - Marie-Claire Martin
- Université de Rennes, CNRS, ECOBIO (Ecosystèmes, biodiversité, Évolution) - UMR 6553, 35000 Rennes, France
| | - Maxime Dahirel
- Université de Rennes, CNRS, ECOBIO (Ecosystèmes, biodiversité, Évolution) - UMR 6553, 35000 Rennes, France - INRAE, Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, ISA (Institut Sophia Agrobiotech), 06903 Sophia-Antipolis, France
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17
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Brachylaima succini sp. nov. (Trematoda: Brachylaimidae) from Succinea lauta, an amber snail in Hokkaido, Japan. Parasitol Int 2020; 77:102104. [PMID: 32169657 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2020.102104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Through a continuous survey of trematodes in land snails of Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan, we have discovered four species of the genus Brachylaima (Trematode: Brachylaimidae). Among them, Brachylaima ezohelicis, Brachylaima asakawai, and Brachylaima lignieuhadrae have already been described. Each of the three species is a strict specialist in selecting a particular species of land snail as the first intermediate host. In this report, we propose the fourth species, Brachylaima succini sp. nov., based on ecological, morphological, and phylogenetic considerations. Sporocysts and metacercariae of the new species were found exclusively from Succinea lauta, which is known as an amber snail indigenous to Hokkaido. Phylogenetic trees of nuclear 28S rDNA and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) demonstrated it to be distinct from the other sympatric species. Although metacercariae of the new species possessed unique morphological characters, adult worms experimentally raised from the metacercariae were similar to those of B. ezohelicis and B. lignieuhadrae. Natural definitive hosts of the new species are unknown, but the existence of common cox1 haplotypes from far-distant localities suggests a possibility that birds are involved as the definitive hosts. Findings of amber snails coinfected with both sporocysts of the new species and Leucochloridium perturbatum also support the involvement of birds.
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18
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Kim HC, Hong EJ, Ryu SY, Park J, Yu DH, Chae JS, Choi KS, Sim C, Park BK. Urogonimus turdi (Digenea: Leucochloridiidae) from the White's Thrush, Zoothera aurea, in the Republic of Korea. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2019; 57:461-467. [PMID: 31715686 PMCID: PMC6851249 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2019.57.5.461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Avian trematodes, Urogonimus turdi (Digenea: Leucochloridiidae), were collected from the intestine of wild birds, Zoothera aurea, 2013–2017 in the Daejeon Metropolitan City, Korea. The body was ellipsoidal, attenuated and/or round ends, 1,987–2,120 long and 819–831 μm wide. The oral sucker was subterminal, rounded anteriorly, and 308–425×351–432 μm in size; the prepharynx and esophagus were almost lacking; pharynx was well-developed, 142–179×78–170 μm in size; intestine narrow, bifurcating just after pharynx, ascending to the oral sucker before looping posteriorly and terminating near the posterior end; ventral sucker larger, in almost median, 536–673×447–605 μm and approximately 1.5 times larger than oral sucker. A phylogenetic tree constructed with 18S ribosomal RNA showed inter- and intraspecific relationships. Based on these morphological and molecular findings, we report here a U. turdi from White’s thrushes in Korea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeon Cheol Kim
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Institute of Veterinary Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24289, Korea
| | - Eui Ju Hong
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - Si Yun Ryu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - Jinho Park
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Do Hyeon Yu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Korea
| | - Joon Seok Chae
- Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, BK21 PLUS Program for Creative Veterinary Science Research, Research Institute for Veterinary Science and College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Kyoung Seong Choi
- College of Ecology and Environmental Science, Kyungpook National University, Sangju 37224, Korea
| | - Cheolho Sim
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76798, USA
| | - Bae Keun Park
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
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Fu YT, Jin YC, Liu GH. The Complete Mitochondrial Genome of the Caecal Fluke of Poultry, Postharmostomum commutatum, as the First Representative from the Superfamily Brachylaimoidea. Front Genet 2019; 10:1037. [PMID: 31708971 PMCID: PMC6823182 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.01037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Postharmostomum commutatum (Platyhelminthes: Brachylaimoidea), a parasite of the caeca of poultry, has been frequently reported from many countries and regions, including China. However, the molecular epidemiology, population genetics and phylogenetics of this parasite are poorly understood. In the present study, we determined and characterized the complete mitochondrial (mt) genome of P. commutatum, as the first representative from the superfamily Brachylaimoidea. The mt genome of P. commutatum is a circular DNA molecule of 13,799 bp in size and encodes the complete set of 36 genes (12 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes) as well as a typical control region. The mt genome of P. commutatum presents a clear bias in nucleotide composition with a negative AT-skew on average (-0.306) and a positive GC-skew on average (0.466). Phylogenetic analyses showed that P. commutatum (superfamily Brachylaimoidea) and other ten members of the order Diplostomida were recovered as sister groups of the order Plagiorchiida, indicating that the order Diplostomida is paraphyletic. This is the first mt genome of any member of the superfamily Brachylaimoidea and should represent a rich source of genetic markers for molecular epidemiological, population genetic and phylogenetic studies of parasitic flukes of socio-economic importance in poultry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Tian Fu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - Yuan-Chun Jin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - Guo-Hua Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Co-Innovation Center of Animal Production Safety, Changsha, China
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20
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Nakao M, Sasaki M, Waki T, Iwaki T, Morii Y, Yanagida K, Watanabe M, Tsuchitani Y, Saito T, Asakawa M. Distribution records of three species of Leucochloridium (Trematoda: Leucochloridiidae) in Japan, with comments on their microtaxonomy and ecology. Parasitol Int 2019; 72:101936. [PMID: 31153919 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2019.101936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Revised: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Insectivorous birds serve as definitive hosts for trematodes of the genus Leucochloridium. The parasites exclusively use amber snails of the family Succineidae as intermediate hosts. A pulsating and colorful display of the larval broodsac in the snail's eyestalk seems to be a caterpillar mimic for attracting birds. A colored design of the broodsac is very useful for parasite identification. In Japan, characteristic broodsacs from amber snails have been recorded from 1980's, but their taxonomic discrimination from Asian, European, and North American species has not been achieved. In this study, old scientific records, sighting information on broodsacs from the general public, and direct molecular evidence by DNA barcoding clearly showed that at least three species of Leucochloridium are distributed in Japan. A vertical-striped broodsac found from Succinea sp. in Okinawa, the subtropical island of Japan, were treated as Leucochloridium sp., but being almost identical to that of Leucochloridium passeri in neighboring Taiwan. The European species of Leucochloridium perturbatum and Leucochloridium paradoxum were frequently detected from Succinea lauta in Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan. The former species was common in inland areas of Hokkaido, whereas the latter species was frequently seen in the coastal areas. A possible explanation for the parasite distribution pattern is that principal definitive hosts (migratory or resident birds) differ in each parasite. The conspecificity of Leucochloridium variae in North America and L. perturbatum in Europe and the Far East is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minoru Nakao
- Department of Parasitology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido 078-8510, Japan.
| | - Mizuki Sasaki
- Department of Parasitology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido 078-8510, Japan
| | - Tsukasa Waki
- Faculty of Science, Toho University, Funabashi, Chiba 274-8510, Japan
| | - Takashi Iwaki
- Meguro Parasitological Museum, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-0064, Japan
| | - Yuta Morii
- Laboratory of Forest Ecosystem Management, Department of Forest Science, Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8569, Japan
| | - Kazumi Yanagida
- Asahikawa Branch, the Wild Bird Society of Japan, Asahikawa, Hokkaido 070-8061, Japan
| | | | - Yoshikazu Tsuchitani
- Department of Ecological Developmental Adaptability Life Sciences, Graduate School of Life Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8578, Japan
| | - Takumi Saito
- Department of Ecological Developmental Adaptability Life Sciences, Graduate School of Life Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8578, Japan
| | - Mitsuhiko Asakawa
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan
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Testing the higher-level phylogenetic classification of Digenea (Platyhelminthes, Trematoda) based on nuclear rDNA sequences before entering the age of the 'next-generation' Tree of Life. J Helminthol 2019; 93:260-276. [PMID: 30973318 DOI: 10.1017/s0022149x19000191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Digenea Carus, 1863 represent a highly diverse group of parasitic platyhelminths that infect all major vertebrate groups as definitive hosts. Morphology is the cornerstone of digenean systematics, but molecular markers have been instrumental in searching for a stable classification system of the subclass and in establishing more accurate species limits. The first comprehensive molecular phylogenetic tree of Digenea published in 2003 used two nuclear rRNA genes (ssrDNA = 18S rDNA and lsrDNA = 28S rDNA) and was based on 163 taxa representing 77 nominal families, resulting in a widely accepted phylogenetic classification. The genetic library for the 28S rRNA gene has increased steadily over the last 15 years because this marker possesses a strong phylogenetic signal to resolve sister-group relationships among species and to infer phylogenetic relationships at higher levels of the taxonomic hierarchy. Here, we have updated the database of 18S and 28S rRNA genes until December 2017, we have added newly generated 28S rDNA sequences and we have reassessed phylogenetic relationships to test the current higher-level classification of digeneans (at the subordinal and subfamilial levels). The new dataset consisted of 1077 digenean taxa allocated to 106 nominal families for 28S and 419 taxa in 98 families for 18S. Overall, the results were consistent with previous higher-level classification schemes, and most superfamilies and suborders were recovered as monophyletic assemblages. With the advancement of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, new phylogenetic hypotheses from complete mitochondrial genomes have been proposed, although their power to resolve deep levels of trees remains controversial. Since data from NGS methods are replacing other widely used markers for phylogenetic analyses, it is timely to reassess the phylogenetic relationships of digeneans with conventional nuclear rRNA genes, and to use the new analysis to test the performance of genomic information gathered from NGS, e.g. mitogenomes, to infer higher-level relationships of this group of parasitic platyhelminths.
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22
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Molecular and comparative morphological analysis of central European parasitic flatworms of the superfamily Brachylaimoidea Allison, 1943 (Trematoda: Plagiorchiida) - CORRIGENDUM. Parasitology 2018; 146:1355-1359. [PMID: 30457064 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182018001610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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23
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A molecular phylogenetic study of the caecal fluke of poultry, Postharmostomum commutatum (= P. gallinum) (Trematoda: Brachylaimidae). Parasitol Res 2018; 117:3927-3934. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-018-6102-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/30/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Nakao M, Waki T, Sasaki M, Anders JL, Koga D, Asakawa M. Brachylaima ezohelicis sp. nov. (Trematoda: Brachylaimidae) found from the land snail Ezohelix gainesi, with a note of an unidentified Brachylaima species in Hokkaido, Japan. Parasitol Int 2017; 66:240-249. [PMID: 28131768 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2017.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Revised: 01/21/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
In the Japanese Archipelago, Ezohelix gainesi, a member of bradybaenid land snails, is endemic mainly to the island of Hokkaido. During July to August of 2016, a survey to detect trematode infections from E. gainesi was carried out at a forest city park in Asahikawa, Hokkaido. Systemic infections of the snails with sporocysts containing short-tailed cercariae were found in 5.3% of 94 individuals examined. Furthermore, most of them (90.4%) harbored non-encysted metacercariae within their kidneys. A DNA sequence identification revealed that both of the sporocyst and the metacercaria belong to an unknown species of the family Brachylaimidae. The metacercariae showed a genetic diversity with 6 haplotypes of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) even in the limited sampling area. A definitive host of the unknown species could not be determined, although 34 field mice (Apodemus speciosus) and 21 voles (Myodes rufocanus) from the city park were examined for intestinal parasites. To examine the adult stage, the metacercariae were perorally administrated to mice, together with anti-inflammatory treatment with methylprednisolone. Fully matured adult worms were recovered from the intestinal ileum 8 and 14days postinfection. The gravid adults showed typical features of the genus Brachylaima. A morphological and biogeographical evaluation prompted us to propose Brachylaima ezohelicis sp. nov. for the parasite from E. gainesi. The autochthony of the first intermediate host and the spatial heterogeneity of mtDNA suggest that the new species found in the city park is not a recently expanded population of immigrant origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minoru Nakao
- Department of Parasitology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido 078-8510, Japan.
| | - Tsukasa Waki
- Meguro Parasitological Museum, Shimomeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-0064, Japan
| | - Mizuki Sasaki
- Department of Parasitology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido 078-8510, Japan
| | - Jason L Anders
- Graduate School of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0808, Japan
| | - Daisuke Koga
- Department of Microscopic Anatomy and Cell Biology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido 078-8510, Japan
| | - Mitsuhiko Asakawa
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan
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Sitko J, Bizos J, Sherrard-Smith E, Stanton DWG, Komorová P, Heneberg P. Integrative taxonomy of European parasitic flatworms of the genus Metorchis Looss, 1899 (Trematoda: Opisthorchiidae). Parasitol Int 2016; 65:258-67. [PMID: 26794684 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2016.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2015] [Revised: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 01/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Metorchis spp. are flukes (Platyhelminthes: Digenea) that infect vertebrates, including humans, dogs, cats, poultry and wild game, with cyprinid freshwater fish serving as typical second intermediate hosts. In their definitive hosts, the Metorchis spp. are difficult to identify to species. We provide and analyze sequences of two nuclear (18S rDNA and ITS2) and two mitochondrial (CO1 and ND1) DNA loci of four morphologically identified European species of the Metorchis, namely Metorchis albidus, Metorchis bilis, Metorchis crassiusculus and Metorchis xanthosomus, and of another opisthorchiid, Euamphimerus pancreaticus. DNA analysis suggests that the Metorchis specimens identified morphologically as M. albidus (from Lutra lutra), M. bilis (from Phalacrocorax carbo) and M. crassiusculus (from Aquila heliaca and Buteo rufinus) represent a single species. Thus, M. albidus (Braun, 1893) Loos, 1899 and M. crassiusculus (Rudolphi, 1809) Looss, 1899 are recognized as junior subjective synonyms of M. bilis (Braun, 1790) Odening, 1962. We also provide comparative measurements of the Central European Metorchis spp., and address their tissue specificity and prevalence based on the examination of extensive bird cohort from 1962 to 2015. M. bilis and M. xanthosomus can be morphologically diagnosed by measuring the extent of genitalia relative to body length and by the size ratio of their suckers. They also differ in their core definitive hosts, with ducks (Anas, Aythya) and coots (Fulica) hosting M. xanthosomus, and cormorants (Phalacrocorax), the birds of prey (Buteo, Aquila, etc.), piscivorous mammals (Lutra, Vulpes, Ursus, etc.) and humans hosting M. bilis. Previous reports on the Metorchis spp. contain numerous suspected misidentifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiljí Sitko
- Comenius Museum, Moravian Ornithological Station, Přerov, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Bizos
- Charles University in Prague, Third Faculty of Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Eleanor Sherrard-Smith
- Cardiff University, School of Biosciences, Cardiff, United Kingdom; Imperial College London, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Petr Heneberg
- Charles University in Prague, Third Faculty of Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic.
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