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Úngari LP, Oceguera-Figueroa A, Torres-Carrera G, Netherlands EC, Santos ALQ, da Silva RJ, O Dwyer LH. Unoculubranchiobdella sp. (Hirudinea: Ozobranchidae) as a vector for Haemogregarina spp. in freshwater turtles from Brazil. Parasitol Res 2024; 123:249. [PMID: 38907803 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-024-08271-5] [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: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
Species of Haemogregarina are blood parasites known to parasitise vertebrate hosts, including fishes (Haemogregarina sensu lato) and freshwater turtles (Haemogregarina sensu stricto). Their vectors, include gnathiid isopods and leeches, respectively. In turtles, Haemogregarina balli has the best-characterized life cycle in the genus. However, no studies in Brazil have suggested a possible vector for any species of Haemogregarina from freshwater turtles. Therefore, in the present study, we provide insights into a leech vector based on specimens found feeding on two species of freshwater turtles, Podocnemis unifilis and Podocnemis expansa, using morphological and molecular data. In 2017 and 2019, freshwater turtles were collected in Goiás State, Brazil. Hosts were inspected for ectoparasites and leeches were collected from two specimens of P. expansa and nine specimens of P. unifilis. Leeches were subsequently identified as members of the genus Unoculubranchiobdella. Leech histological slides revealed haemogregarine-like structures, similar to post-sporogonic merogony, found near the gills and within the posterior sucker. Molecular analysis of the haemeogregarines resulted in the identification of three species of Haemogregarina: Haemogregarina embaubali, Haemogregarina goianensis, and Haemogregarina brasiliana. Therefore, our findings, based on morphology and DNA data suggest leeches of the genus Unoculubranchiondella as vectors for at least three species of Haemogregarina from Brazilian turtles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letícia Pereira Úngari
- Setor de Parasitologia, Departamento de Biodiversidade e Bioestatística, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista- UNESP,, Botucatu, SP, Brasil.
- Universidade de São Paulo - USP, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
| | - Alejandro Oceguera-Figueroa
- Laboratorio de Helmintología, Instituto de Biología, Universidade Nacional Autónoma de México -UNAM, Tercer Circuito s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de Mexico, Copilco, México
| | - Gerardo Torres-Carrera
- Laboratorio de Helmintología, Instituto de Biología, Universidade Nacional Autónoma de México -UNAM, Tercer Circuito s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de Mexico, Copilco, México
| | - Edward Charles Netherlands
- Department Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State, PO Box 339, Bloemfontein, 9300, South Africa
| | - André Luiz Quagliatto Santos
- Laboratório de Ensino e Pesquisa em Animais Silvestres, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Reinaldo José da Silva
- Setor de Parasitologia, Departamento de Biodiversidade e Bioestatística, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista- UNESP,, Botucatu, SP, Brasil
| | - Lucia Helena O Dwyer
- Setor de Parasitologia, Departamento de Biodiversidade e Bioestatística, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista- UNESP,, Botucatu, SP, Brasil
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Ceylan O, Úngari LP, Sönmez G, Gul C, Ceylan C, Tosunoglu M, Baycan B, O'Dwyer LH, Sevinc F. Discovery of a new Hepatozoon species namely Hepatozoon viperoi sp. nov. in nose-horned vipers in Türkiye. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9677. [PMID: 37322098 PMCID: PMC10272196 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36814-w] [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: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Although Hepatozoon spp. remains the most prevalent intracellular protozoa infecting snakes, it was reported only in a few snake species of the Colubridae family in Türkiye. Moreover, studies on these hemoparasites are not available in venomous nose-horned vipers from Türkiye. In this study, we investigated Hepatozoon spp. in three individual Vipera ammodytes using morphological and molecular methods. Our results were positive for intraerythrocytic Hepatozoon spp. gamonts in all three snakes, exhibiting low parasitemia. The microscopic findings were further confirmed through molecular data. A genus-specific PCR assay targeting the 18S rRNA gene region of Hepatozoon spp., was performed using HemoF/HemoR and Hep300/Hep900 primers. The obtained sequences were concatenated and used in phylogenetic analyses in comparison with different Hepatozoon species. Although our (OP377741) isolate was separated into a different branch, it was clustered with the isolates of H. massardi (KC342526), H. cevapii (KC342525), and H. annulatum (ON262426) from Brazilian snakes. Moreover, gene similarity and pair-wise distance between our isolate and other Hepatozoon species infecting snakes were found to be 89.30-98.63% and 0.009-0.077, respectively. Hence, we reported a new species of Hepatozoon, namely Hepatozoon viperoi sp. nov. infecting V. ammodytes. Since the literature does not indicate the existence of such a Hepatozoon species in V. ammodytes in different countries, our data may contribute to the expanding knowledge of Hepatozoon species in snakes, providing new insights into the biodiversity of the haemogregarine protozoan parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Onur Ceylan
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Selcuk University, 42130, Konya, Türkiye.
| | - Letícia Pereira Úngari
- Instituto de Biociências, Campus de Botucatu, Departamento de Parasitologia, UNESP-Univ. Estadual Paulista, Distrito de Rubião Junior, Botucatu, SP, 18618-689, Brazil
| | - Gonca Sönmez
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Selcuk University, 42130, Konya, Türkiye
| | - Cigdem Gul
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Türkiye
| | - Ceylan Ceylan
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Siirt University, 56100, Siirt, Türkiye
| | - Murat Tosunoglu
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Türkiye
| | - Bengi Baycan
- Department of Biology, School of Graduate Studies, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Türkiye
| | - Lucia Helena O'Dwyer
- Instituto de Biociências, Campus de Botucatu, Departamento de Parasitologia, UNESP-Univ. Estadual Paulista, Distrito de Rubião Junior, Botucatu, SP, 18618-689, Brazil
| | - Ferda Sevinc
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Selcuk University, 42130, Konya, Türkiye
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Verneau O, Melliti S, Kimdil L, El Mouden EH, Achouri MS, Rouag R. Molecular Phylogenies of Leeches and Haemoparasites Infecting Freshwater Turtles in Aquatic Ecosystems of Northern Africa Suggest Phylogenetic Congruence between Placobdella costata Sensu Lato and Haemogregarina stepanowi Sensu Lato. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1584. [PMID: 37375085 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11061584] [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: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Haemogregarines are blood parasites with a life-cycle involving a vertebrate as the intermediate host and an invertebrate as the definitive host and vector. Extensive phylogenetic investigations based on 18S-rRNA gene sequences have shown that Haemogregarina stepanowi (Apicomplexa: Haemogregarinidae) is able to infest a large diversity of freshwater turtle species, including the European pond turtle Emys orbicularis, the Sicilian pond turtle Emys trinacris, the Caspian turtle Mauremys caspica, the Mediterranean pond turtle Mauremys leprosa, and the Western Caspian turtle Mauremys rivulata, among others. From the same molecular markers, H. stepanowi is further considered to be a complex of cryptic species predisposed to infect the same host species. While Placobdella costata is known to be the unique vector of H. stepanowi, it is only recently that independent lineages within P. costata have been illustrated-suggesting the presence of at least five unique leech species across Western Europe. The aims of our study were therefore to investigate from mitochondrial markers (COI) the genetic diversity within haemogregarines and leeches infecting freshwater turtles of the Maghreb, in order to identify processes of parasite speciation. We showed that H. stepanowi consists of at least five cryptic species in the Maghreb, while two Placobella species were identified in the same area. Although an Eastern-Western speciation pattern was apparent for both leeches and haemogregarines, we cannot make definitive conclusions regarding co-speciation patterns between parasites and vectors. However, we cannot reject the hypothesis of a very strict host-parasite specificity within leeches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Verneau
- Centre de Formation et de Recherche sur les Environnements Méditerranéens, University of Perpignan Via Domitia, UMR 5110, F-66860 Perpignan, France
- CNRS, Centre de Formation et de Recherche sur les Environnements Méditerranéens, UMR 5110, F-66860 Perpignan, France
- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 20520, South Africa
| | - Sirine Melliti
- Centre de Formation et de Recherche sur les Environnements Méditerranéens, University of Perpignan Via Domitia, UMR 5110, F-66860 Perpignan, France
- Laboratoire de Diversité, Gestion et Conservation des Systèmes Biologiques, LR18ES06, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université Tunis-El Manar, Tunis 2092, Tunisia
| | - Latifa Kimdil
- Centre de Formation et de Recherche sur les Environnements Méditerranéens, University of Perpignan Via Domitia, UMR 5110, F-66860 Perpignan, France
- Laboratory of Water, Biodiversity and Climatic Change, Faculty of Sciences, Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech 40000, Morocco
| | - El Hassan El Mouden
- Laboratory of Water, Biodiversity and Climatic Change, Faculty of Sciences, Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech 40000, Morocco
| | - Mohamed Sghaier Achouri
- Laboratoire de Diversité, Gestion et Conservation des Systèmes Biologiques, LR18ES06, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université Tunis-El Manar, Tunis 2092, Tunisia
| | - Rachid Rouag
- Laboratoire de Recherche Biodiversité et Pollution des Ecosystèmes, Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, Université Chadli Bendjedid El-Tarf, BP73, El-Tarf 36000, Algeria
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Bilhalva LC, de Almeida BA, Colombo P, de Faria Valle S, Soares JF. Hematologic variables of free-living Leptodactylus luctator with and without hemoparasites and thrombidiform mites in southern Brazil. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2023; 38:100834. [PMID: 36725158 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2023.100834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
It has been suggested that anuran amphibian parasites can cause clinical signs in situations of environmental imbalance. In the family Leptodactylidae, information about hematology is scarce, although these are well-known tools for the diagnosis and prognosis in clinical practice and potential bioindicators of environmental stress. The objective of this study is to describe Leptodactylus luctator hematology, to report the occurrence of hemoparasites and thrombidiform mites, and to compare the hematological variables under the presence and absence of these organisms. Ectoparasites and heparinized blood samples from 40 free-living specimens of L. luctator were collected for analysis. Hematologic variables and total plasma protein were compared between groups with and without hemoparasites and intradermal mites. As results, structures compatible with hemogregarines, Lankesterella sp., five morphotypes of Trypanosoma spp., microfilaria, Aegyptianella sp., an unidentified intraleukocytic hemoparasite, and frog erythrocytic virus (FEV) inclusion bodies were identified in the blood samples, besides Hannemania spp. intradermal mites. The hemoparasite occurrence was higher than previously reported in other anuran families and locations. Also, L. luctator has smaller red blood cells (RBCs) and white blood cells (WBCs), and a hyposegmentation of the neutrophil nucleus, when compared to many other amphibians. White blood cell, neutrophil, and monocyte counts were higher in animals parasitized by mites. There was no correlation between the number of parasitized RBCs and hematologic variables. This study provides anuran hematologic information, in addition to indicating a host reaction to infestation by Hannemania spp. mites, besides constituting the first record of the distribution of hemoparasites and intradermal mites in L. luctator of the study region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Crespo Bilhalva
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Pathology, Veterinary Medicine College, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), 9090 Bento Gonçalves Ave., Porto Alegre 91540-000, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Bruno Albuquerque de Almeida
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Pathology, Veterinary Medicine College, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), 9090 Bento Gonçalves Ave., Porto Alegre 91540-000, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Patrick Colombo
- Zoobotanical Foundation of Rio Grande do Sul (FZB-RS), 1427 Dr. Salvador França Ave., Porto Alegre 90690-000, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Stella de Faria Valle
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Pathology, Veterinary Medicine College, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), 9090 Bento Gonçalves Ave., Porto Alegre 91540-000, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | - João Fabio Soares
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Pathology, Veterinary Medicine College, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), 9090 Bento Gonçalves Ave., Porto Alegre 91540-000, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
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Diversity of Haemogregarine Parasites Infecting Brazilian Anurans, with a Description of New Species of Dactylosoma (Apicomplexa: Adeleorina: Dactylosomatidae). Acta Parasitol 2022; 67:1740-1755. [PMID: 36264526 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-022-00624-3] [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: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Brazilian anurans are considered the most diverse and species rich around the world. Although in recent years there has been a strong focus on research related to this group of animals, their parasites have not received the same attention. Thus, this study aimed to provide morphological and molecular data on haemogregarines biodiversity infecting Brazilian anurans. METHODS During 2020, 116 anurans were collected from four Brazilian States and their blood and fragment of organs were screened for haemogregarine parasites. RESULTS From the total, seven (6.03%) animals were found infected with species of Hepatozoon and Dactylosoma. Based on the morphological and molecular analysis, four anurans were found infected with Hepatozoon latrensis. The phylogenetic analysis has shown the isolates from this study grouping with the Brazilian anuran Hepatozoon clade, also with gene similarity ranging from 99.70 to 100% to H. latrensis isolates available on GenBank. Furthermore, three specimens (Trachycephalus typhonius, Leptodactylus latrans, and Rhinella diptycha) were infected with the same species of Dactylosoma (100% genetic similarity), with a genetic similarity of 98.56% to Dactylosoma piperis the only other species described in Brazil. In support of the molecular data, different morphological characters were observed in the blood smears as compared to D. piperis, suggesting that the species of Dactylosoma from the present study infecting three different species of Brazilian anurans is an undescribed species. CONCLUSION Thus, this study increases the knowledge of Brazilian anuran blood parasites and demonstrates the importance of using integrative approaches for the diagnosis of haemoparasites.
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Coêlho TA, De Souza DC, da Costa Oliveira E, Correa LL, Viana LA, Kawashita-Ribeiro RA. Haemogregarine of Genus Dactylosoma (Adeleorina: Dactylosomatidae) in Species of Rhinella (Anura: Bufonidae) from the Brazilian Amazon. Acta Parasitol 2021; 66:1574-1580. [PMID: 33997935 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-021-00399-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The present study aims to record the occurrence of a haemogregarine of the genus Dactylosoma in anurans in the eastern Brazilian Amazon. METHODS Specimens of Leptodactylus macrosternum, Rhinella major, and Rhinella marina were collected in the municipality of Santarém, west of the State of Pará, in Brazil. Parasitic forms identified as Dactylosoma sp. were recorded by light microscopy, with magnification of 400 and 1000 X. RESULTS Aspects about the morphology and morphometry of Dactylosoma sp. are presented. The mean intensity of infection was 200,000 parasites/mL in R. major and 50,000 parasites/mL in R. marina. CONCLUSION The present study expands the occurrence of parasites of the genus Dactylosoma in Brazil, presenting a new anuran host for this parasite in the Brazilian Amazon region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tássio Alves Coêlho
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Tropical (PPGBIO), Laboratório de Estudos Morfofisiológicos e Parasitários, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Macapá, AP, 68903-419, Brazil.
| | - Darlison Chagas De Souza
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade (PPGBEES), Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará, Santarém, PA, 68040‑255, Brazil
| | - Evelyn da Costa Oliveira
- Instituto de Ciências e Tecnologia das Águas - ICTA, Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará - UFOPA, Santarém, PA, 68040‑255, Brazil
| | - Lincoln Lima Correa
- Instituto de Ciências e Tecnologia das Águas - ICTA, Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará - UFOPA, Santarém, PA, 68040‑255, Brazil
| | - Lúcio André Viana
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Tropical (PPGBIO), Laboratório de Estudos Morfofisiológicos e Parasitários, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Macapá, AP, 68903-419, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Alexandre Kawashita-Ribeiro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade (PPGBEES), Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará, Santarém, PA, 68040‑255, Brazil
- Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Naturais (ICEN), Universidade Federal de Rondonópolis, Rondonópolis, MT, 78736-900, Brazil
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Diaz E, Hidalgo A, Villamarin C, Donoso G, Barragan V. Vector-borne zoonotic blood parasites in wildlife from Ecuador: A report and systematic review. Vet World 2021; 14:1935-1945. [PMID: 34475720 PMCID: PMC8404139 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2021.1935-1945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Aim: Ecuador is a hugely diverse country, but information on infectious diseases in local wild animals is scarce. The aim of this study was to screen the presence of blood parasites in free-ranging wild animals admitted to the Wildlife Hospital at Universidad San Francisco de Quito, from April 2012 to January 2019. Materials and Methods: We identified blood parasites by microscopic observation of blood smears from free-ranging wildlife species that attended the Wildlife Hospital of Universidad San Francisco de Quito (Ecuador) from April 2012 to January 2019. Results: The microscopic evaluations of animals as potential reservoirs for vector-borne zoonotic blood parasites revealed the presence of Anaplasma spp., Babesia spp., Ehrlichia spp., Hepatozoon spp., microfilaria, Mycoplasma spp., and Trypanosoma spp. in previously unreported wildlife species. In addition, we performed a systematic review to understand the current knowledge gaps in the context of these findings. Conclusion: Our data contribute to the knowledge of blood parasites in wildlife from Ecuador. Furthermore, the potential transmission of these parasites to humans and domestic animals, current anthropogenic environmental changes in the region, and the lack of information on this suggest the importance of our results and warrant further investigations on infectious diseases in animals and humans and their relationship with environmental health as key domains of the One Health concept.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Diaz
- Escuela de Veterinaria, Hospital de Fauna Silvestre TUERI, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Anahi Hidalgo
- Escuela de Veterinaria, Hospital de Fauna Silvestre TUERI, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Carla Villamarin
- Colegio de Ciencias Biologicas y Ambientales, Instituto de Microbiologia, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Gustavo Donoso
- Escuela de Veterinaria, Hospital de Fauna Silvestre TUERI, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Veronica Barragan
- Colegio de Ciencias Biologicas y Ambientales, Instituto de Microbiologia, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador.,Department of Biological Science, Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, USA
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