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Krücken J, Ehnert P, Fiedler S, Horn F, Helm CS, Ramünke S, Bartmann T, Kahl A, Neubert A, Weiher W, Daher R, Terhalle W, Klabunde-Negatsch A, Steuber S, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Faecal egg count reduction tests and nemabiome analysis reveal high frequency of multi-resistant parasites on sheep farms in north-east Germany involving multiple strongyle parasite species. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2024; 25:100547. [PMID: 38733882 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2024.100547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Anthelmintic resistance in sheep parasitic gastrointestinal nematodes is widespread and a severe health and economic issue but prevalence of resistance and involved parasite species are unknown in Germany. Here, the faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) was performed on eight farms using fenbendazole, ivermectin and moxidectin and on four farms using only moxidectin. A questionnaire was used to obtain data on management practices to potentially identify risk factors for presence of resistance. All requirements of the recently revised WAAVP guideline for diagnosing anthelmintic resistance using the FECRT were applied. Nematode species composition in pre- and post-treatment samples was analysed with the nemabiome approach. Using the eggCounts statistic package, resistance against fenbendazole, ivermectin and moxidectin was found on 7/8, 8/8 and 8/12 farms, respectively. No formal risk factor analysis was conducted since resistance was present on most farms. Comparison with the bayescount R package results revealed substantial agreement between methods (Cohen's κ = 0.774). In contrast, interpretation of data comparing revised and original WAAVP guidelines resulted in moderate agreement (Cohen's κ = 0.444). The FECR for moxidectin was significantly higher than for ivermectin and fenbendazole. Nemabiome data identified 4 to 12 species in pre-treatment samples and treatments caused a small but significant decrease in species diversity (inverse Simpson index). Non-metric multidimensional scaling and k-means clustering were used to identify common patterns in pre- and post-treatment samples. However, post-treatment samples were scattered among the pre-treatment samples. Resistant parasite species differed between farms. In conclusion, the revised FECRT guideline allows robust detection of anthelmintic resistance. Resistance was widespread and involved multiple parasite species. Resistance against both drug classes on the same farm was common. Further studies including additional drugs (levamisole, monepantel, closantel) should combine sensitive FECRTs with nemabiome data to comprehensively characterise the anthelmintic susceptibility status of sheep nematodes in Germany.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany; Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Paula Ehnert
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany; Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Fiedler
- Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Berlin, Germany
| | - Fabian Horn
- Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christina S Helm
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany; Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sabrina Ramünke
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany; Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tanja Bartmann
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany; Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexandra Kahl
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany; Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ann Neubert
- Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Berlin, Germany
| | - Wiebke Weiher
- Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ricarda Daher
- Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Berlin, Germany
| | - Werner Terhalle
- Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Stephan Steuber
- Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Berlin, Germany
| | - Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany; Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
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Weingart C, Krücken J, Kohn B. Repeated imidocarb treatment failure suggesting emerging resistance of Babesia canis in a new endemic area in north-eastern Germany. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2024; 15:102315. [PMID: 38301344 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Canine babesiosis has been increasingly diagnosed in various regions of Germany such as north-eastern Germany in recent years. A dog with several relapses of Babesia canis infection after treatment with imidocarb is described. A 9-year-old male Magyar Viszla with B. canis infection was referred after two treatments with imidocarb (dosage 2.1 mg/kg SC) because of lethargy, fever and pancytopenia (additional treatments with prednisolone and doxycycline). Merozoites were detected in the blood smear and imidocarb treatment was repeated. Clinical signs, pancytopenia and a positive B. canis PCR occurred after the 3rd (6 mg/kg SC), 4th (7.7 mg/kg SC) and 5th (7.5 mg/kg SC and doxycycline for 4 weeks in addition) imidocarb injection and thorough tick prevention with isoxazoline and permethrin products. 12 days after the 5th injection, the PCR was negative for the first time. The dog was again presented with fever 35 days after the 5th injection. The B. canis PCR was positive and laboratory examination revealed pancytopenia. Treatment with atovaquone/azithromycin for 18 days was performed and no further relapse occurred for 32 weeks. In the case of suspected imidocarb resistance in B. canis infection, treatment with atovaquone/azithromycin can be an alternative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Weingart
- Small Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Oertzenweg 19 b 14163, Germany.
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
| | - Barbara Kohn
- Small Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Oertzenweg 19 b 14163, Germany
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3
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Perles L, Dantas-Torres F, Krücken J, Morchón R, Walochnik J, Otranto D. Zoonotic dirofilariases: one, no one, or more than one parasite. Trends Parasitol 2024; 40:257-270. [PMID: 38228446 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Dirofilaria spp. are vector-borne filarial nematodes that affect a variety of animal species, including humans. Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens are the two main zoonotic species, but also other wildlife-associated Dirofilaria species are occasionally reported as causative agents of human dirofilariasis, including Dirofilaria striata, Dirofilaria tenuis, Dirofilaria ursi, Dirofilaria spectans, and Dirofilaria magnilarvata. Since the etiological identity of most of the species mentioned here is arguable, we summarized and critically discussed data concerning infections in humans, focusing on the reliability of Dirofilaria species identification. We advocate the importance of combined morphological and genomic approaches to provide unequivocal evidence for their zoonotic potential and pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livia Perles
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy
| | | | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Rodrigo Morchón
- Zoonotic Diseases and One Health, Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca (IBSAL), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Julia Walochnik
- Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology, and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy; Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
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Wolstenholme AJ, Andersen EC, Choudhary S, Ebner F, Hartmann S, Holden-Dye L, Kashyap SS, Krücken J, Martin RJ, Midha A, Nejsum P, Neveu C, Robertson AP, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Walker R, Wang J, Whitehead BJ, Williams PDE. Getting around the roundworms: Identifying knowledge gaps and research priorities for the ascarids. Adv Parasitol 2024; 123:51-123. [PMID: 38448148 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2023.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
The ascarids are a large group of parasitic nematodes that infect a wide range of animal species. In humans, they cause neglected diseases of poverty; many animal parasites also cause zoonotic infections in people. Control measures include hygiene and anthelmintic treatments, but they are not always appropriate or effective and this creates a continuing need to search for better ways to reduce the human, welfare and economic costs of these infections. To this end, Le Studium Institute of Advanced Studies organized a two-day conference to identify major gaps in our understanding of ascarid parasites with a view to setting research priorities that would allow for improved control. The participants identified several key areas for future focus, comprising of advances in genomic analysis and the use of model organisms, especially Caenorhabditis elegans, a more thorough appreciation of the complexity of host-parasite (and parasite-parasite) communications, a search for novel anthelmintic drugs and the development of effective vaccines. The participants agreed to try and maintain informal links in the future that could form the basis for collaborative projects, and to co-operate to organize future meetings and workshops to promote ascarid research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian J Wolstenholme
- Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (INRAE), Université de Tours, ISP, Nouzilly, France.
| | - Erik C Andersen
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Shivani Choudhary
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Friederike Ebner
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
| | - Susanne Hartmann
- Institute for Immunology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lindy Holden-Dye
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Sudhanva S Kashyap
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Richard J Martin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Ankur Midha
- Institute for Immunology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Peter Nejsum
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Cedric Neveu
- Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (INRAE), Université de Tours, ISP, Nouzilly, France
| | - Alan P Robertson
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | | | - Robert Walker
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Jianbin Wang
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | | | - Paul D E Williams
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
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Matharu AK, Ouma P, Njoroge MM, Amugune BL, Hyuga A, Mutebi F, Krücken J, Feldmeier H, Elson L, Fillinger U. Identification of tungiasis infection hotspots with a low-cost, high-throughput method for extracting Tunga penetrans (Siphonaptera) off-host stages from soil samples-An observational study. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011601. [PMID: 38377105 PMCID: PMC10906885 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The sand flea, Tunga penetrans, is the cause of a severely neglected parasitic skin disease (tungiasis) in the tropics and has received little attention from entomologists to understand its transmission ecology. Like all fleas, T. penetrans has environmental off-host stages presenting a constant source of reinfection. We adapted the Berlese-Tullgren funnel method using heat from light bulbs to extract off-host stages from soil samples to identify the major development sites within rural households in Kenya and Uganda. METHODS AND FINDINGS Simple, low-cost units of multiple funnels were designed to allow the extraction of >60 soil samples in parallel. We calibrated the method by investigating the impact of different bulb wattage and extraction time on resulting abundance and quality of off-host stages. A cross-sectional field survey was conducted in 49 tungiasis affected households. A total of 238 soil samples from indoor and outdoor living spaces were collected and extracted. Associations between environmental factors, household member infection status and the presence and abundance of off-host stages in the soil samples were explored using generalized models. The impact of heat (bulb wattage) and time (hours) on the efficiency of extraction was demonstrated and, through a stepwise approach, standard operating conditions defined that consistently resulted in the recovery of 75% (95% CI 63-85%) of all present off-host stages from any given soil sample. To extract off-host stages alive, potentially for consecutive laboratory bioassays, a low wattage (15-25 W) and short extraction time (4 h) will be required. The odds of finding off-host stages in indoor samples were 3.7-fold higher than in outdoor samples (95% CI 1.8-7.7). For every one larva outdoors, four (95% CI 1.3-12.7) larvae were found indoors. We collected 67% of all off-host specimen from indoor sleeping locations and the presence of off-host stages in these locations was strongly associated with an infected person sleeping in the room (OR 10.5 95% CI 3.6-28.4). CONCLUSION The indoor sleeping areas are the transmission hotspots for tungiasis in rural homes in Kenya and Uganda and can be targeted for disease control and prevention measures. The soil extraction methods can be used as a simple tool for monitoring direct impact of such interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abneel K. Matharu
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Berlin, Germany
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Human Health Theme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Paul Ouma
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Human Health Theme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Margaret M. Njoroge
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Human Health Theme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Billy L. Amugune
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Human Health Theme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Ayako Hyuga
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Human Health Theme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Francis Mutebi
- Makerere University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hermann Feldmeier
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lynne Elson
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Centre for Geographic Medicine Research (Coast), Kilifi, Kenya
- University of Oxford, Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Ulrike Fillinger
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Human Health Theme, Nairobi, Kenya
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6
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Hyuga A, Ouma P, Matharu AK, Krücken J, Kaneko S, Goto K, Fillinger U. Myth or truth: investigation of the jumping ability of Tunga penetrans (Siphonaptera: Tungidae). J Med Entomol 2024; 61:261-265. [PMID: 37861430 PMCID: PMC10784774 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjad143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Female sand fleas (Tunga penetrans Linnaeus, 1758, Siphonaptera: Tungidae) cause a severe parasitic skin disease known as tungiasis. T. penetrans is a small flea, measuring less than 1 mm in length. The females of this species burrow into the skin of human and animal hosts and mostly affect the feet. This has led to the anecdotal assumption that T. penetrans, unlike its relatives in the Siphonaptera family, would have a limited jumping ability potentially not reaching higher body parts. However, there is no data supporting this. This study evaluated the jumping capabilities of T. penetrans for height and distance using sticky tapes. The vertical jump of the female T. penetrans ranged from 4.5 to 100 mm with a mean of 40 mm whereas the vertical jump of the male T. penetrans ranged from 1.2 to 138 mm with a mean of 46 mm. The horizontal jump of the female T. penetrans ranged from 18 to 138 mm with a mean of 64 mm and that of the male ranged from 9 to 251 mm with a mean of 80 mm. Based on the literature, fleas of various species have been described as jumping vertically 50-100 times their size and horizontally 5-100 times their size. In this respect, sand fleas appear to have equal expert jumping abilities to their relatives. Their aggregation on people's feet is not likely a result of their poor jumping ability but might be an adaptation to the host's behavior which would require further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayako Hyuga
- Human Health Theme, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
| | - Paul Ouma
- Human Health Theme, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
| | - Abneel K Matharu
- Human Health Theme, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Satoshi Kaneko
- Department of Eco-Epidemiology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki-shi 852-8523, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Kensuke Goto
- Division of Health and Safety Sciences Education, Department of Educational Collaboration, Osaka Kyoiku University, 4-698-1 Asahigaoka, Kashiwara-shi 582-8582, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ulrike Fillinger
- Human Health Theme, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
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Lightbody KL, Austin A, Lambert PA, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Jürgenschellert L, Krücken J, Nielsen MK, Sallé G, Reigner F, Donnelly CG, Finno CJ, Walshe N, Mulcahy G, Housby-Skeggs N, Grice S, Geyer KK, Austin CJ, Matthews JB. Validation of a serum ELISA test for cyathostomin infection in equines. Int J Parasitol 2024; 54:23-32. [PMID: 37536388 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2023.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Cyathostomins are ubiquitous equine nematodes. Infection can result in larval cyathostominosis due to mass larval emergence. Although faecal egg count (FEC) tests provide estimates of egg shedding, these correlate poorly with burden and provide no information on mucosal/luminal larvae. Previous studies describe a serum IgG(T)-based ELISA (CT3) that exhibits utility for detection of mucosal/luminal cyathostomins. Here, this ELISA is optimised/validated for commercial application using sera from horses for which burden data were available. Optimisation included addition of total IgG-based calibrators to provide standard curves for quantification of antigen-specific IgG(T) used to generate a CT3-specific 'serum score' for each horse. Validation dataset results were then used to assess the optimised test's performance and select serum score cut-off values for diagnosis of burdens above 1000, 5000 and 10,000 cyathostomins. The test demonstrated excellent performance (Receiver Operating Characteristic Area Under the Curve values >0.9) in diagnosing infection, with >90% sensitivity and >70% specificity at the selected serum score cut-off values. CT3-specific serum IgG(T) profiles in equines in different settings were assessed to provide information for commercial test use. These studies demonstrated maternal transfer of CT3-specific IgG(T) in colostrum to newborns, levels of which declined before increasing as foals consumed contaminated pasture. Studies in geographically distinct populations demonstrated that the proportion of horses that reported as test positive at a 14.37 CT3 serum score (1000-cyathostomin threshold) was associated with parasite transmission risk. Based on the results, inclusion criteria for commercial use were developed. Logistic regression models were developed to predict probabilities that burdens of individuals are above defined thresholds based on the reported serum score. The models performed at a similar level to the serum score cut-off approach. In conclusion, the CT3 test provides an option for veterinarians to obtain evidence of low cyathostomin burdens that do not require anthelmintic treatment and to support diagnosis of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsty L Lightbody
- Austin Davis Biologics, Unit 1 Denfield Lodge, Great Addington, NN14 4BL, UK
| | - Andrew Austin
- Austin Davis Biologics, Unit 1 Denfield Lodge, Great Addington, NN14 4BL, UK
| | - Peter A Lambert
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK
| | - Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Laura Jürgenschellert
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin K Nielsen
- Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA
| | - Guillaume Sallé
- INRAE, Université de Tours, UMR1282 ISP, F-37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Fabrice Reigner
- INRAE, UE Physiologie Animale de l'Orfrasière, 37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Callum G Donnelly
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Carrie J Finno
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Nicola Walshe
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Sciences Centre, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Grace Mulcahy
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Sciences Centre, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | | | - Steven Grice
- The Horse Trust, Slad Lane, Princes Risborough HP27 0PP, UK
| | | | - Corrine J Austin
- Austin Davis Biologics, Unit 1 Denfield Lodge, Great Addington, NN14 4BL, UK
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Kahl A, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Helm C, Hodgkinson J, Williams D, Weiher W, Terhalle W, Steuber S, Ganter M, Krücken J. Efficacy of flukicides against Fasciola hepatica and first report of triclabendazole resistance on German sheep farms. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2023; 23:94-105. [PMID: 38006779 PMCID: PMC10757264 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2023.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
Fasciola hepatica infections lead to severe health problems and production losses in sheep farming, if not treated effectively. Triclabendazole has been used extensively over decades due to its unique efficacy range against all definitive hostfluke stages but published data about the susceptibility of F. hepatica to anthelmintics in Germany are lacking. This study aimed to identify current F. hepatica infections in German sheep flocks by coproscopic examinations and to evaluate the efficacy of anthelmintics with a focus on triclabendazole in a field study conducted from 2020 to 2022. Initial screening included 71 sheep farms, many of them with known history of fasciolosis. In this highly biased sample set, the frequency of F. hepatica infection at individual sheep and farm level were 12.8% and 35.2%, respectively. Additionally, eggs of Paramphistominae were found at frequencies of 4.8% and 15.5% at individual sheep and farm level, respectively. Due to low egg shedding intensity, faecal egg count reduction (FECR) tests could only be conducted on a few farms. The efficacy of triclabendazole was tested on 11 farms and albendazole on one farm, including 3-53 sheep/farm. Individual faecal samples were collected before and two weeks after treatment to evaluate the FECR using the sedimentation or FLUKEFINDER® or a modified FLUKEFINDER® method. On all farms a coproantigen reduction test was conducted in parallel. Lacking efficacy of triclabendazole even at double dosage was shown on one farm associated with a high number of animal losses due to acute fasciolosis. On this farm, the Fasciola miracidium development test was additionally performed, revealing a high in vitro ovicidal activity of albendazole while closantel was effective in vivo. On all other farms, sufficient efficacy of triclabendazole was observed. In conclusion, triclabendazole resistance appears not to be widespread on German sheep farms but, when present, can have serious effects on animal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Kahl
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christina Helm
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jane Hodgkinson
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, L3 5RF, Liverpool, UK
| | - Diana Williams
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, L3 5RF, Liverpool, UK
| | - Wiebke Weiher
- Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL), Gerichtstraße 49, 13347, Berlin, Germany
| | - Werner Terhalle
- Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL), Gerichtstraße 49, 13347, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stephan Steuber
- Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL), Gerichtstraße 49, 13347, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin Ganter
- Clinic for Swine and Small Ruminants, Forensic Medicine and Ambulatory Service, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173, Hannover, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7, 14163, Berlin, Germany.
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Otieno B, Elson L, Matharu AK, Riithi N, Chongwo E, Katana K, Nasambu C, Mutebi F, Feldmeier H, Krücken J, Fillinger U, Abubakar A. Neurocognitive and mental health outcomes in children with tungiasis: a cross-sectional study in rural Kenya and Uganda. Infect Dis Poverty 2023; 12:100. [PMID: 37964353 PMCID: PMC10644620 DOI: 10.1186/s40249-023-01154-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tungiasis, a neglected tropical parasitosis, disproportionately affects children. Few empirical studies have reported neurocognitive and mental health outcomes of children with ectoparasitic skin diseases like tungiasis. Pathophysiology of tungiasis suggests it could detrimentally affect cognition and behaviour. This study pioneered the investigation of neurocognitive and mental health outcomes in children with tungiasis. METHODS This was a multi-site cross-sectional study including 454 quasi-randomly sampled school-children aged 8-14 from 48 randomly selected schools in two counties in Kenya and a district in Uganda. The participants were stratified into infected and uninfected based on the presence of tungiasis. The infected were further classified into mild and severe infection groups based on the intensity of the infection. Adapted, validated, and standardized measures of cognition and mental health such as Raven Matrices and Child Behaviour Checklist were used to collect data. Statistical tests including a multilevel, generalized mixed-effects linear models with family link set to identity were used to compare the scores of uninfected and infected children and to identify other potential risk factors for neurocognitive and behavioural outcomes. RESULTS When adjusted for covariates, mild infection was associated with lower scores in literacy [adjusted β(aβ) = - 8.9; 95% confidence interval (CI) - 17.2, - 0.6], language (aβ = - 1.7; 95% CI - 3.2, - 0.3), cognitive flexibility (aβ = - 6.1; 95% CI - 10.4, - 1.7) and working memory (aβ = - 0.3; 95% CI - 0.6, - 0.1). Severe infection was associated with lower scores in literacy (aβ = - 11.0; 95% CI - 19.3, - 2.8), response inhibition, (aβ = - 2.2; 95% CI - 4.2, - 0.2), fine motor control (aβ = - 0.7; 95% CI - 1.1, - 0.4) and numeracy (aβ = - 3; 95% CI - 5.5, - 0.4). CONCLUSIONS This study provides first evidence that tungiasis is associated with poor neurocognitive functioning in children. Since tungiasis is a chronic disease with frequent reinfections, such negative effects may potentially impair their development and life achievements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berrick Otieno
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)-Wellcome Trust Programme, Hospital Road, Kilifi, Kenya.
| | - Lynne Elson
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)-Wellcome Trust Programme, Hospital Road, Kilifi, Kenya
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Abneel K Matharu
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIE), Human Health Theme, Nairobi, Kenya
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Naomi Riithi
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIE), Human Health Theme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Esther Chongwo
- Institute for Human Development, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Khamis Katana
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)-Wellcome Trust Programme, Hospital Road, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Carophine Nasambu
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)-Wellcome Trust Programme, Hospital Road, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Francis Mutebi
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Resources, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala , Uganda
| | | | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulrike Fillinger
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIE), Human Health Theme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Amina Abubakar
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)-Wellcome Trust Programme, Hospital Road, Kilifi, Kenya
- Institute for Human Development, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya
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Schäfer I, Helm CS, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Krücken J, Kottmann T, Holtdirk A, Kohn B, Hendrickx G, Marsboom C, Müller E. Molecular detection of Babesia spp. in dogs in Germany (2007-2020) and identification of potential risk factors for infection. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:396. [PMID: 37919757 PMCID: PMC10621212 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-06005-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In Europe, canine babesiosis is most frequently caused by Babesia canis and Babesia vogeli, and occasionally by Babesia gibsoni.. In Germany, B. canis is recognized as endemic. The aims of this study were to assess how often Babesia spp. infections were diagnosed in a commercial laboratory in samples from dogs from Germany, and to evaluate potential risk factors for infection. METHODS The database of the LABOKLIN laboratory was screened for Babesia spp.-positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for dogs for the period January 2007-December 2020. Sequencing was performed for positive tests from 2018 and 2019. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the effects of sex, season, and year of testing. Questionnaires were sent to the submitting veterinarians to obtain information on travel abroad, tick infestation, and ectoparasite prophylaxis of the respective dogs. Fisher's exact test was used to calculate statistical significance and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS In total, 659 out of 20,914 dogs (3.2%) tested positive for Babesia spp. by PCR. Of 172 sequenced samples, B. canis was identified in 156, B. vogeli in nine, B. gibsoni in five, and B. vulpes in two. Season had a statistically significant impact on test results when summer/winter (1.6% tested positive) was compared to spring/autumn (4.7%), with peaks in April (5.2%) and October (7.4%) [P < 0.001, odds ratio (OR) = 3.16]. Sex (male 3.5%, female 2.8%; P = 0.012, OR = 1.49) and age (< 7 years old 4.0%, ≥ 7 years old 2.3%; P < 0.001, OR = 1.76) of the tested dogs also had a statistically significant effect. A statistically significant impact was demonstrated for observed tick attachment (P < 0.001, OR = 7.62) and lack of ectoparasite prophylaxis (P = 0.001, OR = 3.03). The frequency of positive Babesia spp. tests did not significantly differ between the 659 dogs that had never left Germany and the 1506 dogs with known stays abroad (P = 0.088). CONCLUSIONS The possibility of canine infection with B. canis needs to be especially taken into consideration in spring and autumn in Germany as the activity of the tick Dermacentor reticulatus, a potential vector for canine babesiosis, is highest in these seasons. Travel and importation of dogs are considered major factors associated with canine babesiosis in Germany. However, autochthonous Babesia spp. infections also occur in a considerable number of dogs in Germany.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingo Schäfer
- LABOKLIN GmbH & Co. KG, Steubenstraße 4, Bad Kissingen, 97688, Germany.
| | - Christina Sabine Helm
- Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 67, Berlin, 14163, Germany
| | - Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna
- Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 67, Berlin, 14163, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 67, Berlin, 14163, Germany
| | - Tanja Kottmann
- Clinical Research Organization Dr. med. Kottmann GmbH & Co. KG, Beverstraße 64, Hamm, 59007, Germany
| | - Annette Holtdirk
- Clinical Research Organization Dr. med. Kottmann GmbH & Co. KG, Beverstraße 64, Hamm, 59007, Germany
| | - Barbara Kohn
- Small Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Oertzenweg 19b, Berlin, 14163, Germany
| | - Guy Hendrickx
- R&D Department, AVIA GIS, Risschotlei 33, Zoersel, 2980, Belgium
| | - Cedric Marsboom
- R&D Department, AVIA GIS, Risschotlei 33, Zoersel, 2980, Belgium
| | - Elisabeth Müller
- LABOKLIN GmbH & Co. KG, Steubenstraße 4, Bad Kissingen, 97688, Germany
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11
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Stummer M, Frisch V, Glitz F, Hinney B, Spergser J, Krücken J, Diekmann I, Dimmel K, Riedel C, Cavalleri JMV, Rümenapf T, Joachim A, Lyrakis M, Auer A. Presence of Equine and Bovine Coronaviruses, Endoparasites, and Bacteria in Fecal Samples of Horses with Colic. Pathogens 2023; 12:1043. [PMID: 37624003 PMCID: PMC10458731 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12081043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute abdominal pain (colic) is one of the major equine health threats worldwide and often necessitates intensive veterinary medical care and surgical intervention. Equine coronavirus (ECoV) infections can cause colic in horses but are rarely considered as a differential diagnosis. To determine the frequency of otherwise undetected ECoV infections in horses with acute colic, fresh fecal samples of 105 horses with acute colic and 36 healthy control horses were screened for viruses belonging to the Betacoronavirus 1 species by RT-PCR as well as for gastrointestinal helminths and bacteria commonly associated with colic. Horses with colic excreted significantly fewer strongyle eggs than horses without colic. The prevalence of anaerobic, spore-forming, gram-positive bacteria (Clostridium perfringens and Clostridioides difficile) was significantly higher in the feces of horses with colic. Six horses with colic (5.7%) and one horse from the control group (2.8%) tested positive for Betacoronaviruses. Coronavirus-positive samples were sequenced to classify the virus by molecular phylogeny (N gene). Interestingly, in three out of six coronavirus-positive horses with colic, sequences closely related to bovine coronaviruses (BCoV) were found. The pathogenic potential of BCoV in horses remains unclear and warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz Stummer
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria (K.D.); (T.R.)
| | - Vicky Frisch
- Clinical Unit of Equine Internal Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (V.F.); (J.-M.V.C.)
| | | | - Barbara Hinney
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (B.H.); (A.J.)
| | - Joachim Spergser
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany; (J.K.); (I.D.)
| | - Irina Diekmann
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany; (J.K.); (I.D.)
| | - Katharina Dimmel
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria (K.D.); (T.R.)
| | - Christiane Riedel
- CIRI-Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Inserm, U1111, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS Lyon, 46 allée d’Italie, 69364 Lyon, France;
| | | | - Till Rümenapf
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria (K.D.); (T.R.)
| | - Anja Joachim
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (B.H.); (A.J.)
| | - Manolis Lyrakis
- Platform for Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Angelika Auer
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria (K.D.); (T.R.)
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Kundik A, Musimbi ZD, Krücken J, Hildebrandt T, Kornilov O, Hartmann S, Ebner F. Quantifying metabolic activity of Ascaris suum L3 using resazurin reduction. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:243. [PMID: 37468906 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05871-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Helminth infections are an important public health problem in humans and have an even greater impact on domestic animal and livestock welfare. Current readouts for anthelmintic drug screening assays are stage development, migration, or motility that can be subjective, laborious, and low in throughput. The aim of this study was to apply and optimize a fluorometric technique using resazurin for evaluating changes in the metabolic activity of Ascaris suum third-stage larvae (L3), a parasite of high economic relevance in swine. METHODS Ascaris suum L3 were mechanically hatched from 6- to 8-week embryonated and sucrose-gradient-enriched eggs. Resazurin dye and A. suum L3 were titrated in 96-well microtiter plates, and resazurin reduction activity was assessed by fluorometry after 24 h of incubation. Fluorescence microscopy was used to localize the resazurin reduction site within the larvae. Finally, we exposed A. suum L3 to various stress conditions including heat, methanol, and anthelmintics, and investigated their impact on larval metabolism through resazurin reduction activity. RESULTS We show that the non-fluorescent dye resazurin is reduced inside vital A. suum L3 to fluorescent resorufin and released into the culture media. Optimal assay parameters are 100-1000 L3 per well, a resazurin concentration of 7.5 µg/ml, and incubation at 37 °C/5% CO2 for 24 h. An intact L2 sheath around the L3 of A. suum completely prevents the uptake of resazurin, while in unsheathed L3, the most intense fluorescence signal is observed along the larval midgut. L3 exposed to methanol or heat show a gradually decreased resazurin reduction activity. In addition, 24 h exposure to ivermectin at 0.625 µM, mebendazole at 5 µM, and thiabendazole from 10 to 100 µM significantly decreased larval metabolic activity by 55%, 73%, and 70% to 89%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Together, our results show that both metabolic stressors and anthelmintic drugs significantly and reproducibly reduce the resazurin reduction activity of A. suum L3, making the proposed assay a sensitive and easy-to-use method to evaluate metabolic activity of A. suum L3 in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arkadi Kundik
- Institute of Immunology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Zaneta D Musimbi
- Institute of Immunology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - Susanne Hartmann
- Institute of Immunology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Friederike Ebner
- Institute of Immunology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
- Chair of Infection Pathogenesis, Department of Molecular Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany.
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13
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Hinney B, Wiedermann S, Bosco A, Rinaldi L, Hofer M, Joachim A, Krücken J, Steinborn R. Development of a three-colour digital PCR for early and quantitative detection of benzimidazole resistance-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms in Haemonchus contortus. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2023; 22:88-95. [PMID: 37348434 PMCID: PMC10336075 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2023.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Haemonchus contortus is the most pathogenic nematode in small ruminants and anthelmintic resistance (AR) hampers its efficient control. Early detection of AR status is required to reduce selection for AR and cannot be achieved using phenotypic tests. For benzimidazoles (BZs), the detection of AR-associated alleles characterised by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the isotype 1 β-tubulin gene allows early AR detection in strongyles. The F200Y, F167Y, E198A and E198L polymorphisms have been described in BZ-resistant populations with a clear variation in frequencies between regions. A novel digital PCR (dPCR) enables the detection of all of the above-described polymorphisms in H. contortus. Assays were validated using synthetic DNA fragments containing these SNPs. Then, larvae obtained and pooled at farm level from 26 Austrian and 10 Italian sheep farms were analysed. For all assays a detection limit of 15 copies/μl of resistance alleles and a high level of accuracy were demonstrated, allowing to detect allele frequencies of 1% in most samples. In Austrian samples, elevated frequencies of F200Y resistance alleles were detected on all farms. Polymorphisms in codon 167 and codon 198 were identified in H. contortus from Austria for the first time. In Italian samples, the frequency of resistance alleles was still comparatively low, but F200Y resistance alleles were traceable. In conclusion we developed for the first time dPCR assays that target all SNPs of relevance associated with BZ-resistance in H. contortus. Future research on AR development could benefit from an early onset of SNP-based surveillance that would include the developed assays for all SNPs of relevance. Improved surveillance in the long term will include other important, though less pathogenic, nematode genera in the analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Hinney
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Sandra Wiedermann
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Antonio Bosco
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Laura Rinaldi
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Martin Hofer
- Genomics Core Facility, VetCore, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anja Joachim
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag Str. 7, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ralf Steinborn
- Genomics Core Facility, VetCore, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
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14
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Kahl A, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Helm CS, Hodgkinson J, Williams D, Weiher W, Terhalle W, Steuber S, Krücken J. Coproscopical diagnosis of patent Fasciola hepatica infections in sheep - A comparison between standard sedimentation, FLUKEFINDER® and a combination of both. Vet Parasitol 2023; 319:109956. [PMID: 37182357 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.109956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The liver fluke Fasciola hepatica is a highly pathogenic and zoonotic trematode with a cosmopolitan distribution. In livestock, infections may lead to significant economic losses if not diagnosed promptly and treated effectively. Particularly for small ruminants, the standard method for the detection of fluke infection is based on coproscopical methods such as the sedimentation method, which detects F. hepatica eggs in faecal samples. In this respect a recent innovative coproscopical approach to diagnose patent infections is the FLUKEFINDER® method, which relies on differential sieving before sedimentation. These two methods and a combination of both methods that allows larger amounts of faeces to be processed with the FLUKEFINDER® apparatus were compared, to assess which method is most appropriate to determine the prevalence and intensity of F. hepatica egg shedding. The methods were compared for their ability to recover eggs from ovine faecal samples containing different numbers of fluke eggs per gram (EPG) of faeces and diluting the samples further by mixing with faeces from uninfected sheep. To compare the specificity of the test procedures, positive and negative samples with a low EPG were analysed in parallel by an investigator blinded to the nature of the samples. Significant differences concerning the EPG outcome were found: The FLUKEFINDER® method demonstrated the highest EPG values (p < 0.001) in the undiluted samples as well as in all mixing levels, followed by the modified FLUKEFINDER® method. The standard sedimentation showed the lowest EPG values and the highest variability between technical replicates. The precision of the FLUKEFINDER® method and the modified FLUKEFINDER® method were significantly higher than the precision of the standard sedimentation as determined by comparison of variability between technical replicates. The highest raw egg counts were detected using the modified FLUKEFINDER® method. The FLUKEFINDER® method and the combined method showed a sensitivity of 100 % even at the lowest egg concentrations, whereas the sensitivity of the standard sedimentation was 98.1 % for the same set of samples (i.e. one false negative sample). In a separate investigation aiming to estimate the specificity no differences were found between the three methods: all protocols showed 100 % specificity and were able to correctly distinguish between truly positive and truly negative samples without any evidence of cross-contamination between positive and negative samples processed in parallel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Kahl
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7, 13163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7, 13163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christina S Helm
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7, 13163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jane Hodgkinson
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, L3 5RF Liverpool, UK
| | - Diana Williams
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, L3 5RF Liverpool, UK
| | - Wiebke Weiher
- Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Mauerstr. 39-42, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Werner Terhalle
- Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Mauerstr. 39-42, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Stephan Steuber
- Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Mauerstr. 39-42, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7, 13163 Berlin, Germany.
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Elson L, Matharu AK, Riithi N, Ouma P, Mutebi F, Feldmeier H, Krücken J, Fillinger U. Characterization of tungiasis infection and morbidity using thermography in Kenya revealed higher disease burden during COVID-19 school closures. Infect Dis Poverty 2023; 12:24. [PMID: 36941724 PMCID: PMC10027580 DOI: 10.1186/s40249-023-01080-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tungiasis is a neglected tropical skin disease caused by the sand flea Tunga penetrans. Female fleas penetrate the skin, particularly at the feet, and cause severe inflammation. This study aimed to characterize disease burden in two highly affected regions in Kenya, to test the use of thermography to detect tungiasis-associated inflammation and to create a new two-level classification of disease severity suitable for mapping, targeting, and monitoring interventions. METHODS From February 2020 to April 2021, 3532 pupils age 8-14 years were quasi-randomly selected in 35 public primary schools and examined for tungiasis and associated symptoms. Of the infected pupils, 266 were quasi-randomly selected and their households visited, where an additional 1138 family members were examined. Inflammation was assessed using infra-red thermography. A Clinical score was created combining the number of locations on the feet with acute and chronic symptoms and infra-red hotspots. RESULTS The overall prevalence of tungiasis among all the school pupils who were randomly selected during survey rounds 1 and 3 was 9.3% [95% confidence interval (CI): 8.4-10.3]. Based on mixed effects logistic models, the odds of infection with tungiasis among school pupils was three times higher in Kwale (coastal Kenya) than in Siaya [western Kenya; adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.18-0.74]; three times higher in males than in females (aOR = 3.0, 95% CI: 2.32-3.91) and three times lower among pupils sleeping in a house with a concrete floor (aOR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.24-0.44). The odds of finding an infected person among the household population during surveys before the COVID-19 pandemic was a third (aOR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.19-0.53) of that when schools were closed due to COVID-19 restrictions and approximately half (aOR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.29-0.68) in surveys done after school re-opening (round 3). Infection intensity was positively correlated with inflammation as measured by thermography (Spearman's rho = 0.68, P < 0.001) and with the clinical score (rho = 0.86, P < 0.001). Based on the two-level classification, severe cases were associated with a threefold higher level of pain (OR = 2.99, 95% CI: 2.02-4.43) and itching (OR = 3.31, 95% CI: 2.24-4.89) than mild cases. CONCLUSIONS Thermography was a valuable addition for assessing morbidity and the proposed two-level classification of disease severity clearly separated patients with mild and severe impacts. The burden of tungiasis was considerably higher in households surveyed during COVID-19 restrictions suggesting underlying risks are found in the home environment more than in school.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynne Elson
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Hospital Road, Kilifi, Kenya.
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Abneel K Matharu
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Human Health Theme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Naomi Riithi
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Human Health Theme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Paul Ouma
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Human Health Theme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Francis Mutebi
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Hermann Feldmeier
- Institute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulrike Fillinger
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Human Health Theme, Nairobi, Kenya
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Weber N, Trujillo-Trujillo J, Krücken J, Castillo F, Feldmeier H, Sunderkötter C. Tick bite-associated chronic pruritic lesions in an Afro-descendant population in the Cauca Department, Colombia. II. Epidemiological risk factors. Int J Dermatol 2023; 62:e341-e342. [PMID: 36919953 DOI: 10.1111/ijd.16632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Niklas Weber
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Hospital Halle, Halle, Germany
| | | | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Hermann Feldmeier
- Institute of Microbiology and Hygiene, Charite-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Cord Sunderkötter
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Hospital Halle, Halle, Germany.,Department of Translational Dermatoinfectiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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17
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Weingart C, Helm CS, Müller E, Schäfer I, Skrodzki M, von Samson‐Himmelstjerna G, Krücken J, Kohn B. Autochthonous Babesia canis infections in 49 dogs in Germany. Vet Med (Auckl) 2023; 37:140-149. [PMID: 36629833 PMCID: PMC9889677 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vector-borne diseases are of increasing importance in Germany. Since 2015, autochthonous cases have been increasingly documented in Berlin/Brandenburg. OBJECTIVES Describe autochthonous Babesia canis infection in the Berlin/Brandenburg region. ANIMALS Forty-nine dogs with autochthonous B. canis infection. METHODS Evaluation of history, clinical signs, laboratory abnormalities, treatment, and outcome. RESULTS Dogs were presented between March and August (9) and September and January (40) in the years 2015-2021. Historical and clinical findings were lethargy (100%), pale mucous membranes (63%), fever (50%), and pigmenturia (52%). Common clinicopathological findings were thrombocytopenia (100%), anemia (85%), intravascular hemolysis (52%), pancytopenia (41%), and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS; 37%). Babesia detection was based on blood smear evaluation (n = 40) and PCR targeting the 18S rRNA gene of piroplasms (n = 49). Sequencing indicated 99.47% to 100% identity to B. canis sequences from GenBank. All dogs were treated with imidocarb (2.4-6.3 mg/kg; median, 5 mg/kg); 8 dogs received 1, 35 received 2, and 1 dog each received 3, 4, or 5 injections, respectively. Continued PCR-positive results were detected in 7 dogs after the 1st, in 5 after the 2nd, in 2 after the 3rd, and in 1 28 days after the 4th injection. Four dogs were euthanized and 3 dogs died. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Autochthonous B. canis infections in Berlin/Brandenburg were associated with severe clinicopathological changes, SIRS, and multiorgan involvement. Testing by PCR during and after treatment is advisable to monitor treatment success. Screening of blood donors in high-risk areas and year-round tick protection is strongly recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Weingart
- Clinic for Small Animals, Faculty of Veterinary MedicineFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Christina S. Helm
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary MedicineFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | | | | | - Marianne Skrodzki
- Clinic for Small Animals, Faculty of Veterinary MedicineFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | | | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary MedicineFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Barbara Kohn
- Clinic for Small Animals, Faculty of Veterinary MedicineFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
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18
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Courtot É, Boisseau M, Dhorne-Pollet S, Serreau D, Gesbert A, Reigner F, Basiaga M, Kuzmina T, Lluch J, Annonay G, Kuchly C, Diekmann I, Krücken J, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Mach N, Sallé G. Comparison of two molecular barcodes for the study of equine strongylid communities with amplicon sequencing. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15124. [PMID: 37070089 PMCID: PMC10105562 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Basic knowledge on the biology and epidemiology of equine strongylid species still needs to be improved to contribute to the design of better parasite control strategies. Nemabiome metabarcoding is a convenient tool to quantify and identify species in bulk samples that could overcome the hurdle that cyathostomin morphological identification represents. To date, this approach has relied on the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS-2) of the ribosomal RNA gene, with a limited investigation of its predictive performance for cyathostomin communities. Using DNA pools of single cyathostomin worms, this study aimed to provide the first elements to compare performances of the ITS-2 and a cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) barcode newly developed in this study. Barcode predictive abilities were compared across various mock community compositions of two, five and 11 individuals from distinct species. The amplification bias of each barcode was estimated. Results were also compared between various types of biological samples, i.e., eggs, infective larvae or adults. Bioinformatic parameters were chosen to yield the closest representation of the cyathostomin community for each barcode, underscoring the need for communities of known composition for metabarcoding purposes. Overall, the proposed COI barcode was suboptimal relative to the ITS-2 rDNA region, because of PCR amplification biases, reduced sensitivity and higher divergence from the expected community composition. Metabarcoding yielded consistent community composition across the three sample types. However, imperfect correlations were found between relative abundances from infective larvae and other life-stages for Cylicostephanus species using the ITS-2 barcode. While the results remain limited by the considered biological material, they suggest that additional improvements are needed for both the ITS-2 and COI barcodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Élise Courtot
- Animal Health, UMR1282 Infectiologie et Santé Publique, INRAE, Nouzilly, France
| | - Michel Boisseau
- Animal Health, UMR1282 Infectiologie et Santé Publique, INRAE, Nouzilly, France
- Animal Health, UMR1225 IHAP, Institut National de la Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Toulouse, France
| | | | - Delphine Serreau
- Animal Health, UMR1282 Infectiologie et Santé Publique, INRAE, Nouzilly, France
| | - Amandine Gesbert
- Animal Physiology, UEPAO, Institut National de la Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Nouzilly, France
| | - Fabrice Reigner
- Animal Physiology, UEPAO, Institut National de la Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Nouzilly, France
| | | | - Tetiana Kuzmina
- Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Košice, Slovak Republic
| | - Jérôme Lluch
- GeT-PlaGe, Institut National de la Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Toulouse, France
| | - Gwenolah Annonay
- GeT-PlaGe, Institut National de la Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Toulouse, France
| | - Claire Kuchly
- GeT-PlaGe, Institut National de la Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Toulouse, France
| | - Irina Diekmann
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Nuria Mach
- Animal Health, UMR1225 IHAP, Institut National de la Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Toulouse, France
| | - Guillaume Sallé
- Animal Health, UMR1282 Infectiologie et Santé Publique, INRAE, Nouzilly, France
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19
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Amugune BL, Matharu AK, Ouma P, Mutebi F, Elson L, Fillinger U, Krücken J. Cost-Effective PCR-Based Identification of Tunga penetrans (Siphonaptera) Larvae Extracted from Soil Samples Containing PCR Inhibitor-Rich Material. Insects 2022; 14:5. [PMID: 36661934 PMCID: PMC9865934 DOI: 10.3390/insects14010005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Tungiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by skin-penetrating female Tunga penetrans fleas. Although tungiasis causes severe health problems, its ecology is poorly understood and morphological descriptions of the larvae are unavailable. To identify T. penetrans immature stages and sites where they develop, diagnostic PCRs are required. However, flea larvae feed on soil organic matter rich in PCR inhibitors. Here, three DNA preparation methods, including a soil DNA kit that removes inhibitors, a simple ammonium acetate precipitation approach (AmAcet) and a crude lysate of larvae (CL), were combined with amplification by the highly processive FIREPol® Taq or the inhibitor-resistant Phusion® polymerase. Independent of the polymerase used, the frequency of successful amplification, Cq values and PCR efficacies for the low-cost CL and AmAcet methods were superior to the commercial kit for amplification of a 278 bp partial internal transcribed spacer-2 (ITS-2) and a 730 bp pan-Siphonaptera cytochrome oxidase II PCR. For the CL method combined with Phusion® polymerase, the costs were approximately 20-fold lower than for the methods based on the soil DNA kit, which is a considerable advantage in resource-poor settings. The ITS-2 PCR did not amplify Ctenocephalides felis genomic or Tunga trimammilata ITS-2 plasmid DNA, meaning it can be used to specifically identify T. penetrans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Billy L. Amugune
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Human Health Theme, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
| | - Abneel K. Matharu
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Human Health Theme, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Paul Ouma
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Human Health Theme, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
| | - Francis Mutebi
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Resources, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala 10218, Uganda
| | - Lynne Elson
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi 80108, Kenya
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Ulrike Fillinger
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Human Health Theme, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
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20
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Rinaldi L, Krücken J, Martinez-Valladares M, Pepe P, Maurelli MP, de Queiroz C, Castilla Gómez de Agüero V, Wang T, Cringoli G, Charlier J, Gilleard JS, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Advances in diagnosis of gastrointestinal nematodes in livestock and companion animals. Adv Parasitol 2022; 118:85-176. [PMID: 36088084 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2022.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Diagnosis of gastrointestinal nematodes in livestock and companion animals has been neglected for years and there has been an historical underinvestment in the development and improvement of diagnostic tools, undermining the undoubted utility of surveillance and control programmes. However, a new impetus by the scientific community and the quickening pace of technological innovations, are promoting a renaissance of interest in developing diagnostic capacity for nematode infections in veterinary parasitology. A cross-cutting priority for diagnostic tools is the development of pen-side tests and associated decision support tools that rapidly inform on the levels of infection and morbidity. This includes development of scalable, parasite detection using artificial intelligence for automated counting of parasitic elements and research towards establishing biomarkers using innovative molecular and proteomic methods. The aim of this review is to assess the state-of-the-art in the diagnosis of helminth infections in livestock and companion animals and presents the current advances of diagnostic methods for intestinal parasites harnessing (i) automated methods for copromicroscopy based on artificial intelligence, (ii) immunodiagnosis, and (iii) molecular- and proteome-based approaches. Regardless of the method used, multiple factors need to be considered before diagnostics test results can be interpreted in terms of control decisions. Guidelines on how to apply diagnostics and how to interpret test results in different animal species are increasingly requested and some were recently made available in veterinary parasitology for the different domestic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Rinaldi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy.
| | - J Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - M Martinez-Valladares
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-Universidad de León), Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, León, Spain
| | - P Pepe
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - M P Maurelli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - C de Queiroz
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 3331 Hospital Drive, Host-Parasite Interactions (HPI) Program University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, St Georges University, Grenada
| | - V Castilla Gómez de Agüero
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-Universidad de León), Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, León, Spain
| | - T Wang
- Kreavet, Kruibeke, Belgium
| | - Giuseppe Cringoli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | | | - J S Gilleard
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 3331 Hospital Drive, Host-Parasite Interactions (HPI) Program University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - G von Samson-Himmelstjerna
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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21
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Helm CS, Weingart C, Ramünke S, Schäfer I, Müller E, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Kohn B, Krücken J. High genetic diversity of Babesia canis (Piana & Galli-Valerio, 1895) in a recent local outbreak in Berlin/ Brandenburg, Germany. Transbound Emerg Dis 2022; 69:e3336-e3345. [PMID: 35689449 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Canine babesiosis caused by Babesia canis (Piana & Galli-Valerio, 1895) is emerging in new regions in Europe since its vector Dermacentor reticulatus (Fabricius, 1794) is expanding its geographic range. In the Berlin/Brandenburg area in northeast Germany, D. reticulatus is highly abundant but in the past only one autochthonous B. canis infection was reported. Since 2015, autochthonous cases were occasionally diagnosed but numbers increased since autumn 2019. The aim of the study was to genotype autochthonous canine Babesia spp. infections from Berlin/Brandenburg. Between 04/2015 and 01/2022, 46 dogs with acute babesiosis were presented to the small animal clinic (one dog was infected twice resulting in 47 samples). There were 32 dogs that had never left Berlin/Brandenburg and 14 others that had not left the region in the 6 weeks prior to disease onset. PCRs targeting the 18S rRNA and the Bc28.1 merozoite surface antigen were positive in 47 and 42 samples, respectively. Sequencing of cloned PCR products identified all samples as B. canis with 17 18S rRNA and 12 Bc28.1 haplotypes. Based on network analysis for 18S rRNA sequences and a previously described polymorphic dinucleotide, samples were assigned to two distinct clusters. One contained 31 and the other 16 samples. Using network analysis, the Bc28.1 haplotypes could also be separated into two clusters differing by at least five polymorphisms. Analyses of sequences from multiple clones indicated the presence of up to five 18S rRNA and eight Bc28.1 haplotypes and thus high parasite variability in an individual host. The genetic diversity could suggest that the parasites in the region have multiple origins, but diversity in individual dogs and dog populations from endemic regions is unknown. The suitability of both markers for genotyping is questionable due to potential intragenomic diversity for the rRNA and high intergenomic variability for the Bc28.1 marker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina S Helm
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Sabrina Ramünke
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Barbara Kohn
- Small Animal Clinic, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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22
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Jürgenschellert L, Krücken J, Bousquet E, Bartz J, Heyer N, Nielsen MK, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Occurrence of Strongylid Nematode Parasites on Horse Farms in Berlin and Brandenburg, Germany, With High Seroprevalence of Strongylus vulgaris Infection. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:892920. [PMID: 35754549 PMCID: PMC9226773 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.892920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The infection of horses with strongylid nematodes is highly prevalent, with multi-species infections being the rule. Strongylus spp. and in particular Strongylus vulgaris are amongst the most pathogenic strongyle equine parasites. Presumably due to regular strategic anthelmintic treatments in combination with long prepatencies, prevalence of these worms was severely reduced in past decades. In this study, 484 horses from 48 farms in Berlin/Brandenburg, Germany were sampled between May 2017 and January 2018. Mini-FLOTAC and combined sedimentation/flotation were used to analyse faecal samples and larval cultures were carried out from individual strongyle infected horses for molecular testing for Strongylus spp. infection. Additionally, for Strongylus vulgaris, antibodies against a recombinant larval antigen were quantified in an ELISA. Strongyle type eggs were detected in 66.7% of the individual faecal samples. Nematode DNA was amplifiable from 311 samples and S. vulgaris and Strongylus edentatus were detected in four (1.3%) and 10 (6.3%) of these, respectively, the latter using a novel high-resolution-melt PCR targeting S. edentatus, Strongylus equinus, and Strongylus asini. On the farm level, prevalence for Strongylus spp. by PCR was 12.5%. Applying a conservative cut-off (sensitivity 0.43, specificity 0.96), 21.2% of all serum samples were positive for antibodies against S. vulgaris larvae (83.3% prevalence on farm level). Newly developed pyrosequencing assays to analyse putatively benzimidazole resistance associated polymorphisms in codons 167, 198, and 200 of the isotype 1 β-tubulin gene of S. vulgaris did not detect such polymorphisms in the four positive samples. Low age and increasing access to pasture were risk factors for egg shedding and seropositivity for S. vulgaris. Time since last treatment increased whereas use of moxidectin and ivermectin for the last treatment decreased the risk for strongyle egg shedding. Noteworthy, horses under selective treatment had significantly higher odds to be seropositive for anti-S. vulgaris antibodies than horses treated four times per year (odds ratio 4.4). The serological findings suggest that exposure to S. vulgaris is considerably higher than expected from direct diagnostic approaches. One potential explanation is the contamination of the environment by a few infected horses, leading to the infection of many horses with larvae that never reach maturity due to regular anthelmintic treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Jürgenschellert
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Jürgen Bartz
- Virbac Tierazneimittel GmbH, Bad Oldesloe, Germany
| | - Nina Heyer
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin K. Nielsen
- M.H. Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
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23
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Boelow H, Krücken J, Thomas E, Mirams G, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Comparison of FECPAK G2, a modified Mini-FLOTAC technique and combined sedimentation and flotation for the coproscopic examination of helminth eggs in horses. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:166. [PMID: 35549990 PMCID: PMC9097362 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05266-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Due to high prevalence of anthelmintic resistance in equine helminths, selective treatment is increasingly promoted and in some countries a positive infection diagnosis is mandatory before treatment. Selective treatment is typically recommended when the number of worm eggs per gram faeces (epg) exceeds a particular threshold. In the present study we compared the semi-quantitative sedimentation/flotation method with the quantitative methods Mini-FLOTAC and FECPAKG2 in terms of precision, sensitivity, inter-rater reliability and correlation of worm egg counts to improve the choice of optimal diagnostic tools. Methods Using sedimentation/flotation (counting raw egg numbers up to 200), we investigated 1067 horse faecal samples using a modified Mini-FLOTAC approach (multiplication factor of 5 to calculate epgs from raw egg counts) and FECPAKG2 (multiplication factor of 45). Results Five independent analyses of the same faecal sample with all three methods revealed that variance was highest for the sedimentation/flotation method while there were no significant differences between methods regarding the coefficient of variance. Sedimentation/flotation detected the highest number of samples positive for strongyle and Parascaris spp. eggs, followed by Mini-FLOTAC and FECPAKG2. Regarding Anoplocephalidae, no significant difference in frequency of positive samples was observed between Mini-FLOTAC and sedimentation/flotation. Cohen’s κ values comparing individual methods with the combined result of all three methods revealed almost perfect agreement (κ ≥ 0.94) for sedimentation/flotation and strong agreement for Mini-FLOTAC (κ ≥ 0.83) for strongyles and Parascaris spp. For FECPAKG2, moderate and weak agreements were found for the detection of strongyle (κ = 0.62) and Parascaris (κ = 0.51) eggs, respectively. Despite higher sensitivity, the Mini-FLOTAC mean epg was significantly lower than that with FECPAKG2 due to samples with > 200 raw egg counts by sedimentation/flotation, while in samples with lower egg shedding epgs were higher with Mini-FLOTAC than with FECPAKG2. Conclusions For the simple detection of parasite eggs, for example, to treat foals infected with Parascaris spp., sedimentation/flotation is sufficient and more sensitive than the other two quantitative investigared in this study. Mini-FLOTAC is predicted to deliver more precise results in faecal egg count reduction tests due to higher raw egg counts. Finally, to identify animals with a strongyle epg above a certain threshold for treatment, FECPAKG2 delivered results comparable to Mini-FLOTAC. Grpahical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05266-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heike Boelow
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Eurion Thomas
- Techion UK, Peithyll Centre, Capel Dewi, Aberystwyth, SY23 3HU, Wales, UK
| | - Greg Mirams
- Techion New Zealand, Invermay Agriculture Centre, Block A, 176 Puddle Alley, Mosgiel, 9092, New Zealand
| | - Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany
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24
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dos Santos KC, Chiummo RM, Heckeroth AR, Zschiesche E, Brandão Guedes PE, Harvey TV, de Jesus AV, da Paixão Sevá A, de Oliveira JTS, dos Santos Freire Z, Krücken J, de Almeida Borges F, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Alberto Carlos RS. Efficacy of oral fluralaner (Bravecto) against Tunga penetrans in dogs: A negative control, randomized field study in an endemic community in Brazil. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010251. [PMID: 35286319 PMCID: PMC8947607 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The sand flea Tunga penetrans is one of the zoonotic agents of tungiasis, a parasitic skin disease of humans and animals. The dog is one of its main reservoirs. This negatively controlled, randomized, double-masked clinical trial evaluated the therapeutic and residual efficacy of fluralaner for treatment of dogs naturally infested with T. penetrans. Sixty-two dogs from an endemically affected community in Brazil were randomly assigned to either receive oral fluralaner (Bravecto chewable tablets) at a dose of 25 to 56 mg fluralaner/kg body weight, or no treatment (31 dogs per group). Dogs were clinically examined using a severity score for acute canine tungiasis (SCADT), parasitological examinations as defined by the Fortaleza classification, and pictures of lesions on days 0 (inclusion and treatment), 7 ± 2, 14 ± 2, 21 ± 2, 28 ± 2, 60 ± 7, 90 ± 7, 120 ± 7 and 150 ± 7. The percentage of parasite-free dogs after treatment was >90% between days 14 and 90 post-treatment with 100% efficacy on study days 21, 28 and 60. Sand flea counts on fluralaner treated dogs were significantly lower (p<0.025) than control dogs on all counts from day 7 to 120. The number of live sand fleas on treated dogs was reduced by > 90% on day 7, > 95% on days 14 and 90, and 100% from day 21 to 60, and with a significant difference between groups from day 7 to 120. From day 7 to day 120, mean SCADT scores were significantly reduced in treated dogs with a mean of 0.10 compared to 1.54 on day 120 in untreated dogs. Therefore, a single oral fluralaner administration is effective for treating and achieving long lasting (> 12 weeks) prevention for tungiasis in dogs. Tungiasis is a dermatological disease that affects humans and animals infested with sand fleas (Tunga spp.), especially in communities exposed to contaminated sandy and dry soil, where living conditions are precarious and access to basic health is limited. These sand fleas penetrate host skin and cause severe acute and chronic injuries that can dramatically compromise the host’s health. Dogs are a primary reservoir and disseminator of these fleas in South America. In this clinical field trial, the efficacy of a single oral dose of fluralaner (Bravecto chewable tablets) was evaluated for treatment and prevention of tungiasis in dogs in an endemic area of Brazil. The treatment was assessed through absence of live sand fleas and resolution of characteristic tungiasis skin lesions. Fluralaner was 100% effective from the third to the eighth week post-treatment, eliminated live sand fleas and protected against new infestations during the study. Therefore, fluralaner proved to be an excellent therapeutic option for treatment and a highly effective control option for canine tungiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharine Costa dos Santos
- UESC, State University of Santa Cruz, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Postgraduate Program in Animal Science, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil
| | | | | | - Eva Zschiesche
- MSD, Animal Health Innovation GmbH, Schwabenheim, Germany
| | - Paula Elisa Brandão Guedes
- UESC, State University of Santa Cruz, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Postgraduate Program in Animal Science, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Tatiani Vitor Harvey
- UESC, State University of Santa Cruz, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Postgraduate Program in Animal Science, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Anderson Vieira de Jesus
- UESC, State University of Santa Cruz, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Postgraduate Program in Animal Science, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Anaiá da Paixão Sevá
- UESC, State University of Santa Cruz, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Postgraduate Program in Animal Science, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Joana Thaisa Santos de Oliveira
- UESC, State University of Santa Cruz, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Postgraduate Program in Animal Science, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Zelina dos Santos Freire
- UFMS, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Fernando de Almeida Borges
- UFMS, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Berlin, Germany
- * E-mail: (GvSH); (RSAC)
| | - Renata Santiago Alberto Carlos
- UESC, State University of Santa Cruz, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Postgraduate Program in Animal Science, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil. CNPq Reseracher - PQ2
- * E-mail: (GvSH); (RSAC)
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25
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von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Janssen IJI, Ramünke S, Goday C, Borges FDA, Koudela B, Niedźwiedź A, Tomczuk K, Studzińska MB, Kornas S, Krücken J. Very low intraspecific sequence variation in selected nuclear and mitochondrial Parascaris univalens genes. Infect Genet Evol 2021; 95:105035. [PMID: 34384934 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.105035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Equines were over decades considered to be infected by two morphologically virtually indistinguishable ascarid species, Parascaris univalens and Parascaris equorum. Reliable species discrimination is only possible using enzyme isoelectric focussing and karyotyping with P. univalens having one and P. equorum two chromosome pairs. However, presumably the complexity of both methods prevented their routine use in nearly all previous studies about prevalence and drug resistance of Parascaris spp. These have barely been performed on the species level although most studies stated presence of one or the other species. Recently, only P. univalens has been identified by karyotyping and the last published study identifying P. equorum dates back to 1989. In order to improve species-specific detection, molecular markers are required. Here, partial 12S rRNA, cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and complete internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-1 and - 2 sequences were obtained from 24 karyotyped Parascaris specimens from Poland and 6 German specimens (not karyotyped) and used in phylogenetic analyses with orthologous sequences from GenBank. All karyotyped specimens were identified as P. univalens. In the phylogenetic analysis, they formed very homogenous clusters for all target genes and in a multi-locus analysis. Within this cluster, almost all sequences from GenBank were also included, no matter if they had been assigned to P. univalens or P. equorum. However, a small number of P. univalens ITS and COI sequences originating from donkeys from a single farm in China formed a highly supported sister cluster suggesting that they might represent another Parascaris genotype or species. Our data also strongly suggest that nearly all ITS and COI sequences previously deposited in GenBank and assigned to P. equorum actually represent P. univalens. The fact that significantly different sequences can be found in Parascaris spp. suggests that PCR-based species diagnosis will be possible once molecular markers have been identified for P. equorum from karyotyped specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - I Jana I Janssen
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
| | - Sabrina Ramünke
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
| | - Clara Goday
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CIB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando de A Borges
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Bretislav Koudela
- Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackého tř. 1946/1, Brno 612 42, Czech Republic; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Artur Niedźwiedź
- Department of Internal Medicine and Clinic for Horses, Dogs and Cats, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Tomczuk
- Sub-Department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases, Veterinary Faculty, University of Life Sciences, Lublin, Poland
| | - Maria Bernadeta Studzińska
- Sub-Department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases, Veterinary Faculty, University of Life Sciences, Lublin, Poland
| | - Slawomir Kornas
- Department of Zoology and Animal Welfare, Faculty of Animal Sciences, University of Agriculture, Al. Mickiewicza 24/28, Kraków, Poland
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
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26
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von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Thompson RA, Krücken J, Grant W, Bowman DD, Schnyder M, Deplazes P. Spread of anthelmintic resistance in intestinal helminths of dogs and cats is currently less pronounced than in ruminants and horses - Yet it is of major concern. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2021; 17:36-45. [PMID: 34343829 PMCID: PMC8347694 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2021.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Anthelmintic resistance (AR) has thus far only rarely been reported for intestinal helminths of dogs and cats, in contrast to parasites of livestock and horses. We highlight possible reasons for this striking and important discrepancy, including ecological, biological and genetic factors and/or intervention regimens of key intestinal helminths concerning both host groups. In view of the current knowledge related to the genetics, mechanisms and principles of AR development, we point at issues which in our view contribute to a comparatively lower risk of AR development in intestinal helminths of dogs and cats. Finally, we specify research needs and provide recommendations by which, based on the available information about AR in ruminant and equine helminths, the development of AR in dog and cat helminths may best be documented, prevented or at least postponed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
| | - Warwick Grant
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Microbiology, La Trobe University, Australia
| | - Dwight D Bowman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, USA
| | | | - Peter Deplazes
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
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27
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Krücken J, Holden-Dye L, Keiser J, Prichard RK, Townson S, Makepeace BL, Hübner MP, Hahnel SR, Scandale I, Harder A, Kulke D. Development of emodepside as a possible adulticidal treatment for human onchocerciasis-The fruit of a successful industrial-academic collaboration. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009682. [PMID: 34293063 PMCID: PMC8297762 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Current mass drug administration (MDA) programs for the treatment of human river blindness (onchocerciasis) caused by the filarial worm Onchocerca volvulus rely on ivermectin, an anthelmintic originally developed for animal health. These treatments are primarily directed against migrating microfilariae and also suppress fecundity for several months, but fail to eliminate adult O. volvulus. Therefore, elimination programs need time frames of decades, well exceeding the life span of adult worms. The situation is worsened by decreased ivermectin efficacy after long-term therapy. To improve treatment options against onchocerciasis, a drug development candidate should ideally kill or irreversibly sterilize adult worms. Emodepside is a broad-spectrum anthelmintic used for the treatment of parasitic nematodes in cats and dogs (Profender and Procox). Our current knowledge of the pharmacology of emodepside is the result of more than 2 decades of intensive collaborative research between academia and the pharmaceutical industry. Emodepside has a novel mode of action with a broad spectrum of activity, including against extraintestinal nematode stages such as migrating larvae or macrofilariae. Therefore, emodepside is considered to be among the most promising candidates for evaluation as an adulticide treatment against onchocerciasis. Consequently, in 2014, Bayer and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) started a collaboration to develop emodepside for the treatment of patients suffering from the disease. Macrofilaricidal activity has been demonstrated in various models, including Onchocerca ochengi in cattle, the parasite most closely related to O. volvulus. Emodepside has now successfully passed Phase I clinical trials, and a Phase II study is planned. This Bayer–DNDi partnership is an outstanding example of “One World Health,” in which experience gained in veterinary science and drug development is translated to human health and leads to improved tools to combat neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and shorten development pathways and timelines in an otherwise neglected area. Onchocerca volvulus is the causative agent of human river blindness, and current elimination programs rely on the use of ivermectin to kill microfilariae. Since no adulticidal drug is available and adult worms have a life span of up to 15 years, elimination programs need to be sustained over several decades. Emodepside is an anthelmintic that is licensed as a dewormer for cats and dogs. Due to its ability to eliminate nematodes located in various extraintestinal host tissues, including migrating larvae and adult filarial worms, it is considered to be an excellent candidate for the treatment of onchocerciasis. Intense collaboration between academia and the pharmaceutical industry has led to a deep understanding of the novel mode of action of the drug and of its parasite target spectrum. Phase I clinical trials with emodepside have demonstrated its safety and adulticide activity against the closely related cattle parasite Onchocerca ochengi. Currently, Phase II clinical trials are planned to confirm that emodepside, developed initially to improve animal health, has also the potential to improve human health by tackling a very important neglected tropical disease (NTD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lindy Holden-Dye
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer Keiser
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Roger K. Prichard
- Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, Sainte Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
| | - Simon Townson
- The Griffin Institute, Northwick Park and St. Mark’s Hospital, Harrow, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin L. Makepeace
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Marc P. Hübner
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Bonn-Cologne, Bonn, Germany
| | - Steffen R. Hahnel
- Elanco Animal Health, Research & Exploratory Development, Monheim, Germany
| | - Ivan Scandale
- Drugs for Neglected Disease initiative, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Daniel Kulke
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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28
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Diekmann I, Alnassan AA, Globokar M, Pantchev N, Kurzrock L, Hernandez L, Lopez J, Ruano R, Herrero S, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Krücken J. Canine Dracunculus Nematode Infection, Toledo, Spain. Emerg Infect Dis 2021; 26:1860-1863. [PMID: 32687046 PMCID: PMC7392431 DOI: 10.3201/eid2608.201661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A fragment of a Dracunculus-like worm was extracted from the hind limb of a 2-year-old dog from Toledo, Spain. Cytochrome oxidase I and rRNA sequences confirmed an autochthonous mammalian Dracunculus worm infection in Europe. Sequence analyses suggest close relation to a parasite obtained from a North American opossum.
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29
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Krücken J, Czirják GÁ, Ramünke S, Serocki M, Heinrich SK, Melzheimer J, Costa MC, Hofer H, Aschenborn OHK, Barker NA, Capodanno S, de Carvalho LM, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, East ML, Wachter B. Genetic diversity of vector-borne pathogens in spotted and brown hyenas from Namibia and Tanzania relates to ecological conditions rather than host taxonomy. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:328. [PMID: 34134753 PMCID: PMC8207800 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04835-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Improved knowledge on vector-borne pathogens in wildlife will help determine their effect on host species at the population and individual level and whether these are affected by anthropogenic factors such as global climate change and landscape changes. Here, samples from brown hyenas (Parahyaena brunnea) from Namibia (BHNA) and spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) from Namibia (SHNA) and Tanzania (SHTZ) were screened for vector-borne pathogens to assess the frequency and genetic diversity of pathogens and the effect of ecological conditions and host taxonomy on this diversity. Methods Tissue samples from BHNA (n = 17), SHNA (n = 19) and SHTZ (n = 25) were analysed by PCRs targeting Anaplasmataceae, Rickettsia spp., piroplasms, specifically Babesia lengau-like piroplasms, Hepatozoidae and filarioids. After sequencing, maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analyses were conducted. Results The relative frequency of Anaplasmataceae was significantly higher in BHNA (82.4%) and SHNA (100.0%) than in SHTZ (32.0%). Only Anaplasma phagocytophilum/platys-like and Anaplasma bovis-like sequences were detected. Rickettsia raoultii was found in one BHNA and three SHTZ. This is the first report of R. raoultii from sub-Saharan Africa. Babesia lengau-like piroplasms were found in 70.6% of BHNA, 88.9% of SHNA and 32.0% of SHTZ, showing higher sequence diversity than B. lengau from South African cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus). In one SHTZ, a Babesia vogeli-like sequence was identified. Hepatozoon felis-like parasites were identified in 64.7% of BHNA, 36.8% of SHNA and 44.0% of SHTZ. Phylogenetic analysis placed the sequences outside the major H. felis cluster originating from wild and domestic felids. Filarioids were detected in 47.1% of BHNA, 47.4% of SHNA and 36.0% of SHTZ. Phylogenetic analysis revealed high genetic diversity and suggested the presence of several undescribed species. Co-infections were frequently detected in SHNA and BHNA (BHNA median 3 pathogens, range 1–4; SHNA median 3 pathogens, range 2–4) and significantly rarer in SHTZ (median 1, range 0–4, 9 individuals uninfected). Conclusions The frequencies of all pathogens groups were high, and except for Rickettsia, multiple species and genotypes were identified for each pathogen group. Ecological conditions explained pathogen identity and diversity better than host taxonomy. Graphic Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-04835-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Gábor Á Czirják
- Department of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sabrina Ramünke
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Maria Serocki
- Department of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sonja K Heinrich
- Department of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jörg Melzheimer
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - M Carolina Costa
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar Em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Heribert Hofer
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Nancy A Barker
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Stefano Capodanno
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Veterinary Medicine, University Federico II of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Luís Madeira de Carvalho
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar Em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | - Marion L East
- Department of Ecological Dynamics, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bettina Wachter
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
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30
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Untersweg F, Ferner V, Wiedermann S, Göller M, Hörl-Rannegger M, Kaiser W, Joachim A, Rinaldi L, Krücken J, Hinney B. Multispecific resistance of sheep trichostrongylids in Austria. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 28:50. [PMID: 34114948 PMCID: PMC8194391 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2021048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Anthelmintic overuse and failure to implement methods preventing the development and spread of anthelmintic resistance (AR) have led to an alarming increase of resistant ovine trichostrongylids worldwide. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the routine anthelmintic treatment strategy was effective, to obtain insights into the frequency of AR in trichostrongylids of sheep in Austria, and to determine the presence of different trichostrongylid genera. On 30 sheep farms, the faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) was performed with the Mini-FLOTAC technique in two consecutive studies. In study 1, only fenbendazole and moxidectin were tested, while different compounds and products were used in study 2. Overall, 33 treatment groups were formed: 11 groups were treated with benzimidazoles (fenbendazole and albendazole), 2 groups with avermectins (ivermectin, doramectin), 18 groups with moxidectin, and two groups with monepantel. Reduced efficacy was detected in 64%, 100%, 28% and 50% of these groups, respectively. The most frequently detected genus in larval cultures was Haemonchus, which had been barely detected in Austria previously, followed by Trichostrongylus. Multispecific resistance of trichostrongylids in Austria seems to be on the rise and H. contortus was detected unexpectedly frequently in comparison to previous studies. There is an urgent need to develop efficient communication strategies aimed at improving the engagement of farmers and veterinarians in sustainable parasite control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Untersweg
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Viktoria Ferner
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Sandra Wiedermann
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Marie Göller
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Waltraud Kaiser
- Tierärztliche Praxisgemeinschaft Passail OG, 8162 Passail, Austria
| | - Anja Joachim
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Laura Rinaldi
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Barbara Hinney
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
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31
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Louro M, Kuzmina TA, Bredtmann CM, Diekmann I, de Carvalho LMM, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Krücken J. Genetic variability, cryptic species and phylogenetic relationship of six cyathostomin species based on mitochondrial and nuclear sequences. Sci Rep 2021; 11:8245. [PMID: 33859247 PMCID: PMC8050097 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87500-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyathostomins are important intestinal nematode parasites of equines and include 50 accepted species. Their taxonomy has been frequently revised and the presence of cryptic species suggested. Furthermore, usually molecular- and morphology-based phylogenetic analyses give divergent results. In this study, the nucleotide sequences of the nuclear second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) and the mitochondrial partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) were determined for adults of six cyathostomin species (Coronocyclus coronatus, Coronocyclus labiatus, Cylicocyclus nassatus, Cylicostephanus calicatus, Cylicostephanus longibursatus, Cylicostephanus minutus) collected from different equine species within two geographic regions. Maximum likelihood trees were calculated for ITS-2, COI, and concatenated data. No obvious differentiation was observed between geographic regions or equine host species. As previously reported, Coronocyclus coronatus and Cylicostephanus calicatus revealed a close relationship. Cryptic species were detected in Cylicostephanus minutus and Cylicostephanus calicatus. Cylicocyclus nassatus and Coronocyclus labiatus showed diverse mitochondrial and nuclear haplotypes occurring in different combinations, while Cylicostephanus longibursatus was comparatively homogenous. In conclusion, a combined analysis of nuclear and mitochondrial haplotypes improved resolution of the phylogeny and should be applied to the remaining cyathostomin species and across additional equine host species and geographic regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Louro
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- CIISA - Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Tetiana A Kuzmina
- I. I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Christina M Bredtmann
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Irina Diekmann
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Luís M Madeira de Carvalho
- CIISA - Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
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32
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Valente AH, de Roode M, Ernst M, Peña-Espinoza M, Bornancin L, Bonde CS, Martínez-Valladares M, Ramünke S, Krücken J, Simonsen HT, Thamsborg SM, Williams AR. Identification of compounds responsible for the anthelmintic effects of chicory (Cichorium intybus) by molecular networking and bio-guided fractionation. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2021; 15:105-114. [PMID: 33618233 PMCID: PMC7907819 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2021.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Increasing resistance towards anthelmintic drugs has necessitated the search for alternative treatments for the control of gastrointestinal nematode parasites. Animals fed on chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), a temperate (pasture) crop, have reduced parasite burdens, hence making C. intybus a potentially useful source for novel anthelmintic compounds or a diet-based preventive/therapeutic option. Here, we utilized in vitro bioassays with the parasitic nematode Ascaris suum and molecular networking techniques with five chicory cultivars to identify putative active compounds. Network analysis predicted sesquiterpene lactones (SL) as the most likely group of anthelmintic compounds. Further bioassay-guided fractionation supported these predictions, and isolation of pure compounds demonstrated that the SL 8-deoxylactucin (8-DOL) is the compound most strongly associated with anti-parasitic activity. Furthermore, we showed that 8-DOL acts in a synergistic combination with other SL to exert the anti-parasitic effects. Finally, we established that chicory-derived extracts also showed activity against two ruminant nematodes (Teladorsagia circumcincta and Cooperia oncophora) in in vitro assays. Collectively, our results confirm the anti-parasitic activity of chicory against a range of nematodes, and pave the way for targeted extraction of active compounds or selective breeding of specific cultivars to optimize its future use in human and veterinary medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela H Valente
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Matthew de Roode
- Sensus b.v., Oostelijke Havendijk 15, 4704, RA Roosendaal, the Netherlands
| | - Madeleine Ernst
- Section for Clinical Mass Spectrometry, Danish Center for Neonatal Screening, Department of Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Miguel Peña-Espinoza
- Instituto de Farmacología y Morfofisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Louis Bornancin
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads 223, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Charlotte S Bonde
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - María Martínez-Valladares
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña, CSIC-Universidad de León, Department of Animal Health, 24346, Grulleros. León, Spain
| | - Sabrina Ramünke
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Henrik T Simonsen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads 223, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Stig M Thamsborg
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Andrew R Williams
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
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Kahl A, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Krücken J, Ganter M. Chronic Wasting Due to Liver and Rumen Flukes in Sheep. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:549. [PMID: 33669891 PMCID: PMC7923292 DOI: 10.3390/ani11020549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Grazing sheep and goats are constantly exposed to helminth infections in many parts of the world, including several trematode species that causes a range of clinical diseases. The clinical picture of flukes is dependent upon the organs in which they develop and the tissues they damage within the respective organs. Accordingly, infections with the common liver fluke Fasciola hepatica, which, as juvenile worm migrates through the liver parenchyma for several weeks, may be associated with hepatic disorders such as impairment of carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism, followed by chronic wasting. In contrast, the lancet fluke Dicrocoelium dendriticum, which does not exhibit tissue migration and thus does not lead to major tissue damage and bleeding, also does not lead to significant clinical symptoms. Rumen flukes such as Cotylophoron daubneyi cause catarrhal inflammation during their migration through the intestinal and abomasal epithelium during its juvenile stages. Depending on the infection intensity this may result in a range of clinical symptoms including diarrhoea, inappetence or emaciation. In this review, we aim to provide an update on the current knowledge on flukes particularly concerning the clinical relevance of the most important fluke species in sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Kahl
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany; (G.v.S.-H.); (J.K.)
| | - Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany; (G.v.S.-H.); (J.K.)
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany; (G.v.S.-H.); (J.K.)
| | - Martin Ganter
- Clinic for Swine and Small Ruminants, Forensic Medicine and Ambulatory Service, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hannover, Germany;
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Gerhard AP, Krücken J, Neveu C, Charvet CL, Harmache A, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Pharyngeal Pumping and Tissue-Specific Transgenic P-Glycoprotein Expression Influence Macrocyclic Lactone Susceptibility in Caenorhabditis elegans. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:153. [PMID: 33668460 PMCID: PMC7917992 DOI: 10.3390/ph14020153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Macrocyclic lactones (MLs) are widely used drugs to treat and prevent parasitic nematode infections. In many nematode species including a major pathogen of foals, Parascaris univalens, resistance against MLs is widespread, but the underlying resistance mechanisms and ML penetration routes into nematodes remain unknown. Here, we examined how the P-glycoprotein efflux pumps, candidate genes for ML resistance, can modulate drug susceptibility and investigated the role of active drug ingestion for ML susceptibility in the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Wildtype or transgenic worms, modified to overexpress P. univalens PGP-9 (Pun-PGP-9) at the intestine or epidermis, were incubated with ivermectin or moxidectin in the presence (bacteria or serotonin) or absence (no specific stimulus) of pharyngeal pumping (PP). Active drug ingestion by PP was identified as an important factor for ivermectin susceptibility, while moxidectin susceptibility was only moderately affected. Intestinal Pun-PGP-9 expression elicited a protective effect against ivermectin and moxidectin only in the presence of PP stimulation. Conversely, epidermal Pun-PGP-9 expression protected against moxidectin regardless of PP and against ivermectin only in the absence of active drug ingestion. Our results demonstrate the role of active drug ingestion by nematodes for susceptibility and provide functional evidence for the contribution of P-glycoproteins to ML resistance in a tissue-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander P. Gerhard
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany; (A.P.G.); (J.K.)
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany; (A.P.G.); (J.K.)
| | - Cedric Neveu
- INRAE, Université de Tours, ISP, F-37380 Nouzilly, France; (C.N.); (C.L.C.); (A.H.)
| | - Claude L. Charvet
- INRAE, Université de Tours, ISP, F-37380 Nouzilly, France; (C.N.); (C.L.C.); (A.H.)
| | - Abdallah Harmache
- INRAE, Université de Tours, ISP, F-37380 Nouzilly, France; (C.N.); (C.L.C.); (A.H.)
| | - Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany; (A.P.G.); (J.K.)
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Mohammedsalih KM, Krücken J, Bashar A, Juma FR, Abdalmalaik AAH, Khalafalla A, Abakar A, Coles G, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Susceptible trichostrongyloid species mask presence of benzimidazole-resistant Haemonchus contortus in cattle. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:101. [PMID: 33557939 PMCID: PMC7869217 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04593-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Benzimidazole (BZ) anthelmintics are widely used to control infections with parasitic nematodes, but BZ resistance is an emerging threat among several nematode species infecting humans and animals. In Sudan, BZ-resistant Haemonchus contortus populations were recently reported in goats in South Darfur State. The objective of this study was to collect data regarding the situation of BZ resistance in cattle parasitic nematodes in South Darfur using phenotypic and molecular approaches, besides providing some epidemiological data on nematodes in cattle. Methods The faecal egg count reduction test and the egg hatch test (EHT) were used to evaluate benzimidazole efficacy in cattle nematodes in five South Darfur study areas: Beleil, Kass, Nyala, Rehed Al-Birdi and Tulus. Genomic DNA was extracted from pools of third-stage larvae (L3) (n = 40) during trials, before and after treatment, and pools of adult male Haemonchus spp. (n = 18) from abattoirs. The polymorphisms F167Y, E198A and F200Y in isotype 1 β-tubulin genes of H. contortus and H. placei were analysed using Sanger and pyrosequencing. Results Prevalence of gastro-intestinal helminths in cattle was 71% (313/443). Reduced albendazole faecal egg count reduction efficacy was detected in three study areas: Nyala (93.7%), Rehed Al-Birdi (89.7%) and Tulus (88.2%). In the EHT, EC50 values of these study areas ranged between 0.032 and 0.037 µg/ml thiabendazole. Genus-specific PCRs detected the genera Haemonchus, Trichostrongylus and Cooperia in L3 samples collected after albendazole treatment. Sanger sequencing followed by pyrosequencing assays did not detect elevated frequencies of known BZ resistance-associated alleles in codon F167Y, E198A and F200Y in isotype 1 β-tubulin gene of H. placei (≤ 11.38%). However, polymorphisms were detected in H. contortus and in samples with mixed infections with H. contortus and H. placei at codon 198, including E198L (16/58), E198V (2/58) and potentially E198Stop (1/58). All pooled L3 samples post-albendazole treatment (n = 13) were identified as H. contortus with an E198L substitution at codon 198. Conclusions To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first report of reduced albendazole efficacy in cattle in Sudan and is the first study describing an E198L substitution in phenotypically BZ-resistant nematodes collected from cattle.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Street 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ahmed Bashar
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Nyala, P.O. Box 155, Nyala, Sudan
| | - Fathel-Rahman Juma
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Nyala, P.O. Box 155, Nyala, Sudan
| | | | - Amna Khalafalla
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Khartoum, P.O. Box 32, Khartoum North, Sudan
| | - Adam Abakar
- Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Gezira, P.O. Box 20, Wadmedani, Sudan
| | - Gerald Coles
- Ubley Biologics, Ubley, P.O. Box 170, Bristol, BS40 6JA, UK
| | - Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Street 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany.
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Vander Pan A, Kuhn C, Schmolz E, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Krücken J. Detection of target-site and metabolic resistance to pyrethroids in the bed bug Cimex lectularius in Berlin, Germany. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2020; 14:274-283. [PMID: 33310450 PMCID: PMC7726451 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2020.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Knockdown-resistance (kdr) against pyrethroids in bed bugs (Cimex lectularis) is associated with the presence of several point mutations in the voltage-sensitive sodium channel α-subunit gene and/or an increased metabolic detoxification by cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYPs). In the present study, pyrosequencing assays were developed to quantify the presence of the kdr substitutions (V419L or L925I substitution) in bed bugs in Berlin, Germany. In 14 of 17 bed bug field strains, pyrosequencing revealed the presence of the substitution L925I with allele frequencies between 30% and 100%. One field strain additionally carried the substitution V419L with allele frequencies of 40% in males and 96% in females. In seven of the 17 field strains, mRNA levels of four CYP genes were examined using RT-qPCR. Relative to a susceptible laboratory reference strain, five field strains showed significantly higher mRNA levels of cyp397a1 with 7.1 to 56-fold increases. One of these strains additionally showed a 4.9-fold higher mRNA level of cyp398a1 compared to the reference strain, while cyp4cm1 and cyp6dn1 showed no significant differences. Our findings indicate that multiple resistance mechanisms are present in German C. lectularius populations simultaneously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arlette Vander Pan
- German Environment Agency, Boetticher Str. 2 Haus 23, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Carola Kuhn
- German Environment Agency, Boetticher Str. 2 Haus 23, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Erik Schmolz
- German Environment Agency, Boetticher Str. 2 Haus 23, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany
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Fávero FC, Dos Santos LB, Araújo FRD, Ramünke S, Krücken J, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Borges FDA. Haemonchus sp. in beef cattle in Brazil: species composition and frequency of benzimidazole resistance alleles. Prev Vet Med 2020; 185:105162. [PMID: 33099153 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2020.105162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate the occurrence of Haemonchus contortus and Haemonchus placei in beef cattle and the frequency of single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with benzimidazole (BZ)-resistance in Haemonchus spp. in Brazil. For such, fecal samples were collected from 61 beef cattle ranches in 11 Brazilian states. Third-stage larvae (L3) were produced for morphological species identification and DNA extraction. PCR was performed for the analysis of the isotype 1 β-tubulin gene and the products were sequenced to confirm the presence of H. placei and H. contortus. For each field population, pyrosequencing assays were performed to quantify the frequency of the F167Y, E198A and F200Y polymorphisms in the isotype-1 β-tubulin gene. The results of the morphometric analysis of 2345 larvae showed that H. placei was present on all ranches. The analysis of the isotype 1 β-tubulin gene confirmed 100% prevalence for H. placei and 23.7% for H. contortus. Pyrosequencing assays demonstrated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with BZ-resistance in all three codons (F167Y, E198A and F200Y) of the isotype 1 β-tubulin gene in H. placei field populations. Frequencies of resistance-associated alleles above background (≥ 15%) were found for at least one codon in 11.4% of the field isolates and maximum frequencies of 30, 21 and 29% were found for codons 167, 198 and 200, respectively, on individual ranches. This study confirms the presence of H. contortus in beef cattle in the major livestock farming states in Brazil and demonstrates that genotypes associated with BZ resistance are present in field populations of Haemonchus spp..
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Affiliation(s)
- Flávia C Fávero
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Larissa B Dos Santos
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Flábio R de Araújo
- Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, Embrapa Gado de Corte, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Sabrina Ramünke
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Fernando de A Borges
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Brazil.
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Weber N, Trujillo-Trujillo J, Krücken J, Michl C, Hidalgo ME, Appráez-Ippolito G, Castillo F, Feldmeier H, Sunderkötter C. Tickbite-associated chronic pruritic lesions in an Afro-descendant population in the Cauca Department, Colombia. I. Clinical features and impact on health. Int J Dermatol 2020; 59:1491-1501. [PMID: 32975315 DOI: 10.1111/ijd.15184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND During a health survey in a remote area in southwest Colombia, it became apparent that a high percentage of the population suffered from chronic pruritus in association with high numbers of ticks and tickbites. OBJECTIVE To determine the clinical features and severity of tickbite-associated pruritus. METHOD At twotime points - 8 weeks apart to account for seasonal effects - a cross-sectional study was conducted encompassing physical examination of the population, histological analysis of skin biopsies, and determining serum for antibodies against spotted fever (SFG) rickettsiae and typhus group (TG) rickettsiae. Ticks were identified using morphological criteria, and infection by rickettsiae was determined by PCR. RESULTS About 94.5% of the population (95% CI 92-97%) showed clinical signs of a pruritic arthropod reaction and of chronic pruritus with lichenoid papules and hyper- and hypopigmented nodules on otherwise noninflamed skin. Pruritus markedly impaired the quality of life in terms of sleeping disturbances. No signs for other diseases were observed. Chronic pruritus appeared to be because of repeated tickbites and scratching, but not because of other dermatological or medical conditions. Antibodies against SFG and TG-rickettsiae were detected at 79.0% (95% CI 73-86) and 3.6% (95% CI 0.7-6), respectively. Ticks were identified as Amblyomma cajennense. CONCLUSION Remarkably high exposure to tick bites caused an unusually high rate of acute and chronic pruritus and markedly impaired quality of life of the investigated rural community. This underlines the necessity of public health measures and surveillance of rickettsial disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niklas Weber
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Hospital Halle, Halle, Germany
| | | | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christiane Michl
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Hospital Halle, Halle, Germany
| | - Maryln E Hidalgo
- Grupo de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Departamento de Microbiología, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | | | - Hermann Feldmeier
- Institute of Microbiology and Hygiene, Charite-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Cord Sunderkötter
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Hospital Halle, Halle, Germany.,Department of Translational Dermatoinfectiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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Kuchboev A, Sobirova K, Karimova R, Amirov O, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Krücken J. Molecular analysis of polymorphic species of the genus Marshallagia (Nematoda: Ostertagiinae). Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:411. [PMID: 32787940 PMCID: PMC7425555 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04265-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The genus Marshallagia (Family Haemonchidae, subfamily Ostertagiinae) contains multiple species of nematodes parasitising the abomasum (or duodenum) of ruminants, in particular of Caprinae. Male specimens have been described to be polymorphic with the frequent/major morphotype initially described in the genus Marshallagia while the minor/rare morphotype was initially often placed in the genus Grossospicularia. Due to common morphological features, certain pairs of morphotypes were suggested to belong to the same species such as Marshallagia marshalli/M. occidentalis. However, molecular evidence to confirm these pairs of morphotypes belonging to the same species is missing. Methods In the present study, Marshallagia sp. were collected from domestic sheep in Uzbekistan. Male specimens were morphologically described with particular emphasis on the structure of the bursa copulatrix. After DNA isolation from morphologically identified specimens, PCRs targeting the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) regions were conducted. After Sanger sequencing, maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses and pairwise identities between sequences were calculated. Results The major morphotypes of M. marshalli, M. schumakovitschi and M. uzbekistanica and the minor morphotypes M. occidentalis, M. trifida and M. sogdiana were identified and their morphology was documented in detail. ITS2 sequences showed little variation and did not allow diagnosing species. In contrast, phylogenetic analysis of cox1 sequences identified highly supported clusters and verified that M. marshalli, M. occidentalis and M. uzbekistanica are different morphotypes of the species M. marshalli while M. schumakovitschi and M. trifida represent distinct morphotypes of M. trifida. For M. sogdiana no corresponding major morphotype could be identified in the present study. Due to a large barcoding gap, comparison of cox1 sequences in terms of percent identity was sufficient to reliably assign the sequences to a particular species without phylogenetic analysis. Conclusions The data presented here create a framework that will allow the classification of other members of the genus in the future and underline that parallel morphological and molecular analysis of specimens is crucial to improve the taxonomy of polymorphic species.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdurakhim Kuchboev
- Institute of Zoology, Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences, Bogishamol str. 232B, Tashkent, 100053, Uzbekistan
| | - Khanifakhon Sobirova
- Institute of Zoology, Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences, Bogishamol str. 232B, Tashkent, 100053, Uzbekistan
| | - Rokhatoy Karimova
- Institute of Zoology, Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences, Bogishamol str. 232B, Tashkent, 100053, Uzbekistan
| | - Oybek Amirov
- Institute of Zoology, Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences, Bogishamol str. 232B, Tashkent, 100053, Uzbekistan
| | - Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany.
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Gerhard AP, Krücken J, Heitlinger E, Janssen IJI, Basiaga M, Kornaś S, Beier C, Nielsen MK, Davis RE, Wang J, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. The P-glycoprotein repertoire of the equine parasitic nematode Parascaris univalens. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13586. [PMID: 32788636 PMCID: PMC7423980 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70529-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
P-glycoproteins (Pgp) have been proposed as contributors to the widespread macrocyclic lactone (ML) resistance in several nematode species including a major pathogen of foals, Parascaris univalens. Using new and available RNA-seq data, ten different genomic loci encoding Pgps were identified and characterized by transcriptome-guided RT-PCRs and Sanger sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis revealed an ascarid-specific Pgp lineage, Pgp-18, as well as two paralogues of Pgp-11 and Pgp-16. Comparative gene expression analyses in P. univalens and Caenorhabditis elegans show that the intestine is the major site of expression but individual gene expression patterns were not conserved between the two nematodes. In P. univalens, PunPgp-9, PunPgp-11.1 and PunPgp-16.2 consistently exhibited the highest expression level in two independent transcriptome data sets. Using RNA-Seq, no significant upregulation of any Pgp was detected following in vitro incubation of adult P. univalens with ivermectin suggesting that drug-induced upregulation is not the mechanism of Pgp-mediated ML resistance. Expression and functional analyses of PunPgp-2 and PunPgp-9 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae provide evidence for an interaction with ketoconazole and ivermectin, but not thiabendazole. Overall, this study established reliable reference gene models with significantly improved annotation for the P. univalens Pgp repertoire and provides a foundation for a better understanding of Pgp-mediated anthelmintic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander P Gerhard
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Emanuel Heitlinger
- Institute of Biology, Molecular Parasitology, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Research Group Ecology and Evolution of Parasite Host Interactions, Berlin, Germany
| | - I Jana I Janssen
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marta Basiaga
- Department of Zoology and Animal Welfare, University of Agriculture in Kraków, Kraków, Poland
| | - Sławomir Kornaś
- Department of Zoology and Animal Welfare, University of Agriculture in Kraków, Kraków, Poland
| | - Céline Beier
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin K Nielsen
- Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA
| | - Richard E Davis
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, USA
| | - Jianbin Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
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Helm CS, Samson-Himmelstjerna GV, Liesner JM, Kohn B, Müller E, Schaper R, Pachnicke S, Schulze C, Krücken J. Identical 18S rRNA haplotypes of Hepatozoon canis in dogs and foxes in Brandenburg, Germany. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101520. [PMID: 32993940 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Hepatozoon canis is a blood parasite of the suborder Adeleorina infecting wild and domestic canids. Transmission occurs by oral uptake of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato vector ticks infected with H. canis, but vertical transmission is also assumed to be possible. In German foxes, a high prevalence of H. canis has previously been reported despite the fact that R. sanguineus s.l. is not endemic. In the absence of knowledge about local transmission pathways, foxes should be considered to be possible reservoirs of H. canis and contribute to infection of domestic dogs. The present study aimed to determine how often foxes and dogs are infected in Brandenburg (Germany) and if identical or different H. canis 18S rRNA haplotypes are found in these host species. Hepatozoon spp. were detected by PCR in 46/1050 (4.4 %) of dog blood and 176/201 (77.6 %) of fox spleen samples from Brandenburg. Sequencing of 19 dog and 56 fox samples identified all as H. canis. For nine positive dogs, owners stated that they had never left Germany suggesting that autochthonous transmission occurs not only in foxes but also in dogs. Sequences for seven of these possible autochthonous cases were obtained and six were identical to the predominant haplotype found in the foxes. Haplotype network analysis confirmed that many dogs, including some without travel history, carried the same or very similar 18S rRNA haplotypes as the foxes suggesting that both hosts participate in the same epidemiological cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina S Helm
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Jana M Liesner
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Barbara Kohn
- Small Animal Clinic, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
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Obara I, Githaka N, Nijhof A, Krücken J, Nanteza A, Odongo D, Lubembe D, Atimnedi P, Mijele D, Njeri A, Mwaura S, Owido G, Ahmed J, Clausen PH, Bishop RP. The Rhipicephalus appendiculatus tick vector of Theileria parva is absent from cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) populations and associated ecosystems in northern Uganda. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:2363-2367. [PMID: 32500369 PMCID: PMC7308261 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06728-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Rhipicephalus appendiculatus is the major tick vector of Theileria parva, an apicomplexan protozoan parasite that causes the most economically important and lethal disease of cattle in East and central Africa. The African cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is the major wildlife host of T. parva from southern Uganda and Kenya to southern Africa. We show herein that R. appendiculatus appears to be absent from the two largest national parks in northern Uganda. Syncerus caffer is common in both of these national parks, specifically Murchison falls (MFNP) and Kidepo Valley (KVNP). We re-confirmed the previously reported absence of T. parva in buffalo sampled in the two northern parks based on RLB data using a nested PCR based on the T. parva p104 gene. By contrast, T. parva-infected R. appendiculatus ticks and parasite-infected buffalo were present in Lake Mburo (LMNP) in South central Uganda. This suggests that the distribution of R. appendiculatus, which is predicted to include the higher rainfall regions of northern Uganda, may be limited by additional, as yet unknown factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Obara
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany.
| | - N Githaka
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - A Nijhof
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - J Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - A Nanteza
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - D Odongo
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - D Lubembe
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - P Atimnedi
- Uganda Wildlife Authority, Kampala, Uganda
| | - D Mijele
- Kenya Wildlife Service, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - A Njeri
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - S Mwaura
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - G Owido
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - J Ahmed
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - P H Clausen
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - R P Bishop
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology & Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
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Hinney B, Schoiswohl J, Melville L, Ameen VJ, Wille-Piazzai W, Bauer K, Joachim A, Krücken J, Skuce PJ, Krametter-Frötscher R. High frequency of benzimidazole resistance alleles in trichostrongyloids from Austrian sheep flocks in an alpine transhumance management system. BMC Vet Res 2020; 16:132. [PMID: 32393382 PMCID: PMC7216349 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-020-02353-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Infections of small ruminants with trichostrongyloid nematodes often result in reduced productivity and may be detrimental to the host. Anthelmintic resistance (AR) against most anthelmintic drug classes is now widespread amongst the trichostrongyloids. Baseline establishment, followed by regular monitoring of the level of AR, is necessary for farmers and veterinarians to make informed decisions about parasite management. The detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) is a sensitive method to detect AR against benzimidazoles (BZs), one of the most widely used anthelmintic classes. Alpine transhumance constitutes a special type of pasturing of sheep from many different farms, the aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of benzimidazole resistance alleles in this particular management system. Results Sixteen sheep flocks in Styria and Salzburg in Austria were examined by pyrosequencing for SNPs at codons 167, 198 and 200 of the isotype-1 β-tubulin gene. The frequency of the resistance-associated exchange F200Y was 87–100% for H. contortus, 77–100% for T. colubriformis and < 5–66% for T. circumcincta. Additionally, the F167Y polymorphism was detected in T. colubriformis from two farms at a frequency of 19 and 23% respectively. Conclusions The high resistance allele frequency in H. contortus and T. colubriformis in the examined sheep population urgently calls for the development of new treatment strategies to sustainably control trichostrongyloid infections for this kind of pasturing, since the frequent mixing of flocks during the alpine summer grazing must be considered an important risk factor for the spread of resistant nematodes to a large number of farms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Hinney
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Parasitology, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Julia Schoiswohl
- Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University Clinic for Ruminants, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lynsey Melville
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Parks, Bush Loan, Penicuik, Edinburgh, EH26 OPZ, UK
| | - Vahel J Ameen
- Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Duhok, Duhok, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
| | - Walpurga Wille-Piazzai
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Parasitology, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Karl Bauer
- Animal Health Service Styria, Friedrichgasse 11, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Anja Joachim
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Parasitology, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Philip J Skuce
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Parks, Bush Loan, Penicuik, Edinburgh, EH26 OPZ, UK
| | - Reinhild Krametter-Frötscher
- Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University Clinic for Ruminants, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
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Bredtmann CM, Krücken J, Murugaiyan J, Balard A, Hofer H, Kuzmina TA, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Concurrent Proteomic Fingerprinting and Molecular Analysis of Cyathostomins. Proteomics 2020; 19:e1800290. [PMID: 30786147 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.201800290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Revised: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Rapid, cost-effective, efficient, and reliable helminth species identification is of considerable importance to understand host-parasite interactions, clinical disease, and drug resistance. Cyathostomins (Nematoda: Strongylidae) are considered to be the most important equine parasites, yet research on this group is hampered by the large number of 50 morphologically differentiated species, their occurrence in mixed infections with often more than 10 species and the difficulties associated with conventional identification methods. Here, MALDI-TOF MS, previously successfully applied to identify numerous organisms, is evaluated and compared with conventional and molecular genetic approaches. A simple and robust protocol for protein extraction and subsequent DNA isolation allowing molecular confirmation of proteomic findings is developed, showing that MALDI-TOF MS can discriminate adult stages of the two closely related cyathostomin species Cylicostephanus longibursatus and Cylicostephanus minutus. Intraspecific variability of proteomic profiles within morphospecies demonstrated an identification of morphospecies with an accuracy of close to 100%. In contrast, three genospecies within C. minutus and sex-specific profiles within both morphospecies could not be reliably discriminated using MALDI-TOF MS. In conclusion, MALDI-TOF MS complemented by the molecular protocol is a reliable and efficient approach for cyathostomin species identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Maria Bredtmann
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jayaseelan Murugaiyan
- Institute for Animal Hygiene and Environmental Health, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Biotechnology, SRM University AP, 522502, Amaravati, India
| | - Alice Balard
- Ecology and Evolution of Molecular Parasite Host Interactions, Molecular Parasitology, Institute for Biology, Humboldt University Berlin, 10115, Berlin, Germany.,Ecology and Evolution of Molecular Parasite Host Interactions, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Heribert Hofer
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Ecological Dynamics, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, 10315, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tetiana A Kuzmina
- Department of Parasitology, I. I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, 01030, Kiev, Ukraine
| | - Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163, Berlin, Germany
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Mohammedsalih KM, Krücken J, Khalafalla A, Bashar A, Juma FR, Abakar A, Abdalmalaik AAH, Coles G, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. New codon 198 β-tubulin polymorphisms in highly benzimidazole resistant Haemonchus contortus from goats in three different states in Sudan. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:114. [PMID: 32122383 PMCID: PMC7053126 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-3978-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Benzimidazole (BZ) resistance in gastrointestinal nematodes is a worldwide problem for livestock production, particularly in small ruminants. Assignment of the emergence of resistance using sensitive and reliable methods is required to adopt the correct strategies for control. In Sudan, BZ resistant Haemonchus contortus populations were recently reported in goats in South Darfur. This study aimed to provide additional data regarding albendazole efficacy and to describe the prevailing molecular BZ resistance mechanisms. Methods Faecal egg count reduction and egg hatch tests (EHT) were used to evaluate albendazole efficacy in three different areas of South Darfur using naturally (Rehed Al-Birdi and Tulus) and experimentally infected (Tulus and Um Dafuq) goats. Using samples from Central, East and South Darfur, pyro- and Sanger sequencing were used to detect the polymorphisms F167Y, E198A and F200Y in H. contortus isotype 1 β-tubulin in DNA extracted from pooled third-stage larval (L3) samples (n = 36) on days 0 and 10 during trials, and from pooled adult male H. contortus (treated goats, n = 14; abattoirs, n = 83) including samples from populations previously found to be resistant in South Darfur. Results Albendazole efficacies at 5, 7.5 and 10 mg/kg doses were 73.5–90.2% on day 14 in natural and experimental infections while 12.5 mg/kg showed > 96.6% efficacy. EC50 in the EHT were 0.8 and 0.11 µg/ml thiabendazole in natural and experimental infection trials, respectively. PCRs detected Haemonchus, Trichostrongylus and Cooperia in L3 samples from albendazole-treated goats. Haemonchus contortus allele frequencies in codons 167 and 200 using pyrosequencing assays were ≤ 7.4% while codon 198 assays failed. Sanger sequencing revealed five novel polymorphisms at codon 198. Noteworthy, an E198L substitution was present in 82% of the samples (L3 and adults) including all post-treatment samples. Moreover, E198V, E198K and potentially E198I, and E198Stop were identified in a few samples. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first report of E198L in BZ resistant H. contortus and the second where this is the predominant genotype associated with resistance in any strongyle species. Since this variant cannot be quantified using pyrosequencing, the results highlight important limitations in the general applicability of pyrosequencing to quantify BZ resistance genotypes.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Amna Khalafalla
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Khartoum, PO Box 32, Khartoum North, Sudan
| | - Ahmed Bashar
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Nyala, Nyala, Sudan
| | | | - Adam Abakar
- Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Gezira, PO Box 20, Wad Medani, Sudan
| | | | - Gerald Coles
- Ubley Biologics, PO Box 170, Ubley, Bristol, BS40 6JA, UK
| | - Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany
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46
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Vander Pan A, Schmolz E, Krücken J, Kuhn C. A Novel Simulated-Use Test for Determining the Efficacy of Insecticides Against Bed Bugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae). J Econ Entomol 2019; 112:2345-2353. [PMID: 31115455 PMCID: PMC6756778 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toz123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The common bed bug Cimex lectularius L. has undergone a worldwide expansion in recent years, due to increased opportunities for dispersal and development of insecticide resistance. For successful control, efficacy testing of products against bed bugs and determination of insecticide resistance under practical conditions are of outstanding importance. A new test system mimicking the practical use situation of residual insecticides was developed and evaluated. Bed bugs were attracted by CO2 and heat to cross surfaces treated with alpha-cypermethrin and bendiocarb. In contrast to the complete efficacy of alpha-cypermethrin (less than 1% surviving bed bugs [with one exception of 5%]), only 45.3, 46, and 29% of insecticide-susceptible bed bugs showed lethal damage 7 d after contact with freshly bendiocarb-treated wallpaper or insecticide aged for 1 or 2 wk. Results show that the efficacy of different insecticides can be assessed with this new test system. Moreover, susceptibility to deltamethrin of five bed bug field strains, collected from infested apartments in Berlin, Germany, was determined in a filter paper contact bioassay. Resistance ratios (RRs) ranged between 4.3 and 20.7. In the novel simulated-use test, efficacy of alpha-cypermethrin was tested against the bed bug strain with the highest RR. In contrast to the insecticide-susceptible laboratory strain, alpha-cypermethrin was not effective against the field strain, where 26-50% of the bed bugs survived and even laid eggs. These results provide evidence for the presence of practically relevant pyrethroid resistance in bed bugs in Germany.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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47
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Fischer T, Myalkhaa M, Krücken J, Battsetseg G, Batsukh Z, Baumann MPO, Clausen PH, Nijhof AM. Molecular detection of tick-borne pathogens in bovine blood and ticks from Khentii, Mongolia. Transbound Emerg Dis 2019; 67 Suppl 2:111-118. [PMID: 31464102 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies reported the detection of DNA from tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) of veterinary relevance such as Anaplasma marginale, Babesia bigemina, Babesia bovis and Theileria orientalis in bovine blood samples from Mongolia. These findings were unexpected, as the known tick vectors of these pathogens are not known to occur in Mongolia. We therefore conducted a study in May and June 2013 in six districts of Khentii province where DNA of the said TBPs was previously found. Ticks collected from the vegetation and rodents, as well as blood samples from cattle, were screened for the presence of TBPs by reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization. Tick larvae collected from rodents were pooled. A total of 310 adult ticks were collected from the vegetation, and 249 tick larvae were collected from 24 rodents. Adult ticks (n = 2,318) and blood samples were collected from 481 heads of cattle. All adult ticks were identified as Dermacentor nuttalli. DNA from Rickettsia raoultii (252/310; 81.3%), an uncharacterized Anaplasma species preliminary named Anaplasma sp. Mongolia (26/310; 8.4%), Candidatus Midichloria sp. (18/310; 5.8%), Theileria equi (16/310; 5.2%), Babesia caballi (5/310; 1.6%), T. orientalis (1/310; 0.3%), Borrelia afzelii (1/310; 0.3%) and Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis (1/310; 0.3%) was detected in ticks collected from the vegetation. DNA of R. raoultii (27/28; 96.4%) and Midichloria sp. (2/28; 7.1%) was detected in the pooled tick larvae. Anaplasma sp. Mongolia, a species related to Anaplasma ovis based on a multi-locus analysis, was also detected in 153/481 (31.8%) of the bovine blood samples. DNA of B. bovis, B. bigemina and A. marginale was not detected in the ticks or bovine blood samples from Khentii district.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timon Fischer
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mungunbariya Myalkhaa
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Mongolian University of Life Science, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gonchigoo Battsetseg
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Mongolian University of Life Science, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Zayat Batsukh
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Mongolian University of Life Science, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Maximilian P O Baumann
- FAO Reference Centre for Veterinary Public Health, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Peter-Henning Clausen
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ard M Nijhof
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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48
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Bredtmann CM, Krücken J, Kuzmina T, Louro M, Madeira de Carvalho LM, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Nuclear and mitochondrial marker sequences reveal close relationship between Coronocyclus coronatus and a potential Cylicostephanus calicatus cryptic species complex. Infect Genet Evol 2019; 75:103956. [PMID: 31299325 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2019.103956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Revised: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The Cyathostominae (Nematoda, Strongyloidea) parasitising equines represent a diverse group currently including 50 species. However, their taxonomy has been repeatedly revised and occasionally the presence of cryptic genospecies was suggested. Moreover, molecular- and morphology-based phylogenetic analyses give divergent results. For instance, molecular data have suggested close relationship between Coronocyclus coronatus and Cylicostephanus calicatus, although morphology-based taxonomy places them in different genera. Here, nuclear (internal transcribed spacer 2, ITS-2) and mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase I, COI) sequences were obtained from the same individual, morphologically identified worms. In both morphospecies, two ITS-2 sequences types were observed: In Cor. coronatus, a small PCR product of 278 bp (nuclear haplotype group nHGBco) was always present but often in combination with a larger 369-370 bp fragment (nHGAco). In Cys. calicatus, either a large 370 bp product (nHGAca) or a short 281 bp amplicon (nHGBca) were found, but never both. Sequence identity between morphospecies was up to 100%. The smaller differed from the larger fragments by deletion of the region 110-198 in Cor. coronatus and 112-203 in Cys. calicatus. In COI, three and five mitochondrial haplotype groups (HGs), mtHG1co-mtHG3co and mtHG1ca-mtHG5ca were identified for Cor. coronatus and Cys. calicatus, respectively. In Cor. coronatus, there was no particular association of mtHG with nuclear genotypes (only nHGBco vs. both nHGBco plus nHGAco). In Cys. calicatus the nHGAca was always associated with the mtHG1ca, mtHG2ca or mtHG5ca whereas nHGBca was exclusively associated with mtHG3ca or mtHG4ca. Despite up to 100% identity in the nHGs, no mixing of mtHGs was observed between both species. Clear separation of certain nHGs with particular mtHGs in Cys. calicatus, despite the fact that the same host individuals were infected with both groups simultaneously, suggests presence of two non-interbreeding genospecies within Cys. calicatus, which needs further confirmation using additional samples from diverse geographical origins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina M Bredtmann
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany.
| | - Tetiana Kuzmina
- Department of Parasitology, I. I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev, Ukraine
| | - Mariana Louro
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany; CIISA - Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Luís M Madeira de Carvalho
- CIISA - Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
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Mohammedsalih KM, Khalafalla A, Bashar A, Abakar A, Hessain A, Juma FR, Coles G, Krücken J, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Epidemiology of strongyle nematode infections and first report of benzimidazole resistance in Haemonchus contortus in goats in South Darfur State, Sudan. BMC Vet Res 2019; 15:184. [PMID: 31164118 PMCID: PMC6549335 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-019-1937-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since pastoralists in South Darfur, Sudan, had complained about lack of albendazole (ABZ) efficacy to control nematodes in goats, the frequency of infection with gastrointestinal helminths was studied before in vivo faecal egg count reduction tests (FECRT) were conducted using ABZ orally either at the dose recommended for sheep, 5 mg/kg body weight (bw) or at 10 mg/kg bw. Experiments included goats naturally infected with gastrointestinal nematodes or experimentally infected with local Haemonchus contortus isolates. Three study areas (Nyala, Beleil and Kass) were visited in autumn or winter. RESULTS Out of 478 screened goats, 82.4% were infected with gastrointestinal helminths and 82% were shedding eggs of strongyle nematodes with 90% of the strongyle larvae representing Haemonchus spp. A FECRT using naturally infected goats (n = 225: 71 untreated, 104 and 50 treated with 5 and 10 mg ABZ/kg bw, respectively) detected reduced ABZ efficacy in Nyala and Kass. Paired and unpaired FECRT calculations detected reductions of 72-92% with samples taken at 8 days post treatment with 5 mg ABZ/kg bw and of 85-94% with 10 mg ABZ/kg bw. The FECRT based on day 14 post treatment samples showed reductions of 69-77% with 5 mg/kg and of 75-87% with 10 mg ABZ/kg bw. In Beleil, ABZ efficacy was 95%. In the egg hatch test EC50 values for Nyala and Kass ranged from 0.12-0.24 μg thiabendazole/ml, corresponding to benzimidazole resistant phenotypes. Only Haemonchus spp. larvae were present after treatments in coprocultures. When the efficacy was evaluated experimentally using isolates of H. contortus from Nyala and Kass, the 5 mg ABZ/kg dose revealed reductions of 76-78% on day 8 and of 62-70% on day 14 with the unpaired method. Using 10 mg ABZ/kg, the FECR was still only 77-82%. CONCLUSIONS Both, in vivo and in vitro methods detected resistant H. contortus populations in goats from South Darfur State. The time point 14 days post treatment was more sensitive for detection of ABZ resistance than 8 days post treatment. This is the first report on the occurrence of anthelmintic resistance in Sudan confirming that anthelmintic resistance selection is occurring in African subsistence farming systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalid M Mohammedsalih
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Nyala, P.O. Box 155, Nyala, Sudan.,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Khartoum, P.O. Box 32, Khartoum North, Sudan
| | - Amna Khalafalla
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Khartoum, P.O. Box 32, Khartoum North, Sudan
| | - Ahmed Bashar
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Nyala, P.O. Box 155, Nyala, Sudan
| | - Adam Abakar
- Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Gezira, P.O. Box 20, Wadmedani, Sudan
| | - Abdelhakaim Hessain
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Nyala, P.O. Box 155, Nyala, Sudan
| | - Fathel-Rahman Juma
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Nyala, P.O. Box 155, Nyala, Sudan
| | - Gerald Coles
- Ubley Biologics, P.O. Box 170, Bristol, Ubley, BS40 6JA, UK
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany
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Capelli G, Genchi C, Baneth G, Bourdeau P, Brianti E, Cardoso L, Danesi P, Fuehrer HP, Giannelli A, Ionică AM, Maia C, Modrý D, Montarsi F, Krücken J, Papadopoulos E, Petrić D, Pfeffer M, Savić S, Otranto D, Poppert S, Silaghi C. Recent advances on Dirofilaria repens in dogs and humans in Europe. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:663. [PMID: 30567586 PMCID: PMC6299983 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3205-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Dirofilaria repens is a nematode affecting domestic and wild canids, transmitted by several species of mosquitoes. It usually causes a non-pathogenic subcutaneous infection in dogs and is the principal agent of human dirofilariosis in the Old World. In the last decades, D. repens has increased in prevalence in areas where it has already been reported and its distribution range has expanded into new areas of Europe, representing a paradigmatic example of an emergent pathogen. Despite its emergence and zoonotic impact, D. repens has received less attention by scientists compared to Dirofilaria immitis. In this review we report the recent advances of D. repens infection in dogs and humans, and transmission by vectors, and discuss possible factors that influence the spread and increase of this zoonotic parasite in Europe. There is evidence that D. repens has spread faster than D. immitis from the endemic areas of southern Europe to northern Europe. Climate change affecting mosquito vectors and the facilitation of pet travel seem to have contributed to this expansion; however, in the authors' opinion, the major factor is likely the rate of undiagnosed dogs continuing to perpetuate the life-cycle of D. repens. Many infected dogs remain undetected due to the subclinical nature of the disease, the lack of rapid and reliable diagnostic tools and the poor knowledge and still low awareness of D. repens in non-endemic areas. Improved diagnostic tools are warranted to bring D. repens diagnosis to the state of D. immitis diagnosis, as well as improved screening of imported dogs and promotion of preventative measures among veterinarians and dog owners. For vector-borne diseases involving pets, veterinarians play a significant role in prevention and should be more aware of their responsibility in reducing the impact of the zoonotic agents. In addition, they should enhance multisectorial collaboration with medical entomologists and the public health experts, under the concept and the actions of One Health-One Medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gioia Capelli
- Laboratory of Parasitology, National reference centre/OIE collaborating centre for diseases at the animal-human interface, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Claudio Genchi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Gad Baneth
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Patrick Bourdeau
- Veterinary School of Nantes ONIRIS, University of Nantes, LUNAM, Nantes, France
| | - Emanuele Brianti
- Department of Veterinary Science, Università degli Studi di Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Luís Cardoso
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Patrizia Danesi
- Laboratory of Parasitology, National reference centre/OIE collaborating centre for diseases at the animal-human interface, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Hans-Peter Fuehrer
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alessio Giannelli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy
| | - Angela Monica Ionică
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Carla Maia
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Lisboa, Portugal
| | - David Modrý
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Fabrizio Montarsi
- Laboratory of Parasitology, National reference centre/OIE collaborating centre for diseases at the animal-human interface, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Elias Papadopoulos
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Dušan Petrić
- Laboratory for medical and veterinary entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Martin Pfeffer
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Veterinary Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sara Savić
- Scientific Veterinary Institute “Novi Sad”, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy
| | - Sven Poppert
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Cornelia Silaghi
- National Centre of Vector Entomology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Isle of Riems, Greifswald, Germany
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