Search results for "Helminthiasis"
showing 10 items of 99 documents
The helminth community of the wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus from the Erro River valley, Navarre, Spain.
2014
AbstractThe helminth fauna of the wood mouse,Apodemus sylvaticus, in the Erro River valley (Navarre, Spain) was investigated from a total of 150 mice between February 2001 and July 2002. An overall prevalence of 90.7% was recorded and up to 14 helminth species identified. The most prevalent species was the nematodeHeligmosomoidespolygyrus(78.0%), whereasSyphacia stromawas the species with the highest median abundance (19.8). The detection ofCalodium hepaticum,Rodentolepis stramineaand the larvae ofHydatigera taeniaeformisare significant, since these helminth species could be considered potential human parasites. The helminth infracommunity comprised no more than five species. A significant …
Gastrointestinal helminths of Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus from the Western Mediterranean.
2003
The gastrointestinal helminth fauna of 17 Risso's dolphins Grampus griseus (Cuvier, 1812) from the Western Mediterranean was analysed. Five helminth species were found. Adults and juveniles of Hadwenius delamurei were collected from the duodenum of 7 animals. Adults were located significantly more anteriorly than juveniles, which is compatible with a previous hypothesis that species of Hadwe- nius undergo an ontogenetic migration towards the anterior duodenum. Eggs from Pholeter gastrophilus appeared in 1 small cyst in the main stomach. Adults of Tetrabothrius forsteri and Trigonocotyle globicephalae were collected from the duodenum of 1 and 4 individuals, respectively. Metaces- todes, Scol…
Human toxocariasis: a report of nine cases
2008
Aim: Human toxocariasis is caused by infection with the larval stage of nematode parasites of dogs and cats, Toxocara canis or Toxocara cati. These helminths are not able to complete their life cycle in undefinitive hosts and so undergo aberrant migrations in the tissues causing a wide spectrum of signs and symptoms. Eosinophilia is often severe and sometimes represents the only sign of infection, except in ocular and neurological forms. Methods: We describe the clinical features of nine children affected by toxocariasis admitted to our Infectious Diseases department from 2004 to 2006. Results: Fever and hepatomegaly were the most common clinical findings. In two cases eosinophilia was not …
The effect of the acanthocephalan parasite Pomphorhynchus laevis on the lipid and glycogen content of its intermediate host Gammarus pulex
2001
Besides conspicuous changes in behaviour, manipulative parasites may also induce subtle physiological effects in the host that may also be favourable to the parasite. In particular, parasites may be able to influence the re-allocation of resources in their own favour. We studied the association between the presence of the acanthocephalan parasite, Pomphorhynchus laevis, and inter-individual variation in the lipid and glycogen content of its crustacean host, Gammarus pulex (Amphipoda). Infected gravid females had significantly lower lipid contents than uninfected females, but there was no difference in the lipid contents of non-gravid females and males that were infected with P. laevis. In c…
ISOPOD (ASELLUS AQUATICUS) SIZE AND ACANTHOCEPHALAN (ACANTHOCEPHALUS LUCII) INFECTIONS
2007
We examined the effect of isopod size and age on the success of an acanthocephalan infection and on the effects of that infection on the growth and survival of the isopods. Groups of isopods (Asellus aquaticus) belonging to 4 size classes (juveniles, maturing adults, young adults, and older adults) were exposed to infective acanthors of Acanthocephalus lucii. At the end of the experiment, survival of the isopods, lengths of male and female isopods, and numbers of different developmental stages of A. lucii larvae in infected isopods were assessed. Acanthocephalus lucii prevalence was significantly lower in juvenile isopods than in adults. Intensity of infection increased with the size of iso…
Proximate factors affecting the larval life history of Acanthocephalus lucii (Acanthocephala).
2007
The growth and eventual size of larval helminths in their intermediate hosts presumably has a variety of fitness consequences. Therefore, elucidating the proximate factors affecting parasite development within intermediate hosts should provide insight into the evolution of parasite life histories. An experimental infection that resulted in heavy intensities of an acanthocephalan (Acanthocephalus lucii) in its isopod intermediate host (Asellus aquaticus) permitted the examination of parasite developmental responses to variable levels of resource availability and intraspecific competition. Isopods were infected by exposure to egg-containing fish feces, and larval infrapopulations were monitor…
Stability of Corynosoma populations with fluctuating population densities of the seal definitive host.
2004
In theory there should be a strong coupling between host and parasite population sizes. Here, we investigated population size and structure in 3 species of acanthocephalans,Corynosoma semerme,C. strumosumandC. magdaleni, in ringed seals (Phoca hispida) from the Bothnian Bay over a period of more than 20 years. During this period, seal numbers first decreased markedly and then increased steadily; at the same time, a paratenic fish host particularly important forC. strumosumhas gradually disappeared from the bay due to decreasing salinity. We found no evidence that the mean abundance of any of the 3 acanthocephalan species changed significantly over time, nor was there any relationship betwee…
EFFECTS OF ACANTHOCEPHALUS LUCII (ACANTHOCEPHALA) ON INTERMEDIATE HOST SURVIVAL AND GROWTH: IMPLICATIONS FOR EXPLOITATION STRATEGIES
2007
Intermediate host exploitation by parasites is presumably constrained by the need to maintain host viability until transmission occurs. The relationship between parasitism and host survival, though, likely varies as the energetic requirements of parasites change during ontogeny. An experimental infection of an acanthocephalan (Acanthocephalus lucii) in its isopod intermediate host (Asellus aquaticus) was conducted to investigate host survival and growth throughout the course of parasite development. Individual isopods were infected by exposure to fish feces containing parasite eggs. Isopods exposed to A. lucii had reduced survival, but only early in the infection. Mean infection intensity w…
Parasites in Stranded Cetaceans of Patagonia
2008
There is an increasing interest in parasites of marine mammals of Argentina. Here, we examined several poorly known cetaceans, i.e., 2 spectacled porpoises and 1 Burmeister's porpoise (Phocoenidae), and 1 Gray's beaked whale and 1 Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphidae); we also updated the parasite information for 1 sperm whale (Physeteridae). These hosts strand only occasionally. We found Anisakis simplex s.l. in 2 spectacled porpoises and the Burmeister's porpoise, and recorded its distribution among the stomach chambers. Anisakis physeteris infected the sperm whale; Corynosoma cetaceum occurred in the duodenal ampulla of the Burmeister's porpoise; Corynosoma australe was found in the posterior…
Composition and structure of helminth communities in two populations of Pipistrellus pipistrellus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from Spain
2001
The community composition and structure of helminths of Pipistrellus pipistrellus (Schreber, 1774) from two widely separated Spanish localities, El Saler (n = 42) and the San Pedro pothole (n = 34), were determined and compared. Five species of trematodes, Plagiorchis (Plagiorchis) sp., Lecithodendrium (Lecithodendrium) linstowi Dollfus, 1931, Prosthodendrium (Prosthodendrium) sp., Pycnoporus heteroporus (Dujardin, 1845) and Parabascus semisquamosus (Braun, 1900), and one species of cestode, Hymenolepis pipistrelli López-Neyra, 1941, were found. The two bat populations harboured the same helminth species and showed the same trematode dominance, but the most important differences between the…