Dipetalonema evansi infection in camels of Iran's central area.

Totally 294 dromedary camels of different ages and both sexes slaughtered at slaughterhouses in Yazd, Isfahan and Kerman provinces were inspected for infection with Dipetalonema evansi. Blood smears of all camels and carcasses of 125 of them (100 from Isfahan and 25 from Yazd) were studied for larva and adult forms of the parasite. Microfilariae were found in peripheral blood smears of 38 out of 294 (12.92%) tested camels, while 20 out of 125 camels (13.89%) harbored D. evansi adult worms in at least one region in their testicle, epididymis, spermatic cord, lung and heart. Two of infected males had adult forms of the parasite in all studied organs simultaneously. Pathological study of infected tissues revealed sections of parasite, severe acute and chronic inflammation, fibrosis and atrophy. D. evansi is endemic and constitutes an important health problem to camels in Iran's central desert, resulting in impaired working capacity and lowered productivity.

First report of Acanthocheilonema spirocauda in the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus).

The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) is one of the world's most endangered marine mammals. The largest population is located mainly throughout the Aegean and Ionian islands and along the coastline of southern continental Greece. We report the findings of a necropsy and discuss their potential importance to the conservation of the species. The adult female monk seal appeared to be in a good nutritional state. The main necropsy findings were injuries consistent with a violent and sudden death, including three round wounds on the ventral surface of the body and several hematomas, as well as a decomposing male fetus in the uterus. Two nematodes were found in the right ventricle of the heart; no abnormalities were observed in the lungs, pulmonary vessels, or heart. The nematodes were identified as Acanthocheilonema spirocauda. This is the first report of infection of the Mediterranean monk seal with A. spirocauda, even though this is the most common heartworm found in most pinnipeds worldwide. This parasite should be considered in health care monitoring projects of this endangered species.

Characterization of the allergen filarial tropomyosin with an invertebrate specific monoclonal antibody.

Tropomyosins of invertebrates are pan-allergens responsible for wide spread allergic reactions against seafood and arthropods. As invertebrate tropomyosins are highly conserved, helminth tropomyosins are likely to show properties similar to these medically important allergens. Studies with a monoclonal antibody, NR1, raised against tropomyosin of the rodent filarial nematode Acanthocheilonema viteae revealed a B cell epitope common to helminths and marine mollusks, which does not occur in vertebrate tropomyosin. This antibody detected tropomyosin of A. viteae, other filariids, nematodes, trematodes and a cestode, and recognized as well tropomyosin of oyster, squid and octopus, but not of arthropods and vertebrates. Immunohistological analyses of A. viteae, Onchocerca volvulus and other nematodes using NR1 showed that tropomyosin is located in the fibrillar part of the body wall muscles and the uterus, and is also conspicuous in muscles of the pharynx, the vagina and other organs of the nematodes. The abundance of a pan-allergen like tropomyosin in parasitic worms and the counterintuitive, but well documented protection against allergic reactivity by some chronic helminth infections is discussed.

[Occurrence of microfilariae Dipetalonema rugosicauda (Bohm and Supperer, 1953) in deer and selected hunting grounds]. / Wystepowanie mikrofilarii Dipetalonema rugosicauda (Böhm et Supperer, 1953) u sarn w wybrancych lowiskach.

Examinations were carried out in Bialowieska Forest, Borecka Forest, Lower Silesian Forest, woods in Olsztyn District, Slowinski National Park, and in experimental hunting areas of the Forest Research Institute in Ilawa and of the Warsaw Agricultural University in Rogów. Samples of the skin from the ear and nose were taken from 136 shot roe deers. Skin samples were cut into 1-2 mm pieces, incubated in a physiological solution in 25 degrees C for 24 hours and examined for the presence of microfilariae. Microfilariae of Dipetalonema rugosicauda were found in roe deers in all examined hunting grounds. Prevalence of invasion oscillated from 6.6% to 57.1%. The wide dispersion of D. rugosicauda in Poland is caused by common occurrence in our country of the intermediate host and vector of this nematode--tick Ixodes ricinus.

Report of an imported case of Dipetalonema perstans in Japan.

A case of Dipetalonema perstans infection in a 34-year-old Japanese male is presented and from his past history there is no doubt that he obtained the infection in Zaire, Africa. The morphology and periodicity of the microfilaria were studied in detail and the clinical manifestations of the infection documented. This is the first report of imported D. perstans infection in Japan.

Lysosomal enzyme in Mastomys natalensis during Dipetalonema viteae infection.

Activities of certain acid hydrolases (viz. acid phosphatase, beta-glucosidase, beta-galactosidase, N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase and cathepsine) of post mitochondrial fraction of liver and spleen were studied during the course of Dipetalonema viteae infection in Mastomys natalensis. The values are significantly higher from prepatent to patent phase of infection as compared with normal animals. However, a decrease in the activity of hepatic acid phosphatase and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase was noticed in latent phase of infection while a several fold increase in the activity of these enzymes was observed in splenic tissue when there were no detectable microfilariae (mf) in peripheral circulation. The results suggest that lysosomal acid hydrolases which constitute an important component of resistance may be activated by mf products through the sensitized cells of RE system.

Recovery of intact male and female Dipetalonema streptocerca from man.

When attempts at teasing adult Dipetalonema streptocerca free from biopsy specimens of human skin proved futile a digestion procedure was initiated. Punch biopsy specimens fixed in Michel's solution (ammonium sulfate) were incubated at 25 degrees C for 3 days in a 1.0% solution of collagenase in tris-HCl buffer. Intact worms were carefully teased out of the digested collagen and camera lucida drawings and measurements were then possible. This marks the first description of intact D. streptocerca adults recovered from man.

Streptocerciasis: degeneration of adult Dipetalonema streptocerca in man following diethylcarbamazine therapy.

Thirty-three patients in Zaire with streptocerciasis were treated daily with diethylcarbamazine (DEC) for 21 days. Histopathologic studies of biopsy specimens with papules of skin established that during DEC treatment adult male and female Dipetalonema streptocerca die and degenerate. DEC may thus produce radical cures of streptocerciasis.

Dipetalonema spirocauda infection in the Atlantic harbor seal (Phoca vitulina concolor).

The clinical and pathologic effects of the filarioid nematode Dipetalonema spirocauda were studied in the harbor seal, Phoca vitulina concolor. Aberrant behavior of both adults and microfilariae resulted in previously unreported pulmonary, vascular and hepatic lesions.

The pathology associated with single and quadruple infections of hamsters with Dipetalonema viteae.

Two groups of five hamsters were each infected subcutaneously with infective larvae of Dipetalonema viteae; one group received single infections, and the second group received quadruple infections. A third group of five hamsters served as controls. Hamsters with primary and quadruple infections had cellular infiltrates in the liver and glomerular basement membrane thickening; these lesions were more extensive in the multiple than single infections. Hyperinfected hamsters also developed subcutaneous nodules. By histologic examination, it was seen that nodules were encapsulated abscesses which had a central, necrotic core, and were confined by a fibrous connective tissue capsule. The central portion of some nodules contained nondegenerated worms. The same area of other nodules contained dead worms, while still other nodules contained calcified worms or necrotic and calcified debris.

Amyloidosis induced in hamsters by a filarid parasite (Dipetalonema viteae).

Amyloidosis was induced in hmasters infected with the filarial nematode parasite, Dipetalonema viteae. The incidence of amyloidosis was 64% in a group inoculated with 150 larvae and 54% in the group receiving 150 larvae in each of two inoculations. Amyloidosis was not seen in control animals. Microfilariae probably served as the antigenic stimulus in the pathogenesis of amyloidosis, since those animals in which amyloidosis was formed had microfilaremias that were significantly greater (P less than 0.05) both in number and duration than those in infected animals that did not develop amyloidosis. Other reports of amyloidosis associated with filariasis are reviewed.