A survey on helminthic infection in mice (Mus musculus) and rats (Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus) in Kermanshah, Iran.

Parasitic infections of rodents can compromise scientific research as well as the health of the animals and humans. Based on previous studies, infection rate of parasitic helminths is different in various regions of Iran. The current survey was aimed to determine endoparasitic helminths infection in 138 trapped rodents of Kermanshah county, Iran. Mice and rats were trapped using metal snares from January to October 2011 and euthanized. Rodents included 110 Mus musculus (79.00%), 23 Rattus norvegicus (17.00%), and five Rattus rattus (4.00%). The gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts were removed and examined to identify parasitic helminths. The results indicated that 42.02% of examined rodents were infected with eight helminths species, i.e. Trichuris muris (14.49%), Syphacia obvelata (13.76%), Syphacia muris (2.89%), Aspicularis tetrapetra (5.07%), Heterakis spumosa (5.07%), Capillaria hepatica eggs (3.62%), Hyminolepis diminuta (12.30%), and Cystisercus fasciolaris, the larva of Taenia teanieformis (4.34%). Given the results of this study, we concluded that examined rodents were more infected with nematodes than other helminths. As rodents are usually infected with a number of zoonotic parasites, hence control of these animals has an important role in safeguarding public health.

An Echinococcus multilocularis coproantigen is a surface glycoprotein with unique O-gycosylation.

A major surface constituent of Echinococcus multilocularis adult worms, referred to as an EmA9 antigen, was immunoaffinity purified and identified as a high-molecular-weight glycoconjugate. Labeling studies using the monoclonal antibody MAbEmA9 indicated that this antigen undergoes a regulated expression during the development from the larval to the adult parasite. Chemical modification of carbohydrate by periodate oxidation resulted in a reduced reactivity with antigen-specific antibodies. Non-reductive beta-elimination of the purified molecule indicated the presence of O-linked glycans attached to threonine residues. Carbohydrate compositional analyses indicated the presence of N- and O-glycans with the ratio of carbohydrate to protein being 1.5:1 (w/w). N- and O-linked glycans were released by hydrazinolysis and analyzed as 2-aminobenzamide derivatized glycans by mass spectrometry together with HPLC and enzymatic sequencing. Novel linear O-linked saccharides with multiple beta-HexNAc extensions of reducing end Gal were identified. N-Linked glycans were also detected with oligomannose and mono-, bi-, tri- and tetra-antennary-type structures, most of which were found to be core-fucosylated. Taken together, the results indicate that the EmA9 antigen is a glycoprotein located at the outer surface of the adult E. multilocularis. The observation that the EmA9 antigen expression is developmentally regulated suggests an involvement of this glycoprotein in the establishment of the parasite in its canine host.

Scanning electron microscopic observations on adult Spirocerca lupi (Nematoda: Spirurida, Thelaziidae).

Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the surface ultrastructure of adult worms of Spirocerca lupi. At the anterior end of both sexes, the mouth is hexagonal, without definite lips. Around the mouth, two pairs of submedian cephalic papillae and two lateral amphids are present. There is a pair of lateral cervical papillae. At the anterior end of the body, on the ventral side, an excretory pore is seen. In the female, the vulva is located anteriorly and the tail is blunt, with a pair of subterminal phasmids. The male tail is spiral, with four pairs of preanal papillae, a single large median preanal papilla on the anterior lip of the cloacal aperture, two pairs of postanal papillae, four pairs of tiny papillae near the tip of the tail and two subterminal phasmids. The cuticle shows an abnormal tumour-like mass in two cases.