Platynosomum illiciens (Trematoda: Dicrocoeliidae) in Captive Black-Tufted Marmoset Callithrix penicillata (Primates: Cebidae) from Brazil: A Morphometric Analyses with Taxonomic Comments on Species of Platynosomum from Nonhuman Primates.

The trematodes belonging to the genus Platynosomum are biliary parasites of birds and mammals (domestic and wildlife) in tropical and subtropical areas of the globe. Despite several reports on platynosomosis in captive nonhuman primates, mainly in South America, the taxonomy of species of Platynosomum that infect these hosts remains confused, and it is not clear whether the species found in cats is the same that infects nonhuman primates. Because a detailed morphological study of Platynosomum from nonhuman primates is lacking, in this study we analyzed specimens of Platynosomum recovered from the biliary system of Callithrix penicillata kept in captivity in an animal facility. The helminths were submitted to morphological and morphometric analyses in a light microscope and measurements of 16 morphological traits were taken. A kernel density estimation (KDE) was used to estimate density distributions of the measurements obtained as well as the occurrence of overlap with the ranges of the measurements known to 2 other species of Platynosomum previously described from South American marmosets, Platynosomum amazonensis and Platynosomum marmoseti. A principal component analysis (PCA) was also performed in order to evaluate the position of each of the 3 species in the multivariate gradient of morphometric measurements. The occurrence of a growth gradient was also evaluated by analysis of correlation between the measurements. Besides a great morphological variability, all specimens obtained from marmosets in this study were identified as Platynosomum illiciens (Braun, 1901). In addition, the published ranges of the measurements of P. amazonensis and P. marmoseti were completely contained within the ranges found in this study as revealed by KDE. The PCA did not show the formation of groups, and the 3 species were distributed along a growth continuum, also corroborated by correlation analysis. Therefore, P. amazonensis and P. marmoseti are here synonymized with P. illiciens. The involvement of wildlife hosts to the epidemiology of feline platynosomosis and implications for its control are briefly discussed.

Comparison of two coproparasitological techniques for the detection of Platynosomum sp. infection in cats.

Platynosomum sp. is the etiologic agent of platynosomiasis, a hepatic disease that affects domestic cats. The parasite develops in the bile ducts and gallbladder, causing severe hepato-biliary disease. Considering the importance of the disease and the increase in the number of households with cats, the aim of this study was to compare two different techniques for the detection of the parasite's eggs and to assess the frequency of Platynosomum sp. infection in cats. Forty fecal samples from cats of different ages, from an animal shelter in the city of Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil, were subjected to two different techniques: a centrifugal fecal flotation procedure in Sheather's sugar solution and centrifugal sedimentation in formalin-ether solution. Positive results were found for 12.5% of the samples using the centrifugal fecal flotation assay, whereas all samples were negative when employing the centrifugal sedimentation test. The results suggest that this parasite can be found infecting cats in Salvador city and that centrifugal fecal flotation in sugar solution can be a more suitable detection of the parasite's eggs at fecal samples. Therefore, platynosomiasis must be included in the diseases to be studied routinely in domestic felids.

Expression of IL-4, IL-10 and IFN-γ in the liver tissue of cattle that are naturally infected with Fasciola hepatica.

The role of interleukin IL-4, IL-10 and interferon gamma cytokines on natural Fasciola hepatica infection was investigated by quantifying the mRNA levels in liver tissue from chronically infected cattle. IL-4 and IL-10 had higher expression relative to interferon gamma in the liver tissue of infected animals when compared with the control group. The higher levels of IL-10 and IL-4 observed in the present study suggest a synergism between these cytokines, as well as involvement in the suppression of TH1 cell responses and a consequent induction of decreased interferon gamma expression in chronic cattle fascioliasis. The cytokine ratios were positively correlated, indicating a predominance of IL-4 in the chronic phase of infection with respect to interferon gamma and IL-10. Interferon gamma was predominant expressed in the controls, suggesting the involvement of IL-10 in modulating the immune response in favor of IL-4 in infected animals. Our results suggest that the TH2 polarized host immune response previously observed in experimental infection may also be responsible for establishing chronic phase and the maintenance of the natural infection of cattle from endemic areas that are in continuous contact with parasite.

Occurrence of infection by Platynosomum illiciens (Braun, 1901) in captive neotropical primates.

Platynosomum illiciens (Trematoda, Plagiorchida) is a trematode parasite reported in felids and falconiforms. It was identified in the gall bladder of eight captive neotropical necropsied primates from the National Primate Center (CENP), Ananindeua, State of Pará, Brazil. This is the first description of Platynosomum illiciens as a parasite of primates.

An unusual cause of bilioenteric anastomotic dysfunction after iatrogenic bile duct injury.

Roux en Y hepatojejunostomy is the surgery of choice for bile duct repair. Anastomotical dysfunction after reconstruction has several etiopathologies. Besides technical factors, ischemia of the duct is responsible for late obstruction. Bile colonization with secondary stones and sludge can also be identified as a cause. An unusual cause of anastomotical dysfunction secondary to ascaris biliary infestation after biliary reconstruction is reported herein. The patient had intermittent cholangitis and eosinophilia. At operation, the worm was found obstructing the anastomosis.

Biological variation between two Brazilian geographical isolates of Echinostoma paraensei.

The biological behaviour and morphometric data from two allopatric isolates of Echinostoma paraensei (Rio Bonito - RB and Sumidouro - SU) collected from naturally infected Nectomys squamipes from two secluded Atlantic Forest fragments were studied. Mice that had been experimentally infected with ten encysted metacercariae of each isolate were monitored weekly in two trials to analyse worm burden and the kinetics of worm distribution along the intestine. The total number of uterine eggs, wet weights and measurements of the worms and body, acetabulum, testes and ovaries were also analysed. The RB isolate showed a higher worm burden, 7.7+/-0.8, and a longer life span, 16 weeks, compared to a worm burden of 5.8+/-1.1 and life span of 9 weeks for the SU isolate. Worms of the RB isolate were clustered in the duodenum and in the bile duct while the SU isolate worms were dispersed along the small intestine of infected mice. Both isolates developed similarly as regards morphometric data and wet weight, although the total number of uterine eggs was greater in RB. The degree of intraspecific variation observed in the worm distribution along the intestine, worm burden and life span raises questions regarding the use of these criteria for species differentiation. These findings suggest that variation in biological parameters found between the E. paraensei isolates could result from geographical isolation and, in particular, the environmental conditions of transmission. Further studies on E. paraensei polulations from different forest fragments will contribute towards an understanding of the speciation of this parasite.

A new dicrocoeliid (Digenea: Dicrocoeliinae) parasite of rodents from Tlaxcala, Mexico.

Caballerolecythus ibunami n. gen., n. sp. is described from the intestine of 2 species of rodents (Liomys irroratus [Gray, 1868] and Peromyscus difficilis [Allen, 1891]) from Piñonal, El Carmen Tequexquitla, Tlaxcala state, Mexico. These specimens represent a new genus and a new species of Dicrocoeliinae by possession of an extremely short ceca (ending at equatorial level of ovary); vitelline follicles that begin posterior to these structures, without overlapping; and a body that is long and slender (length/width ratio 1:17-21). To the best of our knowledge, this combination of characters has not been reported in other genera of this subfamily (Athesmia Looss, 1899; Unilaterilecithum Oshmarin in Skrjabin and Evranova, 1952; and Pseudathesmia Travassos, 1942).

Estudio de viabilidad de escólices de quistes hidatídicos hepáticos humanos / Viability study of scolices of human hydatid liver cysts

El adecuado control de la hidatidosis en general, requiere conocer algunos aspectos relacionados con la supervivencia de los agentes infectantes, especialmente de los escólices. El objetivo de este trabajo, es evaluar la viabilidad de los escólices de quistes hidatídicos humanos de localización hepática. Estudiar la asociación entre las características clínicas al momento de la cirugía y el porcentaje de viabilidad de los escólices. Los criterios de viabilidad utilizados fueron: forma ovoide, invaginados, ganchos rostrales y corpúsculos calcáreos intactos, movimientos vibratorios presentes y ausencia de tinción con colorantes vitales. Los criterios para certificar mortalidad de los escólices fueron dos o más de los siguientes hechos: inmovilidad, alteración de los ganchos rostrales y de los corpúsculos calcáreos, rotura de membrana y pérdida de la forma ovoide y fácil tinción con el colorante vital (azul de tripan al 1,5 por ciento). Se estudiaron de esta forma 16 quistes, con un diámetro promedio de 16,2 cm. Siete lesiones (44 por ciento) de tipo univesicular, 5 (31 por ciento) multivesiculares y 4 (25 por ciento) quistes abscedados. En 7 oportunidades (44 por ciento), se evidenció comunicación a la vía biliar; y se constató viabilidad en 9 de los 16 quistes (56 por ciento). Las muestras con mayor porcentaje de escólices viables fueron los quistes multivesiculares, principalmente a expensas de las vesículas hijas. Se constató que los quistes multivesiculares eran viables en el 100 por ciento de los casos, a diferencia de los univesiculares con un 57 pir ciento y los abscedados con 0 por ciento (p= 0,01)

[Fasciolinip-1: experimental fasciolicidal activity in sheep]. / Fasciolinip-1: eficacia fasciolicida experimental en ovinos.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the flukicide efficacy of the 2-amino-5(6)-chloro-1-methoxycarbonylbenzimidazole (II), named Fasciolinip-1, against eight and twelve-week old flukes in sheep. In a first experiment 35 young sheep were infected each with 300 metacercariae of Fasciola hepatica. Eight weeks postinfection five groups of seven animals each were treated as follows: Groups 1, 2 and 3 were given 2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg of Fasciolinip-1. Groups 4 and 5 remained as non-treated and vehicle controls, respectively. In a second study, 32 sheep were infected each with 150 metacercariae. Twelve weeks postinfection, the animals were divided into 4 groups of 8 sheep each. Groups 1, 2 and 3 were treated orally with 5, 10 and 15 mg/kg of Fasciolinip-1, respectively. Group 4 remained as non-treated control. Fifteen days after treatment, all sheep from both experiments were killed to collect the flukes present in liver. Results indicated efficacies of 19.1%, 49.6% and 65.2% for groups 1, 2 and 3 of the first study and 48.3%, 64.8 and 90.6% for sheep of the second experiment, respectively. It was concluded that Fasciolinip-1 removed 8-week old flukes in limited numbers and 12-week old flukes in 90.6% when used at 15 mg/kg body weight.

Ascaris em via biliar / Ascaris in the bile duct

A ascaridíase é uma das mais comuns parasitoses em seres humanos. Ascaris adultos, que sao usualmente achados no intestino, podem entrar na ampola de Vater se o esfincter de Oddi estiver ineficiente. Os vermes podem migrar para os ductos biliares e provocar estase biliar. Os autores apresentam um caso de áscaris em via biliar associado a coledocolitíase, enfatizando aspectos clínicos e diagnóstico.

Liver morphology with enphasis on bile ducts changes and survival analysis in mice submitted to multiple Schistosoma mansoni infections and chemotherapy

Numa tentativa de estar o mais próximo possível a pacientes infectados e tratados nas áreas endêmicas de esquistosomose (S. mansoni) e também para obter um período mais longo de seguimento, camundongos foram repetidamente infectado com um número baixo de cercarias. Dados de sobrevivência e variáveis histológicas tais como granuloma esquistosomótico, alteraçöes portais, necrose hepatocelular, regeneraçäo hepática, pigmento esquistosomótico, fibrose periductal e principalmente, alteraçöes dos ductos biliares foram analisados nos animais infectados tratados e näo tratados. Aa terapêutica por oxamniquina ns animais repetidamente infectados prolonga a sobrevivência de maneira singificante (Chi-quadrado 9,24, p = 0,0024), portanto confirmando resultados anteriores com um modelo semelhante mas com um período mais curto de seguimento. Ainda, a mortalidadade decresce rapidamente depois do tratamento, sugerindo uma abrupta reduçäo na gravidade das lesöes hepáticas. O fígado foi anida estudados sob o ponto de vista morfológico imunohistoquímico. Fibrose portal, com um quadro que lembra a fibrose humana do tipo Symmers está presente na fase tardia da infecçäo. As alteraçöes de ductos biliares säo muito próximas daquelas descritas na esquistosomose manônica humana. Antígeno esquistomótico foi observado e, uma célula isolada do revestimento alterado de ductos biliares. A patogênese das alteraçöes ductais e sua possível relaçäo com a infecçäo parasitária e/ou seus antígenos foi discutida

Fasciolasis en vesícula y vías biliares en el Hospital Regional del Cusco durante 16 años. / Fasciolasis in gallbladder and biliary ducts in Hospital Regional del Cusco,during 16 years.

Hemos presentado 18 casos de fasciolasis de la vesícula y vías biliares tratados quirúrgicamente en un período de 16 años en el Hospital Regional del Cusco. El diagnóstico pre-operativo correcto no fue hecho en ninguno. La eosinofilia presente nos debe hacer pensar en una parasitosis. Además de la extirpación de los parásitos y de la vesícula cuando hay cálculos o de su remoción, en el colédoco, el tratamiento se complementa con clohidrato de emetina, la evolución ha sido satisfactoria y en todos los casos se han recuperado y se encuentran gozando de buen salud.