New records of helminth infections in Bothrops atrox Linnaeus, 1758 from Marajó Island-Brazil and a literature review with a check list of helminths infecting Bothrops species (Squamata, Viperidae) in the neotropical region.

Snakes of the genus Bothrops inhabit tropical forests in Central and South America and are important for the biomedical and pharmaceutical industries because of the chemical properties of their venom. They serve as either definitive or intermediate hosts for many parasitic helminths. The Marajó Island (Brazil) is the natural habitat of venomous snakes, Bothrops atrox and Bothrops marajoensis, which are often found around rural and peri-urban areas and are known to bite humans. Samples of helminths parasitizing the oral cavity, subcutaneous tissues, coelomic cavity, and intestine of four B. atrox from Marajó Island (Pará-Brazil) were collected. The specimens studied were taxonomically classified as trematodes of the species Stycholecitha serpentis, nematodes of the genera Eustrongylides and Camallanus and cystacanths of an acanthocephalan of the genus Centrorhynchus. The aims of the present study were: to record helminths found in B. atrox from the Marajó Island; to discuss their role as definitive, intermediate, or paratenic hosts; and to compile a list of helminths that have been recorded in snakes of the genus Bothrops of the Neotropical region.

Helminths collected from some freshwater fishes and amphibians in Ecuador and Venezuela.

The present paper comprises a systematic survey of helminths (trematodes, an acanthocephalan and nematodes) found in nine species of freshwater fishes in Ecuador collected in March 1999 and those (a trematode and acanthocephalans) collected from an amphibian and two species of freshwater fishes in Venezuela in 1992, 1996 and 2001. The following 17 helminth species were recorded: Trematoda: Prosthenhystera ornamentosa sp. n., P. obesa (Diesing, 1850), Crassicutis intermedius (Szidat, 1954), C. cichlasomae Manter, 1936 and Glypthelmins eleutherodactyli sp. n. Acanthocephala: Quadrigyrus torquatus Van Cleave, 1920, Gracilisentis variabilis (Diesing, 1851) and Neoechinorhynchus (Neoechinorhynchus) ecuadoris sp. n. Nematoda: Cosmoxynema vianai Travassos, 1949, Travnema travnema Pereira, 1938, Touzeta ecuadoris Petter, 1987, Sprentascaris hypostomi Petter et Cassone, 1984, Sprentascaris sp., Contracaecum sp. Type 1 larvae, Contracaecum sp. Type 2 larvae, Procamallanus (Procamallanus) peraccuratus Pinto, Noronha et Rolas, 1976 and Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) sp. juv. Nearly all of these parasites are reported from Ecuador or Venezuela for the first time and many of these findings represent new host records. The new species P. ornamentosa sp. n. was collected from the gall-bladder of an unidentified anostomid (Anostomidae, Characiformes) in Ecuador, G. eleutherodactyli sp. n. from the digestive tract of the frog Eleutherodactylus sp. (Eleutherodactylidae, Anura) in Venezuela and N. (N.) ecuadoris sp. n. from the intestine of Lebiasina sp. (Lebiasinidae, Characiformes) in Ecuador. Most parasites are briefly described and illustrated and problems concerning their morphology, taxonomy, hosts and geographical distribution are discussed.

Does the body size, sex, and reproductive modes of leaf litter anurans affect the diversity of parasites?

We describe the composition of endoparasites associated with leaf litter anurans from an Atlantic Forest area, in southeastern Brazil. We tested if body size, sex, and reproductive modes of anuran hosts influence endoparasite abundance and richness. We sampled 583 individuals from 11 anuran species and recorded 1,600 helminths from 14 taxa. The helminths that infected the greatest number of anuran host species were the nematodes Cosmocerca parva (8 spp.), Physaloptera sp. (8 spp.), and Cosmocerca brasiliense (7 spp.), and the most abundant helminth species were Physaloptera sp. (14.6%), Cosmocerca brasiliense (13.7%) and Cosmocerca parva (12.6%). Both helminth abundance and richness were positively affected by anuran body size and dependence on water for reproduction. Larger hosts can contain a higher abundance of parasites because they may provide more physical space than smaller ones, or it can simply be a function of age. Besides, parasite species richness can be highly correlated with the amount of time a host spends in association with aquatic habitats, a conservative aspect of both parasite and host natural history. Within host species, there was a positive and significant influence of body size on helminth abundance. Haddadus binotatus females had greater helminth abundance than males, probably due to sex-related differences in behavior and/or in physiology. Our data suggest that reproductive modes could also influence helminth infection parameters in other anuran communities and should be considered in detail in future analyses.

Patterns in parasite diversity and interactions with anurans from the Atlantic Forest.

Knowledge of parasite-host interactions is essential for understanding factors associated with the ecology and evolution of both groups. Some aspects, such as host size and phylogeny, as well as parasite specificity, are significant predictors that help unveil the parasite-host relationship. Thus, the goals of this study were: (1) to describe parasite diversity in regions of the Atlantic Forest; (2) to analyze which host characteristics can influence parasite richness of anuran's parasite component community; and (3) to investigate if the prevalence of parasite infection is related to specificity metrics (ecological and phylogenetic), number of infected hosts and parasite's abundance. We identified 49 parasite taxa, classified into three phyla: Nematoda, Acanthocephala, and Platyhelminthes. Supporting the existing literature, our findings corroborate the positive relationship between host size and parasite richness, further emphasizing the significance of this predictor. Parasite prevalence in the host community is related to the number of infected host species and parasite abundance, but not to phylogenetic and ecological specificity indices. This shows that parasite prevalence is strongly associated with infection opportunity, host sampling effort, and high parasite abundance.

A systematic review on products derived from nematophagous fungi in the biological control of parasitic helminths of animals.

Nematophagous fungi have been widely evaluated in the biological control of parasitic helminths in animals, both through their direct use and the use of their derived products. Fungal bioproducts can include extracellular enzymes, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), as well as secondary metabolites. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review covering the evaluation of products derived from nematophagous fungi in the biological control of parasitic helminths in animals. In total, 33 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. The majority of the studies were conducted in Brazil (72.7%, 24/33), and bioproducts derived from the fungus Duddingtonia flagrans were the most commonly evaluated (36.3%, 12/33). The studies involved the production of extracellular enzymes (48.4%, 16/33), followed by crude enzymatic extract (27.2%, 9/33), secondary metabolites (15.1%, 5/33) and biosynthesis of AgNPs (9.1%, 3/33). The most researched extracellular enzymes were serine proteases (37.5%, 6/16), with efficacies ranging from 23.9 to 85%; proteases (31.2%, 5/16), with efficacies from 41.4 to 95.4%; proteases + chitinases (18.7%, 3/16), with efficacies from 20.5 to 43.4%; and chitinases (12.5%, 2/16), with efficacies ranging from 12 to 100%. In conclusion, extracellular enzymes are the most investigated derivatives of nematophagous fungi, with proteases being promising strategies in the biological control of animal helminths. Further studies under in vivo and field conditions are needed to explore the applicability of these bioproducts as tools for biological control.

Endoparasitic helminth fauna and diet of Geophagus sveni (Pisces) in Upper Paraná River basin.

In freshwater ecosystems, parasite infection patterns are influenced by factors including spatial-temporal variations, host diet, and habitat. Fish often change diets, affecting their parasite communities. This study focused on non-native host fish Geophagus sveni, aiming to characterize diet and endoparasitic helminth fauna patterns in the invaded area, investigating spatial and seasonal possible differences of endoparasite infections and correlating with host diet, in São José dos Dourados River and Tietê River areas. The host fish were collected in these areas during the dry and rainy season using gillnets. The endoparasites were collected and preserved in alcohol and identified using taxonomic methods, and stomach contents were examined for diet analysis. Parasitism descriptors were calculated and evaluated spatially and seasonally by ANOVA and the Kruskal-Wallis tests. PERMANOVA assessed G. sveni diet differences, and RDA correlated the endohelminth abundance with the host diet. Two endoparasites were recorded: metacercariae of Austrodiplostomum compactum (Trematoda) and larvae and adults of Raphidascaris (Sprentascaris) lanfrediae (Nematoda). Spatial differences were observed for the mean abundance and prevalence of R. (S.) lanfrediae and A. compactum prevalence. Seasonal variations of parasitic descriptors occurred for the nematode in the Tietê River area. The detritus and aquatic insects were the most consumed items by G. sveni. Detritus consumption positively correlates with nematode abundance. The findings indicate that factors such as artificial channels and rainfall, which can influence resource availability, may affect the fish's diet and potentially influence the structure of its endoparasite community. The study emphasizes the importance of understanding trophic chain-transmitted parasites and calls for further research in Neotropical environments.

Gastrointestinal helminths of opossums (Mammalia: Didelphidae) from Bolivia.

A total of 32 taxa of helminths were recovered from 52 individuals corresponding to 17 species of didelphiomorph marsupials collected across Bolivia. From these, 20 taxa are registered for the first time in this landlocked South American country, including the cestode Mathevotaenia bivittata, and the nematodes Moennigia sp., Travassostrongylus callis, Viannaia didelphis, V. hamata, V. metachirops, V. minispicula, V. philanderi, V. simplicispicula, V. skrjabini, V. viannai, Cruzia tentaculata, Monodelphoxyuris dollmeiri, Neohilgertia venusti, Pterygodermatites elegans, Pterygodermatites jeagerskioldi, Spirura guianensis, Gongylonemoides marsupialis, Turgida turgida and Trichuris reesali. We report for the first time parasites for Marmosops bishopi, Monodelphis emiliae, Monodeplhis glirina, Monodelphis sanctarosae, Monodelphis peruviana and Thylamys sponsorius and document 38 new records of parasites infecting marsupials. Twenty-six taxa of helminths infect 2 or more species of didelphiomorph marsupials, with the exception of Travassostrongylus callis, Viannaia didelphis, V. hamata, V. minispicula and V. hamate, which infected individuals of a single species.

Closing the knowledge gap: Helminth parasites of freshwater turtles from the Chaco-Pampa Plain, Southern South America.

Six species of freshwater turtles dominate the Chaco-Pampa Plain in southern South America and their parasites have been relatively understudied, with most records concentrated in Brazil. Particularly in Argentina, there are only scattered records of parasites for most of the turtles that inhabit the region, leaving a large knowledge gap. The purpose of the present contribution is to increase the knowledge of the internal parasites of six species of freshwater turtles from Argentina, after 15 years of fieldwork, by providing new hosts and additional geographic records for many host-parasite relationships. Some molecular sequences of the studied parasites were provided as a tool for better species identification. We processed 433 stomach and fecal samples from live individuals and visceral and soft tissue samples from 54 dissected turtles collected from a wide range and different ecoregions. We found 6230 helminths belonging to 18 taxa (one cestode, 11 digeneans and six nematodes). Fourteen new parasite-host associations are reported here, and for the first time parasites are recorded for Phrynops williamsi. This work contributes significantly to the knowledge of the parasitofauna in freshwater turtles in Argentina, providing a detailed list of parasites present in each turtle species and reporting molecular characters for future studies.

Asociación de parásitos intestinales con síndrome anémico en niños escolares: Una revisión sistemática de la literatura / The association between intestinal parasites and anemic syndrome in schoolchildren: A literature systematic review / Associação de parasitoses intestinais com síndrome anêmica em escolares: Revisão sistemática da literatura

Introducción: Las parasitosis intestinales y la anemia son un problema de salud pública mundial. Estos parásitos tienen tropismo hacia el intestino delgado, afectan la absorción de micronutrientes durante la eritropoyesis, produciendo la aparición de un síndrome anémico por un recuento bajo de glóbulos rojos y déficit de hemoglobina. Objetivo: Establecer la asociación de la infección por parásitos intestinales y síndrome anémico en niños en edad escolar. Materiales y métodos: Búsq ueda sistemática de literatura publicada entre 2010-2021 sobre asociación entre infección por parásitos intestinales y síndrome anémico en escolares. Resultados: Se identificó 1151 publicaciones, al aplicar los criterios de inclusión y exclusión, se redujeron a 33, encontrándose 9 agentes asociados a anemia, siendo A. lumbricoides (27,27%), A. duodenalis y T. trichiura los helmintos más prevalentes, y G. duodenalis (6,06%) el protozoario más común. El 39,39% de los estudios incluyó ambos agentes. África (21), Asia (6), Sudamérica (5) y Centroamérica (1) tienen la mayoría de publicaciones. Se observa asociación significativa entre infección parasitaria y la anemia IC=95%. Conclusión: La evidencia demuestra alta prevalencia de anemias carenciales de tipo ferropénica y megaloblástica, con asociación significativa entre un mayor porcentaje de infecciones por helmintos y síndrome anémico, en comparación con infecciones por protozoos.

Introduction: Intestinal parasitic infections and anemia are a global public health problem. These parasites have a tropism for the small intestine, which affects the micronutrients absorption during erythropoiesis and causes an anemic syndrome due to a low red blood cell count and hemoglobin deficiency. Objective: To establish the association of intestinal parasite infection and anemic syndrome in schoolchildren. Materials and methods: Systematic search of literature published between 2010 and 2021 about the association between intestinal parasitic infections and anemic syndrome in schoolchildren. Results: 1151 publications were identified, which were reduced to 33 when the inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied. There were 9 parasites, and the helminths commonly associated with anemia were A. lumbricoides (27.27%), A. duodenalis y T. trichiura, whereas G. duodenalis (6.06%) was the most frequent protozoan. The regions with most publications were Africa (21), Asia (6), South America (5), and Central America (1). There was a significant association between parasitic infection and anemia (CI=95%). Conclusion: High prevalence of deficiency anemia, such as iron deficiency and megaloblastic anemia, was observed. Also, there was a significant association between a higher percentage of helminth infections and anemic syndrome compared to infections caused by protozoans.

Introdução: Parasitas intestinais e anemia constituem um problema global de saúde pública. Esses parasitas têm tropismo para o intestino delgado, afetam a absorção de micronutrientes durante a eritropoiese, produzindo o aparecimento de uma síndrome anêmica devido à baixa contagem de glóbulos vermelhos e à deficiência de hemoglobina. Objetivo: Estabelecer a associação entre infecção por parasitas intestinais e síndrome anêmica em crianças em idade escolar. Materiais e métodos: Pesquisa sistemática da literatura publicada entre 2010-2021 sobre a associação entre infecção por parasitas intestinais e síndrome anêmica em escolares. Resultados: foram identificadas 1.151 publicações, ao aplicar os critérios de inclusão e exclusão, foram reduzidos para 33, encontrando 9 agentes associados à anemia, sendo A. lumbricoides (27,27%), A. duodenalis e T. trichiura os helmintos mais prevalentes e G. duodenalis (6,06%) o protozoário mais comum. 39,39% dos estudos incluíram ambos os agentes. África (21), Ásia (6), América do Sul (5) e América Central (1) têm o maior número de publicações. Observa-se associação significativa entre infecção parasitária e anemia IC=95%. Conclusão: As evidências mostram alta prevalência de anemias ferroprivas e megaloblásticas, com associação significativa entre maior percentual de infecções helmínticas e síndrome anêmica, em comparação com infecções por protozoários.

Searching for common patterns in parasite ecology: species and host contributions to beta-diversity in helminths of South African ungulates and fleas of South American rodents.

We searched for common patterns in parasite ecology by investigating species and host contributions to the beta-diversity of infracommunities (=assemblages of parasites harboured by a host individual) in helminths of three species of South African ungulates and fleas of 11 species of South American rodents, assuming that a comparison of patterns in distinctly different parasites and hosts would allow us to judge the generality or, at least, commonness of these patterns. We used data on species' composition and numbers of parasites and asked whether (i) parasite species' attributes (life cycle, transmission mode, and host specificity in helminths; possession of sclerotized combs, microhabitat preference, and host specificity in fleas) or their population structure (mean abundance and/or prevalence) and (ii) host characteristics (sex and age) affect parasite and host species' contributions to parasite beta-diversity (SCBD and HCBD, respectively). We found that parasite species' morphological and ecological attributes were mostly not associated with their SCBD. In contrast, parasite SCBD, in both ungulates and rodents, significantly increased with either parasite mean abundance or prevalence or both. The effect of host characteristics on HCBD was detected in a few hosts only. In general, parasite infracommunities' beta-diversity appeared to be driven by variation in parasite species rather than the uniqueness of the assemblages harboured by individual hosts. We conclude that some ecological patterns (such as the relationships between SCBD and parasite abundance/prevalence) appear to be common and do not differ between different host-parasite associations in different geographic regions, whereas other patterns (the relationships between SCBD and parasite species' attributes) are contingent and depend on parasite and host identities.

NEW RECORDS OF HELMINTHS OF THE JAGUAR IN MEXICO, WITH AN UPDATED LIST OF SPECIES IN THE AMERICAS.

An inventory of parasites infecting the jaguar (Panthera onca) across its distribution range is relevant for the conservation of this threatened big cat. In this study, we report the occurrence of helminths in a jaguar from Mexico using morphological techniques (cleared and stained mounts and scanning electron microscopy) and partial sequences of the 28S ribosomal RNA (28S rRNA) gene and the cytochrome c oxidase 1 mitochondrial (COI) gene. We also provide an updated list of helminth species reported in jaguars in the Americas. Three helminth taxa are identified in the jaguar examined from Mexico: Toxocara cati, Physaloptera sp., and Taenia sp. The new 28S rRNA sequences of To. cati, Physaloptera sp., and Taenia sp. and the COI sequence of Taenia sp. corroborate the identity of the helminths isolated from this host. One hundred and twenty-nine records of helminths parasitizing jaguars from 49 studies up to May 2023 were identified in the Americas. In most of these studies (73.6%), helminths were identified using coproparasitological techniques. Sixteen helminths (7 nematodes, 5 cestodes, 3 acanthocephalans, and 1 trematode) were identified at the species level in free-ranging and captive jaguars. The study demonstrates the value of an integrative taxonomy approach to increase the accuracy of parasite identification in wildlife, especially when helminth specimens are scarce or poorly fixed.

Diversity and prevalence of zoonotic infections at the animal-human interface of primate trafficking in Peru.

Wildlife trafficking creates favorable scenarios for intra- and inter-specific interactions that can lead to parasite spread and disease emergence. Among the fauna affected by this activity, primates are relevant due to their potential to acquire and share zoonoses - infections caused by parasites that can spread between humans and other animals. Though it is known that most primate parasites can affect multiple hosts and that many are zoonotic, comparative studies across different contexts for animal-human interactions are scarce. We conducted a multi-parasite screening targeting the detection of zoonotic infections in wild-caught monkeys in nine Peruvian cities across three contexts: captivity (zoos and rescue centers, n = 187); pet (households, n = 69); and trade (trafficked or recently confiscated, n = 132). We detected 32 parasite taxa including mycobacteria, simian foamyvirus, bacteria, helminths, and protozoa. Monkeys in the trade context had the highest prevalence of hemoparasites (including Plasmodium malariae/brasilianum, Trypanosoma cruzi, and microfilaria) and enteric helminths and protozoa were less common in pet monkeys. However, parasite communities showed overall low variation between the three contexts. Parasite richness (PR) was best explained by host genus and the city where the animal was sampled. Squirrel (genus Saimiri) and wooly (genus Lagothrix) monkeys had the highest PR, which was ~2.2 times the PR found in tufted capuchins (genus Sapajus) and tamarins (genus Saguinus/Leontocebus) in a multivariable model adjusted for context, sex, and age. Our findings illustrate that the threats of wildlife trafficking to One Health encompass exposure to multiple zoonotic parasites well-known to cause disease in humans, monkeys, and other species. We demonstrate these threats continue beyond the markets where wildlife is initially sold; monkeys trafficked for the pet market remain a reservoir for and contribute to the translocation of zoonotic parasites to households and other captive facilities where contact with humans is frequent. Our results have practical applications for the healthcare of rescued monkeys and call for urgent action against wildlife trafficking and ownership of monkeys as pets.

Gastrointestinal parasites of Peltocephalus dumerilianus (Testudines: Podocnemididae) from Jaú National Park, Brazilian Amazon.

The big-headed Amazon River turtle, Peltocephalus dumerilianus, is endemic to the Orinoco and Amazon River basins. It is a food source for local communities, often unsustainably. Knowledge about P. dumerilianus' parasitological fauna and host-parasite relationships is limited. Thus, ecological aspects of gastrointestinal parasitism in this species were investigated. Helminths were found in the gastrointestinal tract of 21 turtles, morphologically identified, and infection descriptors calculated. All animals harbored helminths: nematodes Ancyracanthus pinnatifidus, Paratractis hystrix, Atractis trematophila, Klossinemella conciliatus indeterminate three Klossinemella species, and digeneans Nematophila grandis, Helicotrema spirale, and Telorchis hagmanni. The highest parasite load occurred in the large intestine, followed by the small intestine and stomach. Shell length directly correlated with parasite burden of heteroxenic helminths, with males having higher burden than females. This is the first record of A. trematophila, K. conciliatus, and T. hagmanni in P. dumerilianus, and new location record for A. trematophila, P. hystrix, N. grandis, H. spirale, and T. hagmanni. Three potentially new Klossinemella species are presented.

Helminths of Wied's marmoset (Callithrix kuhlii (Coimbra-Filho, 1985) (Primates: Callitrichidae)) from the Atlantic Forest, Southern Bahia State, Brazil.

Callithrix kuhlii is present in forest mosaics, edge habitats, and abandoned fields in the Atlantic Forest. In Bahia and Minas Gerais. This study aimed to identify helminths from C. kuhlii and relate them to the clinical data, weights, and indices of the liver and gonads. Necropsies were performed on 13 adult marmosets that were run over on the BA-001 highway. A principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted to describe the relationships between the variables investigated. Fifty-one helminths were collected from 30.77% (4/13) of the marmosets analyzed. Helminths were classified based on their morphological and morphometric characteristics. Primasubulura jacchi (Marcel, 1857), Platynosomum illiciens (Dougherty, 1946), and Prosthenorchis confusus (Dougherty, 1946) were the species identified, with prevalence rates of 7.69%, 7.69%, and 15.38%, respectively. In addition, this is a new host record of P. confusus. The two main axes of the PCA explained a high variability (PCA=67.7%), indicating reduced weight and indices of the organs of parasitized animals. This study expands the knowledge on parasites of C. kuhlii and its vulnerability to parasites, contributing to constructing an epidemiological profile of environmental health.

Effectiveness of a School Intervention Based on Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Soil-Transmitted Helminths.

More than 1.5 billion people are infected by soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) worldwide, comprising one of the world's most serious public health problems. School-age children are the most affected as a result of precarious hygienic habits, especially in economically poor areas that lack appropriate sanitation. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate a didactic method via a health education approach as a complement to the school curriculum of the sixth-grade students of public schools, distributed among six cities in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. For this, a didactic booklet was elaborated with educational explanatory activities about worms, their life cycle, and how to avoid infections. The intervention was measured by the change caused by knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP), in students before and after using the notebook, through a questionnaire with high validity and internal consistency. Schools were assigned randomly into intervention and control groups, receiving both the didactic material and the questionnaires, versus the questionnaires only, respectively. The results were submitted to an analysis of covariance that revealed a significant difference pre- and postintervention for knowledge (P < 0.001), with greater means (0.54) compared with the control group (0.44); attitude (P < 0.005), with respective means of 0.56 versus 0.48; and practice (P < 0.001), with means of 0.75 versus 0.57. These findings set the didactic material as a potential tool to complement the school curriculum through KAP without disrupting the teaching system, in addition to assisting teachers in health education at schools aiming to prevent children's infections by STHs.

Checklist of helminth parasites of Chiroptera of North America north of Mexico.

A parasite-host, host-parasite and distribution-based checklist of helminths found in bats (Chiroptera) of North America north of Mexico is presented. The parasite-host checklist includes a total of 93 species (including records without a species identification) of helminth parasites reported in the literature from 30 species of bats. These include 54 trematodes, 11 cestodes, and 28 nematodes. Each helminth species is listed under its most current accepted name, with all known synonyms, distribution by state/province, and references for each geographic location. Lists of helminths reported from individual species of bats as well as states of the United States and provinces/territories of Canada are also provided. The following new combinations are proposed: Paralecithodendrium alaskensis (Neiland, 1962) n. comb. for Prosthodendrium alaskensis Neiland, 1962; Paralecthodendrium longiforme (Bhalerao, 1926) n. comb. for Lecithodendrium longiforme Bhalerao, 1926; and Paralecithodendrium singularium (Byrd & Macy, 1942) n. comb. for Prosthodendrium singularium Byrd & Macy, 1942. The state of knowledge of helminths of bats in North America is briefly discussed.

The burden of intestinal parasitic infections in Antioquia, Colombia: Impact in childhood growth development and nutritional status.

Gastrointestinal protist (GP) and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections cause significant morbidity among children in poor-resource settings of tropical and sub-tropical countries including Colombia. Few prospective transversal studies investigating how GP and STH infections affect growth development and nutritional status during childhood have been conducted in this country, none of them in the Antioquia Department. This microscopy-based study estimated the prevalence of GP and helminth (including STH) infections in faecal samples from schoolchildren (n = 384) collected during April-May 2019 in three municipalities of the Antioquia Department. Demographic, epidemiological, and household data were elicited through face-to-face interviews. Parasite detection was carried out by direct microscopic examination of both fresh smears and concentrated faecal material. Children (aged 6-15 years) also had their haemoglobin (Hb) levels, height and weight data collected, and BMI estimated. Data were analysed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Overall, 60.7 % (233/384) of schoolchildren were infected by at least one intestinal parasitic species. Among GPs, Blastocystis sp. was the most common species found (47.7 %, 95 % CI: 42.6-52.8), followed by G. duodenalis (15.9 %, 95 % CI: 12.4-19.9). Cryptosporidium spp. and Cyclospora cayetanensis were sporadically identified (0.3 %, 95 % CI: 0.1-1.4 each). Among helminths, the most prevalent species found were Trichuris trichiura (6.0 %, 95 % CI: 3.8-8.9) and Enterobius vermicularis (1.0 %, 95 % CI: 0.3-2.6). Hookworms, Ascaris lumbricoides, and Strongyloides stercoralis were found at prevalence rates <1 %. Underweight, overweigh, or obese schoolchildren had 1.2 times greater chance of being infected with intestinal parasites than their counterparts with a healthy weight (P-value: 0.015). Variables significantly associated with an increased likelihood of being infected by intestinal parasites include living in a household with unfinished flouring, not wearing shoes, being in close proximity to rodents, and having improper waste disposal. Relatively simple interventional measures directed towards the improvement of household conditions, access to sanitary toilets, and promoting shoe wearing can significantly reduce childhood infections by GP and helminths in the Antioquia Department.

Diversity of helminths with zoonotic potential and molecular characterization of Toxocara canis infecting domestic dogs from locations of Amazon and Atlantic Forest Brazilian biomes.

The coproparasitological examination of dogs (n=278) from two Brazilian biomes (Amazon [AZ] and Atlantic Forest [AF]) by centrifugal flotation demonstrated positivity values of 54.2% (AF) and 48.5% (AZ). The most prevalent parasites in AF were hookworms (81.0% - 47/58), Toxocara sp. (17.3% - 10/58) and Trichuris vulpis (12.1% - 7/58); while in AZ they were hookworms (86.7% - 72/83), Toxocara sp. (18.1% - 15/83), Dipylidium caninum (13.3% - 11/83) and T. vulpis (10.8% - 9/83). PCR was performed using the partial mitochondrial genes cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (pcox1) and NADH dehydrogenase 1 (pnad1) in 25 fecal samples positive for Toxocara sp. eggs and found one sample positive for pcox1 and six positives for pnad1. The sequencing of these samples was unsuccessful due to the difficulties inherent in copro-PCR+sequencing. The sequencing of 14 samples of T. canis adult helminths retrieved 11 sequences of 414 bp for pcox1 and nine sequences of 358 bp for pnad1. The phylogenetic trees of these sequences confirmed the species T. canis. Intraspecific genetic variation was only observed for pnad1. This is the second study involving molecular analysis of T. canis in dogs from Brazil and adds new information through the use of pnad1.

Endoparasites in domestic cats (Felis catus) in the semi-arid region of Northeast Brazil.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of endoparasites in domestic cats (Felis catus) in the city of Sousa, state of Paraíba, Northeast Brazil. A total of 207 samples of fresh feces were randomly collected from domestic and semi-domiciled cats. The samples were analyzed by simple centrifugation and centrifuge-flotation in sucrose solution for the diagnosis of helminth eggs and enteric protozoan oocysts and cysts. Epidemiological information was obtained to determine risk factors related to infections. Among the samples collected, 81.6% (169/207; 95% CI: 77.4-83.8) were positive for at least one parasite genus. Ancylostoma spp. was the most prevalent, at 67.1% (139/207), followed by Taenia spp. at 28.5% (59/207), and Spirometra spp. and Platynosomum sp., both at 17.3% (36/207). The variables associated with helminth infection were a historic lack of deworming (Odds ratio = 12.25) and the presence of dry fur (Odds ratio = 2.15). No risk factors were observed for enteric protozoa infection. This study demonstrated a high prevalence of endoparasites in domestic cats in the city of Sousa, state of Paraíba, and associated risk factors, thus establishing an overview of the main helminths and protozoa that affect cats in this region.

Canine parasitoses in north Patagonia (Argentina): comparison between different social and environmental factors.

In many countries, urban areas are commonly contaminated with canine feces that spread parasites, a situation related to the natural and social environment. Dogs having free access to public areas therefore constitutes a health risk. Because in Patagonia there are no records of city comparisons that consider the number of free-roaming dogs and the local environmental and socioeconomic characteristics, in this study we analyse and compare canine parasitoses in two cities of Rio Negro province, Argentina. Canine feces were collected from public areas of El Bolsón and Cipolletti cities and examined using enrichment methods, Kinyoun stain and immunoassay (Copro-Elisa). The total percentage of positive feces in El Bolsón was 68.95% and 16 parasite taxa being identified, whereas in Cipolletti the total positive feces was 41.1%, with 11 taxa. Both cities presented more helminth species than protozoans. The variables that explained the occurrence of all parasites were rainfall and socioeconomic stratum with the highest values being found in low-income areas.Soil moisture is conditioned by rainfall. This study highlights the presence of the zoonotic Echinococcus sp. in dogs in urban areas of the Rio Negro province. The occurrence of this parasite in Cipolletti is unexpected, given that this city is not considered an endemic zone for this disease, which is not included in local monitoring and control plans.