Vegetation structure influences the burden of immature Ixodes dammini on its main host, Peromyscus leucopus.

To determine whether the relative abundance of immature Ixodes dammini (the vector of Lyme disease and human babesiosis) is related to habitat structure, we examined tick burdens on their main host, the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus), in 4 structurally diverse sites on Great Island, Massachusetts, USA. Vegetation structure at each site was quantified with respect to 25 habitat variables. Principal components analysis was used to reduce this set of habitat variables to seven new and orthogonal variables. Immature tick abundance varied widely among grids. Regression analysis of tick burdens on the habitat principal components showed that larval burdens were related strongly to the density of woody vegetation and negatively to herbaceous vegetation. Nymphal burdens were related negatively to herbaceous vegetation, but the relationship was not as strong as in the case of larvae. An experimental reduction in the abundance of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), the main host of adult ticks, substantially reduced tick burdens and altered their relationships to habitat structure. Nymphal burdens were unrelated to habitat structure following deer removal. Manipulating habitat structure may have utility as a control strategy against this important vector.

The effects of repetitive community-wide ivermectin treatment on transmission of Onchocerca volvulus in Guatemala.

The effects of biannual ivermectin treatment at the community level on transmission of Onchocerca volvulus during the dry season were measured over a 30-month period in Guatemala. In the Los Tarrales Transmission Zone, an area encompassing three villages, significant changes occurred in both the prevalence and quantity of infection in the Simulium ochraceum vector population. These included a 76% reduction in females with infective stage larvae (L3S) and an 80% reduction in number of L3S per 1,000 parous flies. Significant reductions in both the mean infective biting density (IBD) and mean transmission potential (TP) also occurred. In Santa Emilia, the prevalence of infection with L3S in S. ochraceum was significantly reduced by 77% from the baseline value. The number of O. volvulus L3S per 1,000 parous flies was also reduced by 92%. Changes in both the IBD and TP were substantial but not significant due to the high degree of variance in the occurrence of O. volvulus L3S in the vector population. This was due, in part, to the movement of infected migrant workers into the finca (coffee farm). In Los Andes, four recurrent treatments successfully blocked transmission of infective stage larvae. Prevalence (flies with all stages of developing larvae) in the vector population was reduced by 89% over the two-year period; yearly reductions in both the IBD and TP were also highly significant, ultimately ending in zero values. This finding is particularly striking since prior to treatment, Los Andes exhibited the highest IBD of the three study locations and the second highest TP.

New host of Ixodes dentatus (Acari: Ixodidae), and first record in Tennessee.

Two specimens of Ixodes dentatus Marx were found in southwestern Tennessee in Shelby County during a 14-mo tick survey. This was the first record for this tick in Tennessee. An adult female was found on a dry ice trap and one larva was found on a live-trapped Peromyscus leucopus, the first time this tick has been reported from P. leucopus. This may be another combination of vector and host in the ecology and transmission of B. burgdorferi in the wild.

Prevalence of Trichinella spiralis in black bears (Ursus americanus) from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

Tongue and diaphragm samples from 158 black bears (Ursus americanus) from Newfoundland and Labrador were examined for Trichinella spiralis. No larvae were detected in samples from the island of Newfoundland but one animal from the Labrador samples was infected. The results of this and other studies suggest a lack of involvement of the black bear in a sylvatic cycle of T. spiralis in eastern Canada.

Inoculation of conventionally and specific-pathogen-free reared rabbits with Ostertagia ostertagi isolated from cattle.

Eleven trials were conducted to collect helminthologic and pathologic data from 27 conventionally reared (CR) and 53 specific-pathogen-free (SPF) 6- to 13-week-old male New Zealand White rabbits. These rabbits were given 50,000 to 100,000 ensheathed third-stage infective Ostertagia ostertagi larvae (L3) orally. The L3 had been isolated from the feces of cattle. Fecal egg counts were conducted and worm populations were determined after euthanasia 3 to 56 days after inoculation. At necropsy, nodules were observed in a confluent pattern in the mucosa of cardiac region of the stomach in all inoculated rabbits, except in CR rabbits inoculated at 6 weeks of age, which had no nodules or worm burdens 42 days after inoculation. Confluent areas were not observed in SPF rabbits euthanatized 5 days or less after inoculation; however, small, transparent nodules were evident in the mucosa of the cardiac region of the stomach. Fourth-stage larvae (L4) were obtained from the mucosal nodules after digestion of stomach of both types of rabbits. There were more L4 in SPF than CR rabbits. In addition, greater numbers of L4 were found in SPF rabbits euthanatized 14 days or less after inoculation. Petechial hemorrhages were in the fundic area of the stomach mucosa in SPF rabbits inoculated with 100,000 L3 and euthanatized 14 days later. Mature O ostertagi or worm eggs in feces were not found in inoculated CR or SPF rabbits. The pathologic changes had characteristics similar to those in cattle and goats infected with O ostertagi.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Evaluation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for diagnosis of trichinellosis in swine.

Experimental and field trials were conducted to evaluate an ELISA for its ability to detect Trichinella-infected domestic swine and to compare ELISA results with muscle-digestion test results. The ELISA used was a commercial double-antibody kit, containing an excretory-secretory antigen, and was evaluated principally for epidemiologic use. Experimentally induced infection in swine (4 groups of 3 pigs each; inoculated with 0, 50, 500 or 5,000 larvae) was detected as early as postinoculation week 4, with seroconversion of all inoculated swine by postinoculation week 8. The rate of seroconversion appeared to be affected by initial larval dose, time after inoculation, and immunocompetence of the individual host. Determination of antibody kinetics generally revealed rapidly increasing antibody titer, followed by its steady decrease in most pigs. Once seropositive, however, all pigs remained seropositive for the duration of the 10-week study. Presence of muscle larvae was confirmed in all infected pigs at termination of the study. We recognize that the experimental conditions may not be truly representative of those under which natural infection develops in pigs; however, the ELISA detected an infected pig with muscle larval density of 0.87 larvae/g of tissue. Results of a field trial (n = 310) indicated no muscle digestion test-positive pigs (35 g of diaphragm muscle digested/pig), but 3 samples tested positive by ELISA for specificity of 99.0%.

A novel method for the isolation of nematode larvae using pluronic F-68-treated cellulose strips.

A new method is described for the isolation of cultured nematode larvae. This allows effective separation of larvae from fecal contamination, exsheathed larvae from cast sheaths, and viable larvae from nonviable larvae. The method involves the use of cellulose strips and has been assessed using larvae from 2 hookworm species, Necator americanus and Ancylostoma ceylanicum. Pretreatment of the cellulose strips with 1.0% (w/v) of the nonionic surfactant, Pluronic F-68, significantly increased larval recovery of both species.

Sudden death of calves by experimental infection with Strongyloides papillosus. I. Parasitological observations.

Recently, an unknown disease, 'sudden death', in calves has been found in Japanese beef production farms. A previous study conducted by Taira and Ura indicated that sudden death can be effected in calves by hyperinfection of Strongyloides papillosus (SPL) and that the disease is possibly caused by SPL infection. In the present work, an experimental infection of SPL in calves was conducted to confirm the field occurrence. Fifteen Holstein Friesian calves, ranging from 45.5 to 85.6 kg in body weight, were divided into six groups. Calves of Groups A, B, C, D, E and F were infected once at the rate of 100,000, 320,000, 1,000,000, 3,200,000, 10,000,000 and 32,000,000 SPL larvae per 100 kg of body weight, respectively. Five calves were assigned to Group B, while two calves were assigned to the other groups. After showing no premonitory signs, sudden death of ten calves took place. The survival time of these calves was 27.4 and 16.8 days (Group B), 14.8 and 14.8 days (Group C), 13.3 and 14.2 days (Group D), 11.0 and 11.1 days (Group E) and 11.6 and 10.8 days (Group F). Three calves of Group B did not exhibit sudden death. The results of this study demonstrate that strongyloidiasis was the cause of sudden death.

Quantitative evaluation of sampling methods for Ixodes dammini and Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae).

Three tick-sampling methods (dry ice-baited tick traps, cloth drags, and ambulatory human host) were evaluated to determine which technique yielded the greatest capture of host-seeking stages of Ixodes dammini Spielman, Clifford, Piesman & Corwin and Amblyomma americanum (L.). The most reliable method, catching more stages and significantly more numbers of I. dammini and A. americanum; was dry ice-baited tick traps. There were no significant differences between the drag and human-host methods for any stage of ticks (I. dammini and A. americanum) collected. The numbers of ticks caught during the study were 5,052 by dry ice-baited tick traps, 199 by cloth drags, and 89 by ambulatory human host.

Characterization of cellular and molecular immune effectors against Trichinella spiralis newborn larvae in vivo.

The cellular and molecular immune effectors that participated in host immunity against Trichinella spiralis newborn larvae were characterized in vivo using AO rats. Donor rats were immunized with 2,000 muscle larvae orally or 11,400 newborn larvae i.v. Immune serum and cells from spleen, peripheral lymph nodes, mesenteric lymph node, thoracic duct lymph and the peritoneal cavity were obtained from donor rats 10-21 days after infection and transferred into normal recipient rats. The control recipients received either no cells and serum or normal cells and normal serum obtained from normal donors. Newborn larvae (20,000-50,000) were injected either i.v. or ip into these recipients and immunity against newborn larvae was measured either by muscle larvae burden of the recipients three weeks later or by direct recovery of newborn larvae from the peritoneal cavity of the recipients. The experiments demonstrated that immune lymphocytes conferred no protection in the recipients but that immune serum and immune peritoneal cells were protective and these effects were synergistic. Cell adherence to the cuticle and killing of newborn larvae were observed in the peritoneal cavity of immune rats. Positive fluorescence was observed on newborn larvae incubated with fractionated IgM and IgG(E) antibody isotypes. Massive deposition of antibody molecules on newborn larvae was demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy. Studies using transmission electron microscopy revealed that the larval adherent cells were stimulated macrophages, neutrophils and eosinophils.

A comparison of methods for sampling the deer tick, Ixodes dammini, in a Lyme disease endemic area.

The purpose of this study was to compare the trapping and examining of mice, drag sampling, and CO2-baited traps for their ability to detect the presence and abundance of immature deer ticks, Ixodes dammini, in a Lyme disease endemic area in southern New York State. Eight study sites were sampled 14 times between 28 May and 31 August by setting 49 live-traps, four CO2-baited traps, and drag sampling 500 m2. A total of 1540 nymphs and 3079 larvae was collected during the study. Drag sampling collected the most nymphs (705), while more larvae were recovered from CO2-baited traps (1105). Comparisons among the methods showed a significant difference in the numbers of both larval and nymphal ticks collected (P less than 0.01). There was a positive correlation between the numbers of nymphs collected by drag sampling and CO2-baited tick traps (rs = 0.83, P less than 0.05), and between the numbers of larvae collected by drag sampling and mouse trapping (rs = 0.75, P less than 0.05). These results suggest that drag sampling would be the single most reliable method for quantitatively sampling immature I. dammini populations in a Lyme disease endemic area.

Direct and indirect diagnosis of strongyloidiasis.

Stool examination of 196 subjects from Sharkia Governorate was done by the use of direct smear, Zinc sulphate centrifugal floatation method and stool culture. Serological diagnosis by ELISA was done. Stool culture was the most sensitive method for diagnosing Strongyloidiasis. However, ELISA could be of great value in epidemiological studies and follow up.

Egg production of Oesophagostomum bifurcum, a locally common parasite of humans in Togo.

In northern Togo and northeastern Ghana, Oesophagostomum bifurcum is a common parasite in humans. Diagnosis is based on coproculture because the eggs of hookworm and Oesophagostomum are indistinguishable. To determine the level of egg production, 12 subjects were treated with 2 x 10 mg/kg of pyrantel pamoate and the worms they evacuated were then counted. Pretreatment and post-treatment species-specific egg counts were calculated on the basis of larval and total egg counts. The median worm burden was 81 (range 12-300) per person. The calculated median egg production was 33.7 egg/gram of feces per female worm. Assuming a total daily stool production of 150 g/day, this amounts to 5,055 eggs/day, which is comparable with the production of other nematodes of the same superfamily.

Seasonality of adult Culex quinquefasciatus and transmission of bancroftian filariasis in Pondicherry, south India.

Seasonal variations in biting Culex quinquefasciatus and transmission of bancroftian filariasis were investigated in Pondicherry, South India. The biting density of C. quinquefasciatus, the principal vector species, was lowest in the summer months and higher during the monsoon and winter months. The survival of the vectors as indicated by the proportion of parous mosquitoes was found to be less in the summer season. Biting mosquitoes with infective stage larvae were not encountered during the hottest months of May, June and July and the early monsoon month of August indicating seasonality of transmission. Maximum transmission took place between November and March. These findings suggest that vector control measures according to the season of transmission may produce more cost-effective results than year round control operations.

Responses to larval Taenia taeniaeformis in mice with severe combined immunodeficiency (scid).

Responses to Taenia taeniaeformis infection were studied in mice with severe combined immunodeficiency (scid), which lack functional T and B lymphocytes. In the early phase of infection, accumulation of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PML) occurred around the larvae in the liver of scid mice and their immunocompetent counterparts, C.B-17, (a BALB/c strain, genetically resistant to this parasite). PML accumulation continued until encapsulation of developing larvae by fibroblasts (14 days p.i.), and subsequent fibrosis resulted in granuloma formation. No infiltration of eosinophils or macrophages around larvae was observed in scid mice prior to granuloma formation, while in C.B-17 mice infiltration was observed as early as 5 days p.i., when specific antibodies could not be detected in the circulation. Most larvae were destroyed by 14 days p.i. in C.B-17 mice. In scid mice the larvae survived but the host capsules (cysts) were thin and most contained blood at 42 days p.i. In these cysts, inflammatory cells were observed on the larval surface and in invaded parasite tissue. Hepatocyte coagulation necrosis adjacent to larvae was commonly found in C.B-17 mice by 5 days p.i., while it did not occur in scid mice throughout these experiments. These results suggest that in host responses to larval T. taeniaeformis, PML accumulation and encapsulation by fibrosis are T and B cell independent, while eosinophil and macrophage infiltration, as well as resistance to infection, are T and/or B cell dependent. Additionally, there may be an association between host cell necrosis around larvae and T and/or B cell responses.

High mortality of domestic turkeys associated with Ascaridia dissimilis.

Third- and fourth-stage Ascaridia dissimilis larvae were isolated from commercial white turkey intestinal scrapings from two farms that were experiencing high mortality. Lesions consisted of a necrotic-like enteritis that was most severe in the jejunum. Subsequent bacteriological isolation yielded heavy growth of Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens. The rate of mortality declined rapidly when the turkeys were administered 18 ppm fenbendazole for 7 days.

Variation in skin inflammatory responses between sheep bred for resistance or susceptibility to fleece rot and blowfly strike.

Sheep which have been bred for resistance (R) or susceptibility (S) to fleece rot and blowfly strike, were tested for intradermal inflammatory responses to excretory and secretory products of Lucilia cuprina larvae. R rams and lambs gave significantly larger skin weals than S animals. In addition, R and S rams were infected with L cuprina first instar larvae and wound exudates were collected. In the first 12 hours of infection R rams released significantly more exudate protein at the wound site than S rams. Correlations suggested that exudate production was stimulated by both larval burden and inflammatory responses, however, in the R group the inflammatory correlation was positive while in the S group it was negative. The results imply that inflammatory responses may play a role in innate resistance to L cuprina. The difference in inflammatory responses suggests genetic differences between the flocks and therefore could show some potential as a trait for indirect selection for resistance to fleece rot and body strike.

[Trichinelliasis in the wild and domestic animals of Kamchatka Province]. / Trikhinellez dikikh i domashnykh zhivotnykh Kamchatskoi oblasti.

The results of many years' observations and literature data allowed one to determine the species of wild and domestic mammalians, vectors of trichinelliasis in Kamchatka. The variability of trichinelliasis prevalence in individual mammalian species were found in relation to their habitation place. Significant fluctuations of the index are presented by years. Cases of trichinelliasis in wild American minks (acclimatized species) and in pigs were noted.

[Natural foci of trichinelliasis in the Caspian Sea area]. / Prirodnye ochagi trikhinelleza v Prikaspii.

The formation of natural foci of trichinelliasis was shown to depend on the established biocenotic relations between carnivorous animals. A highly intensive transmission of the invasion was recorded in continental areas where predators suffer from the lack of food in winter. Identification of the isolated Trichinella samples using single-pair cross hybridization and isoenzyme identification methods showed that the parasites of predators are T. spiralis nativa on the Northern Caspian coast and T. s. nelsoni on the Southern coast.