Comparative analysis of the incidence of enteroparasitosis andthe COVID-19 pandemic profile in the city of Bananeiras - PB / Análise comparativa da incidência de enteroparasitoses e doperfil pandêmico da COVID-19 na cidade de Bananeiras - PB

Enteroparasitosis are diseases caused by parasitic agents present in the environment and in the gastrointestinal tract of living beings. In addition, they are still considered neglected diseases, but of great importance for public health, especially when they are related to secondary infections and currently their co-infection profile with COVID-19. The interaction of protozoa and/or helminths with the SARS-CoV-2 virus is timely and its signs and symptoms are confused with other pathogen relationships. In this way, this study aims to correlate the incidence of enteroparasitosis and COVID-19, in the pandemic period from 2020 to April 2022. This is a documentary and exploratory study of secondary data from laboratory tests of patients who were treated and diagnosed with COVID-19 and enteroparasitosis at Hospital Doutor Cloves Bezerra Cavalcante, Municipal Hospital of Bananeiras, Paraíba, Brazil. In the analysis of the database, a significant increase of approximately 48.85% in the incidence of COVID-19 cases from 2020 to 2021 stands out, remaining high until 2022. In contrast, cases of enteroparasites peaked at 48.74% in 2021, followed by an average reduction of 23.12%, with a deviation of 1.49%, in relation to the years 2020 and 2022. It was concluded that COVID-19 is predominantly associated with an increase in secondary infections, highlighting the crucial need to promote health education, improve basic sanitation and guarantee access to health services as essential components in combating the increase in parasitic infections, especially those related to viral pathologies.

As enteroparasitoses são enfermidades originadas por agentes parasitários presentes no meio ambiente e no trato gastrointestinal dos seres vivos. Ademais, ainda são consideradas doenças negligenciadas, porém de grande importância para a saúde pública, em especial, quando estão relacionadas com infecções secundárias e atualmente seu perfil de coinfecção com a COVID-19. A interação de protozoários e/ou helmintos com o vírus SARS-CoV-2 é oportuna e seus sinais e sintomas são confundidos com outras relações de patógenos. Desta maneira, este estudo visa correlacionar a incidência de enteroparasitoses e COVID-19, no período pandêmico de 2020 a abril de 2022. Trata--se de uma pesquisa documental e exploratória, de dados secundários dos exames laboratoriais de pacientes que foram atendidos e diagnosticados com COVID-19 e enteroparasitoses no Hospital Doutor Cloves Bezerra Cavalcante, Hospital Municipal de Bananeiras, Paraíba, Brasil. Na análise da base de dados, destaca-se um aumento significativo de aproximadamente 48,85% na incidência de casos de COVID-19 de 2020 a 2021, mantendo-se elevado até 2022. Em contraste, os casos de enteroparasitas atingiram um pico de 48,74% em 2021, seguido por uma redução média de 23,12%, com um desvio de 1,49%, em relação aos anos de 2020 e 2022. Conclui-se que a COVID-19 está predominantemente associada ao aumento de infecções secundárias, destacando a necessidade crucial de promover a educação em saúde, melhorar o saneamento básico e garantir o acesso aos serviços de saúde como componentes essenciais no combate ao aumento de infecções parasitárias, especialmente aquelas relacionadas a patologias virais.

The Cryptosporidium signaling kinase CDPK5 plays an important role in male gametogenesis and parasite virulence.

The protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium is a leading cause of diarrhea in young children. The parasite's life cycle involves a coordinated and timely progression from asexual to sexual stages, leading to the formation of the transmissible oocyst. Underlying molecular signaling mechanisms orchestrating sexual development are not known. Here, we describe the function of a signaling kinase in Cryptosporidium male gametogenesis. We reveal the expression of Cryptosporidium parvum calcium-dependent protein kinase 5 (CDPK5) during male gamete development and its important role in the egress of mature gametes. Genetic ablation of this kinase results in viable parasites, indicating that this gene is dispensable for parasite survival. Interestingly, cdpk5 deletion decreases parasite virulence and impacts oocyst shedding in immunocompromised mice. Using phosphoproteomics, we identify possible CDPK5 substrates and biological processes regulated by this kinase. Collectively, these findings illuminate parasite cell biology by revealing a mechanism controlling male gamete production and a potential target to block disease transmission.

Virulence is associated with daily rhythms in the within-host replication of the malaria parasite Plasmodium chabaudi.

Most malaria (Plasmodium spp.) parasite species undergo asexual replication synchronously within the red blood cells of their vertebrate host. Rhythmicity in this intraerythrocytic developmental cycle (IDC) enables parasites to maximise exploitation of the host and align transmission activities with the time of day that mosquito vectors blood feed. The IDC is also responsible for the major pathologies associated with malaria, and plasticity in the parasite's rhythm can confer tolerance to antimalarial drugs. Both the severity of infection (virulence) and synchrony of the IDC vary across species and between genotypes of Plasmodium; however, this variation is poorly understood. The theory predicts that virulence and IDC synchrony are negatively correlated, and we tested this hypothesis using two closely related genotypes of the rodent malaria model Plasmodium chabaudi that differ markedly in virulence. We also test the predictions that, in response to perturbations to the timing (phase) of the IDC schedule relative to the phase of host rhythms (misalignment), the virulent parasite genotype recovers the correct phase relationship faster, incurs less fitness losses and so hosts benefit less from misalignment when infected with a virulent genotype. Our predictions are partially supported by results suggesting that the virulent parasite genotype is less synchronous in some circumstances and recovers faster from misalignment. While hosts were less anaemic when infected by misaligned parasites, the extent of this benefit did not depend on parasite virulence. Overall, our results suggest that interventions to perturb the alignment between the IDC schedule, and host rhythms and increase synchrony between parasites within each IDC, could alleviate disease symptoms. However, virulent parasites, which are better at withstanding conventional antimalarial treatment, would also be intrinsically better able to tolerate such interventions.

Isolation and Identification of Nematode-Infecting Microsporidia.

Nematodes are naturally infected by the fungal-related pathogen microsporidia. These ubiquitous eukaryotic parasites are poorly understood, despite infecting most types of animals. Identifying novel species of microsporidia and studying them in an animal model can expedite our understanding of their infection biology and evolution. Nematodes present an excellent avenue for pursuing such work, as they are abundant in the environment and many species are easily culturable in the laboratory. The protocols presented here describe how to isolate bacterivorous nematodes from rotting substrates, screen them for microsporidia infection, and molecularly identify the nematode and microsporidia species. Additionally, we detail how to remove environmental contaminants and generate a spore preparation of microsporidia from infected samples. We also discuss potential pitfalls and provide suggestions on how to mitigate them. These protocols allow for the identification of novel microsporidia species, which can serve as an excellent starting point for genomic analysis, determination of host specificity, and infection characterization. © 2024 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Gathering samples Support Protocol 1: Generating 10× and 40× Escherichia coli OP50 and seeding NGM plates Basic Protocol 2: Microsporidia screening, testing for Caenorhabditis elegans susceptibility, and sample freezing Basic Protocol 3: DNA extraction, PCR amplification, and sequencing to identify nematode and microsporidia species Basic Protocol 4: Removal of contaminating microbes and preparation of microsporidia spores Support Protocol 2: Bleach-synchronizing nematodes.

A tale of two studies: is peripheral eosinophilia associated with Dientamoeba fragilis detection in adult stool samples?

The protozoan parasite Dientamoeba fragilis is a frequently isolated stool organism and postulated cause of gastrointestinal symptoms. Peripheral blood eosinophilia has been described. This is the first study amongst the Australasian adult population to assess the relationship between organism detection and eosinophilia. A case-control study took place over 7 years at a single Sydney laboratory site, evaluating patients with D. fragilis identified on stool using real-time PCR with a recent full blood count, to control groups with Giardia spp. and sequential negatives with neither organism. A nested study compared those with microscopic evidence of D. fragilis as a marker of disease burden, to molecular diagnosis alone. Sixty-four D. fragilis, 30 Giardia spp., and 94 sequential controls were enrolled. Only 60.1% of samples were preserved in sodium acetate-acetic acid formalin (SAF) fixative, indication mostly not documented. The major co-organism detected amongst all participants was Blastocystis sp., particularly in the D. fragilis cohort (37.2%). The most common pathogen amongst sequential controls was Campylobacter spp. (7.4%). Patients with D. fragilis were more likely (12.5%) to have a clinically significant eosinophilia (>0.5×109/L) compared to those with Giardia spp. (3.3%) or sequential controls (4.3%) (p=0.03). A significant difference was also noted in the overall median eosinophil count of those with D. fragilis versus all controls (0.2 vs 0.1×109/L, p=0.01); however, this was within the reference interval (where up to >0.5×109/L is accepted in healthy individuals within a typical population). No eosinophil difference was found between those with molecular versus additional microscopic detection of D. fragilis (0.1 vs 0.1×109/L). These results support an association between the identification of clinically significant peripheral blood eosinophilia and D. fragilis presence, which may impact the diagnostic approach to the patient with unexplained eosinophilia. Further prospective trials may help assess any significance further and the implication of co-carriage with other enteric organisms. The importance of clinical indication and need for appropriate fixative media in diagnostic parasitology are also highlighted.

Comparative transcriptomics of soybean genotypes with partial resistance towards Phytophthora sojae, Conrad, and M92-220, to moderately susceptible fast neutron mutant soybeans and Sloan.

The breeding of disease-resistant soybeans cultivars to manage Phytophthora root and stem rot caused by the pathogen Phytophthora sojae involves combining quantitative disease resistance (QDR) and Rps gene-mediated resistance. To identify and confirm potential mechanisms of QDR towards P. sojae, we conducted a time course study comparing changes in gene expression among Conrad and M92-220 with high QDR to susceptible genotypes, Sloan and 3 mutants derived from fast neutron (FN) irradiation of M92-220. Differentially expressed genes from Conrad and M92-220 indicated several shared defense-related pathways at the transcriptomic level, but also defense pathways unique to each cultivar such as stilbenoid, diarylheptanoid and gingerol biosynthesis, and monobactam biosynthesis. Gene Ontology pathway analysis showed that the susceptible FN mutants lacked enrichment of three terpenoid related-pathways and two cell wall-related pathways at either one or both timepoints, in contrast to M92-220. The susceptible mutants also lacked enrichment of potentially important KEGG pathways at either one or both timepoints, including sesquiterpenoid and triterpenoid biosynthesis, thiamine metabolism, arachidonic acid, stilbenoid, diarylheptanoid and gingerol biosynthesis, and monobactam biosynthesis. Additionally, thirty-one genes which were differentially expressed in M92-220 following P. sojae infection were not expressed in the mutants. These 31 genes have annotations related to unknown proteins, valine, leucine, and isoleucine biosynthesis and protein and lipid metabolic processes. The results of this study confirm previously proposed mechanisms of QDR, provide evidence for potential novel QDR pathways in M92-220, and furthers our understanding of the complex network associated with QDR mechanisms in soybean towards P. sojae.

Dog blood parasite infection in upland and lowland communities of northern Thailand: The role of environment and care of dog owners.

Dogs play an important role as hosts and reservoirs for many zoonotic diseases. Ehrlichiosis, babesiosis and hepatozoonosis are a group of canine vector-borne diseases that can be transmitted via ectoparasites from dog to dog and also from dog to humans. This study focused on three main blood parasites of dog (i.e., Babesia spp., Ehrlichia spp. and Hepatozoon spp.) among two different landscape types of eight villages of Santhong Sub-district, Nan Province, Thailand. In this study, 149 dogs were surveyed and blood samples were collected. Blood parasite infections in dogs were assessed using molecular detection approach. Babesia canis vogeli, Babesia gibsoni, Ehrlichia canis and Hepatozoon canis were detected with prevalence of infection at 10.7%, 8.1%, 3.4% and 0.7%, respectively. In terms of landscape type, prevalence of overall blood parasites, particularly Babesia spp. infections were higher in dogs living in upland forested areas (28.3%) compared to dogs from lowland agricultural areas (12.3%). Data obtained from the questionnaires on perceptions of dog owners showed that dogs raised all the time outside owner's house, and those dogs whose owners have never bathed and cleaned were more likely to be exposed to blood parasites. As infected dogs could play an important role as reservoirs of the blood parasites, attitude of dog owners may affect public health in terms of zoonotic disease transmission. Effective control measures and surveillance program of arthropod vectors and blood parasite infection in dogs still need to be advocated to minimize zoonotic disease transmission.

Strongylids of Domestic Horses in Eastern Slovakia: Species Diversity and Evaluation of Particular Factors Affecting Strongylid Communities.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine the species diversity and structure of the strongylid community in domestic horses in Eastern Slovakia. Also, an analysis of the impact of age, sex, and collection location factors on the strongyid communities was performed. METHODS: Twenty-seven horses 1.5-21 years old from two farms in eastern Slovakia with different horse-management conditions were studied. Strongylids were collected after horse treatments with Noromectin (0.2 mg ivermectin); 66,170 specimens were collected and identified. Faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) was performed following fenbendazole (FBZ) and ivermectin (IVM) treatments. RESULTS: Twenty-four strongylid species were found; horses were infected with 6 to 16 (average = 11.7) species. Six cyathostomin species (Cylicocyclus nassatus, Cyathostomum catinatum, C. pateratum, Cylicostephanus longibursatus, C. goldi, C. calicatus) were the most prevalent; C. catinatum was the dominant species in both farms (Berger-Parker index 0.34 and 0.42). The structure of the strongylid community was multimodal with dominant, subdominant, background, and rare species. The Mantel test showed that horse age and sex did not significantly affect the nematode infracommunity composition (p > 0.05), while the impact of the collection location (farm) was significant (p = 0.03). Additionally, C. longibursatus was identified as the species contributing significantly to the observed farm differences. Strong resistance to FBZ was documented on both farms (FECRT was 36.4% and 22.7%); IVM resistance was not observed (FECRT = 100%). CONCLUSION: This study presents the first report on the strongylids parasitizing domestic horses in Eastern Slovakia and gives basic information for further studies of horse parasites and their control in the region.

Rapid and practical colorimetric biosensor for leishmaniasis diseases.

In this article, a colorimetric biosensor for detection of Leishmania major surface protease (Gp63) antibody (anti-gp63) was developed by using gold nanoparticle (AuNP) as a color reagent. The dispersion or aggregation of AuNPs leads to a distinct and sensitive change in UV-vis spectra and solution color. For this purpose, kinetoplastid membrane protein-11 (KMP-11) was labeled with AuNPs surface directly. After that, Gp63 antibody was added in the KMP-11@AuNP solution and a color change from red/pink to purple/violet was observed. As a result, anti-gp63 solution diluted at a ratio of 1:640 can be detected with the developed colorimetric leishmania biosensor. The relative standard deviation value for 1:320 diluted anti-gp63 was calculated as 1.29 %. Furthermore, the linear range of the developed colorimetric biosensor was determined as 1:80 to 1:640. Moreover, developed Leishmania biosensor was applied for detection of leishmania parasite crude antigen and rabbit serum which were used as positive and negative samples respectively. As a result, the recovery values for the measurements of aforementioned samples were calculated as 95.3 % ± 0.02, 103.1 % ± 0.02, 96.2 % ± 0.01 and 95.5 % ± 0.03 for dilutions of 1:200, 1:160, 1:320 and 1:640 anti-gp63 solutions respectively.

Ecological immunology: do sexual attraction and immunity trade-off through a desaturase?

Given the limited availability of resources in nature, sexual attractiveness may trade off with immunocompetence, as the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis (ICHH) posits. In invertebrates, a direct link between trade-offs through hormonal/molecular effectors in sexual signals and immunity has not been found so far. Here, we assessed how variation in sexual signals affected parasite infection in two sex pheromone selected lines of the moth Chloridea virescens: an attractive line with a low ratio of 16:Ald/Z11-16:Ald and an unattractive line with a high ratio. When infecting these lines with an apicomplexan parasite, we found that the attractive Low line was significantly more susceptible to the parasite infection than the unattractive High line. Since the ratio difference between these two lines is determined by a delta-11-desturase, we hypothesized that this desaturase may have a dual role, i.e., in the quality of the sexual signal as well as an involvement in immune response, comparable to testosterone in vertebrates. However, when we used CRISPR/cas9 to knockout delta-11-desturase in the attractive Low line, we found that the pheromonal phenotype did change to that of the High line, but the infection susceptibility did not. Notably, when checking the genomic location of delta-11-desaturase in the C. virescens, we found that mucin is adjacent to delta-11-desaturase. When comparing the mucin sequences in both lines, we found four nonsynonymous SNPs in the coding sequence, as well as intronic variation between the two lines. These differences suggest that genetic hitchhiking may explain the variation in susceptibility to parasitic infection.

Nature-Inspired Gallinamides Are Potent Antischistosomal Agents: Inhibition of the Cathepsin B1 Protease Target and Binding Mode Analysis.

Schistosomiasis, caused by a parasitic blood fluke of the genus Schistosoma, is a global health problem for which new chemotherapeutic options are needed. We explored the scaffold of gallinamide A, a natural peptidic metabolite of marine cyanobacteria that has previously been shown to inhibit cathepsin L-type proteases. We screened a library of 19 synthetic gallinamide A analogs and identified nanomolar inhibitors of the cathepsin B-type protease SmCB1, which is a drug target for the treatment of schistosomiasis mansoni. Against cultured S. mansoni schistosomula and adult worms, many of the gallinamides generated a range of deleterious phenotypic responses. Imaging with a fluorescent-activity-based probe derived from gallinamide A demonstrated that SmCB1 is the primary target for gallinamides in the parasite. Furthermore, we solved the high-resolution crystal structures of SmCB1 in complex with gallinamide A and its two analogs and describe the acrylamide covalent warhead and binding mode in the active site. Quantum chemical calculations evaluated the contribution of individual positions in the peptidomimetic scaffold to the inhibition of the target and demonstrated the importance of the P1' and P2 positions. Our study introduces gallinamides as a powerful chemotype that can be exploited for the development of novel antischistosomal chemotherapeutics.

Explorational analysis of the abundance and prevalence of chigger and gamasid mites parasitic on small mammals in Vietnam.

We studied chigger and gamasid mite loads on small mammals during the dry season in Vietnam and used both our field data and museum collections to estimate the influence of environmental factors on mite abundance and prevalence. Generalized linear (mixed effect) models were used to analyze the data. We examined 1,239 small mammal individuals, which were obtained from field expeditions and museum collections belonging to 59 species. In different localities, Rattus Fischer (Rodentia: Muridae), Niviventer Marshall (Rodentia: Muridae), and Maxomys Sody (Rodentia: Muridae) were the most common animals captured. The prevalence of chigger and gamasid mites in our expedition data was high: 72% and 62%, respectively. We found differences in the abundance of chigger mites between different populations of the same species of small mammals. Season and locality were the main factors that influenced chigger mite abundance and prevalence. The best model that predicted the abundance and prevalence of chigger mites included geography (province) as a predictor and host species and season as random effects. For the first time, we analyzed factors connected with climate and weather affecting chigger mites of small mammals in Vietnam.

Comparative genomics of Ascetosporea gives new insight into the evolutionary basis for animal parasitism in Rhizaria.

BACKGROUND: Ascetosporea (Endomyxa, Rhizaria) is a group of unicellular parasites infecting aquatic invertebrates. They are increasingly being recognized as widespread and important in marine environments, causing large annual losses in invertebrate aquaculture. Despite their importance, little molecular data of Ascetosporea exist, with only two genome assemblies published to date. Accordingly, the evolutionary origin of these parasites is unclear, including their phylogenetic position and the genomic adaptations that accompanied the transition from a free-living lifestyle to parasitism. Here, we sequenced and assembled three new ascetosporean genomes, as well as the genome of a closely related amphizoic species, to investigate the phylogeny, origin, and genomic adaptations to parasitism in Ascetosporea. RESULTS: Using a phylogenomic approach, we confirm the monophyly of Ascetosporea and show that Paramyxida group with Mikrocytida, with Haplosporida being sister to both groups. We report that the genomes of these parasites are relatively small (12-36 Mb) and gene-sparse (~ 2300-5200 genes), while containing surprisingly high amounts of non-coding sequence (~ 70-90% of the genomes). Performing gene-tree aware ancestral reconstruction of gene families, we demonstrate extensive gene losses at the origin of parasitism in Ascetosporea, primarily of metabolic functions, and little gene gain except on terminal branches. Finally, we highlight some functional gene classes that have undergone expansions during evolution of the group. CONCLUSIONS: We present important new genomic information from a lineage of enigmatic but important parasites of invertebrates and illuminate some of the genomic innovations accompanying the evolutionary transition to parasitism in this lineage. Our results and data provide a genetic basis for the development of control measures against these parasites.

mRNA cap-binding protein eIF4E1 is a novel regulator of Toxoplasma gondii latency.

The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii causes serious opportunistic disease due to its ability to persist in patients as latent tissue cysts. The molecular mechanisms coordinating conversion between proliferative parasites (tachyzoites) and latent cysts (bradyzoites) are not fully understood. We previously showed that phosphorylation of eIF2α accompanies bradyzoite formation, suggesting that this clinically relevant process involves regulation of mRNA translation. In this study, we investigated the composition and role of eIF4F multi-subunit complexes in translational control. Using CLIPseq, we find that the cap-binding subunit, eIF4E1, localizes to the 5'-end of all tachyzoite mRNAs, many of which show evidence of stemming from heterogeneous transcriptional start sites. We further show that eIF4E1 operates as the predominant cap-binding protein in two distinct eIF4F complexes. Using genetic and pharmacological approaches, we found that eIF4E1 deficiency triggers efficient spontaneous formation of bradyzoites without stress induction. Consistent with this result, we also show that stress-induced bradyzoites exhibit reduced eIF4E1 expression. Overall, our findings establish a novel role for eIF4F in translational control required for parasite latency and microbial persistence. IMPORTANCE: Toxoplasma gondii is an opportunistic pathogen important to global human and animal health. There are currently no chemotherapies targeting the encysted form of the parasite. Consequently, a better understanding of the mechanisms controlling encystation is required. Here we show that the mRNA cap-binding protein, eIF4E1, regulates the encystation process. Encysted parasites reduce eIF4E1 levels, and depletion of eIF4E1 decreases the translation of ribosome-associated machinery and drives Toxoplasma encystation. Together, these data reveal a new layer of mRNA translational control that regulates parasite encystation and latency.

Seasonal Effects on Health Status and Parasitological Traits of an Invasive Minnow in Iberian Waters.

Biological invasions are of special conservation concern in the Iberian Peninsula and other regions with high levels of endemism. Environmental variability, such as the seasonal fluctuations of Mediterranean streams, is a key factor that affects the spread of aquatic species in novel habitats. Fish parasites have a great potential to reflect such changes in the habitat features of freshwater ecosystems. The aim of this study consisted of seasonally analysing the health status and parasitological traits of non-native fish in Iberian waters. In particular, a strongly invasive population of Languedoc minnow Phoxinus septimaniae (leuciscid species native to south-east France) was assessed in Tordera Stream (north-eastern Iberian Peninsula, Mediterranean conditions). Fish were sampled in April, July, and October 2023 by electrofishing. Health status (external/internal organs) was significantly better in autumn (HAI = 28.8) than spring (HAI = 35.6). Life-cycle complexity was higher in spring (LCI = 1.98), whereas parasite abundance and Shannon diversity were significantly lower in autumn (TA = 19.6 and H' = 2.15, respectively). In October (more 'benign' environmental conditions in Iberian streams), minnows could display elevated foraging activity, with fish increasing their health condition and level of parasite resistance/tolerance. Overall results showed a particular seasonal profile of health and parasite infra-communities that allow this minnow species to thrive under highly fluctuating habitat conditions. This information could help environmental managers to control non-native fish in Mediterranean streams.

Evaluation of the Increased Genetic Resolution and Utility for Source Tracking of a Recently Developed Method for Genotyping Cyclospora cayetanensis.

Cyclospora cayetanensis is a foodborne parasite that causes cyclosporiasis, an enteric illness in humans. Genotyping methods are used to genetically discriminate between specimens from cyclosporiasis cases and can complement source attribution investigations if the method is sufficiently sensitive for application to food items. A very sensitive targeted amplicon sequencing (TAS) assay for genotyping C. cayetanensis encompassing 52 loci was recently designed. In this study, we analyzed 66 genetically diverse clinical specimens to assess the change in phylogenetic resolution between the TAS assay and a currently employed eight-marker scheme. Of the 52 markers, ≥50 were successfully haplotyped for all specimens, and these results were used to generate a hierarchical cluster dendrogram. Using a previously described statistical approach to dissect hierarchical trees, the 66 specimens resolved into 24 and 27 distinct genetic clusters for the TAS and an 8-loci scheme, respectively. Although the specimen composition of 15 clusters was identical, there were substantial differences between the two dendrograms, highlighting the importance of both inclusion of additional genome coverage and choice of loci to target for genotyping. To evaluate the ability to genetically link contaminated food samples with clinical specimens, C. cayetanensis was genotyped from DNA extracted from raspberries inoculated with fecal specimens. The contaminated raspberry samples were assigned to clusters with the corresponding clinical specimen, demonstrating the utility of the TAS assay for traceback efforts.

Study of the Impact of the Parasitic Microalgae Coccomyxa parasitica on the Health of Bivalve Modiolus kurilensis.

The invasion of bivalves by parasitic microalgae Coccomyxa is widespread and causes pathologies and dysfunctions of the organs, especially in the most valuable products: the mantle and the muscle. The pathogenesis of the disease remains completely unknown. In this study, based on a macroscopic examination of Modiolus kurilensis and microalgae count in each infected individual, four stages of disease development with characteristic pathognomonic symptoms were described. During the progression of the disease, the concentration of alkaline phosphatase, glucose, calcium, hemolytic and agglutinating activities, number of basophils, eosinophils, phagocytes, and cells with reactive oxygen species increased in the hemolymph, while number of agranulocytes, cells with lysosomes, dead hemocytes, total protein concentration, as well as the weight of mollusks decreased. In the nephridia and digestive gland, necrosis, invasion of Nematopsis sp., hemocyte infiltration, and fibrosis increased. The ratio of changed tubules and occurrence of granulocytomas increased in the digestive gland, while the base membrane, nephrocytes and concretions changed in the nephridia. This study helps establish the variability of these parameters under normal conditions and their alteration during the disease. Moreover, these findings can be used for veterinary monitoring of the state of bivalves in natural and aquaculture populations.

A Proof-of-Concept Study to Develop a Peptide-Based Vaccine against Salmon Lice Infestation in Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar L.).

Proteins present in blood samples from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) infected with salmon lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) were analyzed using liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry. Bioinformatic analyses revealed 1820 proteins, of which 58 were assigned to lice. Among these, peroxiredoxin-2, an antioxidant protein, was found relevant with respect to blood feeding of the parasite. The three-dimensional structure analysis of the protein revealed a surface amino acid sequence of interest. A 13-amino-acid peptide was selected as a potential antigen due to its predicted solubility, antigenicity, probable non-allergenic, and non-toxic nature. This peroxiredoxin-2-derived peptide was synthesized, combined with a commercially available adjuvant, and used for vaccination. The test vaccine demonstrated a 60-70% protection rate against early-stage Lepeophtheirus salmonis infection in a challenge trial in Norway. Additionally, the vaccine was tested against salmon lice (Caligus rogercresseyi) in Chile, where a remarkable 92% reduction in the number of adult lice was observed. Thus, in combination with the selected adjuvant, the peptide showed antigenic potential, making it a suitable candidate for future vaccine development. The approach described holds promise for the development of peptide vaccines against various ectoparasites feeding on blood or skin secretions of their hosts.

The Burden of Protozoal and Helminth Intestinal Infections and Related Risk Factors Among the Households of Migrant Construction Workers in Bhopal.

There are a few existing gaps and paucity of literature from Southeast Asia on the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among migrant construction workers. The present cross-sectional study was conducted to address this gap among migrant construction workers and their households in Bhopal. The study design included an interview questionnaire survey prior to the enrollment of participants and stool sample collection. The stool samples were processed according to the study protocol of macroscopy, occult blood testing, microscopy techniques combined with modified acid-fast, and sedimentation techniques. Participants were deemed positive if they exhibited microscopic findings in one out of three stool samples per recruit. We recommended clinical consultation for these cases and provided a report. Direct therapeutic intervention was not part of the study. The total recruits were 361. The predominant age group was young, i.e., aged 21 to 30 years (122/361, 33.8%), with the majority of females (55.2%). Most workers were occupied with work of digging soil (47.4%). The majority of participants (93.1%) practiced open field defecation (OFD). The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among migrant workers and households was 36.9% (133/361). Monoinfection was 88.7%, with 41% from Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar. Monoinfection with Hymenolepis nana (10.2%) was a predominant helminth. The most common coinfection observed was of Giardia intestinalis with Ancylostoma duodenale (26.7%). Hand washing was the only independent predictor with an odds ratio of 3.6. Migrant behavior of the construction workers and their households was the major reason for not reaching the benefits of deworming schemes for children and vulnerability to intestinal parasitic infections.