A new species of Hystrignathus (Nematoda: Thelastomatoidea: Hystrignathidae) associated with the Bess Beetle Passalus Interruptus Linnaeus (Coleoptera: Passalidae) from The Peruvian Amazonia.

Bess beetles (Passalidae) are known to maintain biological interactions with a diverse gut symbiotic community, which is far from being well described since these communities from most of the species of Passalidae have not been studied. In order to improve our knowledge of these communities, we describe a new species of Nematoda of the genus Hystrignathus (Hystrignathidae) associated with Passalus interruptus, a bess beetle species of the tribe Passalini collected in Hunuco, Peru, in the Peruvian Amazonia. Hystrignathus nunashae n. sp. is characterized by the presence of cuticular spines beginning just after the end of the first cephalic annule, a posterior cephalic ring dilated and longer than the anterior ring, as well as ornamented eggs. The new species has a didelphic-amphidelphic reproductive system, lateral alae extending from the posterior end of procorpus almost reaching the anus, and a short subulate tail. The external and internal morphological traits of the new species are described, and additionally, based on nuclear ribosomal DNA, we investigated the phylogenetic relationships of the new species.

Diversity and host assemblage of avian haemosporidians in different terrestrial ecoregions of Peru.

Characterizing the diversity and structure of host-parasite communities is crucial to understanding their eco-evolutionary dynamics. Malaria and related haemosporidian parasites are responsible for fitness loss and mortality in bird species worldwide. However, despite exhibiting the greatest ornithological biodiversity, avian haemosporidians from Neotropical regions are quite unexplored. Here, we analyze the genetic diversity of bird haemosporidian parasites (Plasmodium and Haemoproteus) in 1,336 individuals belonging to 206 bird species to explore for differences in diversity of parasite lineages and bird species across 5 well-differentiated Peruvian ecoregions. We detected 70 different haemosporidian lineages infecting 74 bird species. We showed that 25 out of the 70 haplotypes had not been previously recorded. Moreover, we also identified 81 new host-parasite interactions representing new host records for these haemosporidian parasites. Our outcomes revealed that the effective diversity (as well as the richness, abundance, and Shannon-Weaver index) for both birds and parasite lineages was higher in Amazon basin ecoregions. Furthermore, we also showed that ecoregions with greater diversity of bird species also had high parasite richness, hence suggesting that host community is crucial in explaining parasite richness. Generalist parasites were found in ecoregions with lower bird diversity, implying that the abundance and richness of hosts may shape the exploitation strategy followed by haemosporidian parasites. These outcomes reveal that Neotropical region is a major reservoir of unidentified haemosporidian lineages. Further studies analyzing host distribution and specificity of these parasites in the tropics will provide important knowledge about phylogenetic relationships, phylogeography, and patterns of evolution and distribution of haemosporidian parasites.

[Enteroparasitosis in Peru and its relation to the Human Development Index]. / Enteroparasitosis en Perú y su relación con el Índice de desarrollo humano.

BACKGROUND: Diseases related to enteroparasites are a serious public health problem. OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of enteroparasites in Peru and its relationship with the Human Development Index (HDI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A coproparasitological study using the direct method from children and adults from the communities of Pamplona Alta in Lima, the province of San Sebastián de Quera, Castillo Grande, Pillco Marca and Puelles in Huánuco, Llupa-Huaraz in Ancash, and Machaguay in Arequipa, Peru, was carried out from 2012 to 2016. RESULTS: 864 samples were analyzed, and a total prevalence of 23.03% (199 cases) was found. The non-pathogenic protozoan Entamoeba coli, with 10.42% (90 cases), and the nematode Ascaris lumbricoides, with 6.37% (55 cases), were the most prevalent. PERMANOVA analysis based on the prevalences of enteroparasites in urban and rural areas of Peru showed differences among communities. The overall prevalence of urban communities was similar to that of the rural ones. CONCLUSIONS: Enteroparasitosis in Peru are not related to HDI. However, the levels of infestation by enteroparasites varied between the different communities, and they were related to the bioecological characteristics of parasites.

INTRODUCCIÓN: las enfermedades relacionadas con enteroparásitos son un grave problema de salud pública. OBJETIVO: evaluar la prevalencia de enteroparásitos en el Perú y su relación con el Índice de desarrollo humano (IDH). MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: se realizó un estudio coproparasitológico por el método directo en niños y adultos de las comunidades de Pamplona Alta en Lima, de la provincia de San Sebastián de Quera, Castillo Grande, Pillco Marca y Puelles en Huánuco, Llupa-Huaraz en Ancash y Machaguay en Arequipa, Perú, de 2012 a 2016. RESULTADOS: se analizaron 864 muestras y se encontró una prevalencia total del 23.03% (199 casos). El protozoario no patógeno Entamoeba coli con 10.42% (90 casos) y el nematodo Ascaris lumbricoides con 6.37% (55 casos) fueron los más prevalentes. La prevalencia de protozoos fue mayor que la de los helmintos. No se observó asociación entre el IDH frente a la prevalencia total ni frente a las cuatro especies de enteroparásitos más frecuentes. El análisis PERMANOVA a partir de las prevalencias de enteroparásitos en áreas urbanas y rurales de Perú mostró diferencias entre las comunidades. La prevalencia total de las comunidades urbanas fue similar a la de las rurales. CONCLUSIONES: la enteroparasitosis en el Perú no se relaciona con el IDH. Sin embargo, los niveles de infestación por enteroparásitos variaron entre las diferentes comunidades y se relacionaron con las características bioecológicas de los parásitos.

Enteroparasitosis en Perú y su relación con el Índice de desarrollo humano / Enteroparasitosis in Peru and its relation to the Human Development Index

Introducción: las enfermedades relacionadas con enteroparásitos son un grave problema de salud pública. Objetivo: evaluar la prevalencia de enteroparásitos en el Perú y su relación con el Índice de desarrollo humano (IDH). Material y métodos: se realizó un estudio coproparasitológico por el método directo en niños y adultos de las comunidades de Pamplona Alta en Lima, de la provincia de San Sebastián de Quera, Castillo Grande, Pillco Marca y Puelles en Huánuco, Llupa-Huaraz en Ancash y Machaguay en Arequipa, Perú, de 2012 a 2016. Resultados: se analizaron 864 muestras y se encontró una prevalencia total del 23.03% (199 casos). El protozoario no patógeno Entamoeba coli con 10.42% (90 casos) y el nematodo Ascaris lumbricoides con 6.37% (55 casos) fueron los más prevalentes. La prevalencia de protozoos fue mayor que la de los helmintos. No se observó asociación entre el IDH frente a la prevalencia total ni frente a las cuatro especies de enteroparásitos más frecuentes. El análisis PERMANOVA a partir de las prevalencias de enteroparásitos en áreas urbanas y rurales de Perú mostró diferencias entre las comunidades. La prevalencia total de las comunidades urbanas fue similar que la de las rurales. Conclusiones: la enteroparasitosis en el Perú no se relaciona con el IDH. Sin embargo, los niveles de infestación por enteroparásitos variaron entre las diferentes comunidades y se relacionaron con las características bioecológicas de los parásitos.

Background: Diseases related to enteroparasites are a serious public health problem. Objective: To assess the prevalence of enteroparasites in Peru and its relationship with the Human Development Index (HDI). Material and methods: A coproparasitological study using the direct method from children and adults from the communities of Pamplona Alta in Lima, the province of San Sebastián de Quera, Castillo Grande, Pillco Marca and Puelles in Huánuco, Llupa-Huaraz in Ancash, and Machaguay in Arequipa, Peru was carried out from 2012 to 2016. Results: 864 samples were analyzed, and a total prevalence of 23.03% (199 cases) was found. The non-pathogenic protozoan Entamoeba coli, with 10.42% (90 cases), and the nematode Ascaris lumbricoides, with 6.37% (55 cases), were the most prevalent. PERMANOVA analysis based on the prevalences of enteroparasites in urban and rural areas of Peru showed differences among communities. The overall prevalence of urban communities was similar to that of rural ones. Conclusions: Enteroparasitosis in Peru are not related to HDI. However, the levels of infestation by enteroparasites varied between the different communities, and they were related to the bioecological characteristics of parasites.

Diminutive, degraded but dissimilar: Wolbachia genomes from filarial nematodes do not conform to a single paradigm.

Wolbachia are alpha-proteobacteria symbionts infecting a large range of arthropod species and two different families of nematodes. Interestingly, these endosymbionts are able to induce diverse phenotypes in their hosts: they are reproductive parasites within many arthropods, nutritional mutualists within some insects and obligate mutualists within their filarial nematode hosts. Defining Wolbachia 'species' is controversial and so they are commonly classified into 17 different phylogenetic lineages, termed supergroups, named A-F, H-Q and S. However, available genomic data remain limited and not representative of the full Wolbachia diversity; indeed, of the 24 complete genomes and 55 draft genomes of Wolbachia available to date, 84 % belong to supergroups A and B, exclusively composed of Wolbachia from arthropods. For the current study, we took advantage of a recently developed DNA-enrichment method to produce four complete genomes and two draft genomes of Wolbachia from filarial nematodes. Two complete genomes, wCtub and wDcau, are the smallest Wolbachia genomes sequenced to date (863 988 bp and 863 427 bp, respectively), as well as the first genomes representing supergroup J. These genomes confirm the validity of this supergroup, a controversial clade due to weaknesses of the multilocus sequence typing approach. We also produced the first draft Wolbachia genome from a supergroup F filarial nematode representative (wMhie), two genomes from supergroup D (wLsig and wLbra) and the complete genome of wDimm from supergroup C. Our new data confirm the paradigm of smaller Wolbachia genomes from filarial nematodes containing low levels of transposable elements and the absence of intact bacteriophage sequences, unlike many Wolbachia from arthropods, where both are more abundant. However, we observe differences among the Wolbachia genomes from filarial nematodes: no global co-evolutionary pattern, strong synteny between supergroup C and supergroup J Wolbachia, and more transposable elements observed in supergroup D Wolbachia compared to the other supergroups. Metabolic pathway analysis indicates several highly conserved pathways (haem and nucleotide biosynthesis, for example) as opposed to more variable pathways, such as vitamin B biosynthesis, which might be specific to certain host-symbiont associations. Overall, there appears to be no single Wolbachia-filarial nematode pattern of co-evolution or symbiotic relationship.

Shaking the Tree: Multi-locus Sequence Typing Usurps Current Onchocercid (Filarial Nematode) Phylogeny.

During the past twenty years, a number of molecular analyses have been performed to determine the evolutionary relationships of Onchocercidae, a family of filarial nematodes encompassing several species of medical or veterinary importance. However, opportunities for broad taxonomic sampling have been scarce, and analyses were based mainly on 12S rDNA and coxI gene sequences. While being suitable for species differentiation, these mitochondrial genes cannot be used to infer phylogenetic hypotheses at higher taxonomic levels. In the present study, 48 species, representing seven of eight subfamilies within the Onchocercidae, were sampled and sequences of seven gene loci (nuclear and mitochondrial) analysed, resulting in the hitherto largest molecular phylogenetic investigation into this family. Although our data support the current hypothesis that the Oswaldofilariinae, Waltonellinae and Icosiellinae subfamilies separated early from the remaining onchocercids, Setariinae was recovered as a well separated clade. Dirofilaria, Loxodontofilaria and Onchocerca constituted a strongly supported clade despite belonging to different subfamilies (Onchocercinae and Dirofilariinae). Finally, the separation between Splendidofilariinae, Dirofilariinae and Onchocercinae will have to be reconsidered.

Eye trematode infection in small passerines in Peru caused by Philophthalmus lucipetus, an agent with a zoonotic potential spread by an invasive freshwater snail.

Until now, four species of eye trematodes have been found in South America. Of them, Philophthalmus lucipetus (synonymized with Philophthalmus gralli) displays a broad host spectrum, with at least 30 bird species (prevalently large water birds), five mammal species and humans serving as definitive hosts, and with snails Fagotia (Microcolpia) acicularis, Amphimelania holandri, Melanopsis praemorsa and Melanoides tuberculata serving as intermediate hosts. When examining a total of 50 birds of ten species in the wetland of Pantanos de Villa, Lima, Peru in July 2011, eye trematodes were identified visually in the edematous conjunctival sac of 11 (48%) out of 23 resident many-colored rush tyrants Tachuris rubrigastra. Based on morphometric characteristics, the trematodes were identified as P. lucipetus. ITS2 and CO1 gene of the examined specimens combined showed a 99% similarity to an Iranian isolate of Philophthalmus sp. from the intermediate host Melanoides tuberculata, an invasive freshwater snail, suggesting that these two isolates represent the same species with a wide geographical range. Moreover, the prevalence of infection with the philophthalmid cercariae was 31% in 744 Melanoides tuberculata examined in Pantanos de Villa in 2010. It is evident that P. lucipetus occurs throughout the world as well as locally, including Eurasia and South America. Here we report this trematode for the first time in Peru, and we were the first to sequence any of the South American eye trematodes. Low host specificity of P. lucipetus and the invasive character of Melanoides tuberculata as a competent intermediate host suggest that eye trematodosis caused by P. lucipetus may emerge frequently in various parts of the world, especially in the tropics. Increase of the zoonotic potential of the P. lucipetus associated with this invasive snail spreading across the world is predictable and should be of interest for further research.