Environmental DNA monitoring of oncogenic viral shedding and genomic profiling of sea turtle fibropapillomatosis reveals unusual viral dynamics.

Pathogen-induced cancers account for 15% of human tumors and are a growing concern for endangered wildlife. Fibropapillomatosis is an expanding virally and environmentally co-induced sea turtle tumor epizootic. Chelonid herpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) is implicated as a causative virus, but its transmission method and specific role in oncogenesis and progression is unclear. We applied environmental (e)DNA-based viral monitoring to assess viral shedding as a direct means of transmission, and the relationship between tumor burden, surgical resection and ChHV5 shedding. To elucidate the abundance and transcriptional status of ChHV5 across early, established, regrowth and internal tumors we conducted genomics and transcriptomics. We determined that ChHV5 is shed into the water column, representing a likely transmission route, and revealed novel temporal shedding dynamics and tumor burden correlations. ChHV5 was more abundant in the water column than in marine leeches. We also revealed that ChHV5 is latent in fibropapillomatosis, including early stage, regrowth and internal tumors; higher viral transcription is not indicative of poor patient outcome, and high ChHV5 loads predominantly arise from latent virus. These results expand our knowledge of the cellular and shedding dynamics of ChHV5 and can provide insights into temporal transmission dynamics and viral oncogenesis not readily investigable in tumors of terrestrial species.

Antiparasitic potential of Nephrolepis biserrata methanol extract against the parasitic leech Zeylanicobdella arugamensis (Hirudinea) and LC-QTOF analysis.

Marine leech Zeylanicobdella arugamensis (Piscicolidae), an economically important parasite is infesting predominantly cultured groupers, hybrid groupers and other fish in Southeast Asian countries. In this study, we tested the anti-parasitic potential of a medicinal plant Nephrolepis biserrata found in Sabah, East Malaysia against Z. arugamensis. Various concentrations of methanol extracts of the plant were tested experimentally against Z. arugamensis and disinfestation of the leech from its primary host hybrid groupers. The composition of methanol extract of N. biserrata was determined through LC-QTOF analysis. The significant anti-parasitic activity of 100% mortality of leeches was observed with the exposure of N. biserrata extracts. The average time to kill the leeches at concentrations of 25, 50 and 100 mg/ml was 25.11 ± 3.26, 11.91 ± 0.99, and 4.88 ± 0.50 min., respectively. Further, at various low concentrations of N. biserrata 2.5, 5 and 10 mg/ml, hybrid groupers were disinfested in an average time of 108.33 ± 12.65, 65.83 ± 9.70 and 29.16 ± 5.85 min., respectively. The tandem mass spectrometry data from LC-QTOF indicated some hits on useful bioactive compounds such as terpenoids (ivalin, isovelleral, brassinolide, and eschscholtzxanthin), flavonoids (alnustin, kaempferol 7,4'-dimethyl ether, and pachypodol), phenolics (piscidic acid, chlorogenic acid, and ankorine), and aromatic (3-hydroxycoumarin). Thus N. biserrata can act as a potential biocontrol agent.

Prevalence, intensity and histopathology of Zeylanicobdella arugamensis infestation on groupers reared on different aquaculture systems.

The marine leech, Zeylanicobdella arugamensis, is a major threat to aquaculture in grouper-producing countries including Indonesia. This study aimed at investigating prevalence, intensity and histopathology of the ectoparasite in humpback and hybrid groupers cultured in different rearing systems. A total of 260 groupers (60 humpback groupers and 200 hybrid groupers) were used for samples. The marine leech was observed on skin, fins, gills and mouth, followed by histopathological assay on the skin tissue. The results showed that prevalence of the leech in both groupers was higher when they were cultured in the floating net cages compared with the hatchery, p < .05. Furthermore, humpback grouper had a higher prevalence than hybrid grouper when they were cultured in a similar system, p < .05. Meanwhile, there was no significant difference in intensity between the two groupers, p > .05. Within the hybrid groupers, the highest prevalence was obtained from hybrid groupers reared in the earthen ponds. Histopathological studies showed that the infected groupers exhibited inflammation, congestion and erosion of the epidermis layer. Hybrid grouper had more severe histopathological lesions in the skin tissues. These results suggested that species and type of aquaculture system had significantly determined the prevalence, intensity and severity of lesion in Z. arugamensis infestation.

A Rare Cause of Hemoptysis: Oropharyngeal Leech

We report the case of a 33-year-old patient who presented with dyspnea and hemoptysis due to an oropharyngeal leech infestation. The patient was a shepherd and his detailed history revealed that he had been drinking water from natural springs. In the examination, a vivid dark green colored foreign body moving towards the nasopharynx and hypopharynx was detected in the oropharynx. The leech was removed under local anesthesia by gently grasping with the help of a long clamp. It should be noted that leeches are common in rural water sources and they can cause severe morbidity and even mortalities due to serious complications such as severe anemia and airway obstructions. A thorough oral and oropharyngeal examination will be sufficient to identify such cases, indicating the importance of physical examination in patients that present with otherwise unexplained airway obstruction and hemoptysis.

Experimental infection of yellow stingrays Urobatis jamaicensis with the marine leech Branchellion torpedinis.

Infestations of elasmobranchs by the marine leech Branchellion torpedinis can be problematic in aquaria and negatively affect host health. To better characterize the extent and pathogenesis of disease, 12 yellow stingrays Urobatis jamaicensis were infected with 1 or 3 leeches for 14 d. Leeches were associated with anorexia, extensive cutaneous ulceration, decreased host packed cell volume (PCV) and serum total solids (TS), and mortality in 3 rays. Average decrease in host PCV positively correlated with ulcer size and parasite:host ratio. Average decrease in host serum TS positively correlated with parasite:host ratio. Blood chemistry and total white blood cell counts revealed no significant trends. Additional necropsy findings included gill and splenic pallor, pericardial edema, perirenal edema, and decreased hepatocellular lipid deposits. Microscopic evaluation of leeches demonstrated host erythrocytes and proteinaceous fluid within parasite intestines, confirming active blood feeding. Results indicate B. torpedinis has the potential to cause significant disease in elasmobranchs, including death in as few as 5 d, and identifies ulcer size and parasite:host ratio as risk factors for disease. Elucidation of this host-parasite interaction helps characterize host response to parasites and facilitate care of parasitized elasmobranchs in aquarium and wild settings.

Leech-like parasites (Clitellata, Acanthobdellida) infecting native and endemic eastern Siberian salmon fishes.

Salmonoid fish bdellosis is caused by leech-like ectoparasites in the monogenetic order Acanthobdellida. Although Acanthobdella species have been known to infect several threatened species in Eurasia, little is known about their ecology and epidemiology. In this paper, we report on the mass affection (up to 70.7%) of fish in lower course of the Chechuj River, a right tributary of the Lena and provide information on finding Acanthobdella peledina on two of six salmonoid fish species inhabiting there: lenok and grayling. New and more specific data on morphological peculiarities and feeding strategy were obtained. The ratio of body length to width in studied acanthobdellid collection is significantly less than one provided for the A. livanowi and the rest A. peledina from other water systems of Eurasia. Biology and lifestyle of the parasite population are revealed for the first time.

[A case of leech infestation mimicking upper respiratory tract infection]. / Üst Solunum Yolu Enfeksiyonunu Taklit Eden Bir Sülük Enfestasyonu Olgusu.

Urban life and industrialization leads to a decrease in the incidence of many parasitic diseases. Especially, using the supervised water supplies in urban areas decreases the chance of such infestations and limits it in rural areas. However, the people who live in urban areas and have diseases such as kidney stones think that mountain waters may be beneficial for their illness. These types of water supplies are generally unsafe, uncontrolled and septic. That is why usage of them can cause some elusive parasitic infestations in people who live in urban areas. It is meaningful to submit the case described below to illustrate the possibility of parasitic infestations in patients who have upper respiratory tract infection symptoms who are admitted to the physician.

High prevalence of buccal ulcerations in largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides (Centrarchidae) from Michigan inland lakes associated with Myzobdella lugubris Leidy 1851 (Annelida: Hirudinea).

Widespread mouth ulcerations were observed in largemouth bass collected from eight inland lakes in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan during the summer months of 2002 and 2003. These ulcerations were associated with, and most likely caused by, leech parasitism. Through the use of morphological dichotomous keys, it was determined that all leeches collected are of one species: Myzobdella lugubris. Among the eight lakes examined, Lake Orion and Devils Lake had the highest prevalence of leech parasitism (34% and 29%, respectively) and mouth ulcerations (53% and 68%, respectively). Statistical analyses demonstrated that leech and ulcer prevalence varied significantly from one lake to the other. Additionally, it was determined that the relationship between the prevalence of ulcers and the prevalence of leech attachment is significant, indicating that leech parasitism is most likely the cause of ulceration. The ulcers exhibited deep hemorrhagic centers and raised irregular edges. Affected areas lost their epithelial lining and submucosa, with masses of bacteria colonizing the damaged tissues. Since largemouth bass is a popular global sportfish and critical to the food web of inland lakes, there are concerns that the presence of leeches, damaged buccal mucosa, and general unsightliness may negatively affect this important sportfishery.

Tyrannobdella rex n. gen. n. sp. and the evolutionary origins of mucosal leech infestations.

BACKGROUND: Leeches have gained a fearsome reputation by feeding externally on blood, often from human hosts. Orificial hirudiniasis is a condition in which a leech enters a body orifice, most often the nasopharyngeal region, but there are many cases of leeches infesting the eyes, urethra, vagina, or rectum. Several leech species particularly in Africa and Asia are well-known for their propensity to afflict humans. Because there has not previously been any data suggesting a close relationship for such geographically disparate species, this unnerving tendency to be invasive has been regarded only as a loathsome oddity and not a unifying character for a group of related organisms. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A new genus and species of leech from Perú was found feeding from the nasopharynx of humans. Unlike any other leech previously described, this new taxon has but a single jaw with very large teeth. Phylogenetic analyses of nuclear and mitochondrial genes using parsimony and Bayesian inference demonstrate that the new species belongs among a larger, global clade of leeches, all of which feed from the mucosal surfaces of mammals. CONCLUSIONS: This new species, found feeding from the upper respiratory tract of humans in Perú, clarifies an expansion of the family Praobdellidae to include the new species Tyrannobdella rex n. gen. n. sp., along with others in the genera Dinobdella, Myxobdella, Praobdella and Pintobdella. Moreover, the results clarify a single evolutionary origin of a group of leeches that specializes on mucous membranes, thus, posing a distinct threat to human health.

An unusual cause of gastrointestinal bleeding and severe anemia in a child: leech infestation.

A 1-year-old boy with epistaxis, gastrointestinal bleeding and severe anemia that caused cardiorespiratory distress presented to our unit. The results of coagulation tests were normal. An erythrocyte suspension transfusion was given to the patient. On the second day of his hospitalization, a leech was removed from his nose. In developing countries, leech infestation should be considered in cases where epistaxis, hematemesis, gastrointestinal bleeding and severe anemia are of unknown origin.

Severe anemia due to the pharyngeal leech Limnatis nilotica in a child.

Leech infestation can cause many different clinical symptoms such as epistaxis, haemoptysis, haematemesis, and vaginal bleeding. Therefore leech infestation should be considered as a cause of unexplained severe anemia in rural areas where aquatic leeches are common. In this paper we report a case of pharyngeal leech infestation (Limnatis nilotica) presenting with haemoptysis, and epistaxis which resulted in difficulty in making a diagnosis.

Crabs, leeches and trypanosomes: an unholy trinity?

The red king crab Paralithodes camtschaticus was deliberately introduced to the Barents Sea in the 1960s and 1970s from its native area in the North Pacific. The carapace of these crabs is a favoured substrate for the leech Johanssonia arctica to deposit its eggs, and the leech is a vector for a trypanosome blood parasite of marine fish, including cod. We examined cod for trypanosome infections during annual cruises along the coast of Finnmark in North Norway over three successive years from stations along a gradient of over 1000 km. In every year the level of trypanosome infection in cod was significantly highest in the area with the greatest density of king crabs. We propose the hypothesis that the burgeoning population of red king crabs in this area is indirectly responsible for increased transmission of trypanosomes to cod by promoting an increase in the population of the leech vector.

Unexpected result in the etiological approaching to an anemic case: a leech infestation.

One of the causes of the childhood anemia is gastrointestinal system bleeding, which rarely results from parasites. The authors report on a 3-year-old boy with severe anemia and a history of hematemesis. While they were investigating the cause of the anemia and the hematemesis, a leech showing itself in the nasal passage led to a quick and exact treatment. Leeches should be considered for differential diagnosis of anemia and gastrointestinal system bleeding in the children.

Posibilidad de transmisión de la tripanosomiasis cruzi (enfermedad de chagas) por sanguijuelas medicinales: (reflexiones sobre un caso clínico) / Transmission possibility (Chagas disease) Through leeches: (Reflections on a clinical case)

Exposición del historial clínico de un caso de tripanosomiasis americana aguda (enfermedad de Chagas) en un hombre sano de 47 años, evidenciada por fiebre prolongada, irregular e intermitente asociada a astenia, que contrajo la parasitosis a través de la aplicación de sanguijuelas medicinales (Hirudo medicinalis) realizada por un curandero (bajo el pretexto de "absorción de toxinas de la sangre"). La curación fue obtenida mediante la infusión venosa de anfotericina B. La observación surgió por existir antecedentes experimentales de que las sanguijuelas pueden ser trasmisoras de infecciones y de parasitismos (AU)

Posibilidad de transmisión de la tripanosomiasis cruzi (enfermedad de chagas) por sanguijuelas medicinales: (reflexiones sobre un caso clínico) / Transmission possibility (Chagas disease) Through leeches: (Reflections on a clinical case)

Exposición del historial clínico de un caso de tripanosomiasis americana aguda (enfermedad de Chagas) en un hombre sano de 47 años, evidenciada por fiebre prolongada, irregular e intermitente asociada a astenia, que contrajo la parasitosis a través de la aplicación de sanguijuelas medicinales (Hirudo medicinalis) realizada por un curandero (bajo el pretexto de "absorción de toxinas de la sangre"). La curación fue obtenida mediante la infusión venosa de anfotericina B. La observación surgió por existir antecedentes experimentales de que las sanguijuelas pueden ser trasmisoras de infecciones y de parasitismos

[Tonsillar hirudiniasis. Case report]. / Hirudiniasis amigdalar. A propósito de un caso.

Report on a tonsillar parasitosis in a 5-year-old child living in the countryside from leeches of Hirudinea. He consulted because a feeling of foreing body in the throat and spitting of blood, since a fortnight. The AA. remark the low incidence of those cases in our environment.

Nasal hirudiniasis in Kumaon Hills, India.

Fourteen cases of nasal hirudiniasis, seen during a period of less than a year in Kumaon Hills of Northern India are reported. Unilateral epistaxis was the main symptom. Diagnosis was made by history and clinical examination. The leeches were removed by using locally a weak solution of chloroform and turpentine oil.