Morphological and molecular characterization of Ascaridia columbae in the domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica) and the assessment of its immunological responses.

Parasitism is a divesting problem that is frequently overlooked and may result in severe prominent clinical manifestation. This study aimed to investigate the seasonal and sexual prevalence of the gastrointestinal nematode Ascaridia columbae (A. columbae) infection among domestic pigeons in Giza governorate, Egypt, during the period from 2020 to 2021. One hundred and sixty suspected pigeons were clinically investigated. Blood & tissue samples were collected from infected birds to estimate serum zinc concentration, malondialdehyde (MDA), and nitric oxide levels. As well as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1ß (IL1ß) activity, and histopathological examination were estimated; also, worms were collected for morphological identification using electron microscope (SEM) and molecularly identified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), further sequenced, and submitted in GenBank with accession number MZ343369. The average ascarid (length × breadth) were 72.4 ± 3.3 µm (70.5 - 79.9 µm) × 39.9 ± 2.5 µm (37.6 - 42.3 µm). The distinguishing morphological characteristics that have been noticed in ascarid worms were creamy white, cylindrical worm with triradiate lips with wide cephalic alae extending on both the lateral sides and filariform esophagus. In males, spicules were almost equal with the presence of precloacal chitinous-rimmed sucker. The prevalence of A. columbae infection was (63.1%) with a higher incidence in females (79.2%) than males (46.1%). The highest seasonal prevalence was observed in winter (92.5%), followed by summer and spring (87.5% and 55%), respectively while, the lowest prevalence was observed in autumn (17.5%). The intensity of worms in the infected intestine varied from 5 to 120 adult worms. The histopathological examination revealed the presence of chronic diffuse moderate catarrhal enteritis with roundworms in the lumen. Infected birds showed a significant increase in nitric oxide and MDA levels while serum zinc levels were lowered in infected pigeons. Infected pigeons revealed a marked increase in IL1-ß and TNFα than apparently healthy ones.

New record of Ascaridia nymphii (Secernentea: Ascaridiidae) from macaw parrot, Ara chloroptera, in China.

Present study was performed to identify the species of ascarids from macaw parrot, Ara chloroptera, in China. Total 6 ascarids (3 males and 3 females) were collected in the feces of 3 macaws at Guangzhou Zoo in Guangdong Province, China. Their morphological characteristics with dimensions were observed under a light microscope, and their genetic characters were analyzed with the partial 18S rDNA, ITS rDNA and nad4 gene sequences, respectively. Results showed that all worms have no interlabia but male worms have two alate spicules, well-developed precloacal sucker and a tail with ventrolateral caudal alae and 11 pairs of papillae. The partial 18S rDNA, ITS rDNA and nad4 sequences were 831bp, 1015bp and 394bp in length, respectively. They showed the highest similarity of 99.8% (18S rDNA) with Ascaridia nymphii, 93.8% identities (ITS rDNA) with A. columbae and 98.5% to 99.5% identities (nad4) with Ascaridia sp. from infected parrot. All Ascaridia nematodes from the macaws were clustered into one clade and formed monophyletic group of Ascaridia with A. columbae and A. galli in two phylogenetic trees. It is observed that the combining morphological and sequencing data from three loci, the present Ascaridia species was identified as Ascaridia nymphii, which is the first record of A. nymphii from macaw parrot in China.

[Determination of the helminths of wild pigeons (Columba livia Gmelin, 1789 Columbiformes) in the Bursa region]. / Bursa yöresi yabani güvercin (Columba livia Gmelin, 1789 Columbiformes)'lerindeki helmintlerin belirlenmesine yönelik arastirmalar.

The helminth fauna of 113 wild pigeons, (Columba livia Gmelin, 1789), in the Bursa Province was investigated. As a result of the investigation 3 helminth species were detected. These were Capillaria columbae (Gmelin, 1789), Ascaridia columbae (Gmelin, 1790) (Nemathelminthes) and Raillietina echinobothrida (Megnin, 1881) (Cestoda).

Ascaridia numidae (Leiper, 1908; Travassos, 1913) in Rock Partridge (Alectoris chukar) in Turkey.

This report present first case of Ascaridia numidae isolated from three dead rock partridges (Alectoris chukar) with stressing morphological characteristics and its responsiveness to the medical treatment. A. numidae was confirmed by presence of one papilla on the posterior region of the preanal sucker and a total of 10 pairs of the caudal papillae. In necropsy, a total of 680 (282 male and 3,988 female) A. numidae and 289 (147 male and 142 female) Heterakis dispar were isolated from all partridges. Females were 11.20 mm longer and 0.22 mm wider than males. There was no difference in length of oesophagus (2.27 mm). Lengths of the spikules were equals and ranged from 2.08 to 2.93 according to the body size. Vulva was located in medial line and the mean egg size was 0.10 x 0.06 mm. Faecal samples from live birds from the same farm contained Ascaridia spp. and Heterakis spp. eggs. No eggs were encountered 1 week after oral administration of a single dose of levamisole (30 mg/kg), but 3 months post-medication. In conclusion, this is the first case reporting A. numidae in exotic birds in Turkey. A. numidae has unique papillae that are distinguishable from the other ascarids and is responsive to medical treatment as long as hygienic conditions are maintained.

Comparative genetic resistance to Ascaridia galli infections of 4 different commercial layer-lines.

1. The objective of the study was to compare the establishment and effect of Asaridia galli infections in 4 different layer-lines. 2. A total of 160 birds comprising 4 different commercial layer-lines, ISA Brown, New Hampshire, Skalborg and a cross of New Hampshire(NH) and Skalborg (Sk), were infected with A. galli eggs. The birds were examined for the presence of parasite eggs and parasites at weeks 3, 6 and 9 post infection (pi). 3. At week 6 pi the chickens of the NH line harboured more larvae compared with the three otherlines. The Sk line chickens excreted more A. galli eggs throughout the study compared with the other lines. Female worms in the Sk line were more fecund than the worms in the other lines. Male and female worms recovered from the Sk line at week 9 pi were longer. Male worms recovered from the NH line 6 weeks pi were shorter than male worms from the other lines. Female worms recovered from the NH line were shorter than the female worms from the ISA line and the Sk line. No differences were seen in weight gain among the 4 lines. 4. The results suggest that genetic factors are involved in the establishment and survival of A. galli in the intestine of layers. Further studies are needed to elucidate the genetic mechanisms behind the observed parasitological findings.

Brevimulticaecum sp. larvae (Nematoda: Anisakidae) from the frog Hyla minuta Peters in Trinidad

Encapsulated third stage nematode larvae collected from the abdominal cavity of the Trinidadian hylid frog Hyla minuta are referred to the rare anisakid genus Brevimulticaecum. These are the first specimens of Brevimulticaecum from a tropical frog, their presence may reflect the importance of amphibians as intermediate or paratenic hosts of reptilian parasites. (AU)

Life cycle and development of Lagochilascaris sprenti (Nematoda: ascarididae) from opossums (Marsupialia: didelphidae) in Louisiana.

The life cycle of Lagochilascaris sprenti, a species which occurs in the stomach of opossums (Didelphis virginiana) in Louisiana, was determined. The larva in the egg developed to the infective stage after eggs from the feces of infected animals were in culture about 30 days. When eggs containing infective larvae were fed to mice, the larvae hatched, penetrated the intestinal mucosa, migrated through the liver and lungs, and eventually reached the skeletal muscles where they became encapsulated. Larvae were also found encapsulated in the skeletal muscles of rats, gerbils, hamsters, monkeys, and a rabbit fed infective eggs. No larvae were found in the muscles of opossums fed infective eggs. However, when opossums were fed mice with 39- to 204-day-old Lagochilascaris infections, larvae developed in the gastric mucosa to the adult stage within 21 days. Adult worms inhabited cavities in the submucosa of the stomach from which they could migrate through openings into the lumen. One to three abscesses, each containing a single adult worm, were found in the musculature of 16.4% of the mice fed infective eggs.

Anisakis larval type I in fresh salmon.

Larval ascarid nematodes recently discovered in fresh salmon were identified as Anisakis larval Type I, this roundworm is the etiologic agent of anisakiasis, a parasitic disease characterized by eosinophilic granulomas affecting the human gastrointestinal tract. Infection may occur following ingestion of raw or poorly cooked fish. Patients generally present with an acute abdominal syndrome mimicking a wide variety of clinical conditions, thus creating a diagnostic dilemma. Unselected samples of fresh salmon tested by the University of Michigan Clinical Microbiology Laboratory and School of Public Health were all infected, the mean worm burden calculated as 79.3 larvae per kilogram of fish. The significance of this infection and the implications for morbidity in the United States are discussed.

[Ascaridia platyceri n.sp., a new species of nematode from parrots]. / Ascaridia platyceri n. sp., eine neue Spulwurmart aus Papageien.

A new species of bird parasitic nematode, Ascaridia platyceri n. sp., is described from the small intestine of Platycerus eximius and 8 further species of Psittacidae maintained in Zoological Gardens and private holdings in the GDR. The new species differs from the 3 species of Ascaridia hitherto known from parrots mainly in the shape of the anterior border of the lips as well as in the number and position of the caudal papillae in the male.

[Micromorphological study of the skin-muscular sac of the nematode Ascaridia galli exposed to anthelmintic compounds]. / Mikromorfologicheskoe issledovanie kozhno-muskul'nogo meshka nematody Ascaridia galli pri vozdeistvii antigel'mintnykh soedinenii.

The effect of antihelmintic compounds on the cuticle, hypoderm and muscular cells of Ascaridia galli was investigated in vitro. Morphological changes were studied by means of light microscopy. The most pronounced changes in the musculocutaneous sac were found to be caused by santonin, hetrasan, piperasin and phenasal. Less effective are phenotiasin, naphtamon and enteroseptol.

Morphological and histochemical observations on the intestinal epithelium of Ascardia galli (Nematoda: Ascaridida).

The intestinal epithelium of Ascardia galli has been studied with various cytological and cytochemical techniques. It consists of large epithelial cells resting on a thick collagenous basal lamina. Their luminal surface is provided with microvilli. The intestinal cells store considerable amounts of glycogen and neutral lipids. Some intracellular granular inclusions, which stain for proteins, phospholipids and lipoproteins, are distributed throughout the cytoplasm. The brush border is composed of microvilli whereas the outer surface coat consists of saliva resistant PAS-positive material. The detailed histochemical analysis of surface material has revealed that it is composed of nonacetylated acid mucopolysaccharides rich in hyaluronic acid with carboxylate polyanions. The brush border shows intense activities of acid phosphatase and glucose-6-phosphatase, moderate of ATPase, and lipase, weak of 5'-nucleotidase. Acid phosphatase-positive intracellular structures are seen in the intestinal epithelium which form distinct aggregations.

[Observations on the second moult of the larvae of Ascaridia galli (author's transl)]. / Considérations sur la deuxième mue des larves d' Ascaridia galli.

In Ascaridia galli larvae artificially hatched after 11 and 12 days of incubation at 25 degrees C, in larger frequency than in larvae hatched either after 10 and after 14 days of incubation, two different cuticles detached from their bodies were observed. These two detached cuticles indicate that such larvae had undergone two moults before hatching and, consequently, that the infective stage of A. galli is the third larval stage.

Parasites of the relict fauna of Ceylon. V. New species of nematodes from uropeltid snakes.

Two new species of nematodes have been found in endemic snakes of the family Uropeltidae which is restricted to montane regions in India and Sri Lanka. A trichostrongylid, Oswaldocruzia gansi sp. nov., is described from the small intestine of Rhinophis drummondhayi from Watawala (1 075 m) and the Namunukula area (1 200-1 300 m), R. philippinus from Pallatenne (618 m), and Uropeltis melanogaster from Kandy (800 + m). It is distinguished from other species of the genus chiefly by the trifurcate nature of the distal end of its dorsal ray and the number of terminal processes of each spicule. A cosmocercid, Aplectana uropeltidarum sp. nov., is described from the rectum of the same hosts as well as of Uropeltis phillipsi from Gammaduwa (720 m), and Rhinophis blythi from Talawakele (1 016 m). It was also found in the rectum of Teretrurus sanguineus from the Nalumukku Estate, Mandjolai (1 524 m) in S. India. It differs from all other species of the genus, especially in the number and arrangement of the caudal papillae of the male.

Thynnascaris reliquens sp. n. and T. habena (Linton, 1900) (Nematoda: Ascaridoidea) from fishes in the northern Gulf of Mexico and eastern U.S. seaboard.

Thynnascaris reliquens sp. n. is described from the type host, the sheepshead, Archosargus probatocephalus (Walbaum), and other fishes of the northern Gulf of Mexico and southern Florida, including the Gulf toadfish, Opsanus beta (Goode and Bean); the spiny boxfish, Chilomycterus schoepfi (Walbaum); the slippery dick, Halichoeres bivittatus (Bloch); and the Atlantic croaker, Micropogon undulatus (Linnaeus). Its salient characters are: length up to approximately to 12.5 cm; lips broad, with pedunculate pulp and equatorially constricted flanges; esophagus 8 to 12% and spicles 3 to 6% of body length; preanal and postanal papillae up to 33 and 6 pairs, respectively. In the type host, some adults attained a considerably greater size than in other hosts, and their labial morphology changed as the maximum length was approached. Thynnascaris habena is redescribed from the oyster toadfish, Opsanus tau (Linnaeus), its type host, on the basis of examination of specimens collected from Massachusetts, Virginia, and Georgia. Thynnascaris melichthysi (Olsen, 1952) and T. ogcocephali (Olsen, 1952) are transferred from the genus Contracaecum as new combinations.