Parasitology International最新文献

{"title":"Microbiome and physicochemical properties of breeding waters of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes in Sri Lanka","authors":"Supipi H. Wijesundara ,&nbsp;T.C. Weeraratne ,&nbsp;F. Noordeen ,&nbsp;W.A. Priyanka P. de Silva","doi":"10.1016/j.parint.2025.103199","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parint.2025.103199","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Aedes albopictus</em> is a key vector of arboviral transmission, and its widespread adaptability to diverse breeding habitats makes control efforts challenging. This study aimed to evaluate the bacterial communities and physicochemical characteristics of <em>Ae. albopictus</em> breeding sites across selected localities in Sri Lanka and to assess their potential influence on adult mosquito fitness using adult body size as an indicator. A total of 133 positive breeding sites were surveyed across eight districts. Breeding sites were categorized by premise type, container type, nature (natural or artificial), and as indoor or outdoor. From a subset of 73 representing breeding sites, microbial cultures were isolated, and bacterial diversities were assessed. Adult emergence rate was recorded under standardized rearing conditions, and female body size was estimated using wing length measurements. Physicochemical parameters, including temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, and total dissolved solids, were reported for each breeding site. Each breeding site consisted of 2–6 distinct bacterial morphotypes, with <em>Aeromonas hydrophila, Acinetobacter proteolyticus</em>, and <em>Bacillus subtilis</em> as the most frequently reported species. The physicochemical properties of the breeding water (temperature, conductivity, TDS, and DO) were significantly different between sites (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). There was a strong correlation between the diversity of bacteria and the wing length of mosquitoes. A relatively weak correlation was noted between the body size measurements and the bacterial abundance. A moderate explanatory power was present between water quality parameters, microbial composition, and the adult <em>Ae. albopictus</em> body size (R² = 27.7 %).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19983,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology International","volume":"111 ","pages":"Article 103199"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145564964","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Soil-transmitted helminth eggs in public areas of Azores archipelago, Portugal","authors":"Romana Teixeira ,&nbsp;João Lozano ,&nbsp;Isilda Flor ,&nbsp;Carlos Pinto ,&nbsp;Maria Constança Pomba ,&nbsp;Luís Madeira de Carvalho","doi":"10.1016/j.parint.2025.103166","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parint.2025.103166","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the Azores archipelago, data regarding environmental contamination by soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) is inexistent till the moment. The current study aimed to assess the environmental contamination with helminth eggs, in soil samples collected from public parks/gardens and beaches from three islands belonging to the Azores archipelago (Portugal): Faial, Terceira and São Miguel. Between June–December 2024, a total of 37 soil samples were collected from 26 public parks/gardens and 11 public beaches, and processed using the Mini-FLOTAC method to calculate parasites' prevalences and burdens (eggs/oocysts per gram of soil, EPG/OPG). Overall, a total of 35 % of the sampled sites were contaminated with helminth eggs, with the environmental contamination being higher in public parks or gardens (46 %), in comparison with beach areas (9 %). The majority of positive sites were contaminated with <em>Toxocara</em> spp. eggs (30 %), followed by Ancylostomatidae (11 %) and <em>Trichuris</em> spp. (11 %) eggs. São Miguel and Terceira islands presented higher rates of soil contamination, when compared to Faial Island. The overall helminth egg intensity was the following: <em>Toxocara</em> spp. (157 EPG), <em>Trichuris</em> spp. (59 EPG) and Ancylostomatidae (38 EPG). Faial island presented the lowest EPG levels, regarding all parasite species, being <em>Toxocara</em> spp. EPG levels significantly lower than the remaining islands surveyed (<em>p</em> = 0.02). The present study provides new and relevant data concerning environmental contamination by STHs with zoonotic potential in the Azores archipelago, and revealed that the analysis of soil samples is an important approach to be included in integrated pet parasite control programs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19983,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology International","volume":"111 ","pages":"Article 103166"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145005383","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Morphological and molecular data reveal a new genus and species from the family Transvenidae (Echinorhynchida: Palaeacanthocephala) from Bahía de Todos los Santos, Northeast Pacific, Mexico","authors":"Rogelio Aguilar-Aguilar ,&nbsp;Marcelo Tonatiuh González-García ,&nbsp;Martín García-Varela","doi":"10.1016/j.parint.2025.103164","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parint.2025.103164","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Echinorhynchids are a group of globally distributed acanthocephalan parasites mainly of freshwater, brackish and marine fishes and occasionally, reptiles and amphibians. During several parasitology surveys in the Gulf of Mexico and Northeast Pacific, Mexico, acanthocephalans were recovered from two marine fish species. The specimens from the Gulf of Mexico were identified as <em>Caballerorhynchus lamothei</em> (Cavisomidae), a typical parasite of the striped mojarra, whereas adult acanthocephalans from the Northeast Pacific, Mexico, from the Garibaldi fish exhibited morphological characteristics belonging to the family Transvenidae. Sequences from the small (SSU) and large (LSU) subunits of ribosomal DNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox 1) of mitochondrial DNA were obtained for both species. The new sequences were aligned with other sequences available in the GenBank dataset from Echinorhynchida. Phylogenetic trees inferred with the combined (SSU + LSU), concatenated (SSU + LSU+ cox 1), and cox 1 datasets consistently placed the two species into two independent lineages. The species <em>C. lamothei</em> from Cavisomidae was placed in a clade together with members from Spinulacorpidae, Rhadinorhynchidae and Transvenidae, suggesting that Cavisomidae is paraphyletic. The unidentified specimens were nested inside a clade formed by members of Transvenidae. Morphologically, the new samples presented a combination of unique diagnostic traits, which was not observed in other members of the Transvenidae family. Therefore, the genus <em>Darwinorhynchus</em> was created to accommodate a new species named herein as <em>Darwinorhynchus bajacaliforniaensis</em> n. gen., n. sp. The current record from a transvenid acanthocephalan expands its distribution range to the northern Pacific in the Americas, Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19983,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology International","volume":"111 ","pages":"Article 103164"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145005055","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular analysis of Cryptosporidium species in Western Australian human populations (2023–2025), and the emergence of rare C. hominis IeA11G3T3 subtype","authors":"Sugandika Bulumulla ,&nbsp;Amanda Ash ,&nbsp;Una Ryan ,&nbsp;Barry Combs ,&nbsp;Andrew Larkins ,&nbsp;Nevada Pingault ,&nbsp;Damien Bradford ,&nbsp;Amanda D. Barbosa","doi":"10.1016/j.parint.2025.103188","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parint.2025.103188","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Cryptosporidium</em> species are an important cause of diarrhoeal disease worldwide. Many countries reported declines in cryptosporidiosis incidence during COVID-19 restrictions, followed by marked increases post-COVID. A similar pattern has been observed in Australia, with record-high case numbers reported across multiple states in 2024–2025, including Western Australia (WA), where an outbreak occurred in 2025. Between 1st January – 30th June 2025, WA reported a statewide total of 1110 human cryptosporidiosis cases, which is substantially higher than the previous years. In the present study, a subset of WA cases from 2025 was investigated using contact tracing and molecular typing and compared with subtypes circulating in 2023 and 2024. Sequence analysis of the 18S rRNA and <em>gp60</em> loci identified three <em>Cryptosporidium</em> species: <em>C. hominis</em> (91.5 %, 108/118), <em>C. parvum</em> (6.8 %, 8/118), and <em>C. meleagridis</em> (1.7 %, 2/118), comprising 13 distinct subtypes, over the three years. Notably, a previously rare <em>C. hominis</em> subtype, IeA11G3T3, emerged in 2023 and by 2025 had become the dominant subtype (92.1 %, 70/76) of samples typed. Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) of a representative subset of IeA11G3T3 isolates (<em>n</em> = 13) showed that all sequences were identical, except for one isolate from 2024, which contained three insertions: an 18-bp repeat in the <em>cp-47</em> gene and both a 12-bp and a 6-bp repeat in the <em>dz-hrgp</em> gene. The <em>C. hominis</em> IeA11G3T3 subtype has also recently emerged as a dominant subtype in several other countries, although the factors driving its emergence remain unclear.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19983,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology International","volume":"111 ","pages":"Article 103188"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145355628","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficiency of Datura stramonium metabolites as a promising insecticide against the vector-borne diseases Culex pipiens and Aedes aegypti","authors":"Mohamed M. Baz ,&nbsp;Randa I. Eltaly ,&nbsp;Ramy E. El-Ansary ,&nbsp;Moustafa Ibrahim ,&nbsp;Fatma H. Galal ,&nbsp;Hattan S. Gattan ,&nbsp;Mohammed H. Alruhaili ,&nbsp;Abdelfattah M. Selim ,&nbsp;Lamya Ahmed Alkeridis ,&nbsp;Yasser A. El-Sayed ,&nbsp;Esraa A. Elhawary","doi":"10.1016/j.parint.2025.103178","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parint.2025.103178","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mosquitoes, one of the deadliest animals on the planet, cause millions of fatalities each year by transmitting several human illnesses. Therefore, it was necessary to use many synthetic pesticides to prevent the spread of diseases, which led to an increase in the effective use of synthetic pesticides to protect humans. The extensive use of pesticides caused serious health problems for humans, environmental damage, and mosquito resistance to synthetic insecticides. This study aimed to evaluate the larvicidal efficacy of <em>Datura stramonium</em> extracts (methanol, ethyl acetate, <em>n</em>-hexane, and aqueous) against larvae and adults of <em>Culex pipiens</em> and <em>Aedes aegypti</em> with phytochemical profiles. Bioassays were conducted under laboratory conditions, and lethal concentrations (LC₅₀ and LC₉₀) were calculated after 24 and 48 h. Methanol and ethyl acetate extracts showed the strongest ability to kill larvae, with LC₅₀ values of 40.19 ppm for <em>Cx. pipiens</em> and 71.46 ppm for <em>Ae. aegypti</em>. In adulticidal assays, aqueous and ethyl acetate extracts induced the highest mortality rates (up to 88 %) at 100 ppm. The methanol extract exhibited strong antimicrobial activity, recording the largest inhibition zone (27 mm) against <em>Klebsiella pneumoniae</em>, followed by <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> (25 mm) and <em>Candida albicans</em> (22 mm). highlighting its potential as a dual-function natural agent with both insecticidal and antimicrobial properties. UPLC/MS analysis identified several bioactive phytochemicals, including alkaloids withanolides, alkaloids, phenolic acids, cinnamic acid derivatives and flavonoids, that may contribute to the observed effects. The n-hexane extract revealed twelve volatile components from the mono-, di-, and sesquiterpenoid classes, along with volatile alkaloids such as nicotine and scopolamine. Antimicrobial tests also revealed moderate to high inhibition against selected bacterial and fungal pathogens. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that the genes Apismin, Defincin 1, SFCYP1, SFCYP4, SFCYP5, and SFRYR were significantly increased, while SFCYP3 was consistently decreased in both <em>Datura</em> and pesticide. However, SFCYP2 is believed to increase in pesticide and decreased in <em>Datura</em>. These findings highlight <em>Datura stramonium</em> as an available, eco-friendly, and promising natural alternative to synthetic insecticides for vector control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19983,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology International","volume":"111 ","pages":"Article 103178"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145233309","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Coinfection of large yellow croaker Larimichthys crocea by Trypanosoma sp. (Euglenozoa: Kinetoplastea) and Ceratomyxa xiangshanensis n. sp. (Cnidaria: Myxosporea) in offshore net cage systems in the East China Sea","authors":"Bo Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiao Xie ,&nbsp;Chao Zheng ,&nbsp;Xingyu Wang ,&nbsp;Kurt Buchmann ,&nbsp;Fei Yin","doi":"10.1016/j.parint.2025.103167","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parint.2025.103167","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The large yellow croaker, <em>Larimichthys crocea</em>, is an indigenous fish in the East China Sea and a highly ranked marine fish species, primarily reared in the coastal waters of the East China Sea. Recently, infections with hemoflagellates (causing trypanosomiasis) in this fish species were detected on the southeast coast of China; however, the pathogenicity has not been established. Here, an outbreak of mass mortality in <em>L. crocea</em> farmed in Zhejiang province is reported with coinfection of hemoflagellates and myxosporeans. For hemoflagellates, blood smears reveal elongated trypomastigotes measured 20.5 ± 3.4 μm × 1.9 ± 0.4 μm, and an anterior free flagellum is 11.9 ± 2.6 μm in length. Molecular analysis of the small subunit ribosomal sequence showed that the isolated hemoflagellate is conspecific with the <em>Trypanosoma</em> sp. previously reported in the Fujian province, which suggests a neglected transmission event along with transboundary fish delivery. Besides, combining morphological disparities with no more than 98.09 % molecular identity, the biliary myxosporean is regarded as a novel species, <em>Ceratomyxa xiangshanensis</em> n. sp. Histological examination of infected fish tissues showed trypanosome-associated pigment aggregation in melanoma-macrophage centers of the spleen and kidney. The subcutaneous tissue of the head is observed with moderate inflammatory infiltration in the dermis. We suggest that the year-round feeding operation and seasonal fish delivery may favor native circulation and transboundary transmission of these endoparasites. This work expands our knowledge of the parasite fauna harbored in reared <em>L. crocea</em> and frames the importance of routine surveillance for emerging parasitic diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19983,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology International","volume":"111 ","pages":"Article 103167"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145041080","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"First molecular characterization and species validation of Toxocara alienata (Rudolphi 1819) (Nematoda: Ascarididae), from a crab-eating raccoon (Procyon cancrivorus)","authors":"Gustavo Macêdo do Carmo ,&nbsp;Lorena Gisela Ailán-Choke ,&nbsp;Hassan Jerdy ,&nbsp;Hermínio Ismael de Araújo-Júnior ,&nbsp;Felipe Bisaggio Pereira","doi":"10.1016/j.parint.2025.103160","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parint.2025.103160","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Toxocara alienata</em> infects racoons and wild pigs in South America and its taxonomy is important to distinguish the species from closely related zoonotic congeners, such as <em>T. canis</em>. This study provides the first genetic characterization of <em>T. alienata</em> from the Brazilian Amazon, along with a comprehensive morphological description, to clarify its distinction from the closely related <em>T. canis</em>. Nematodes were observed using light and scanning electron microscopy and genetically characterized based on barcode COI mtDNA. A phylogeny was reconstructed using Bayesian inference and different species delimitation methods (PTP, bPTP, ASAP, GMYC) were performed for robust species validation. Specimens were identified as <em>T</em>. <em>alienata</em> based on a somewhat narrow cervical alae; male with equal, alate spicules, shorten than 1 mm, 28 pairs of caudal papillae (24 subventral precloacal pairs and 4 postcloacal pairs) and a protruded well-developed precloacal lip with an unpaired papilla on it, which was observed for the first time in the species. These morphological features can differentiate <em>T. alienata</em> from <em>T. canis</em> mainly regarding number and arrangement of postcloacal papillae, structure of precloacal lip and the presence of the unpaired papilla. In the phylogeny, <em>T. alienata</em> represented an independent lineage, sister to a clade formed by <em>T. canis</em> sequences. All species delimitation methods validated <em>T</em>. <em>alienata</em> as a specific entity, different from <em>T. canis</em>. The present results, including the first genetic characterization of <em>T. alienata</em>, reinforce its validation and provide crucial data for future taxonomic, epidemiological and ecological works on Toxocarinae.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19983,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology International","volume":"111 ","pages":"Article 103160"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145005053","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A comparative study of nutritional status and helminth infections among school-attending Mangyan children in the Philippines","authors":"Ida Marie Aaberg Mortil ,&nbsp;Francisca Gaifém ,&nbsp;Chalotte Willemann Stecher ,&nbsp;Christian Morberg Wejse ,&nbsp;Tara Ballav Adhikari","doi":"10.1016/j.parint.2025.103194","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parint.2025.103194","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>This study focuses on growth patterns and helminth infections to assess the health of the marginalized Mangyan people, the indigenous population on Mindoro in the Philippines.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In this comparative cross-sectional study, 90 school-attending children aged 5–15 years were recruited from two remote Mangyan villages, Ambang and Sipit Saburan, and the less remote village Baclayan. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling in August and September 2023. Inclusion criteria were permanent residence, school attendance, age 5–15 years, and understanding Tagalog. Exclusion criteria included lack of parental consent and missing key demographic data. Children completed a structured interview, clinical examination, and collection of a stool sample. Interviews covered food intake, disease symptoms, and access to healthcare. Growth patterns were measured using standardized anthropometry, and stool samples were analyzed by same-day conventional microscopy with direct fecal smear. Data were analyzed using Fisher's Exact Test. In addition, odds ratios (OR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Ethical approvals were obtained from the local Indigenous People's Structures (IPS), Barangay Council of Villaflor, and the Department of Education.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>School-attending children from remote Mangyan villages had a significantly higher prevalence of parasitic infections (<em>P</em> = .02). Additionally, living in the remote villages was highly associated with stunted growth (<em>P</em> &lt; .01).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>School-attending Mangyan children from remote villages have lower growth patterns and a higher prevalence of helminth infections, highlighting the need for targeted health interventions. Future research should focus on larger studies to gather comprehensive data on health needs of this marginalized population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19983,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology International","volume":"111 ","pages":"Article 103194"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145541812","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Parasite diversity in painted frogs inhabiting desert oases in southern Tunisia","authors":"J. Dhib ,&nbsp;M. Comas ,&nbsp;H. Kacem ,&nbsp;A. Hammouda ,&nbsp;J. Harl ,&nbsp;H.P. Fuehrer ,&nbsp;J. Garrido-Bautista ,&nbsp;G. Moreno-Rueda ,&nbsp;S. Selmi","doi":"10.1016/j.parint.2025.103195","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parint.2025.103195","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Data on parasites infecting amphibians in arid North-African areas are still scarce. In this study, we investigate the diversity and prevalence of parasites in a painted frog (<em>Discoglossus pictus</em>) population inhabiting desert oases in south-eastern Tunisia. From 120 sampled frogs, we recorded six parasite species, including three protozoa, morphologically identified as <em>Opalina ranarum, Protoopalina intestinalis</em> and <em>Cepedietta gigantea</em>, two nematodes identified as <em>Rhabdias</em> sp. and <em>Cosmocercoides</em> sp., and one trematode identified as <em>Pleurogenoides medians</em>. According to partial sequences of the nuclear <em>18S</em> rRNA gene, the two protozoa <em>O. ranarum</em> and <em>C. gigantea</em> showed 98.64 % sequence similarity to <em>Karotomorpha</em> sp., and 96.62 % to <em>P. intestinalis.</em> The partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene showed that nematodes morphologically identified as <em>Rhabdias</em> sp. featured <em>R. bufonis</em> with 92.35 % similarity, while those identified as <em>Cosmocercoides</em> sp. showed 87.44 % sequence similarity to <em>Toxocara vitulorum</em>, 86.30 % to <em>Aplectana</em> sp., and 86.20 % to <em>Cruzia tentaculata</em>. The single trematode morphologically identified as <em>P. medians</em> showed 84.76 % similarity to <em>Characithecium</em> sp. and 84.76 % similarity to <em>Ancyrocephalinae</em> sp. Moreover, 97.5 % of the sampled frogs were infected by at least one parasite species, with the nematode <em>Cosmocercoides</em> sp. being the most common parasite (88.44 %). Males were more frequently infected by protozoa parasites than females, and helminth infection was associated with deteriorated body condition. However, individual age, determined by skeletochronology, did not predict parasite prevalence. Overall, our findings provide knowledge that would help understand the diversity and dynamics of endoparasites associated with amphibians in North Africa.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19983,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology International","volume":"111 ","pages":"Article 103195"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145541870","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Morphological and phylogenetic analyses of Stephanurus dentatus reveal close relationships with the Chabertiidae family and new insights into Strongyloidea phylogeny","authors":"Vitória Maximiana Soares dos Santos ,&nbsp;Gustavo Henrique Russo ,&nbsp;Patrícia Parreira Perin ,&nbsp;Andressa de Souza Pollo ,&nbsp;Carmen Arias-Pacheco ,&nbsp;Talita Oliveira Mendonça ,&nbsp;Wilson Junior Oliveira ,&nbsp;André Mota Alves ,&nbsp;Estevam Guilherme Lux Hoppe","doi":"10.1016/j.parint.2025.103175","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parint.2025.103175","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The parasitic nematode <em>Stephanurus dentatus</em> has been documented in Brazil and other tropical regions, where it has been linked to significant economic losses in pig and wild boar populations. Despite its evident relevance, detailed morphological descriptions are scarce, and its current classification within the Syngamidae family has recently been called into question by mitochondrial data. This study takes an integrative taxonomic approach, combining morphological characterisation using light and scanning electron microscopy with a phylogenetic analysis based on concatenated 18S and ITS sequences from 45 Strongylida species. We describe in detail the morphology of this parasite, including distinct features in copulatory structures and tail morphology. Our results support the positioning of <em>S. dentatus</em> in the Chabertiidae, reinforcing the paraphyly of Strongyloidea.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19983,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology International","volume":"111 ","pages":"Article 103175"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145186335","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}