Parasite Epidemiology and Control最新文献

{"title":"Molecular identification of Coranus spp. in a pregnant patient: A case of misidentified Chagas disease vector in Spain","authors":"Jorge Ligero-López ,&nbsp;María Dolores Bargues ,&nbsp;Patricio Artigas ,&nbsp;Giulia Colangeli ,&nbsp;Fabiola Peiró-Codina ,&nbsp;María Ducons-Márquez ,&nbsp;Beatriz López-Alonso ,&nbsp;Pilar Goñi ,&nbsp;Antonio Beltrán-Rosel","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00426","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00426","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chagas disease is a significant public health concern in the Americas, transmitted primarily by vectors of the Triatominae subfamily. While Europe, particularly Spain, is free from endemic vectors, the potential for misidentification of non-hematophagous insects as Chagas vectors exists, leading to unnecessary alarm. We present the case of a 31-year-old pregnant Venezuelan woman residing in Spain, who sought medical attention after being bitten by an arthropod she identified as <em>Triatoma infestans</em>. The patient's awareness of Chagas disease in her country of origin heightened her concern about vertical transmission of <em>Trypanosoma cruzi</em> to her fetus. However, serological testing for <em>T. cruzi</em> antibodies was negative. The insect was initially misidentified as <em>T. infestans</em> but was later confirmed through molecular analysis to be <em>Coranus</em> spp., a non-hematophagous reduviid predator. The 18S rRNA gene sequence revealed a 99.37 % similarity to <em>Coranus</em> spp., ruling out any vectorial capacity for Chagas disease. This case underscores the importance of accurate arthropod identification, especially in non-endemic regions, to prevent misdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment. From a public health perspective, the introduction of a Chagas disease vector into Spain would represent a serious threat, necessitating prompt identification and containment measures. Our findings highlight the challenges posed by invasive species and the need for vigilance in regions where Chagas disease is not endemic. Proper identification of suspected vectors is crucial to ensure appropriate clinical and public health responses, preventing unwarranted anxiety and ensuring accurate disease surveillance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article e00426"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143887973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Entamoeba sp. in a city in the Amazon interior in Brazil: Microscopic parasitological, immunological, and molecular diagnosis","authors":"Claudijane Ramos dos Santos ,&nbsp;Maria Regina Reis Amendoeira ,&nbsp;Laís Verdan Dib ,&nbsp;Laís Lisboa Corrêa ,&nbsp;Alynne da Silva Barbosa","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00424","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00424","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Humans can become infected with different parasites, including intestinal protozoa that can cause diarrhea, dysentery, or even death. These parasites affect mainly individuals living in situations of low socioeconomic conditions, an economic and social context found in most cities in the Amazon interior. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency of <em>Entamoeba</em> sp., with an emphasis on <em>E. histolytica</em>, in patients treated at the Municipal Laboratory of Oriximiná, a city located in the Amazon interior. In 2019, 294 fecal samples were obtained from people treated at the city's laboratory. All samples that showed <em>Entamoeba</em> cysts via microscopic parasitological techniques or that were positive by immunodiagnosis to <em>E. histolytica</em>/<em>E. dispar</em> complex were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to identify positivity for <em>E. histolytica</em>, <em>E. dispar</em>, and <em>E. moshkovskii</em>. When the 81 fecal samples considered positive for <em>Entamoeba</em> were subjected to PCR, DNA amplification was observed in 37/81 (45.7 %) samples. <em>E. histolytica</em> was the most diagnosed species in 31/81 (38.3 %), and <em>E. dispar</em> was detected in 22/81 (27.2 %). All reactions performed for <em>E. moshkovskii</em> were negative. The mixed molecular diagnosis of both <em>E. histolytica</em> and <em>E. dispar</em> was confirmed in 16 (19.8 %) fecal samples. Analysis of risk factors revealed that diarrhea was significantly associated with infection by <em>Entamoeba</em> sp. and that the consumption of vegetables produced at home was associated with infection by the complex (<em>p</em> ≤ 0.05). Most of the PCR-positive samples were obtained from residents of neighborhoods from the outskirts of the city, which has the city's lowest socioeconomic indices. The results obtained in this study highlight the precariousness of basic sanitation in these cities, since the detected pathogens, including the pathogenic species <em>E. histolytica</em>, are transmitted mainly through contaminated water and food. Notably, this is the first study to confirm via molecular diagnosis the circulation of <em>E. histolytica</em> in cities in the Amazon interior of Brazil.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article e00424"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143882660","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identification of seropositive cases of Chagas disease in pregnant women in a non-endemic risk area of the state of Mexico: The importance of screening prenatal","authors":"Saúl González-Guzmán ,&nbsp;José A. Crescencio-Trujillo ,&nbsp;Carla I. Arroyo-Anduiza ,&nbsp;María Guadalupe Córdova-Espinoza ,&nbsp;Roberto Alvarado-Velázquez ,&nbsp;Vladimir Paredes-Cervantes","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00427","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00427","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Our study aimed to identify seropositive cases of <em>Trypanosoma cruzi</em> in pregnant women from the northeastern region of the State of Mexico and underscore the importance of screening for this disease in prenatal care.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We analyzed 879 serum samples from pregnant women in this non-endemic area for antibodies to <em>Trypanosoma cruzi</em>.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We found a seroprevalence of 0.34 % to <em>Trypanosoma cruzi</em> in pregnant women aged 20 to 29.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The confirmation of anti-<em>Trypanosoma cruzi</em> antibodies in 3 pregnant women in this non-endemic area further highlights the need to incorporate the diagnosis of this disease as part of prenatal care.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article e00427"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143882649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence of strongyloidiasis in immunocompromised patients in Mazandaran province of northern Iran: A comprehensive study utilizing simultaneous parasitological, serological, and molecular techniques","authors":"Reza Saberi ,&nbsp;Aliasghar Ghorbanzadeh ,&nbsp;Rabeeh Tabaripour ,&nbsp;Shahabeddin Sarvi ,&nbsp;Shirzad Gholami ,&nbsp;Seyed Abdollah Hosseini","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00425","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00425","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div><em>Strongyloides stercoralis</em> is a soil-transmitted helminth (STH) responsible for strongyloidiasis, a neglected tropical disease (NTD) that affects nearly 614 million people globally. This intestinal nematode poses significant health risks, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of <em>S. stercoralis</em> in high-risk populations in northern Iran, employing a combination of parasitological, serological, and molecular techniques.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Blood and fecal samples were collected from 92 patients in Mazandaran province, northern Iran, consisting of 52 patients with HIV+/AIDS and 40 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or corticosteroid treatment. Initially, all fecal samples were examined using the nutrient agar culture method for parasitological assessment. Following this, DNA extraction was performed on all samples for identify <em>S. stercoralis</em> (by COX1- Nested PCR). Additionally, the sera of the patients were analyzed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit (NovaTec Immunodiagnostica GmbH, Dietzenbach, Germany).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The stool samples from these patients were negative in agar plate cultures. Among the 92 patients in the study, stool microscopy for <em>Strongyloides</em> rhabditiform larvae was positive in three cases. Using nested PCR, four samples (4.34 %) tested positive for <em>S. stercoralis</em>. Serological investigations revealed that 4 out of 52 HIV-positive patients (7.69 %) and 15 out of 40 cancer patients (37.5 %) had a history of infection with <em>S. stercoralis</em>.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>These results emphasis the importance of employing a multifaceted diagnostic approach, combining parasitological, serological, and molecular techniques, to accurately identify infections in at risk populations. Given the potential for severe complications associated with strongyloidiasis in immunocompromised individuals, regular screening and prompt treatment are essential to reduce health risks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article e00425"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143882661","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"First report of Culicoides paraensis (Goeldi, 1905) (Diptera: Ceratoponidae) in Cuba: A new challenge for public health","authors":"Yanet Martínez Pérez ,&nbsp;Ariamys Companioni Ibáñez ,&nbsp;Zulema Menéndez Díaz ,&nbsp;Eric Camacho Acosta ,&nbsp;Mónica Sánchez González ,&nbsp;Nell Cox García ,&nbsp;Quenia del Rosario Casanova Drake ,&nbsp;Gladys Gutierrez-Bugallo","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00423","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00423","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Culicoides paraensis</em> (Goeldi) (Diptera: Ceratoponidae) is considered the primary vector of Oropouche virus (Orthobunyavirus, Peribunyaviridae) in the American Tropics. Here, we report the first record of <em>C. paraensis</em> in Cuba, during the first known outbreak of Oropouche fever outside its endemic range in the Amazon region. Using human landing catches, we collected 98 specimens of <em>C. paraensis</em> in three Cuban provinces (Santiago de Cuba, Cienfuegos, and Havana), where Oropouche fever had been documented in humans. This species was not captured using various traps deployed at the sampling sites (BG-Sentinel, New Jersey traps, and CDC light traps), which may explain why <em>C. paraensis</em> had not been previously reported in Cuba. In North America, <em>C. paraensis</em> develops in wet treeholes, while in tropical regions, it uses cacao husks and banana stumps as larval habitats. However, the specific larval development sites for this species in Cuba are unknown. The capture of adult female <em>C. paraensis</em> in areas of active Oropouche virus circulation suggests their involvement in virus transmission in Cuba.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article e00423"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143724044","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence of malaria and Schistosoma mansoni coinfection in sub Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Wagaw Abebe ,&nbsp;Birhanu Kassanew ,&nbsp;Tadesse Misganaw ,&nbsp;Agenagnew Ashagre ,&nbsp;Getinet Kumie ,&nbsp;Marye Nigatie ,&nbsp;Yalewayker Gashaw ,&nbsp;Ephrem Tamrat ,&nbsp;Dagmawi Woldesenbet ,&nbsp;Alembante Bazezew","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00422","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00422","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Malaria and schistosomiasis are two parasite illnesses that share transmission sites in distinct tropical climates. Malaria-schistosomiasis coinfection is widespread in Africa. Also, malaria and <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> coinfection cause exacerbation of health consequences and co-morbidities. However, there is limited pooled data on the prevalence of malaria and <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> coinfection in sub-Saharan Africa.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This systemic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the prevalence of malaria and <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> coinfection in sub-Saharan Africa.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>Systematic search on PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Science Direct was used to identify relevant studies following reviews and meta-analysis guidelines. A total of eighteen relevant articles on the prevalence of malaria and <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> coinfection were identified for final systematic review and meta-analysis. Extracted data was analyzed using STATA software version 17.0. The absence or presence of publication bias was assessed using Egger's test. Heterogeneity across studies was checked by I² statistics; if the I² value was ≥50 %, significant heterogeneity was considered and subgroup analysis was done.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 18 studies were included for this systematic review and meta-analysis. From this meta-analysis, the pooled prevalence of malaria and <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> coinfection was 17.39 % (95 % CI: 5.94–28.84). There was significant heterogeneity in prevalence of coinfection, with I² values greater than or equal to 99.97 % at <em>P</em> = 0.00. The subgroup analysis based on year of publication showed that the pooled prevalence of malaria and <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> coinfection in studies conducted 2014–2018 was 20.73 % (95 % CI: 0.66–40.80), while it was 14.68 % (95 % CI: 1.02–28.34) in studies conducted 2019–2024. On the other hand, subgroup analysis on diagnostic techniques showed significant differences in the pooled prevalence of malaria and <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> coinfection.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This systematic review and meta-analysis showed that malaria and <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> coinfection are prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa.This highlights the region's major challenges in controlling malaria and <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> coinfections.To ensure the efficiency of coinfections control and treatment, regular monitoring, identification, and reduction of the prevalence of malaria and <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> coinfection must be maintained. Furthermore, cooperative efforts at local, countrywide, and global levels are necessary to address the multifaceted factors causal to malaria-<em>S.mansoni</em> coinfection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article e00422"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143628963","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seroprevalence and risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection in solid organ transplant patients: A global systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Mina Mamizadeh ,&nbsp;Farajolah Maleki ,&nbsp;Mohammad Reza Mohammadi ,&nbsp;Laya Shamsi ,&nbsp;Ali Asghari ,&nbsp;Ali Pouryousef","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00421","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00421","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aimed to assess the global seroprevalence of IgG and IgM antibodies against <em>Toxoplasma gondii</em> (<em>T. gondii</em>) in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients (kidney, liver, heart) through a literature review of studies published until October 24, 2024. Selected studies reported data on anti-<em>T. gondii</em> IgG and IgM seroprevalence in the post-transplant stage of SOT recipients. A random-effects model estimated pooled seroprevalence rates, and heterogeneity was evaluated using the I² statistic. Sensitivity analysis examined prevalence changes after excluding studies, while subgroup analysis of IgG seroprevalence accounted for publication years, countries, continents, WHO regions, sample sizes, and types of transplanted organs. Out of 26 articles and 29 datasets analyzed, 21 articles and 24 datasets involving 19,391 transplant recipients and 880 controls were used to assess anti-<em>T. gondii</em> IgG and IgM seroprevalence and odds ratios (ORs). Additionally, 8 articles reported the anti-<em>T. gondii</em> IgG serostatus of donors and recipients. The pooled IgG seropositivity for <em>T. gondii</em> in SOT recipients was 9.8 % (95 % CI, 4.7–19.4 %), showing significant variation by region and organ type. The anti-<em>T. gondii</em> IgM seroprevalence in SOT recipients was 6.4 % (95 % CI, 3.3–12 %). Renal transplant recipients exhibited higher IgG seroprevalence compared to liver and heart transplant recipients. The pooled OR for <em>T. gondii</em> infections in SOT recipients vs. controls was 1.39 (95 % CI, 0.95–2.04, <em>P</em> = 0.08). The highest pooled anti-<em>T. gondii</em> IgG serostatus was 50.7 % in the undetermined group, followed by 38 % in the D−/R- group, 15.4 % in the D−/R+ group, 10.6 % in the D+/R- group, and 9.9 % in the D+/R+ group. Overall, <em>T. gondii</em> active infections and its increased risk trend in SOT recipients should not be overlooked.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article e00421"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143591541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epidemic status of echinococcosis, brucellosis, and tuberculosis among rural residents in three counties of Wuzhong City, Ningxia, China in 2023","authors":"Yan Huo ,&nbsp;Jing Tang ,&nbsp;MiXue Guo ,&nbsp;SiYu Hou ,&nbsp;Wei Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00420","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00420","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent years, the rapid development of animal husbandry in rural China has brought about the problem of zoonosis. In 2023, a cross-sectional study was carried out to gain an in-depth understanding of the infection status and influencing factors of three common zoonoses (echinococcosis, brucellosis and tuberculosis) among rural residents in three counties/districts of Wuzhong City, Ningxia. For the selection of the study participants, a cluster sampling approach was adopted. We recruited permanent rural residents from the three counties, without imposing any age limitations, to ensure a broad and representative sample. A field survey was then meticulously carried out among these individuals, and blood samples were collected simultaneously. The collected blood was processed to obtain serum, which was subsequently utilized to detect pathogen-specific IgG antibodies using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Through a comprehensive questionnaire survey administered to the same group of participants, a detailed analysis was performed to assess the current situation of the infections and to identify the various factors that might be influencing the occurrence and spread of these diseases within this specific population. A total of 1847 people participated in the survey, with their ages ranging from 8 to 94 years old. Subsequently, the corresponding blood samples were tested strictly in accordance with the number of valid questionnaires. The detection rates for these diseases were 4.93 % (91/1844) for echinococcosis, 20.52 % (378/1842) for brucellosis, and 7.26 % (134/1847) for tuberculosis. Univariate analysis revealed no significant variation in the positive detection rate of echinococcosis across different demographic groups. However, factors such as sex, age, educational level, occupation, living environment, and breeding conditions and slaughtering situation significantly influenced the positive detection rate of serum antibodies against brucellosis (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). The positive rate of serum antibodies for tuberculosis varied under different breeding and protection conditions (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). Multivariate analysis identified risk factors for brucellosis, including male (OR = 1.944, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.001), living with a large number of sheep (OR = 1.640, <em>P</em> = 0.001), and home slaughter (OR = 1.427, <em>P</em> = 0.007), while non-agricultural workers were found to be protective (OR = 0.493, <em>P</em> = 0.003). For tuberculosis, risk factors included raising cattle and sheep at home (OR = 1.877, <em>P</em> = 0.002) and lacking protective contact with these animals (OR = 2.138, <em>P</em> = 0.001). To achieve effective and precise prevention and control of zoonoses, comprehensive measures should be implemented.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article e00420"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143445352","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Massive subcutaneous filariosis by Filaria martis in beech marten (Martes foina) in Italy","authors":"Giovanni Sgroi ,&nbsp;Ranju Ravindran Santhakumar Manoj ,&nbsp;Ettore Napoli ,&nbsp;Nicola D'Alessio ,&nbsp;Maria Gabriella Lucibelli ,&nbsp;Claudio de Martinis ,&nbsp;Esterina De Carlo ,&nbsp;Peyman Khademi ,&nbsp;Alireza Sazmand ,&nbsp;Vincenzo Veneziano","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00406","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00406","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The beech marten (<em>Martes foina</em>) is a small-size mustelid endangered according to the IUCN Red List. Despite the plethora of parasites potentially affecting its population decline, subcutaneous filarioids are occasionally reported in martens and their competent arthropod vectors are to date unknown. Therefore, from January 2023 to August 2024, this study investigated the presence of subcutaneous filarioids and ectoparasites of road-killed beech martens (<em>n</em> = 7) from southwestern Italy. One marten (14.3 %, 95 % CI: 2.6–51.3) was massively infected with subcutaneous filarioids, i.e., 18 specimens (11 males and 7 females) in the dorso-posterior region, where mild redness and sloughing of skin were found. All the filarioids were identified as <em>Filaria martis</em> via morphology and Sanger sequencing of the <em>cytochrome c oxidase</em> subunit I (<em>cox</em>1) gene that revealed a single sequence type (GenBank accession number PQ034642) having 100 % nucleotide identity with those available in the literature. The phylogenetic analysis displayed a bootstrap value of 100 % between the <em>cox</em>1 sequences of <em>F. martis</em> of this study and those of beech martens from Italy and European minks from Spain. Haemolymph, gut, and salivary glands of the <em>Ixodes ricinus</em> ticks collected from the infected marten scored negative for <em>F. martis</em> larvae and DNA by dissection and PCR, respectively. This study reported for the first time <em>F. martis</em> subcutaneous filariosis in southwestern Italy, previously outlined only in northern and southeastern areas, indicating the circulation of this poorly investigated filarioid. Knowledge of the competent vectors involved in the biological cycle of <em>F. martis</em> requires further experimental studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article e00406"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11757790/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143047336","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Risks of parasitic helminth disease outbreaks and influence of physico-chemical factors in flood prone areas of Yaoundé, Cameroon","authors":"Noura Efietngab Atembeh ,&nbsp;Jean Patrick Molu ,&nbsp;Jeanne Valerie Emvoutou Maboulou ,&nbsp;Boris Fominyam ,&nbsp;Rodrigue Nanfack Dongmo ,&nbsp;Gabriel Bertrand Zambo ,&nbsp;Emilie Tchinda Tiecheu ,&nbsp;Jeannette Tombi ,&nbsp;Lucia Nkengazong ,&nbsp;Serge Hubert Zebaze Togouet ,&nbsp;Jean Louis Essame Oyono","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00404","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00404","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Urbanization coupled with poverty has promoted the exploitation of risk zones like flood-prone areas in the city of Yaoundé. The overcrowding and poor hygiene observed in these areas are responsible for the unsmiling variations in environmental cleanliness, exploitation of river water for domestic purposes thus putting them at risk for parasitic disease transmissions. This study was conducted in order to assess the risks of human helminthiases outbreaks in relation to water physico-chemical factors in the city of Yaoundé.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>Water samples were collected monthly from January to June 2022 in 12 stations from 4 rivers (Biyeme, Ebogo, Olezoa and Tongolo) situated in flood plains in the town of Yaoundé. Intestinal parasite resistant forms were identified using the basic sedimentation technique, while water parameters were assessed using standard procedures.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Results indicated that rivers in flood-prone areas are highly contaminated with a 75 % prevalence rate. In all, resistant forms of nine parasite species were recorded with the genus <em>Toxocara</em> being the most diversified with two species. <em>Strongyloides stercoralis</em> was the most prevalent (33.3 %) and most abundant (1269) species followed by <em>Toxocara canis</em> (26.4 %), <em>Ascaris lumbricoides</em> (25 %), <em>Toxocara leonina</em> (20.8 %), Hookworm (15.3 %), <em>Trichostrongylus</em> sp. (11.1 %), <em>Diphyllobothrium latum</em> (8.3 %), <em>Trichuris trichiura</em> (2.8 %) and <em>Schistosoma intercalatum</em> (1.4 %). The least abundant species was <em>Trichuris trichiura</em> (33). Higher densities of parasite resistant forms were observed during the dry season. River Tongolo was the most contaminated with pathogenic forms. Water pH, orthophosphate, organic matter and alkalinity revealed negative corelations with the occurrence of <em>Diphyllobotrium latum</em> (<em>r</em> = −0.375, −0.253, −462, −0.448 respectively) while organic matter and pH showed positive correlations with the occurrence of <em>Strongyloides stercoralis</em> (<em>r</em> = 0.378) and <em>Trichostrongylus</em> sp. (<em>r</em> = 0.238) respectively.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Flood areas constitute a potential risk zone for the maintenance and spread of human helminthiases. Maintaining proper personal cleanliness, environmental sanitation through the building of functional and accessible faecal disposal facilities and drainages and abstaining from using the rivers as waste dumps are essential in this area to prevent parasitic helminth disease outbreaks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article e00404"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11729010/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142985078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}