International Journal for Parasitology-Parasites and Wildlife最新文献

{"title":"Morphometric variation of the Chiorchis trematodes, parasitic in the American manatee (Trichechus manatus)","authors":"Diana M. Neal ,&nbsp;Antonio A. Mignucci-Giannoni","doi":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101146","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101146","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Morphological variation was studied in the adult cladorchiid trematodes <em>Chiorchis</em> spp. (Trematoda: Digenea), that parasitize the intestinal tract and caecum of the American manatee (<em>Trichechus manatus</em>). Specimens were collected from 22 manatees between 1980 and 1998 in Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Florida. We found statistically significant differences in analyses of variance in 31 morphological measurements from 284 specimens across different geographical regions, consistent with the existence of two species. Some specimens from Florida corresponded to the description for <em>Chiorchis fabaceus</em> Diesing1838, while specimens from the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and some from Florida, previously misidentified as <em>C. fabaceus</em>, corresponded to the description of <em>C. groschafti</em> Coy-Otero1989. The latter supports the distinction of two <em>Chiorchis</em> species parasitic on the American manatee. These species differ mainly by the presence or absence of an esophageal bulb, testes shape, position of the genital pore, and shape and distribution of the vitelline follicles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54278,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Parasitology-Parasites and Wildlife","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 101146"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145264777","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Host dietary niche and site location on the river continuum shape trematode (Renifer aniarum) infection patterns in sympatric watersnakes (Nerodia spp.)","authors":"M.J. Janecka ,&nbsp;D.R. Clark ,&nbsp;O. Duthoy ,&nbsp;C.D. Criscione","doi":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101144","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101144","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although parasite probability of infection and intensity are central to understanding parasite distributions and their ecological and evolutionary impacts, the drivers of these parameters remain poorly understood. At a local scale, we examined how host dietary niche partitioning and river landscape processes influence infections of the trematode <em>Renifer aniarum</em> in a community of watersnakes (<em>Nerodia</em> spp.). Host-specific dietary preferences and body size (SVL) were associated with infection probability among sympatric congeners. However, contrary to predictions of the stream drift hypothesis, infection probability increased with distance upstream. Infection intensity, in contrast, was unrelated to stream position and less predictable across host species. Thus, infection probability and intensity were heterogeneous among host species and across the river system. These results highlight that, even at local scales, multiple factors can distinctly shape the infection dynamics of a generalist parasite across closely related, co-occurring hosts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54278,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Parasitology-Parasites and Wildlife","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 101144"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145219825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evolutionary history, longevity and terrestriality predict Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in free-ranging non-human primates","authors":"Fidisoa Rasambainarivo ,&nbsp;Billy Hinson ,&nbsp;Olivier Rasolofoniaina ,&nbsp;Sara Chelaghma ,&nbsp;Randall E. Junge ,&nbsp;C. Jessica E. Metcalf ,&nbsp;Cathy V. Williams ,&nbsp;Benjamin Rice","doi":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101143","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101143","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Evidence from captive populations indicates that lemurs are particularly vulnerable to toxoplasmosis, a parasitic disease caused by <em>Toxoplasma gondii.</em> In wild populations, however, seroprevalence in lemurs remains low. This may be partly due to their predominantly arboreal behavior, which limits exposure to environmentally transmitted oocysts. Alternatively, or additionally, low seroprevalence could reflect high mortality following infection due to limited evolutionary exposure to the parasite and, consequently, a lack of evolved resistance. In this study, we assess whether the evolutionary history of primates with felids influences susceptibility to <em>T. gondii</em> infection, independent of ecological exposure. Specifically, we predicted that (1) species with greater terrestriality would exhibit higher exposure risk, (2) species longevity would be positively associated with their seroprevalence to <em>T. gondii</em> and (3) primate superfamilies with longer histories of co-occurrence with felids would show higher seroprevalence than Lemuroidea at similar levels of terrestriality and longevity. Serum samples from 435 free-ranging lemurs were tested for <em>T. gondii</em> antibodies and a literature review of <em>T. gondii</em> seroprevalence in free-ranging primates was conducted. The overall seroprevalence in Lemuroidea was 5.4 %, significantly lower than that observed in Ceboidea (11.8 %) and Cercopithecoidea (27.6 %). Notably, seroprevalence in lemurs was lower than expected based on their terrestriality, suggesting that evolutionary isolation from felids may underlie heightened vulnerability. Longevity modifies the risk profile in a lineage-specific way where seroprevalence increases with lifespan in Cercopithecoidea but not for lemurs. Collectively, our findings support the hypothesis that lemurs are immunologically naïve to <em>T. gondii</em>, and in the face of expanding domestic cat populations and increasing habitat fragmentation, the parasite may pose an underrecognized conservation threat.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54278,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Parasitology-Parasites and Wildlife","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 101143"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145264776","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. in the Eurasian wolf (Canis lupus lupus): Third-generation sequencing resolves mixed infections","authors":"Sinah Lückner ,&nbsp;Gastón Moré ,&nbsp;Iris Marti ,&nbsp;Caroline F. Frey ,&nbsp;Javier E. Fernandez ,&nbsp;Chahrazed Belhout ,&nbsp;Walter Basso","doi":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101140","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101140","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Sarcocystis</em> spp. (Apicomplexa: Coccidia) are obligate heteroxenous protozoa that infect a wide range of host species. Transmission follows a predator-prey cycle involving an intermediate host (IH) and a definitive host (DH). For many species, only IHs have been identified, while DHs remain unknown. DHs can be infected with multiple <em>Sarcocystis</em> spp. at the same time, which complicates species identification. We aimed to determine the prevalence and species diversity of <em>Sarcocystis</em> infections in free-ranging wolves in Switzerland using both coprological and molecular methods. A further goal was to evaluate the utility of Third-generation sequencing for resolving mixed infections. A total of 87 wolf intestinal content samples were collected between 2017 and 2023 and analyzed coproscopically by a sedimentation-flotation method. <em>Sarcocystis</em> oocysts/sporocysts were detected in 76 % (66/87). DNA was obtained from 57/66 positive samples and 55/57 resulted positive in a <em>Sarcocystis 18S</em> rRNA screening PCR. Additionally, mitochondrial cytochrome <em>c</em> oxidase subunit I (<em>COI</em>) gene PCR and a real-time PCR targeting <em>S. cruzi</em> were performed. PCR products from conventional PCRs were submitted for Sanger sequencing. Monoinfections were identified in 16 % (9/55) and mixed infections in 84 % (46/55) of the samples. A subset of five samples was analyzed by Third-generation sequencing (Pacific Biosciences) of the <em>18S</em> rRNA full-length and <em>COI</em> fragment PCR products. BLAST and phylogenetic analysis were used to validate taxonomic classification. Molecular analysis identified nine known <em>Sarcocystis</em> species: <em>S. tenella, S. arieticanis, S. capreolicanis, S. linearis, S. gracilis, S. cruzi, S. capracanis, S. iberica,</em> and <em>S. venatoria</em>. Newly developed pipelines for the Third-generation sequencing data provided high-resolution species-level identification in samples with mixed infections. These findings confirm the Eurasian wolf as natural DH for multiple <em>Sarcocystis</em> species for the first time, including <em>S. linearis</em>, <em>S. iberica</em>, and <em>S. venatoria</em>. Further complementary studies on prey species are needed to clarify host-parasite dynamics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54278,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Parasitology-Parasites and Wildlife","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 101140"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145120884","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The conquest of the north continues: Baylisascaris procyonis in free-ranging invasive raccoons (Procyon lotor) from Germany, including a first report in the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania","authors":"Zaida Rentería-Solís ,&nbsp;Luis Flores ,&nbsp;Torsten Langner ,&nbsp;Sandra Gawlowska ,&nbsp;Thomas Grochow ,&nbsp;Simone Fietz ,&nbsp;Stefan Birka ,&nbsp;Nina Król ,&nbsp;Anna Obiegala","doi":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101139","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101139","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With exception of the Northeast, the raccoon roundworm (<em>Baylisascaris procyonis</em>) is widespread in Germany. This zoonotic parasite can cause neurological disease in paratenic and aberrant hosts, like humans. As the name indicates, raccoons are the definitive host of <em>B. procyonis</em>. However, and despite the successful expansion of the raccoon population, parasite and host ranges do not always overlap. <em>B. procyonis</em> has been largely absent from the northeastern part of the country, notwithstanding the stable presence of raccoons in this area. In this study, faecal and intestinal samples were opportunistically collected from 166 free-ranging raccoons from 9 federal states in Germany. In 68 animals (41.0 %), <em>B. procyonis</em> was identified either through PCR or morphological identification of adult worms. The positive raccoons originated from 6 federal states, including for the first time animals from the northern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The results of this study highlight the dissemination of the parasite in the north of the country, while maintaining its presence in the rest of Germany.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54278,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Parasitology-Parasites and Wildlife","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 101139"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145095030","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Leishmania tarentolae and Leishmania infantum in geckos from Mallorca Island, Spain","authors":"Joan Martí-Carreras ,&nbsp;Johan Espunyes ,&nbsp;Laura Carrera-Faja ,&nbsp;Carlotta Pasetto ,&nbsp;Maria Magdalena Alcover Amengual ,&nbsp;Sarah Chavez-Fisa ,&nbsp;Marina Carrasco-Martin ,&nbsp;Xavier Roura ,&nbsp;Olga Francino ,&nbsp;Lluís Ferrer","doi":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101138","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101138","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Leishmania tarentolae</em> and <em>Leishmania infantum</em> are two sympatric parasites of significant ecological and epidemiological interest in the Mediterranean basin. This study investigated the PCR prevalence of <em>L. tarentolae</em> and <em>L. infantum</em> in two gecko species (<em>Tarentola mauritanica</em> and <em>Hemidactylus turcicus</em>) present on Mallorca Island, Spain, using duplex quantitative PCR. A total of 59 geckos were sampled across the island, including 53 <em>T. mauritanica</em> and six <em>H. turcicus</em>. Tissue and blood samples were screened by PCR for both parasites. The results revealed the prevalence of <em>Leishmania</em> infection in adult <em>T. mauritanica</em>, with 10/49 (20.41 %) testing PCR positive for <em>L. tarentolae</em> only and with 1/49 (2.04 %) for <em>L. infantum</em> only. Coinfection with both parasites was detected in 3/49 geckos (6.12 %). No positives were identified in <em>H. turcicus</em>, probably due to small sample size. Regarding PCR positivity by tissues, coleomic organs were more likely to be positive for <em>L. tarentolae</em> in adult <em>T. mauritanica</em> than blood, with a slighter PCR positivity in the liver, spleen and lung. This study provides further insight into the interaction between <em>Leishmania</em> and geckos in leishmaniosis-endemic areas such as Mallorca.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54278,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Parasitology-Parasites and Wildlife","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 101138"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145109610","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Balancing Varroa management and honey bee resilience: Behavioral and physiological consequences of temporarily high mite pressure","authors":"Lioba Hilsmann ,&nbsp;Markus Krischke ,&nbsp;Martin J. Mueller ,&nbsp;Sarah Manzer ,&nbsp;Ricarda Scheiner","doi":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101137","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101137","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pollinators are essential for global agriculture and ecosystem stability, yet many populations are declining due to parasites and pathogens. Among these, the ectoparasitic mite <em>Varroa destructor</em> is one of the most critical challenges to honey bees (<em>Apis mellifera</em>). Conventional treatment approaches use frequent interventions to keep mite levels as low as possible, whereas other approaches aim to promote natural selection by omitting treatments. A possible compromise lies in reducing treatments while maintaining colony survival through targeted interventions. This approach may allow adaptive responses under temporary mite pressure. In this study, we compared two beekeeping strategies: 1) Conventional beekeeping practice involving regular drone brood removal during mating season, formic acid treatment in summer, and oxalic acid treatment in winter. 2) An innovative approach where drone brood is left in the colony and a summer brood interruption is induced, followed by an oxalic acid treatment. Winter treatment is only applied if <em>Varroa</em> pressure exceeds three naturally dropped mites per day shortly before winter treatment. We investigated <em>Varroa</em> infestation and its consequences for honey bee foraging behavior, homing ability, juvenile hormone III levels, pollen protein content, and honey yield. Bees from innovatively managed colonies started foraging earlier and had elevated juvenile hormone levels at young ages. Orientation ability was unaffected, but these bees performed longer foraging trips and collected pollen with higher protein content. They also stopped foraging earlier, likely reflecting a reduced lifespan due to increased <em>Varroa</em> pressure. Nevertheless, colony productivity did not differ between the two beekeeping approaches. Our findings suggest that reduced <em>Varroa</em> treatments and temporarily high mite pressure do not have negative effects on colony performance. Such approaches may offer a potential middle ground between intensive conventional management and selection-based strategies, balancing colony vitality and the possibility of fostering resistance traits through controlled exposure of parasite and host.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54278,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Parasitology-Parasites and Wildlife","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 101137"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145095031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A new Batrachospora species (Apicomplexa: Sarcocystidae) from Duttaphrynus toad in Taiwan","authors":"Peihang Hong ,&nbsp;Sijia Yu ,&nbsp;Chao-Min Wang ,&nbsp;Chung-Hung Lai ,&nbsp;Toshihiro Tokiwa ,&nbsp;Shyun Chou","doi":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101136","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101136","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coccidia of amphibians remain poorly studied despite high host diversity, with critical gaps in integrative taxonomic documentation. This study describes <em>Batrachospora jiunnshiowi</em> n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Sarcocystidae), a novel coccidian parasite infecting the Asian black-spined toad (<em>Duttaphrynus</em> cf. <em>melanostictus</em>) in Taiwan. Morphological characterization revealed sporulated oocysts (mean L × W = 15.9 × 14.1 μm; L/W ratio = 1.1; <em>n</em> = 50) with ellipsoidal sporocysts (10.8 × 8.0 μm; L/W = 1.35; <em>n</em> = 66) lacking Stieda bodies and containing unique drop-shaped sporozoites—an autapomorphy distinguishing it from congeners. Phylogenetic analyses of all datasets (18S ribosomal RNA, cytochrome <em>c</em> oxidase subunit 1, concatenated sequences) robustly placed within the subfamily Hyaloklossinae, demonstrating paraphyly relative to <em>B. caeruleae</em> despite morphological conformity to <em>Batrachospora</em> diagnostic criteria. Prevalence was 13.3 % (2/15 hosts) in the eastern lineage of <em>D. melanostictus</em>, representing the first molecularly characterized coccidian in this host. The integrative taxonomic approach combining morphometrics, host specificity, and multi-locus phylogenetics validates its status as a new species. The discovery underscores significant undocumented coccidian diversity in synanthropic amphibians and advocates expanded surveillance to clarify host-parasite coevolution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54278,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Parasitology-Parasites and Wildlife","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 101136"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145048846","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Toxoplasma gondii infection in the endangered Amami Woodcock, Scolopax mira (Aves: Charadriiformes)","authors":"Ryotaro Suzuki ,&nbsp;Toshihiro Tokiwa ,&nbsp;Keiko Ito ,&nbsp;Ryouta Torimoto ,&nbsp;So Shinya ,&nbsp;Makoto Haritani ,&nbsp;Masami Yamamoto ,&nbsp;Hisashi Yoshimura","doi":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101135","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101135","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Toxoplasma gondii</em> is a parasitic protozoan for which family Felidae serves as the definitive hosts. In regions where native felids are absent, introduced domestic cats (<em>Felis catus</em>) act as reservoirs of <em>T. gondii</em>, posing a threat of infection to various wildlife population. A population of feral cats has been identified on Amami-Oshima Island located in the southern part of the Japanese Archipelago, and molecular examination confirmed that the <em>T. gondii</em> they harbour has spread to endemic mammals. In this study, we aimed to detect <em>T. gondii</em> in the Amami Woodcock (<em>Scolopax mira</em>), a bird species endemic to Amami-Oshima Island. DNA was extracted from the brain tissue of twenty-two birds, and molecular detection of <em>T</em>. <em>gondii</em> was performed using a commercial <em>T. gondii</em> detection kit based on real-time polymerase chain reaction. Two birds (9.1%) tested positive. The determined nucleotide sequences were 100% identical to that of the <em>T. gondii reference sequence</em>. Histopathological examination and ultrastructural analyses revealed terminal colonies in the cardiomyocytes of one bird, which were immunohistochemically confirmed as <em>T. gondii</em>. Here, we report the first record of <em>T. gondii</em> infection in the Amami Woodcock. Given its endangered status, ongoing research on the prevalence and pathogenicity of <em>T. gondii</em> is warranted.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54278,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Parasitology-Parasites and Wildlife","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 101135"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145094978","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nemabiome metabarcoding of wild conservation bison herds and co-grazing cattle reveals different species compositions and low-level benzimidazole resistance","authors":"Kaylee R. Kipp ,&nbsp;Elizabeth M. Redman ,&nbsp;Joe L. Luksovsky ,&nbsp;Dani Claussen ,&nbsp;Lee C. Jones ,&nbsp;Danielle E. Buttke ,&nbsp;Christine M. Budke ,&nbsp;Walter E. Cook ,&nbsp;John S. Gilleard ,&nbsp;Guilherme G. Verocai","doi":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101134","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101134","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) live in complex communities within American plains bison (<em>Bison bison</em>), a keystone ungulate species of North American prairie ecosystems. These trichostrongylid nematode species vary in their level of pathogenicity and can cause disease ranging from subclinical to clinical. However, the GIN species diversity and distribution of North American bison are understudied, especially in conservation herds in the United States. Fecal samples from conservation bison were collected from six herds in 2022, with five of those herds resampled in 2023 across six states (Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma). Fecal samples from a herd of longhorn cattle that co-graze with a bison herd from Oklahoma were also collected in both years. Following fecal egg counts and coproculture, third-stage larvae were processed using ITS2 rDNA metabarcoding to determine the trichostrongylid species composition and screened for the 200Y (TTC &gt; T<u>A</u>C) polymorphisms of the isotype-1 β-tubulin gene to assess possible benzimidazole resistance. Alpha diversity was determined for each herd using the Shannon and the inverse Simpson diversity Index. The Beta diversity was assessed between herds using the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index. The three most common species found were <em>Haemonchus placei</em>, <em>Ostertagia ostertagi</em>, and <em>Cooperia oncophora</em>. The herds with the highest parasite species diversity were in Oklahoma, Iowa, and North Dakota. The herd in Colorado showed the least diverse parasite communities. Over the course of the two-year study, moderate to high GIN species diversity was observed across several of the conservation bison herds. Additionally, different parasite species proportions were determined between co-grazing bison and cattle herds. Lastly, low frequencies of the 200Y (TTC &gt; T<u>A</u>C) polymorphisms, associated with benzimidazole resistance, were detected. Our study reveals differences in species diversity and richness among conservation bison herds across the United States and provides the first evidence of benzimidazole resistance markers in wild bison in North America.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54278,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Parasitology-Parasites and Wildlife","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 101134"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145018878","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}