Acta Parasitologica最新文献

{"title":"Blastocystis ST1: Protein Profile and Specific Serum Immunoglobulin in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Patients","authors":"Buthaina Darwish,&nbsp;Ghalia Aboualchamat,&nbsp;Samar Al Nahhas","doi":"10.1007/s11686-024-00946-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11686-024-00946-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p><i>Blastocystis</i> sp. is a common enteric human parasite, which recently has been linked to gastrointestinal disorders i.e. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and symptomatic patients (non IBS). Analyzing antibodies level in these patients could help in differential diagnosis. The current study aimed to identify the protein profile of the <i>Blastocystis</i> ST1 (Syrian strain: OR537347) lysates and to investigate the differences in IgG serum immunoglobulin between patients with IBS and non IBS.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>Twenty two IBS (Rome III) and nineteen patients suffering from different gastrointestinal disorders (non IBS), positive for <i>Blastocystis</i> were enrolled in this study. SDS-PAGE was used to identify the protein profile of the <i>Blastocystis</i> ST1 lysates and immunoblotting using sera from patients was used for reactivity compared to known <i>Blastocystis</i> protein targets.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The crude protein profile of <i>Blastocystis</i> ST1 showed 24 protein bands ranged between 10 and 130 kDa. Western blot demonstrated that the proteins (27–29);32;(39–42);(50–51) kDa had similar immunogenicity characteristic in IBS and non IBS patients while the proteins (60–95 kDa) only interacted with IBS patients’ sera.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Our results highlighted the importance of <i>Blastocystis</i> proteins 60–95 kDa (probably a metalloproteases) in IBS patients compared to non IBS, suggesting that these metalloproteases may be important <i>Blastocystis</i> antigens and can be used as a serologic test tool or as a biomarker for differential diagnosis.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6932,"journal":{"name":"Acta Parasitologica","volume":"70 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143031829","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"First Detection and Molecular Characterization of Colpodella in Goats, Foxes, and Birds","authors":"Kyriacos A. Hasapis,&nbsp;Iris Charalambidou,&nbsp;Catherine O’Dowd Phanis,&nbsp;Stefanie Kazamia,&nbsp;Nicolaos Kassinis,&nbsp;Chad Schou,&nbsp;Panagiotis Karanis","doi":"10.1007/s11686-024-00959-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11686-024-00959-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of <i>Colpodella</i> sp. in domestic and wild animals in Cyprus. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to report the detection of <i>Colpodella</i> sp. in foxes (Cyprus red fox <i>Vulpes vulpes indutus</i>), wild birds (Eurasian coot <i>Fulica atra</i>, duck <i>Anas</i> spp.) and goats (<i>Capra hircus</i>) worldwide.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>A total of 180 faecal samples (29 foxes, 48 Eurasian coot, 20 Eurasian teal <i>Anas crecca</i>, 7 duck, 44 goats − 10 from a farm and 34 free-living individuals - and 32 sheep <i>Ovis aries</i>) were analyzed for the parasite by nested PCR and sequencing.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Four samples were positive (4/180 = 2.2%), including one goat from a farm (1/10 = 10%), one fox (1/29 = 3.4%), one Eurasian coot (1/48 = 2.1%) and one duck (1/7 = 14.3%).</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>The results of this study support the evidence that <i>Colpodella</i> sp. can infect mammals and birds, as well as livestock and wildlife, which could act as zoonotic reservoirs of the parasite and potentially pose a risk to human and animal health.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6932,"journal":{"name":"Acta Parasitologica","volume":"70 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11761509/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143031571","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In Vitro Biochemical Control of Taenia solium and Taenia saginata Eggs","authors":"Debora Castro de Souza,&nbsp;Lisseth Bibiana Figueroa Puentes,&nbsp;Adriane Toledo da Silva,&nbsp;Dyesse Pollyane Ferreira,&nbsp;Carolina Magri Ferraz,&nbsp;Fabio Ribeiro Braga,&nbsp;Filippe Elias de Freitas Soares","doi":"10.1007/s11686-024-00950-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11686-024-00950-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpouse</h3><p>The present study evaluated in vitro the action of the plant protease papain (EC 3.4.22.2) on intact eggs of <i>Taenia solium</i> and <i>Taenia saginata</i>.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>Two experimental groups were composed for each of the gastrointestinal helminths: control group (G1) and treated group (G2). In each replicate corresponding to the control group, 100 µL of the suspension containing approximately 100 intact eggs (<i>T. solium</i>) or 50 eggs (<i>T. saginata</i>) and 100 µL of distilled water were added, while for the treated group 100 µL of the egg suspension and 100 µL of the papain solution at a concentration of 15% (m/v) were added. The experiment was conducted in four replicates. The groups were incubated in BOD at 28 ± 1 ºC in the dark for a period of 24 h.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The results demonstrated that there was a significant reduction (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.01) of intact eggs, with average reduction percentages for <i>T. saginata</i> and <i>T. solium</i> of 74.36% and 64.29%, respectively.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>This study is the first report on the in vitro control of helminth eggs (<i>T. saginata</i> and T. <i>solium</i>) using pure papain.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6932,"journal":{"name":"Acta Parasitologica","volume":"70 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143031583","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"New Henneguya Species Cause Gill Disease of Commercial Amazonian Fish","authors":"Michele Velasco,&nbsp;Karoliny Caldas Xavier,&nbsp;Ana Maria Medeiros Furtado,&nbsp;Jhonata Eduard,&nbsp;José Ledamir Sindeaux-Neto","doi":"10.1007/s11686-024-00980-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11686-024-00980-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Freshwater fish are affected with much parasitic diseases, among the most common are Henneguyosis caused by myxozoans of the genus <i>Henneguya</i>, which exhibit great diversity in fish from South America, particularly in the Brazilian Amazon.</p><h3>Purpose</h3><p>In this present study, we describe the morphological and phylogenetic aspects of the small ribosomal subunit (SSU rDNA) of two new species of <i>Henneguya</i> infecting the gills from <i>Hypophthalmus marginatus</i>, a freshwater catfish from the Amazon.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>In 148 specimens, has been observed cyst formation in different regions of the gills, intrafilamentary and intralamellar. These samples were collected for PCR amplification and phylogenetic analysis.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The myxospores from each cyst have an elliptical spore body, consisting of two elliptical polar capsules, but differed in taxonomic morphometric measurements, such as total size, caudal length, spore body length and width, and polar capsule length and width. Phylogenetically, the species formed a clade with <i>Henneguya</i> spp. described in Siluriform fish in Brazil.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>These findings support the description of two species, <i>Henneguya matosi</i> n. sp. and <i>H. marginatus</i> n. sp., which infect different regions of the gills of <i>Hypophthalmus marginatus</i>, a commercially important catfish.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6932,"journal":{"name":"Acta Parasitologica","volume":"70 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143031608","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence and Molecular Characterization of Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in Donkeys of Inner Mongolia, Northern China","authors":"Li Zhao,&nbsp;Wenjun Fan,&nbsp;Chao Yi,&nbsp;Hai-Xia Liu,&nbsp;Yulin Ding,&nbsp;Mingyuan Wang,&nbsp;Yan Wang,&nbsp;Shan Zhang,&nbsp;Xuewen Su,&nbsp;Yonghong Liu","doi":"10.1007/s11686-024-00965-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11686-024-00965-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p><i>Cryptosporidium</i> spp<i>.</i>, <i>Giardia duodenalis</i>, and <i>Enterocytozoon bieneusi</i> are important zoonotic pathogens. In Inner Mongolia, a single pathogen molecular epidemiological survey of these three protozoa was previously conducted on only 176 fecal samples donkeys. In this study, the purpose is to simultaneously evaluate the zoonotic potential of three protozoa.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>Small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) and <i>gp60</i> from <i>Cryptosporidium</i>; SSU rRNA, <i>gdh</i>, <i>tpi</i>, and <i>bg</i> from <i>G. duodenalis</i>; and ITS of <i>E. bieneusi</i> were analyzed in 300 fecal samples collected from donkeys from two intensive farms in Inner Mongolia in 2022. Sample processing, nucleic acid extraction, polymerase chain reaction, sequencing, and sequence analysis were performed to determine the prevalence and genetic characteristics of the protozoans.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Our results revealed that 75.33% (226/300) of the samples were infected with at least one protozoan, whereas 2.33% (7/300) were simultaneously infected with all three genera. Mixed infection was observed in 20.67% (62/300; <i>Cryptosporidium</i> + <i>G. duodenalis</i>), 5.33% (16/300; <i>Cryptosporidium</i> + <i>E. bieneusis</i>), and 5.67% (17/300; <i>G. duodenalis</i> + <i>E. bieneusis</i>) of the samples. Overall prevalence of <i>Cryptosporidium, G. duodenalis</i>, and <i>E. bieneusi</i> was 56.33% (169/300), 36.33% (109/300), and 13.33% (40/300), respectively. Five <i>Cryptosporidium</i> species were identified, with <i>C. andersoni</i> being the predominant species. The <i>C. parvum</i> subtypes identified were IIdA20G1 (66.67%) and IIdA19G1 (33.33%). Three <i>G. duodenalis</i> assemblages were identified, with assemblage B being predominant. Seven isolates formed two different assemblage B MLGs, two different assemblage A MLGs, and two different assemblage B + E MLGs. Three known and eight novel sequences of <i>E. bieneusis</i> were identified in group 1 (including horse1 and NMG6–NMG8) and group 2 (including J, BEB6, and NMG1–NMG5), with horse1 being the predominant genotype.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that donkeys can be infected with a combination of two or three protozoa, with <i>C. andersoni</i> being the most detected <i>Cryptosporidium</i> species. Meanwhile, assemblage B was predominant among <i>G. duodenalis</i>, whereas horse1 was the dominant genotype for <i>E. bieneusi</i>. Moreover, the prevalence of <i>C. bovis</i>, <i>C. ryanae</i>, <i>C. suis</i>, <i>C. parvum</i> subtype IIdA20G1 and eight novel sequences of <i>E. bieneusis</i> and new features of <i>G. duodenalis</i> assemblages were identified in donkeys for the first time. These findings reconfirmed that donkeys in Inner Mongolia are infected with these three protozoa, emphasizing the risk of disease transmission by these protozoans to humans.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6932,"journal":{"name":"Acta Parasitologica","volume":"70 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142995625","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Description of Colobomatus conodoni n. sp. (Cyclopoida: Philichthyidae), a New Parasitic Copepod from the Barred Grunt Conodon nobilis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Actinopterygii: Haemulidae) Off the Brazilian Coast","authors":"Fabiano Paschoal,&nbsp;Saturno Dias,&nbsp;Jorge Luiz Silva Nunes,&nbsp;José Luis Luque","doi":"10.1007/s11686-024-00949-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11686-024-00949-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><p>Copepods of the genus <i>Colobomatus</i> Hesse, 1873 are parasites associated with subcutaneous spaces of marine fish. To date, around 76 species of the genus have been described in marine ecosystems, but few species have been recorded in the South Atlantic Ocean.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>One hundred and eight specimens of <i>Co</i>. <i>nobilis</i> were purchased along the littoral of Brazil. The copepods were collected from the skull bones associated to the nasal cavities, fixed and preserved in 80% ethanol and for microscopical observation, specimens were cleared in 85% lactic acid. Drawings were made with the aid of an Olympus BX51 microscope equipped with a drawing tube.</p><h3>Results</h3><p><i>Colobomatus conodoni</i> <b>n</b>. <b>sp</b>. can be distinguished from all congeners by the combination of the following characters: (i) two cephalic processes that are longer than the cephalosome, (ii) third abdominal somite with a pair of processes, (iii) caudal rami forked at the tip.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>This is the first representative of the family Philichthyidae Vogt, 1877 described parasitizing a species of the teleost genus <i>Conodon</i> Cuvier. Together with the new species, the number of philichthyid species in the South Atlantic Ocean increases to 12 and extends the list of <i>Colobomatus</i> spp. to 77.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6932,"journal":{"name":"Acta Parasitologica","volume":"70 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142995751","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular and Morphological Characterization of Two Clinostomum (Digenea: Clinostomidae) Species with the First Case of Clinostomum tilapiae from Turkey","authors":"Mehmet Öztürk,&nbsp;Şinasi Umur","doi":"10.1007/s11686-024-00955-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11686-024-00955-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of <i>Clinostomum</i> species in wild birds in Turkey using morphological and molecular methods.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>51 birds of 18 species from seven orders previously reported as definitive hosts of the <i>Clinostomum</i> spp. were collected. Identification of the species was made by morphological characteristics and partial sequence of the <i>cox</i>1 gene.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>This study concludes that <i>Ardea alba</i> and <i>Ardea cinerea</i> were infected with <i>Clinostomum complanatum</i>, while <i>Ardea purpurea</i> was infected with <i>Clinostomum tilapiae</i>.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p><i>Clinostomum complanatum</i> has been reported for the first time in the definitive hosts in Turkey. This study is the first molecular report of <i>C. tilapiae</i> in definitive hosts and the first report in Turkey. The present work indicates that <i>Clinostomum</i> species in the Afrotropic and Palearctic regions can also be found in Turkey.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6932,"journal":{"name":"Acta Parasitologica","volume":"70 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11686-024-00955-3.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142976627","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Detection of Eimeria oocysts in chicken feces using flotation recovery with sucrose or saturated saline solution","authors":"Aruto Takano,&nbsp;Daikichi Morinaga,&nbsp;Isao Teramoto,&nbsp;Toshimitsu Hatabu,&nbsp;Yasutoshi Kido,&nbsp;Akira Kaneko,&nbsp;Takeshi Hatta,&nbsp;Naotoshi Tsuji,&nbsp;Shigehiko Uni,&nbsp;Kazumi Sasai,&nbsp;Hiromitsu Katoh,&nbsp;Makoto Matsubayashi","doi":"10.1007/s11686-024-00960-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11686-024-00960-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>Flotation methods are widely used to detect oocysts/cysts of protozoans and eggs of helminths, except trematodes. However, details regarding the concentration and recovery rates of these parasites are poorly understood.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>Using <i>Eimeria tenella</i> oocysts as a model parasite, the present study evaluated three check points: (1) the proportion of parasites that remain floating in flotation solution (sucrose or saturated saline) during centrifugation, (2) the proportion of oocysts that naturally float after addition of flotation solution after centrifugation, and (3) the rate of recovery on cover slips after completion of the flotation protocol.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>After centrifugation in sucrose solution and saturated saline solution, 82.4% and 60.3% of oocysts floated, respectively. After addition of flotation solution after the final centrifugation step, the recovery rates for oocysts that naturally floated again for 30 min in sucrose and saturated saline were 39.2% and 38.2%, respectively. The recovery rate on cover slips as the final step after performing a commonly used flotation method was 36.4% in sucrose solution (the rate for saturated saline solution could not be assessed due to rapid crystallization).</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Our results suggest that floating oocysts could have become dispersed by the addition of flotation solution, and not all of these oocysts remained floating after an additional 30 min of settling time although collection on cover slips could be effective for accurate recovery.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6932,"journal":{"name":"Acta Parasitologica","volume":"70 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142939351","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sarcocystis Cymruensis in the Brown Rat (Rattus Norvegicus) from an Urban District in Kuwait: Detailed Morphologic and Molecular Characterization","authors":"Fatemah A.M. Aryan,&nbsp;Petras Prakas,&nbsp;Evelina Juozaitytė-Ngugu,&nbsp;Donatas Šneideris,&nbsp;Zein Abd-Al-Aal,&nbsp;Abd Allah A. Alhoot,&nbsp;Amira I. El-Kabbany,&nbsp;Laila M.A. Tahrani,&nbsp;Osama M.E. El-Azazy","doi":"10.1007/s11686-024-00952-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11686-024-00952-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>The objective of the study was to establish the prevalence of <i>Sarcocystis</i> (Apicomplexa, Sarcocystidae) in brown rats from Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh, Kuwait, and to describe detected parasites using morphological and DNA analysis methods.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>Ninety-eight brown rats (<i>Rattus norvegicus</i>) were examined for <i>Sarcocystis</i> spp. Obtained sarcocysts were investigated using light microscopy and electron microscopy. The detected <i>Sarcocystis</i> species was characterised at nuclear <i>18S</i> and <i>28S</i> ribosomal RNA (rRNA), internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2, (<i>ITS1</i> and <i>ITS2</i>), mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (<i>cox1</i>) and cytochrome b (<i>cytb</i>), and apicoplast RNA polymerase beta subunit (<i>rpoB</i>).</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Sarcocysts were found in thigh muscles of 13.3% of the animals examined, while no oocysts/sporocysts were detected in faecal samples. Under a light microscope, sarcocysts were spindle-shaped, 850–3152 × 73–125 μm (1781 ± 763 × 99 ± 15 μm) in size and had thin (up to 0.9 μm) and apparently smooth cyst wall. By transmission electron microscopy, sarcocyst wall was 0.7–1.1 μm in thickness with numerous osmiophilic bleb-like protrusions. Based on DNA sequencing the sarcocysts examined were identified as <i>S</i>. <i>cymruensis</i>. Notably, <i>ITS2</i> and <i>rpoB</i> sequences of <i>S</i>. <i>cymruensis</i> were obtained for the first time. No intraspecific variation was detected comparing <i>28S</i> rRNA, <i>ITS1</i>, <i>cox1</i> and <i>cytb</i> sequences of <i>S</i>. <i>cymruensis</i> isolated from Kuwait, Grenada and China. According to phylogenetic analysis, <i>S</i>. <i>cymruensis</i> was most closely related to <i>S</i>. <i>muris</i>, <i>S</i>. <i>myodes</i> and <i>S</i>. <i>ratti</i> using rodents as their intermediate hosts and cats as their identified or predatory mammals as their presumed definitive hosts.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>We present the first report of <i>S. cymruensis</i> in Kuwait and in Persian Gulf area. The study shed light on the usefulness of different genetic loci for the characterization of <i>Sarcocystis</i> spp. from rodents.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6932,"journal":{"name":"Acta Parasitologica","volume":"70 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142938948","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identification and Characterization of Acanthamoeba from Contact Lens Care Solutions and Hospital Environments in the Ophthalmology Wards and Operating Rooms in Southeastern Iran","authors":"Elham Akhlaghi,&nbsp;Shahriar Shafa,&nbsp;Zahra Akbari,&nbsp;Zahra Babaei,&nbsp;Mohammad Ali Mohammadi,&nbsp;Saeedeh Shamsaddini,&nbsp;Ali Sharifi,&nbsp;Majid Fasihi Harandi","doi":"10.1007/s11686-024-00948-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11686-024-00948-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><p>Different <i>Acanthamoeba</i> species are among the most ubiquitous organisms causing serious diseases in humans including central nervous system (CNS) and eye infections. Contact lenses, lens care solutions and the hospital environments particularly the indoor and outdoor environments of ophthalmology wards where people are present with different types of eye diseases, are the potential sources of human infection. The purpose of the present study was the molecular investigation of free-living amoebae in the used contact lenses, lens care solutions and hospital samples from the ophthalmology wards and operating rooms in a referral hospital in southeastern Iran.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>Samples were collected from the lens care solutions, used contact lenses, and from indoor and outdoor environments of the ophthalmology ward and operating room of a major referral hospital in Kerman, Southeastern Iran. The samples were cultured on non-nutrient agar (NNA) in 28-30^oC and microscopically studied. Molecular study including PCR-sequencing and phylogenetic analysis on partial 18 S rDNA were performed on positive culture samples.</p><h3>Result</h3><p>In total 70 samples were collected from the used contact lenses and lens care solutions, as well as the hospital environment of which 11.4% (8 out of 70) were found positive using NNA culture. Two out of 40 samples (5.0%) from the used contact lenses and the care solutions were found positive for the presence of <i>Acanthamoeba</i> T4 genotype. <i>Acanthamoeba</i> cysts were identified in two out of 22 dust samples (9.1%) collected from the ophthalmology ward and operating rooms. <i>Protacanthamoeba bohemica</i> was found in the soil samples from outdoor environment of the ophthalmology ward.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>This study identified <i>Acanthamoeba</i> species in contact lenses and in indoor environmental samples from the ophthalmology ward. T4 genotype was found on the contact lenses examined in this study. In the dust sampled from within the ophthalmology ward <i>Acanthamoeba</i> sp. was identified.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6932,"journal":{"name":"Acta Parasitologica","volume":"70 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142938949","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}