Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases最新文献

{"title":"Cryptosporidium in cattle: Assessing the zoonotic risk","authors":"Sugandika Bulumulla ,&nbsp;Lihua Xiao ,&nbsp;Yaoyu Feng ,&nbsp;Amanda Ash ,&nbsp;Joshua Aleri ,&nbsp;Una Ryan ,&nbsp;Amanda D. Barbosa","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100279","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100279","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cattle infected with <em>Cryptosporidium</em> can shed large quantities of the environmentally resistant oocysts<em>,</em> which can cause significant diarrhoeal disease, particularly in neonatal calves and in susceptible human populations worldwide. More than ten species of <em>Cryptosporidium</em> have been reported in cattle; however, <em>C. parvum</em> dominates in young calves in many countries, with <em>C. ryanae</em>, <em>C. bovis</em> and <em>C. andersoni</em> prevalent in older animals. <em>Cryptosporidium hominis</em> and <em>C. parvum</em> are the main species infecting humans. In most countries, zoonotic cryptosporidiosis is primarily caused by <em>C. parvum</em> IIa subtypes, which also dominates in calves, but in China, <em>C. parvum</em> infections in cattle are exclusively caused by IId subtypes. Outbreak investigations and molecular epidemiological studies support calves as a major source of zoonotic cryptosporidiosis. The zoonotic significance of increasing reports of <em>C. hominis</em> in cattle requires further investigation. Epidemiological investigations designed to better understand the sources and transmission dynamics using improved typing tools are required before better control strategies can be implemented.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100279"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144366616","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":"Occurrence and the first molecular genotyping of Dibothriocephalus dendriticus and Dibothriocephalus ditremus (Cestoda: Diphyllobothriidea) in salmonids from Iceland","authors":"Ivica Králová-Hromadová ,&nbsp;Eva Čisovská Bazsalovicsová ,&nbsp;Alžbeta Radačovská ,&nbsp;Lucia Dinisová ,&nbsp;Karl Skírnisson","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100301","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100301","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The occurrence of <em>Dibothriocephalus dendriticus</em> and <em>Dibothriocephalus ditremus</em> (Cestoda: Diphyllobothriidea) in salmonids from lakes Hafravatn, Thingvallavatn, Másvatn, and Ytra-Hólavatn in Iceland was studied. The exact taxonomic identification of plerocercoids was performed by a recently validated molecular discriminatory PCR-based approach using <em>D. dendriticus</em>-specific Dd_8 primers. Of 1684 plerocercoids isolated from 58 fish (40 Arctic charrs <em>Salvelinus alpinus</em>, and 18 brown trout <em>Salmo trutta</em>), 318 (18.9%) larvae were identified as <em>D. dendriticus</em> and 1366 (81.1%) as <em>D. ditremus</em>. The prevalence of <em>D. ditremus</em> was high at all four localities, ranging from 54.2% to 100%. Similarly, the prevalence of <em>D. dendriticus</em> ranged from 50.0% to 100% in all lakes, except for Ytra-Hólavatn, where a prevalence of 14.3% was recorded. All examined specimens of large benthivorous (LB) charr from Thingvallavatn were negative, which was related to the specific habitat and the different feeding specialization of the LB morph. In contrast, the prevalence and the intensity of infection with both <em>D. dendriticus</em> and <em>D. ditremus</em> were high in piscivorous and planktivorous Arctic charr morphs. The intensity of infection with <em>D. dendriticus</em> was lower in all four lakes compared to much higher values detected for <em>D. ditremus.</em> The relative abundance of <em>D. dendriticus</em> and <em>D. ditremus</em> plerocercoids in individual fish hosts showed substantially lower values for <em>D. dendriticus</em> in all four lakes. This can be explained by various climatic conditions required for egg development and by the different feeding ecology of aquatic birds, definitive hosts of both tapeworms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100301"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144831121","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":"Serological assessment of pediatric parasite exposure in two Senegalese districts using multiplex serology","authors":"Helena Brazal Monzó ,&nbsp;Santiago Rayment Gomez ,&nbsp;Doudou Sow ,&nbsp;Aminata Colle Lo ,&nbsp;Marie Pierre Diouf ,&nbsp;Amadou Seck ,&nbsp;Ibrahima Mbaye ,&nbsp;Elhadji Babacar Fall ,&nbsp;Catriona Patterson ,&nbsp;Seyi Soremekun ,&nbsp;Isaac A. Manga ,&nbsp;Cheikh Cissé ,&nbsp;Awa Diouf ,&nbsp;Ndéye Aida Gaye ,&nbsp;Kevin K.A. Tetteh ,&nbsp;Alex Loukas ,&nbsp;Brian Greenwood ,&nbsp;Jean Louis A. Ndiaye ,&nbsp;Chris Drakeley ,&nbsp;Muhammed O. Afolabi","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100320","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100320","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although pediatric parasitic diseases cause significant morbidity and mortality in regions with high rates of co-infection, this overlap may offer opportunities for integrated control strategies. This study aimed at a serological assessment of exposure to multiple parasitic infections among children aged 1–14 years in two Senegalese districts, Saraya (Kédougou Region) and Diourbel (Diourbel Region), to inform integrated control strategies. We analysed 883 dried blood spot samples. A multiplex bead-based immunoassay quantified IgG antibody against <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em>, helminths (<em>Necator americanus</em>, <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em>, <em>Strongyloides stercoralis</em>, <em>Taenia solium</em>), and intestinal protozoa (<em>Cryptosporidium parvum</em>, <em>Giardia duodenalis</em>) as proxies for single- and multiple-pathogen exposure. Multivariable logistic regression identified risk factors for seropositivity. Recent malaria exposure was identified in 11% of children, while 42% showed evidence of historical exposure. Helminth seroprevalence ranged between 0.1% and 7.2%, whereas <em>Cryptosporidium parvum</em> and <em>Giardia duodenalis</em> seroprevalence values were 19.0% and 7.4%, respectively. Co-exposures to malaria and other parasites ranged from 9.4% to 18.0%. School-aged children exhibited higher seroprevalence rates for historical exposure to <em>P. falciparum</em> and <em>S. stercoralis</em> compared to pre-school children, while <em>G. duodenalis</em> was more seroprevalent in pre-school children. Saraya exhibited higher seroprevalence for historical <em>P. falciparum</em> and <em>G. duodenalis</em> exposure. Rare/never handwashing before meals, shorter travel time to a water source (&lt; 10 min, likely reflecting residence near shared or surface water rather than improved household taps), and frequent contact with any waterbodies (daily/weekly) were associated with higher odds of parasite seropositivity. While seasonal malaria chemoprevention appears suitable, the low helminth seroprevalence coupled with substantial protozoan exposure suggests that current integrated interventions may require re-evaluation and enhancement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100320"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145157107","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":"Density-dependence and different dimensions of changing weather shape adult abundance patterns of common mosquito species (Diptera: Culicidae) in Bloomington, Indiana, USA","authors":"Aidan Patrick Simons ,&nbsp;Amanda Lenfestey ,&nbsp;Luis Fernando Chaves","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100242","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100242","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the factors driving changes in mosquito abundance are key to quantify the risk they pose as vectors of pathogens. Here, to study the impacts of weather changes and density-dependent regulation on mosquito species abundance, we used season long weekly time series of <em>Aedes japonicus</em> (Theobald), <em>Aedes triseriatus</em> (Say), <em>Aedes vexans</em> (Meigen), <em>Anopheles punctipennis</em> (Say), C<em>oquillettidia perturbans</em> (Walker), and <em>Culex pipiens</em> L., common mosquito species in the Bloomington, IN, USA, area. We use the forced Ricker model to estimate population growth and density-dependence parameters, as well as the forcing by weather variables. We found that weather factors important for the population dynamics of these species were different. We found that <em>Cx. pipiens</em> population dynamics was not associated with any weather variables, while <em>Ae. japonicus</em>, <em>Ae. triseriatus</em> and <em>Cq. perturbans</em> were forced by relative humidity, <em>Ae. vexans</em> by SD of rainfall, and <em>An. punctipennis</em> by the kurtosis of temperature. These results illustrate the diversity of ways in which mosquitoes can respond to changing weather patterns and highlight the need for a more nuanced understanding of how mosquitoes respond to climate change by coupling field studies with mathematical modeling.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100242"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143149067","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":"Refining the annotation of Rhodnius prolixus aspartic proteases A1 family genes through proteogenomics","authors":"Radouane Ouali,&nbsp;Sabrina Bousbata","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100253","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100253","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Rhodnius prolixus</em> Stål (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) a hematophagous model organism and vector of Chagas disease, relies on a complex repertoire of digestive enzymes to process its blood meals. Among these, aspartic proteases from the A1 peptidase family play a crucial role in nutrient breakdown. This study aims to refine the gene annotation of the A1 peptidase family in this organism through proteogenomics. A comprehensive analysis of aspartic protease gene sequences and protein isoforms, identified by proteomics, revealed discrepancies in existing gene annotations, including the identification of novel open reading frames and the consolidation of previously separated gene sequences. Our efforts led to the correction of seven gene annotations, reducing the total count of A1 peptidase genes from 19 to 15. Notably, 11 of these genes were confirmed at the protein level, while two were supported by transcriptomic data. Furthermore, our findings highlight instances of alternative splicing, as seen in RPRC015076, where proteoforms T1IFK7 and R4G5J6 are expressed through intron retention. This study not only provides a more accurate and comprehensive genomic framework for the A1 peptidase family but also offers new insights into the functional complexity and regulation of digestive enzymes in <em>R. prolixus</em>. These findings pave the way for future studies on insect digestive biology and their potential applications in vector control strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100253"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143684031","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":"Cryptosporidium prevalence in calves and its effect on local water quality prior to abstraction and treatment","authors":"Ceri Edwards ,&nbsp;Frank Katzer ,&nbsp;Paul M. Bartley ,&nbsp;Janet Roden ,&nbsp;Hannah J. Shaw","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100295","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100295","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp., particularly <em>Cryptosporidium parvum</em>, pose a significant threat to raw water quality and public health. Cryptosporidiosis, a gastrointestinal zoonotic disease, causes diarrhoea in dairy and beef production systems worldwide. Infected calves shed <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. oocysts in faeces, posing risks of contaminating surface water sources. Understanding the dynamics of <em>Cryptosporidium</em> contamination is crucial for effective water quality management. This study investigated <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. prevalence in neonatal calves and its potential impact on water quality before abstraction and treatment. The study analysed faecal samples from 1–3-week-old calves on two English dairy farms upstream of a water abstraction point. Initial screening used <em>C. parvum</em> immune chromatographic assays (ICT) on 47 faecal samples. This was followed by DNA extraction and species identification, with <em>gp60</em> subtyping. Raw and treated water quality data were analysed to determine <em>Cryptosporidium</em> oocyst counts. <em>Cryptosporidium parvum</em> was the predominant species in calves at both farms, with <em>gp60</em> subtype IIaA17G2R1 being the only subtype detected. Some calf samples revealed mixed infections with <em>C. parvum</em> and <em>C. ryanae</em>. Raw-water samples (<em>n</em> = 214) revealed a 50.00% positivity rate for <em>Cryptosporidium</em> oocysts, with 22.43% (24/107) containing <em>C. parvum/C. hominis</em> and the remainder 77.57% (83/107) <em>C. andersoni</em>. Water treatment significantly reduced oocyst counts (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001); however, due to the increase in popularity of bathing in rivers, oocysts present in raw river water may still prove a public health risk.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100295"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144654635","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":"Small mammals as hosts of vector-borne pathogens in the High Tatra Mountains region in Slovakia, Central Europe","authors":"Bronislava Víchová ,&nbsp;Michal Stanko ,&nbsp;Martina Miterpáková ,&nbsp;Zuzana Hurníková ,&nbsp;Yaroslav Syrota ,&nbsp;Patrícia Schmer-Jakšová ,&nbsp;Petronela Komorová ,&nbsp;Lucia Vargová ,&nbsp;Veronika Blažeková ,&nbsp;Dana Zubriková ,&nbsp;Klaudia Mária Švirlochová ,&nbsp;Gabriela Chovancová","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2024.100240","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2024.100240","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rodents and insectivores are significant reservoirs of many zoonotic pathogens, contributing to the transmission of diseases affecting human and animal health. This study investigated the prevalence and diversity of vector-borne pathogens in small mammals within the High Tatras region of Slovakia, an area with substantial recreational activity and protected zones. A total of 156 small mammals, comprising ten species, were screened for pathogens such as <em>Bartonella</em> spp., <em>Borrelia</em> spp., <em>Anaplasma phagocytophilum</em>, and <em>Babesia</em> spp. The prevalence of vector-borne pathogens in the studied animals reached 74.35%, with <em>Bartonella</em> spp. being the most common, identified in 57.7% of the animals, particularly in <em>Apodemus flavicollis</em> and <em>Clethrionomys glareolus</em>. <em>Borrelia burgdorferi</em> (<em>sensu lato</em>) was detected in 11.5% of the rodents, with <em>Borrelia afzelii</em> identified as the predominant species. <em>Babesia microti</em> was found in <em>A. flavicollis</em> and <em>Mus musculus</em>, with a total prevalence of 3.2%. The lowest was the prevalence of <em>A. phagocytophilum</em> reaching 1.9%. This study provides evidence of the significant role of rodents as reservoirs of vector-borne pathogens in protected areas of the High Tatras region and Tatra National Park.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100240"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11751563/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143026256","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":"Bats from an area of the Colombian Caribbean reveal the circulation of Alphacoronavirus","authors":"Caty Martínez ,&nbsp;Daniel Echeverri ,&nbsp;Alfonso Calderón ,&nbsp;Eliana Hurtado ,&nbsp;Bertha Gastelbondo ,&nbsp;Yésica López ,&nbsp;Jairo Martínez ,&nbsp;Yeimy López ,&nbsp;Yesica Botero ,&nbsp;Camilo Guzmán ,&nbsp;Ketty Galeano ,&nbsp;Valeria Bertel ,&nbsp;Yonairo Herrera ,&nbsp;Germán Arrieta ,&nbsp;Joao Pessoa Araujo ,&nbsp;Salim Mattar","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100261","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100261","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The evolutionary origin of coronaviruses is related to bats (order Chiroptera), and their association with pathologies in animals and humans is expected. Anthropic threats reduce bat diversity and expose humans to extraordinary transmission and spread of associated viruses, putting health and food security at risk owing to the multiple ecological roles that bats play. This study aimed to determine the presence of coronaviruses in bats in the Department of Córdoba, Colombia. Between 2022 and 2023, 11 municipalities were selected using non-probabilistic sampling methods. A total of 262 bats belonging to 16 species of five families were captured and identified. Serological tests were performed to detect SARS-CoV-2, and nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to detect the coronavirus RdRp gene. RdRp-positive samples were sequenced using Sanger sequencing. Five specimens (2.7%) had antibodies against the coronavirus N protein, and the RdRp gene was detected in 55 specimens (21.0%), all belonging to the family Phyllostomidae. Phylogenetic analysis of the RdRp gene revealed that the newly generated sequences represented alphacoronaviruses. Bats tested in ecoregions with greater anthropogenic intervention were shown to be carriers of coronaviruses, unlike bats from conserved ecoregions. Coronavirus surveillance in bats has revealed previous infections through serology and circulating infections in natural populations of different ecoregions of the Department of Córdoba, where inter-species jumps could be generated by contact between bats and domestic/wild animals, or humans.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100261"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143942773","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":"Exploring bioactive molecules released during inter- and intraspecific competition: A paradigm for novel antiparasitic drug discovery and design for human use","authors":"Pichet Ruenchit","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100256","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100256","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Many antiparasitic drugs have become obsolete and ineffective in treating parasitic diseases. This ineffectiveness arises from parasite drug resistance, high toxicity, and low drug efficacy. Thus, the discovery of novel agents is urgently needed to control parasitic diseases. Various strategies are employed in drug discovery, design, and development. This review highlights the paradigm of searching for bioactive molecules produced during inter- and intraspecific competition among organisms, particularly between microbes and parasites, as a strategy for <em>de novo</em> antiparasitic drug discovery. Competitive interactions occur when individuals of the same or different species coexist in overlapping niches and compete for space and resources. These interactions are well recognized. Therefore, bioactive molecules released during these interactions are promising targets for novel drug discovery. Compelling data indicate that microbes remain a potential source for the discovery of novel antiparasitic drugs because of their diversity. Many antimicrobial producers in nature have yet to be isolated and investigated. This body of evidence underscores the success of numerous therapeutic drugs, including penicillin, β-lactams, and tetracyclines, which have been successfully discovered and developed for treating infectious diseases. This review comprehensively covers these concepts, with a particular focus on inter- and intraspecific competition in the discovery of novel antiparasitic agents. This approach will pave the way for identifying alternative strategies to control and eradicate parasitic diseases that continue to threaten human health. Additionally, this review discusses current antiparasitic drugs and their mechanisms of action, limitations, and existing gaps. This discussion emphasizes the ongoing need to explore novel antiparasitic drugs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100256"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143826358","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":"Discovery of potentially novel species of the Onchocercidae (Nematoda: Filarioidea) in Burmese fighting chickens (Gallus gallus): Genetic insights into avian filariasis and co-infection with Plasmodium juxtanucleare","authors":"Duriyang Narapakdeesakul ,&nbsp;Witchuta Junsiri ,&nbsp;Rittidet Kongtawee ,&nbsp;Kajornsak Lattisarapunt ,&nbsp;Piyanan Taweethavonsawat","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100303","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100303","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Burmese fighting chickens (<em>Gallus gallus</em>) raised in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, eastern Thailand, were investigated for filarioids and co-infection with other haemoparasites. Microscopy and molecular diagnostic targeting the <em>cox</em>1 gene revealed that 2 out of 12 chickens tested positive for onchocercid filarioids. One chicken carried a single infection (Onchocercidae sp. CH09), characterized by unsheathed microfilariae with a cross-striated cuticle, a blunt anterior end, a short cephalic space, and a hook-like tail tip. Another chicken exhibited a mixed filarioid infection, necessitating the subcloning of two distinct isolates (Onchocercidae sp. CH07-S1 and CH07-S2). This chicken had two distinct microfilarial forms: (i) unsheathed microfilariae resembling Onchocercidae sp. CH09 and (ii) sheathed microfilariae with a short cephalic space and paired nuclei at both extremities. Genetic analyses of <em>cox</em>1 sequences demonstrated that these forms belong to two distinct species. Isolates CH09 and CH07-S1 closely resembled Onchocercidae sp. (<em>Eufilaria</em> sp.) ROE14 (GenBank: PQ564658) derived from a chicken in eastern Thailand. They constituted a clade phylogenetically distinct from other species of <em>Eufilaria</em> and Filarioidea in passerine birds and <em>Culex</em> mosquitoes, suggesting they may represent a potentially novel onchocercid or a distant <em>Eufilaria</em> species. CH07-S2 exhibited the closest genetic affinity to Onchocercidae sp. KLS08 (GenBank: PQ564657) derived from a chicken in eastern Thailand. Interestingly, they established a distinct clade from the other reported filarial genera that parasitize avian hosts, perhaps being a novel onchocercid species or genus within galliforms. <em>Plasmodium juxtanucleare</em> was identified in 6 out of 12 chickens, including one case of co-infection with onchocercids. Our study highlights the significance of molecular approaches in revealing filarial diversity and genetic relationships, while underscoring emerging hotspots of avian filariasis in Thailand and beyond.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100303"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144865458","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}