scholarly journals Detection and quantification of house mouse Eimeria at the species level – challenges and solutions for the assessment of Coccidia in wildlife

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Víctor Hugo Jarquín-Díaz ◽  
Alice Balard ◽  
Jenny Jost ◽  
Julia Kraft ◽  
Mert Naci Dikmen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
House Mouse ◽  
Parasite Species ◽  
Host Population ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Additional Indication ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Apicoplast Genome ◽  
Detection And Quantification

AbstractDetection and quantification of coccidia in studies of wildlife can be challenging. Therefore, the prevalence of coccidia is often not assessed at the parasite species level in non-livestock animals. Parasite species-specific prevalences are especially important when studying evolutionary questions in wild populations. We tested whether increased host population density increases the prevalence of individual Eimeria species at the farm level, as predicted by epidemiological theory. We studied free-living commensal populations of the house mouse (Mus musculus) in Germany and established a strategy to detect and quantify Eimeria infections. We show that a novel diagnostic primer targeting the apicoplast genome (Ap5) and coprological assessment after flotation provide complementary detection results increasing sensitivity. Genotyping PCRs confirm detection in a subset of samples and cross-validation of different PCR markers does not indicate a bias towards a particular parasite species in genotyping. We were able to detect double infections and to determine the preferred niche of each parasite species along the distal-proximal axis of the intestine. Parasite genotyping from tissue samples provides an additional indication for the absence of species bias in genotyping amplifications. Three Eimeria species were found infecting house mice at different prevalences: Eimeria ferrisi (16.7%; 95% CI 13.2 – 20.7), E. falciformis (4.2%; 95% CI 2.6 – 6.8) and E. vermiformis (1.9%; 95% CI 0.9 – 3.8). We also find that mice in dense populations are more likely to be infected with E. falciformis and E. ferrisi.We provide methods for the assessment of prevalences of coccidia at the species level in rodent systems. We show and discuss how such data can help to test hypotheses in ecology, evolution and epidemiology on a species level.

The population dynamics of competition between parasites

Parasitology ◽  
1985 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 317-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. P. Dobson
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Parasite Species ◽  
Interference Competition ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Control Agent ◽  
Host Population ◽  
Free Living ◽  
The Impact

A number of published studies of competition between parasite species are examined and compared. It is suggested that two general levels of interaction are discernible: these correspond to the two levels of competition recognized by workers studying free-living animals and plants: ‘exploitation’ and ‘interference’ competition. The former may be defined as the joint utilization of a host species by two or more parasite species, while the latter occurs when antagonistic mechanisms are utilized by one species either to reduce the survival or fecundity of a second species or to displace it from a preferred site of attachment. Data illustrating both levels of interaction are collated from a survey of the published literature and these suggest that interference competition invariably operates asymmetrically. The data are also used to estimate a number of population parameters which are important in determining the impact of competition at the population level. Theoretical models of host-parasite associations for both classes of competition are used to examine the expected patterns of population dynamics that will be exhibited by simple two-species communities of parasites that utilize the same host population. The analysis suggests that the most important factor allowing competing species of parasites to coexist is the statistical distribution of the parasites within the host population. A joint stable equilibrium should be possible if both species are aggregated in their distribution. The size of the parasite burdens at equilibrium is then determined by other life-history parameters such as pathogenicity, rates of resource utilization and antagonistic ability. Comparison of these theoretical expectations with a variety of sets of empirical data forms the basis for a discussion about the importance of competition in natural parasite populations. The models are used to assess quantitatively the potential for using competing parasite species as biological control agents for pathogens of economic or medical importance. The most important criterion for identifying a successful control agent is an ability to infect a high proportion of the host population. If such a parasite species also exhibits an intermediate level of pathology or an efficient ability to utilize shared common resources, antagonistic interactions between the parasite species contribute only secondarily to the success of the control. Competition in parasites is compared with competition in free-living animals and plants. The comparison suggests further experimental tests which may help to assess the importance of competition in determining the structure of more complex parasite-host communities.

Ectoparasites of the whitespotted rabbitfish, Siganus sutor (Valenciennes, 1835) off the Kenyan Coast: distribution within the host population and site selection on the gills

Parasitology ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 115 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. GEETS ◽  
H. COENE ◽  
F. OLLEVIER
Keyword(s):  
Parasite Species ◽  
Parasite Load ◽  
Host Population ◽  
Site Preferences ◽  
Microhabitat Choice ◽  
Kenyan Coast ◽  
Gill Filaments ◽  
Different Populations ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Gill Parasites

Different populations of the whitespotted rabbitfish, Siganus sutor, were examined for ectoparasites: adults from the Mombasa area (sampled in December 1990) and different age classes (adult, subadult and juveniles) from Gazi Bay (sampled in December 1992 and August 1993). The most common gill parasites were: the monogeneans Pseudohaliotrema sp., Tetrancistrum sigani and Microcotyle mouwoi, the copepods Hatschekia sp., Pseudolepeophtheirus sp. and juvenile Caligidae, and prazina larvae of the isopod Gnathia sp. Adult siganids had a higher parasite load than subadults. Juvenile rabbitfish did not harbour any gill parasites. Temporal differences in the parasite load of subadult rabbitfish were observed for M. mouwoi (highest in the December samples) and for juvenile Caligidae (highest in August). The microhabitat of the 5 most common gill parasites was species specific. Most parasite species showed distinct site preferences with respect to both gill arches and gill sectors, within the gill arches. Niche breadth of the different gill parasite species was independent of the abundance of any of the other species present. However, niche breadths of M. mouwoi, Tetrancistrum sp. and Hatschekia sp. increased with their own abundance. This suggests that interspecific competition for space is low and that intraspecific factors could play an important role in the microhabitat choice of these gill parasites. The hypothesis that niche restriction leads to higher intraspecific contact and an enhancement of chances to mate was tested on 2 monogenean species, Pseudohaliotrema sp. and Tetrancistrum sigani. Their highly aggregated distribution over the gill filaments, leading to increased intraspecific contact, is consistent with the hypothesis.

scholarly journals The Enemy of my Enemy is my Friend: Immune-Mediated Facilitation Contributes to Fitness of Co-Infecting Helminths

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Dagostin ◽  
Chiara M. Vanalli ◽  
Brian Boag ◽  
Renato Casagrandi ◽  
Marino Gatto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Host Population ◽  
Positive Interactions ◽  
Gastrointestinal Helminths ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Ample Evidence ◽  
Immune Mediated ◽  
Iga Antibody ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Dual Infections

AbstractOur conceptual understanding of immune-mediated interactions between parasites is rooted in the theory of community ecology. One of the limitations of this approach is that most of the theory and empirical evidence has focused on resource or immune-mediated parasite competition and yet, there is ample evidence of positive interactions between species that could be generated by immune-mediated facilitation. Here, we develop an immuno-epidemiological framework and apply it to longitudinal infection data of two gastrointestinal helminths that infect a population of free-living rabbits to investigate, through model testing, the mechanisms of immune-mediated facilitation in dual infections. Simulations show that weakened, species-specific IgA antibody responses and unequal, albeit low, IgA cross-reactions explain higher parasite intensities in dual compared to single infections, for both helminths. Simulations also show that rabbits with dual infections shed more free-living stages that survive fort longer in the environment, implying greater onward transmission than hosts with single infections. These findings support the hypothesis that the two helminths interact through immune-mediated facilitation which contributes to greater fitness and the long-term co-circulation of both species in the host population.

scholarly journals Detection and quantification of house mouse Eimeria at the species level – Challenges and solutions for the assessment of coccidia in wildlife

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 29-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Víctor Hugo Jarquín-Díaz ◽  
Alice Balard ◽  
Jenny Jost ◽  
Julia Kraft ◽  
Mert Naci Dikmen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
House Mouse ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Detection And Quantification

Prospective enzymes for omega-3 PUFA biosynthesis found in endoparasitic classes within the phylum Platyhelminthes

2020 ◽  
Vol 94 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Babaran ◽  
M.T. Arts ◽  
R.J. Botelho ◽  
S.A. Locke ◽  
J. Koprivnikar
Keyword(s):  
Parasite Species ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Genomic Data ◽  
Wide Distribution ◽  
Omega 3 ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Chain Pufa ◽  
Pufa Biosynthesis ◽  
Aquatic Food ◽  
Long Chain

Abstract The free-living infectious stages of macroparasites, specifically, the cercariae of trematodes (flatworms), are likely to be significant (albeit underappreciated) vectors of nutritionally important polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to consumers within aquatic food webs, and other macroparasites could serve similar roles. In the context of de novo omega-3 (n-3) PUFA biosynthesis, it was thought that most animals lack the fatty acid (FA) desaturase enzymes that convert stearic acid (18:0) into ɑ-linolenic acid (ALA; 18:3n-3), the main FA precursor for n-3 long-chain PUFA. Recently, novel sequences of these enzymes were recovered from 80 species from six invertebrate phyla, with experimental confirmation of gene function in five phyla. Given this wide distribution, and the unusual attributes of flatworm genomes, we conducted an additional search for genes for de novo n-3 PUFA in the phylum Platyhelminthes. Searches with experimentally confirmed sequences from Rotifera recovered nine relevant FA desaturase sequences from eight species in four genera in the two exclusively endoparasite classes (Trematoda and Cestoda). These results could indicate adaptations of these particular parasite species, or may reflect the uneven taxonomic coverage of sequence databases. Although additional genomic data and, particularly, experimental study of gene functionality are important future validation steps, our results indicate endoparasitic platyhelminths may have enzymes for de novo n-3 PUFA biosynthesis, thereby contributing to global PUFA production, but also representing a potential target for clinical antihelmintic applications.

Do different parasite species interact in their effects on host fitness? A case study on parasites of the amphipod Paracalliope fluviatilis

Parasitology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 138 (9) ◽  
pp. 1176-1182 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. A. RAUQUE ◽  
R. A. PATERSON ◽  
R. POULIN ◽  
D. M. TOMPKINS
Keyword(s):  
Parasite Species ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Host Population ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Population Means ◽  
Significant Relationships ◽  
Coitocaecum Parvum ◽  
Paracalliope Fluviatilis ◽  
Generally True

SUMMARYThere is a gap in our understanding of the relative and interactive effects of different parasite species on the same host population. Here we examine the effects of the acanthocephalan Acanthocephalus galaxii, an unidentified cyclophyllidean cestode, and the trematodes Coitocaecum parvum and Microphallus sp. on several fitness components of the amphipod Paracalliope fluviatilis, using a combination of infection surveys and both survival and behavioural trials. In addition to significant relationships between specific parasites and measures of amphipod survival, maturity, mating success and behaviour, interactions between parasite species with respect to amphipod photophilia were also significant. While infection by either A. galaxii or C. parvum was associated with increased photophilia, such increases were negated by co-infection with Microphallus sp. We hypothesize that this is due to the more subtle manipulative effect of A. galaxii and C. parvum being impaired by Microphallus sp. We conclude that the low frequency at which such double infections occur in our sampled population means that such interactions are unlikely to be important beyond the scale of the host individual. Whether or not this is generally true, implying that parasitological models and theory based on single parasite species studies do generally hold, requires cross-species meta-analytical studies.

scholarly journals A system for automatic recording of social behavior in a free-living wild house mouse population

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara König ◽  
Anna K. Lindholm ◽  
Patricia C. Lopes ◽  
Akos Dobay ◽  
Sally Steinert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Behavior ◽  
House Mouse ◽  
Automatic Recording ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Mouse Population ◽  
Wild House Mouse

scholarly journals Molecular diagnosis of orthopaedic device infection direct from sonication fluid by metagenomic sequencing

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa L. Street ◽  
Nicholas D. Sanderson ◽  
Bridget L. Atkins ◽  
Andrew J. Brent ◽  
Kevin Cole ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Information ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Metagenomic Sequencing ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Bacterial Dna ◽  
Dna Contamination ◽  
Prosthetic Joint ◽  
Device Infection ◽  
Fluid Culture ◽  
Orthopaedic Device

AbstractCulture of multiple periprosthetic tissue samples is the current gold-standard for microbiological diagnosis of prosthetic joint infections (PJI). Additional diagnostic information may be obtained through sonication fluid culture of explants. However, current techniques can have relatively low sensitivity, with prior antimicrobial therapy and infection by fastidious organisms influencing results. We assessed if metagenomic sequencing of complete bacterial DNA extracts obtained direct from sonication fluid can provide an alternative rapid and sensitive tool for diagnosis of PJI.We compared metagenomic sequencing with standard aerobic and anaerobic culture in 97 sonication fluid samples from prosthetic joint and other orthopaedic device infections. Reads from Illumina MiSeq sequencing were taxonomically classified using Kraken. Using 50 samples (derivation set), we determined optimal thresholds for the number and proportion of bacterial reads required to identify an infection and validated our findings in 47 independent samples.Compared to sonication fluid culture, the species-level sensitivity of metagenomic sequencing was 61/69(88%,95%CI 77-94%) (derivation samples 35/38[92%,79-98%]; validation 26/31[84%,66-95%]), and genus-level sensitivity was 64/69(93%,84-98%). Species-level specificity, adjusting for plausible fastidious causes of infection, species found in concurrently obtained tissue samples, and prior antibiotics, was 85/97(88%,79-93%) (derivation 43/50[86%,73-94%], validation 42/47[89%,77-96%]). High levels of human DNA contamination were seen despite use of laboratory methods to remove it. Rigorous laboratory good practice was required to prevent bacterial DNA contamination.We demonstrate metagenomic sequencing can provide accurate diagnostic information in PJI. Our findings combined with increasing availability of portable, random-access sequencing technology offers the potential to translate metagenomic sequencing into a rapid diagnostic tool in PJI.

scholarly journals First report on the molecular detection, phylogeny, virological and pathological investigations of Avibacterium paragallinarum in chickens in Turkey

2020 ◽  
Vol 76 (03) ◽  
pp. 6378-2020
Author(s):  
SAJID UMAR ◽  
HASAN ONGOR ◽  
ERHAN BAYRAKTAR ◽  
HAZAL OZTURK GURGEN ◽  
BELGI DIREN SIGIRCI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Viral Infections ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Inflammatory Cells ◽  
The United States ◽  
Molecular Characteristics ◽  
Nasal Discharge ◽  
Direct Pcr ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Avibacterium Paragallinarum ◽  
Species Specific

Avibacterium paragallinarum is an important pathogen affecting the respiratory tract of chickens. There is a paucity of information on the molecular characteristics and pathology of A. paragallinarum in Turkish poultry flocks. In the present study, broiler and layer flocks (n = 2) suspected of viral infections with serious respiratory signs and significant mortality were visited. Chickens showed various disease signs and necropsy lesions, including purulent nasal discharge, respiratory distress, facial edema, sticky eyes, mucoid tracheitis, hemorrhagic inflammation of the infraorbital sinuses along with fibrinous mass and conjunctivitis. Histopathological lesions included loss of cilia along with necrosis and exfoliation of the superficial mucosal epithelium of the trachea, facial cellulitis, dermatitis, fibrinous plasmatic edema and infiltration of inflammatory cells, especially heterophils. A. paragallinarum was detected in tissue samples by species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the core region of the hemagglutinin (HA) gene revealed that Turkish strains detected here belonged to serotype A (serovar A1). They were related to strains reported from India (VRDC), the United States (0083), and Japan (0221), which are representatives of serovar A1. A homology of 88-90% was found between Indian strains and the Turkish strains detected in this study. Surprisingly, only vaccine strains of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) were detected as a co-infecting agent in all samples positive for A. paragallinarum. Our findings suggest that A. paragallinarum may be an emerging pathogen in Turkish poultry flocks, and direct PCR may facilitate rapid diagnosis of infectious coryza. These results will also help to develop control strategies for A. paragallinarum.

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