PALEOPARASITOLOGICAL ANALYSES OF CAVE BEAR (URSUS KANIVETZ VERESHCHAGIN, 1973) COPROLITES FROM THE IGNATIEVSKAYA CAVE (SOUTHERN URAL)

The first paleoparasitological analysis of coprolites of a cave bear (Ursus kanivetz Vereshchagin, 1973) was performed. Material for research was obtained from different deeps at the excavation of Ignatievskaya Cave (Chelyabinsk Region, Southern Urals, Russia, 54°53’N 57°46’E). Fossil coprolites were find from the excavations N 1-2, situated et the 120 meters from the entry of cave. The depth of excavations was 1.9 m. Radiocarbon analysis show that the age of cave bear bones was more than 27500 years. Coprolites were analyzed by combine method and sedimentation. Slides were viewed under the Meiji microscope with Х100 and Х400 magnification and made a pictures by the Vision camera. Eggs were defined using scientific descriptions available in the national and foreign literature. As a result from the paleoparasitological analysis, the presence Nematodes eggs was detected. Eggs are belonged to Baylisascaris transfuga Rudolphi, 1819 – specific parasite of Ursidae. Obviously, that helminth infected different species of bears already at the Late Pleistocene period and had a wide spreading. This is the first finding of the nematode B. transfuga of Pleistocene age and the first finding of parasites in the cave bear coprolites.

Monitoring of helminthiasis of the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) in the wild and zoos of Russia

The article provides information on monitoring studies of polar bear helminthiasis in the wild population of Franz Josef Land and in zoos in Russia. Wild bears were found to be free from invasion. Analysis of fecal samples from polar bears from 17 zoos showed that the total extensiveness of the invasion was 21%, 2 types of helminths were identified: Baylisascaris transfuga and Diphyllobothrium sp. Samples with helminth eggs were found in zoos in Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov-on-Don, Penza, Udmurtia, Khabarovsk, Novosibirsk, Kazan, Krasnoyarsk, Moscow, Volokolamsk, Seversk, Perm.

Seasonal Pattern of Prevalence and Excretion of Eggs of Baylisascaris transfuga in the Brown Bear (Ursus arctos)

The seasonal dynamics of the prevalence, abundance, and mean intensity of egg excretion by the nematode parasite Baylisascaris transfuga in the European brown bear (Ursus arctos) were monitored relative to environmental factors (mean temperature, humidity, and temperature) over three years. The prevalence, abundance, and mean intensity of egg excretion tended to increase from spring to autumn throughout the monitoring period. The seasonal prevalence (84.2–90.6%), abundance (470.2–545.3 eggs per gramme (EPG) of faeces), mean intensity of excretion (558.3–602.1 EPG), and number of eggs (1150 EPG) were highest in autumn. The prevalence of eggs (up to 48.5%), abundance (37.8–60.6 EPG), and mean intensity of excretion (94.4–125.0 EPG) were high in winter, despite the period of hibernation. The seasonal dynamics of B. transfuga abundance in bears, the mean temperature between spring and autumn, and the seasonal trend of increase in intensity of egg excretion with temperature from winter to summer were interrelated. Abundance differed significantly between winter and autumn, spring and autumn, and summer and autumn (p < 0.0001) in all years and between spring and summer in 2016 (p < 0.005), 2017 (p < 0.05). B. transfuga abundance differed significantly between the seasons over the three years only in spring (p ≤ 0.0001).

CARACTERIZACIÓN MORFOLÓGICAY MOLECULAR DE BAYLISASCARIS VENEZUELENSIS, N. SP. DE UNA INFECCIÓN NATURAL EN EL OSO ANDINO DE ANTEOJOS, TREMARCTOS ORNATUS CUVIER, 1825 EN VENEZUELA

En este estudio describimos por primera vez un caso de infección natural por Baylisascaris sp. en un oso andino de anteojos (Tremarctos ornatus Cuvier, 1825) en Venezuela. En noviembre de 2010 un joven oso fue encontrado muerto por los Oficiales de la Guardia Nacional durante un patrullaje rutinario en el parque Nacional India Carú en Bailadores, (Mérida, Andes Venezolanos). La necropsia reveló congestión y hemorragia de los pulmones y agrandamiento del volumen del intestino delgado. Se encontró una gran cantidad de nematodos blanquecinos de gran tamaño llenando el lumen intestinal. Los nematodos fueron morfológicamente identificados como Baylisascaris sp. morfológicamente cercano a Baylisascaris transfuga (Rudolphi, 1819), difiriendo en el número de papilas caudales. Baylisascaris transfuga ha sido registrado en diferentes especies de osos en diferentes países. La caracterización molecular de nuestro espécimen basado en el análisis del ITS1, ITS2 rDNAy la región del 5.8S lo posiciona dentro del género Baylisascaris. Adicionalmente, se observaron importantes divergencias cuando se comparó con secuencias homólogas de otros miembros del género obtenidas del GenBank. De hecho, varios SNPs localizados dentro de la región altamente conservada 5.8S al compararlo con B. transfuga, B. schroederi (McIntosh, 1939), B. procyonis (Stefanski & Zarnowski, 1951) y B. columnaris Leidy, 1856, así como la genealogía basada en la secuencia completa del ITS rDNA (ITS1+5.8S+ITS2) sugiere fuertemente que este espécimen constituye una nueva especie de Baylisascaris. Tomando en cuenta la evidencia morfológica y molecular, la especie hospedadora y su particular y restringida distribución geográfica en los andes suramericanos, sugerimos se considere a nuestro espécimen una nueva especie con el nombre de Baylisascaris venezuelensis.

First record of natural Baylisascaris transfuga (Ascaridoidea, Nematoda) infection in wild rodents

The intestinal parasitic nematode, Baylisascaris transfuga, was recorded in wild rodents for the first time. Representatives of four murid species (15 Myodes rufocanus, 10 M. rutilus, 3 M. glareolus and 27 Microtus oeconomus) were collected in the White Sea coastal habitats in the south of the Kola Peninsula, Russia in July 2015 and examined for parasites. Encapsulated nematode larvae were detected in the mesentery and the large intestine wall of one grey-sided vole (M. rufocanus) and one tundra vole (M. oeconomus). Based on morphology, the larvae were identified as belonging to the genus Baylisascaris Sprent 1968. The partial 18S rDNA sequence of the larvae from the voles was obtained and fully corresponded to the sequence of Baylisascaris transfuga in the NCBI GenBank. The ITS rDNA and CoxI mtDNA sequences these larvae were also similar to the respective B. transfuga sequences in GenBank. The presence of B. transfuga in wild rodents suggests that rodents can participate in the B. transfuga life cycle.

A frequent roundworm Baylisascaris transfuga in overpopulated brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Slovakia: a problem worthy of attention

The genus Baylisascaris (order Ascaridida) includes numerous relatively host-specific nematodes, which are common in intestines of wild mammals. Some of them may have impact on veterinary and public health, as their larvae have the potential to cause visceral, ocular, and/or neural larva migrans in a wide range of mammals, birds, and humans. Baylisascaris transfuga is a parasite occurring in a range of bear species throughout the world. We present the current data on B. transfuga occurrence in brown bears from a relatively restricted territory of the Poľana Protected Landscape Area in Central Slovakia, obtained by traditional methods (faecal examination, morphology). Species affiliation was confirmed by employing molecular markers generating nuclear 28S and mitochondrial cox1 sequences in adult worms. Based on 17 examined samples (15 excrements and two intestines of young bear females), the occurrence of B. transfuga in the surveyed area was assessed as 52.9%. Both bear females were infected with adult and juvenile worms. Due to the high density of bears in the locality, the high infection rate with ascarids, and the huge number of eggs produced by the parasites, it is apparent that the respective environment, including the inhabited areas, might be markedly contaminated by Baylisascaris eggs. The ability of B. transfuga to serve as a zoonotic agent has not been unambiguously proved; however, this attribute should be considered and subjected to further research.