Cluster of Parasite Infections by the Spatial Scan Analysis in Korea

This study was performed to find out the clusters with high parasite infection risk to discuss the geographical pattern. Clusters were detected using SatScan software, which is a statistical spatial scan program using Kulldorff’s scan statistic. Information on the parasitic infection cases in Korea 2011-2019 were collected from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Clusters of <i>Ascaris lumbricoides</i> infection were detected in Jeollabuk-do, and <i>T. trichiura</i> in Ulsan, Busan, and Gyeongsangnam-do. <i>C. sinensis</i> clusters were detected in Ulsan, Daegu, Busan, Gyeongsangnam-do, and Gyeongsangbuk-do. Clusters of intestinal trematodes were detected in Ulsan, Busan, and Gyeongsangnam-do. <i>P. westermani</i> cluster was found in Jeollabuk-do. <i>E. vermicularis</i> clusters were distributed in Gangwon-do, Jeju-do, Daegu, Daejeon, and Gwangju. This clustering information can be referred for surveillance and control on the parasitic infection outbreak in the infection-prone areas.

Faunistic analysis of parasites from marine herrings in the northern Caspian Sea

Qualitative and quantitative composition of parasites from herring (Dolgino population), caspian shad, and big-eyed shad is analyzed on the data of long-term samplings, using traditional methods and determinants for identifcation. The community of parasites has temporal fluctuations associated with changes of habitat conditions, including feeding base for hosts, and depended on biological features of both parasites and their hosts. The basis of the herring parasitofauna is composed by specifc and euryxene species. Monogeneans and intestinal trematodes has a stable high degree of infection. Helminths dangerous for human and epizootically signifcant parasites are recorded sporadically. Hyphae of microscopic fungi are found on the smears-prints of parenchymal organs of herrings with domination of gen. Penicillium. All detected parasites do not cause signifcant clinical deseases in organisms of the investigated species.

Petasiger Dietz, 1909 (Trematoda: Echinostomatidae) in Birds and Mollusks from Brazil

Species of Petasiger Dietz, 1909 are intestinal trematodes of aquatic birds. Despite the diversity of described species in Europe and North America, only two South American species are known and no species have been previously reported in birds from Brazil. During a study of helminths recovered from the Least Grebe, Tachybaptus dominicus(Linnaeus, 1766), from the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, adult trematodes identified as Petasiger novemdecim Lutz, 1928 were found. The prevalence of infection was 55% (5/9), and the mean intensity of infection was 8 (1-32) parasites. Additionally, Biomphalaria straminea (Dunker, 1848) and Biomphalaria tenagophila (d'Orbigny, 1835) obtained from aquatic collections in the same state were found to harbor two species of echinostome cercariae of the Magnacauda group. These cercariae developed into metacercariae in experimentally infected Poecilia reticulataPeters, 1859. Attempts to obtain adult parasites in vertebrate host models (mice, chickens, ducks and canaries) were unsuccessful. The present study is the first report of Petasiger in Brazilian birds and the first morphological description of larvae of these parasites in Brazilian mollusks. Taxonomic aspects related to South American species ofPetasiger are discussed. It is suggested that, based on significant morphological differences observed in larval stages (i.e., larval dimensions) and adult parasites (i.e., disposition of the testes),Petasiger caribbensis Nassi, 1980 should be reconsidered as a distinct species from P. novemdecim.