Massive infection of a song thrush by Mesocestoides sp. (Cestoda) tetrathyridia that genetically match acephalic metacestodes causing lethal peritoneal larval cestodiasis in domesticated mammals

Petr Heneberg,Jiljí Sitko,Ivan Literák,Boyko B Georgiev

doi:10.1186/s13071-019-3480-1

Abstract

BackgroundPeritoneal larval cestodiasis induced by Mesocestoides Vaillant, 1863 (Cyclophyllidea: Mesocestoididae) is a common cause of severe infections in domestic dogs and cats, reported also from other mammals and less frequently from birds. However, there is a limited knowledge on the taxonomy of causative agents of this disease.ResultsIn the present study, we investigated a massive, likely lethal, infection of a song thrush Turdus philomelos (Passeriformes: Turdidae) by Mesocestoides sp. tetrathyridia. We performed combined morphological and phylogenetic analysis of the tetrathyridia and compared them with the materials obtained previously from other birds and mammals. The metrical data fitted within the wide range reported by previous authors but confirmed the limited value of morphological data for species identification of tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides spp. The molecular analyses suggested that the isolates represented an unidentified Mesocestoides sp. that was previously repeatedly isolated and sequenced in larval and adult forms from domestic dogs and cats in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. In contrast to the present study, which found encysted tetrathyridia, four of the five previous studies that identified the same species described infections by acephalic metacestodes only.ConclusionsThe tetrathyridia of the examined Mesocestoides sp. are described in the present study for the first time. However, the possible match with the species that were previously reported to infect birds remains uncertain. The phylogenetic analyses also suggested the rejection of two cases that were previously identified as Mesocestoides corti as they were likely caused by the same species as in the presently reported infection case. The newly provided DNA sequences should allow the assignment to species in the future, when adults of the genus Mesocestoides are more thoroughly sequenced.

Highlights

Peritoneal larval cestodiasis induced by Mesocestoides Vaillant, 1863 (Cyclophyllidea: Mesocestoididae) is a common cause of severe infections in domestic dogs and cats, reported from other mammals and less frequently from birds
We aimed to investigate a massive and lethal infection of a song thrush, Turdus philomelos, by Mesocestoides sp. tetrathyridia
In 72% of individuals, scolex and neck were invaginated into body of metacestode, forming curved anterior canal (Fig. 1d) with variable length and width, 202–975 μm (546 ± 154 μm, n = 26) long and 36–138 μm (72 ± 21 μm, n = 26) wide, with suckers often forming its bottom

Summary

Introduction

Peritoneal larval cestodiasis induced by Mesocestoides Vaillant, 1863 (Cyclophyllidea: Mesocestoididae) is a common cause of severe infections in domestic dogs and cats, reported from other mammals and less frequently from birds. Adult cestodes of the genus Mesocestoides Vaillant, 1863 (Cyclophyllidea: Mesocestoididae) are intestinal parasites of carnivore mammals (canids, felids, mustelids or hyaenids) and rarely birds of prey The records of Mesocestoides spp. larvae are rare and are not limited to any family or order [8, 13,14,15,16,17,18]. The body cavity is the most common infection site, where Mesocestoides larvae may cause disease termed peritoneal larval cestodiasis [13, 17, 20,21,22,23]. The tetrathyridia could be present in cutaneous cysts [17]

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