Diphyllobothrium Research Articles

ПАТОЛОГОАНАТОМИЧЕСКИЕ ИЗМЕНЕНИЯ ПРИ ЭНТЕРОПАТИЯХ ВЫЗВАННЫМИ ДИФИЛЛОБОТРИОЗОМ У СОБАК

Pathomorphological research of dogs intes-tine allowed us to describe in more detail all encountered cases of pathological manifesta-tion and effect of broad tapeworm on differ-ent tissue structures and their frag-ments.Enteropathies are polymorphous and are introduced with different etiological fac-tors. Intestine helminthiases have heavy share of ethiofactors.Microscopic signs of intestinal lesion of dogs during diphylloboth-riasis were characterized with obvious changes in mucosa and submucosa and their damage pathological changes in a smooth muscle layer were rarely noted.Serous coat and all its structural fragments complied with the norm and didn't have pathological. Extensive zones of damage from mehanical injury were not noted,there were areas of gut wall changes with damage and intestinal villi destruction and epithelial membrane destruc-tion possibly caused by morphological and physiological structural features of the para-site. Characteristic pathological signs were symptomatic desquamation of tessellated epithelium.Extensive damage of serous coat tracedin all the microslides prepared for his-tologic study.All these changes can be a pos-sible reason of development of reduction of nutrient intake.Such kind of research as pathological process encourages more de-tailed identifying of clinical status during diphyllobothriasis and its not characteristic or specific manifestations and will be the additional criteria of high-impact therapeu-tics or its evidence.

Paleoparasitology of Merovingian Corpses Buried in Stone Sarcophagi in the Saint-Martin-au-Val Church (Chartres, France).

Paleoparasitological analysis was carried on 4 Merovingian skeletons, dated from the late-5th to the late-9th centuries, and recovered in the church of Saint-Martin-au-Val in Chartres (Center region, France). The corpses were buried in stone sarcophagi, which were still sealed at the time of excavation. Parasite marker extraction was conducted on sediment samples taken from the abdominal and pelvic regions, but also on samples taken from under the head and the feet as control samples. Microscopic observation revealed the presence of 3 gastrointestinal parasites, namely the roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides), the whipworm (Trichuris trichiura) and the fish tapeworm (genus Diphyllobothrium). This analysis contributes to a better knowledge of the health status and the lifestyle of ancient medieval populations during the Merovingian period, for which very few paleoparasitological data were available, up until now. It demonstrates the presence of the fish tapeworm for the first time during this period.

Complex insight on microanatomy of larval \u201chuman broad tapeworm\u201d Dibothriocephalus latus (Cestoda: Diphyllobothriidea)

BackgroundIn Europe, the tapeworm Dibothriocephalus latus (syn. Diphyllobothrium latum) is a well-known etiological agent of human diphyllobothriosis, which spreads by the consumption of raw fish flesh infected by plerocercoids (tapeworm’s larval stage). However, the process of parasite establishment in both intermediate and definitive hosts is poorly understood. This study was targeted mainly on the scolex (anterior part) of the plerocercoid of this species, which facilitates penetration of the parasite in intermediate paratenic fish hosts, and subsequently its attachment to the intestine of the definitive host.MethodsPlerocercoids were isolated from the musculature of European perch (Perca fluviatilis) caught in Italian alpine lakes. Parasites were examined using confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Immunofluorescence tagging was held on whole mount larvae.ResultsThe organisation of the central and peripheral nervous system was captured in D. latus plerocercoids, including the ultrastructure of the nerve cells possessing large dense neurosecretory granules. Two types of nerve fibres run from the body surface toward the nerve plexus located in the parenchyma on each side of bothria. One type of these fibres was found to be serotoninergic and possessed large subtegumental nerve cell bodies. A well-developed gland apparatus, found throughout the plerocercoid parenchyma, produced heterogeneous granules with lucent core packed in a dense layer. Three different types of microtriches occurred on the scolex and body surface of plerocercoids of D. latus: (i) uncinate spinitriches; (ii) coniform spinitriches; and (iii) capilliform filitriches. Non-ciliated sensory receptors were observed between the distal cytoplasm of the tegument and the underlying musculature.ConclusionsConfocal laser scanning microscopy and electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) showed the detailed microanatomy of the nervous system in the scolex of plerocercoids, and also several differences in the larval stages compared with adult D. latus. These features, i.e. well-developed glandular system and massive hook-shaped uncinate spinitriches, are thus probably required for plerocercoids inhabiting fish hosts and also for their post-infection attachment in the human intestine.

Intestinal parasites at the Late Bronze Age settlement of Must Farm, in the fens of East Anglia, UK (9th century B.C.E.).

Little is known about the types of intestinal parasites that infected people living in prehistoric Britain. The Late Bronze Age archaeological site of Must Farm was a pile-dwelling settlement located in a wetland, consisting of stilted timber structures constructed over a slow-moving freshwater channel. At excavation, sediment samples were collected from occupation deposits around the timber structures. Fifteen coprolites were also hand-recovered from the occupation deposits; four were identified as human and seven as canine, using fecal lipid biomarkers. Digital light microscopy was used to identify preserved helminth eggs in the sediment and coprolites. Eggs of fish tapeworm (Diphyllobothrium latum and Diphyllobothrium dendriticum), Echinostoma sp., giant kidney worm (Dioctophyma renale), probable pig whipworm (Trichuris suis) and Capillaria sp. were found. This is the earliest evidence for fish tapeworm, Echinostoma worm, Capillaria worm and the giant kidney worm so far identified in Britain. It appears that the wetland environment of the settlement contributed to establishing parasite diversity and put the inhabitants at risk of infection by helminth species spread by eating raw fish, frogs or molluscs that flourish in freshwater aquatic environments, conversely the wetland may also have protected them from infection by certain geohelminths.

Results on search for the broad fish tapeworm Dibothriocephalus latus (Linnaeus, 1758), (syn. Diphyllobothrium latum) (Cestoda: Diphyllobothriidea), in the Danube River

SummaryDiphyllobothriosis is a fish-borne parasitic zoonosis caused by so-called “broad tapeworms” or “fish tapeworms” of different genera of the order Diphyllobothriidea. Dibothriocephalus latus (Linnaeus 1758), (syn. Diphyllobothrium latum), is a medically important type species of the genus, whose occurrence in various European regions is either regular, e.g. in the Alpine lakes region, or occasional and sporadic, e. g. in the Danube River region. For the latter, data on the detection of D. latus plerocercoids in the second intermediate fish host (European perch Perca fluviatilis), as well as in definitive hosts (human and dog), in which infection was directly linked to the consumption of infected fish from the Danube, were published more than 50 years ago. In order to assess the current situation, we aimed to find out whether D. latus is present in the natural environment of the Danube River. In total, 700 perch from five sampling sites in the Slovak part of the Danube River were examined. Plerocercoids were not detected in any fish examined, which leads to the conclusion that D. latus is currently not present in the studied aquatic environment.

Growth Status and Parasitic Fauna of Clarias gariepinus Collected from Ogbese River and Owena River, South-West Nigeria

Aims: To determine condition status and identify parasitic fauna in intestine, gills and skins of Clarias gariepinus collected from two natural waters: Ogbese River (River A) (Longitude 5°26'E' and Latitude 6°43'N), and Owena River (River B) (Longitude 5.03E and Latitude 7.03N) in Ondo state, Nigeria respectively.
 Study Design: Laboratory-experimental design was used in this study.
 Place and Duration of Study: 120 live C. gariepinus African Mud Catfish were collected by the assistance of fishermen using cast net during the wet season during April to July 2016 from the two natural water bodies (Ogbese River and Owena River).
 Methidology: Fish were transported live to the laboratory for examinations. Length (cm) and weight (g) measurement of fish were determined. Condition factor (K), isometric value (b) and regression coefficient were determined. Fish samples were examined using electronic Microscope (x 400 Mag.) by dissecting fish to remove organs (Intestines, gills and skins) for parasites occurrence (s). Descriptive and analytical statistics were used to analyse the data obtained.
 Results: The condition factor for all C. gariepinus samples collected from both Rivers were less than one (<1), which indicated that the health status of the fish is biased, and the environment is not conducive. The parasitic examination carried out revealed that seventy-eight (65%) C. gariepinus fish samples were infested; while 42 (35%) of fish samples showed no parasite infestation. A total of Ninety-six (96) individual parasites were recovered from River A while a total of two hundred and twelve (212) individual parasites were recovered from River B. A total of eight (8) different parasites species were recovered while their percentage of occurrence was recorded. These include Ambiphrya spp. (4.17%), Camallanus spp. (6.25%; 2.83%), Capillaria spp. (16.98%), Chilodonella spp. (14.58%), Dactylogyrus spp. (64.58%; 5.66%), Diphyllobothrium latum (10.42%; 4.72%), Gyrodactylus spp. (61.32%) and Protoopalina symphysodonis (8.49%).
 Conclusion: The water bodies need to be protected against further pollutants to prevent disease condition for the benefit of aquatic organisms and public health.

Asian Fish Tapeworm (Schyzocotyle acheilognathi) Found in New York State for the First Time After a Long-Term Fish-Parasite Survey

The first report of Asian fish tapeworm (AFT), Schyzocotyle acheilognathi (Yamaguti, 1934) Brabec, Waeschenbach, Scholz, Littlewood and Kuchta, 2015, is provided for New York State. This finding resulted from a long-term fish parasite survey in various water bodies in Otsego County in central-east New York that took place during 2008–2018. In total, 1,637 individual fish representing 44 species were examined for AFT, with 4 (9%) of the 44 species of fish infected with S. acheilognathi. These 4 species were all cyprinids: Notemigonus crysoleucas (golden shiner), Notropis heterodon (blackchin shiner), Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow), and Semotilus atromaculatus (creek chub). Among these host species, the prevalence of Schyzocotyle acheilognathi was highest in Notemigonus crysoleucas, with 19 (15.7%) of 121 fishes infected. The infection in Notropis heterodon constitutes a new host record for S. acheilognathi. The observed occurrence of S. acheilognathi only in cyprinid species was generally consistent with previously reported infection patterns for this cestode, but we note that AFT was absent from multiple fish species in our survey that had elsewhere been reported as hosts. The source of AFT for water bodies in Otsego County, New York is unknown, but bait-bucket introduction of infected Notemigonus crysoleucas is considered a possible explanation. This study contributes to a growing body of molecular data for this highly invasive tapeworm by providing sequence data for 2 markers (large ribosomal subunit, 28S, and cytochrome c oxidase I) for 6 specimens.

Nonlethal Detection of Asian Fish Tapeworm in the Federally Endangered Humpback Chub Using a Molecular Screening Tool

AbstractOptimal spawning habitat of federally endangered Humpback Chub Gila cypha exists within the Little Colorado River; however, temperatures in the Little Colorado River are also ideal for proliferation of the invasive pathogenic Asian fish tapeworm Schyzocotyle acheilognathi. The current standard for positive identification of the parasite is necropsy and visual examination of the gut via microscopy, a methodology undesirable for assessing infection in endangered fishes. A swab taken at the rectum of the fish and analyzed using a novel DNA primer targeting the cestode cytochrome oxidase I subunit mtDNA gene region offers a convenient nonlethal sampling tool. To validate the nonlethal methodology, primer sensitivity (51.9%) and specificity (79.5%) were calculated by exposing captive fish to the parasite and comparing results using the lethal standard method (i.e., visual examination). Subsequently, we utilized this nonlethal methodology to address prevalence of infection and infection frequency across a range of size‐classes in a wild population of Humpback Chub and addressed possible patterns and mechanisms of infection in the Little Colorado River. When wild Humpback Chub were screened for infection prevalence in spring 2015 (21.4%, n = 140) and fall 2015 (6.6%, n = 258), the relative frequency of infection was highest in juveniles and subadult fish (200–300 mm). Elevated levels of infection near the major spawning grounds of Humpback Chub in the Little Colorado River promote parasitic infection, which may continue to persist without treatment or actions to control infections. We demonstrated that rectal swabs, in conjunction with PCR and primer‐specific identification, offer a time‐efficient nonlethal method to detect infection of Asian fish tapeworm in an endangered fish.

Occurrence of intestinal parasites among school going children of a slum area in Dhaka city

A cross sectional study was carried out among school going children of Ganaktuli slum area in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. A total of 183 stool samples were collected from children of age between 5 and 16 years of both sexes during May, 2017 to April, 2018. Collected samples were examined using Formal-Ether Concentration technique. 61.20% samples were found positive for intestinal parasites. Eight species of parasites were identified, where Entamoeba histolytica (3.83%), Giardia lamblia (6.01%), Diphyllobothrium latum (3.28%), Paragonimus westermani (3.83%), Ascaris lumbricoides (24.59%), Trichuris trichiura (12.02%), Ancylostoma duodenale (5.46%) and Enterobius vermicularis (2.19%) was recorded. Male children showed higher (63.95%) prevalence than female (58.76%). The highest and lowest prevalence (82.46 and 39.29%) were found among 8 - 10 and 14 - 16 years children, respectively. The highest prevalence of E. histolytica (7.02%), A. lumbricoides (38.60%), T. trichiura (14.04%) and A. duodenale (8.77%) were observed in 8 - 10 years age group; G. lamblia (7.41%), P. westermani (5.56%) and E. vermicularis (3.70%) in 11 - 13 years age group and D. latum (6.90%) was found highest in 14 - 16 years age group. Statistically it was observed that age groups had significant association with parasitic infestation (p < 0.05) but prevalence did not alter significantly according to sexes (p > 0.05). Highest abundance of parasites was recorded for A. lumbricoides.
 Bangladesh J. Zool. 47(1): 67-75, 2019

Endohelminths of European Perch (Perca fluviatilis) from Selected Localities in Poland with an Emphasis on Search of the Broad Fish Tapeworm Dibothriocephalus latus.

A piscivorous fish European perch (Perca fluviatilis) is present in all types of lakes and brackish waters in Poland. Previous ichthyoparasitological surveys revealed broad spectrum of endohelminths in perch from different aquatic environments. Among them, detection of Diphyllobothrium sp. and Dibothriocephalus latus (syn. Diphyllobothrium latum) in the Pomeranian Bay is of particular interest, since D. latus is one of the causative agents of diphyllobothriasis, fish-borne parasitic zoonosis. Besides, D. latus eggs werepreviously detected in coprological samples of otter, wolf and lynx from the Białowieża Primeval Forest. Toconduct parasitological examinations of European perch from the Pomeranian Bay in order to detect the spectrum of its endohelminths and to provide a pilot study on helminths of perch from different water bodies in the Białowieża Primeval Forest. Due to zoonotic character of D. latus, we have focused our attention to this tapeworm. Thelarvae of tapeworm Triaenophorus nodulosus and thorny-headed worm Acanthocephalus lucii were detected in perch from the Pomeranian Bay. In perch from different localities in the Białowieża Primeval Forest, T. nodulosus, A. lucii and tapeworm Proteocephalus percae were detected. D. latus plerocercoids were found neither in musculature nor in peritoneal cavity and other internal organs of any of the fish examined from both studied localities in Poland. Future screening implementing morphological and molecular markers is needed in order to understand the current distribution of D. latus in Europe.

Detailed Observation of Fish Tapeworm Using Colonoscopy.

Detailed Observation of Fish Tapeworm Using Colonoscopy.

Activity of proteolytic enzymes in the intestine of bream Abramis brama infected with cestodes Caryophyllaeus laticeps (Cestoda, Caryophyllidea).

Adaptive mechanisms underlying the long-term existence of intestinal parasites in their enzymatically hostile environment are still poorly understood, particularly with regard to fish cestodes. The study describes the activity distribution of proteolytic enzymes along the gut of the bream Abramis brama infected with intestinal cestodes Caryophyllaeus laticeps and characterizes the capacity of these worms to inhibit host proteinase activity. Mucosal proteolytic activity was mainly presented by serine proteinases. The research revealed an insignificant increase in total proteolytic activity from anterior and middle to posterior part of the gut accompanied with changes in proportions of various proteinase subclasses along the intestine. The trypsin (but not chymotrypsin) activity in the posterior section was significantly higher than in the mid-section. Both the incubation medium of the worms and their extract had a significant inhibitory effect on mucosal proteolytic activity and commercial trypsin samples. In both instances, the effect was comparable with that of a synthetic serine protease inhibitor, PMSF. SDS-PAGE electrophoregrams of the incubation medium of C. laticeps and its extract revealed three common protein bands, with apparent molecular masses from 19 to 47 kDa, possibly responsible for the worms' inhibitory capacities. According to casein-zymography performed, the target host proteinases for a putative cestode inhibitor (inhibitors) have an approximate molecular weight of 28-53 kDa. A comparative test with the extracts from three other cestodes showed that each of them can suppress the proteolytic activity of the bream mucosa. The level of inhibitory activity was found to increase with protein content in the extracts of these tapeworms.

Parasites as Bioindicator for Health Status and Environmental quality of Freshwater Fish species in Ekiti State, Nigeria

The prevalence of parasites occurring on and in the internal organs of fish species was studied. Fish species (Oreochromis niloticus, Clarias gariepinus, Tilapia zilli) were randomly obtained from fishermen landing at the jetties of Ado, Ero, Ogbese, Ikun and Egbe dams, in Ekiti state. Samples were dissected; smears for the identification of ectoparasites were taken directly from the gills, operculum and skin. The parasites were excised, identified and counted. Nematode parasite with the total sum of 164(29.6%) was the most abundant parasite occurring in all the dams. This was followed by Trichodina sp (Ciliophora) with total abundance value of 147(26.5%) in all the dams. Acanthocephalan, Gyrodactylus sp, Dactylogyrus sp, Diphyllobothrium latum and Clinostomum sp have abundance values of 26 (4.7%), 27(4.9%), 21(3.8%), 146 (26.4%) and 23(4.2%) respectively with Dactylogyrus sp (Monogenea) being least abundant, 21(3.8%), in all the dams. The overall parasitic prevalence from the different dams showed that Ado dam had the highest parasitic infection with 27.3% which suggests that Ado dam has the lowest water quality. There is need for constant surveillance in rivers and reservoirs to detect early signs of parasitic infection. Viable preventive measures against fish parasitism in Nigerian freshwater bodies are highly recommended.

Broad tapeworms (Diphyllobothriidae), parasites of wildlife and humans: Recent progress and future challenges.

Tapeworms of the family Diphyllobothriidae, commonly known as broad tapeworms, are predominantly large-bodied parasites of wildlife capable of infecting humans as their natural or accidental host. Diphyllobothriosis caused by adults of the genera Dibothriocephalus, Adenocephalus and Diphyllobothrium is usually not a life-threatening disease. Sparganosis, in contrast, is caused by larvae (plerocercoids) of species of Spirometra and can have serious health consequences, exceptionally leading to host's death in the case of generalised sparganosis caused by ‘Sparganum proliferum’. While most of the definitive wildlife hosts of broad tapeworms are recruited from marine and terrestrial mammal taxa (mainly carnivores and cetaceans), only a few diphyllobothriideans mature in fish-eating birds. In this review, we provide an overview the recent progress in our understanding of the diversity, phylogenetic relationships and distribution of broad tapeworms achieved over the last decade and outline the prospects of future research. The multigene family-wide phylogeny of the order published in 2017 allowed to propose an updated classification of the group, including new generic assignment of the most important causative agents of human diphyllobothriosis, i.e., Dibothriocephalus latus and D. nihonkaiensis. Genomic data of selected representatives have also begun to accumulate, promising future developments in understanding the biology of this particular group of parasites. The list of nominal species of taxonomically most complicated genus Spirometra as well as host-parasite list of 37 species of broad tapeworms parasitising marine mammals (pinnipeds and cetaceans) are also provided.

Effect of the Eubothrium rugosum (Cestoda) Extract on Intestinal Proteolytic Activity in Various Fish Species

The extract of the fish tapeworm Eubothrium rugosum was found to inhibit activity of intestinal proteases in its host, the burbot. A decrease in proteolytic activity of the intestinal mucosa, when using the E. rugosum extract as an inhibitor, is comparable with that of a serine protease inhibitor PMSF. This implies that the tapeworm-produced inhibitor inactivates major intestinal serine proteases, trypsin and chymotrypsin. The tapeworm extract was also demonstrated to inhibit proteolytic activity in the intestinal mucosa of the two other fish species, zope and bream. Using the Gini index, it was found that the distribution of percent inhibition levels shows some nonuniformity across the given set of species. Namely, the tapeworm extract exerts a more selective inhibitory effect on intestinal proteases in different fish species as compared to PMSF. This indicates a partial though quite explicit species-specific selectivity of the tapeworm-produced inhibitor toward the host’s proteolytic activity which may contribute to the formation of specific host-parasite interrelationships.

Intestinal parasites and lungworms in stray, shelter and privately owned cats of Switzerland

Endoparasitic infections represent relevant causes of respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases in cats. The aim of the study was to investigate the occurrence of endoparasites in Swiss cats in order to evaluate the risk of onset of parasitic diseases and potential correlated zoonoses. Therefore 664 faecal samples from privately owned (n = 299), shelter (n = 197) and stray (n = 168) cats were investigated by sedimentation-flotation and 468 samples additionally by the Baermann technique. Overall, 77.4% (n = 130), 21.8% (n = 43) and 11.7% (n = 35) of stray, shelter and privately owned cats, respectively, were positive, with significant differences between the groups. Among infected cats, 58.7% (n = 122) harboured a single, 30.8% (n = 64) two and 10.6% (n = 22) more than two parasite species. Toxocara cati, with an infection rate of 18.5% (n = 123), was the most frequently detected parasite. The rates for other intestinal parasites were: Taenia sp. 11.1% (n = 74), Isospora sp. 8.1% (n = 54), Capillaria sp. 4.7% (n = 31), hookworms 1.1% (n = 7), Giardia duodenalis 0.8% (n = 5), Dipylidium caninum 0.6% (n = 4), Toxoplasma gondii 0.6% (n = 4), Hammondia hammondi 0.5% (n = 3), Sarcocystis sp. 0.2% (n = 1) and Diphyllobothrium latum 0.2% (n = 1). First-stage larvae of the lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus were found in 2.3% (n = 15) of all samples. The morphological identification of Taenia sp., T. gondii, H. hammondi and A. abstrusus was confirmed by molecular techniques. Overall, cats younger than one year and intact animals were more frequently infected with parasites than older and neutered animals. The observed infection rates were comparable to those from other European studies, except for Taenia sp. showing a significantly higher occurrence. This implicates that there is a persistent risk of environmental contamination with parasitic stages especially by stray cats, and a risk of infection for cat owners with potential zoonotic pathogens, emphasizing the need for appropriate parasite control measures.

Development of microsatellite loci in zoonotic tapeworm Dibothriocephalus latus (Linnaeus, 1758), Lühe, 1899 (syn. Diphyllobothrium latum) using microsatellite library screening

The broad fish tapeworm Dibothriocephalus latus is a causative agent of human food-borne disease called diphyllobothriosis. Medical importance, scattered geographical distribution and unknown origin of D. latus in Europe and North America make this species to be an interesting model for population genetics. Microsatellite markers were originally designed by library screening using NGS approach and validated as tools for future studies on population genetics of D. latus. Out of 122 candidates selected after NGS analysis, 110 yielded PCR products of the expected size, and in 78 of them, a declared repetitive motif was confirmed by Sanger sequencing. After the fragment analysis, six loci were proved to be polymorphic and tested for observed (Ho) and expected (He) heterozygosity, and deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). They promise future application in studies on genetic interrelationships, origin and migratory routes of this medically important emerging tapeworm.

Detecting hidden diets and disease: Zoonotic parasites and fish consumption in Mesolithic Ireland

Archaeoparasitology is increasingly being used as a tool in archaeological research to investigate relationships between past humans, environments, diets and disease. It can be particularly useful in contexts where parasite eggs preserve, but human and faunal remains do not, including in the identification of disease and/or dietary items otherwise absent from the local archaeological record. We analyzed soil samples from the Late Mesolithic layers of the lake island site of Derragh in County Longford, Ireland. All samples were positive for the presence of Diphyllobothrium sp., an intestinal fish tapeworm that infects humans, causing diphyllobothriasis. Though fish are thought to be a staple food in Mesolithic Ireland, evidence for fishing and subsistence from this period is extremely fragmentary. Similarly, there is little available evidence for disease, primarily due to the lack of human remains. This finding represents the earliest known presence of human-derived parasites in Ireland, the earliest known finding of Diphyllobothrium sp. in Europe and the only finding of the tapeworm from hunter-gatherer contexts. It suggests parasitic infections, particularly those resulting from undercooked food, may be more common in ancient hunter-gatherer populations than previously suspected. The presence of these zoonotic parasites at hunter-gatherer sites can provide important insight into local environments, health and disease, and culinary practices. In locations like Mesolithic Ireland, the presence of parasites may assist in the identification of subsistence activities, such as fishing, and specific prey.

Gastrointestinal helminths in farmers and their ruminant livestock from the Coastal Savannah zone of Ghana.

To identify the gastrointestinal helminths of veterinary, zoonotic and public health importance in farmers and their ruminant livestock in Ghana, faecal samples were collected from 95 farmers and their livestock (cattle = 328, sheep = 285 and goats = 217) and examined by microscopy and/or molecular techniques. Overall, 21 farmers tested positive for at least one gastrointestinal helminth, 80.9% of which were single infections and 19.0% co-infections. The parasites identified in the farmers consisted of hookworms (n = 13) (9 were Necator americanus and the other 4 could not be amplified by PCR), Trichostrongylus spp. (n = 9), Schistosoma mansoni (n = 1), Schistosoma haematobium (n = 1) and Diphyllobothrium latum (n = 1). In livestock, strongylid nematodes were dominant (56.6%), followed by Paramphistomum spp. (16.9%), Dicrocoelium spp. (7.1%), Thysaniezia spp. (5.8%), Trichuris spp. (3.3%), Moniezia spp. (3.1%), Fasciola spp. (2.8%), Toxocara spp. (1.1%) and Schistosoma spp. (0.2%). Genotyping of Trichostrongylus spp. in the farmer's stools identified six T. colubriformis similar to T. colubriformis detected in cattle, sheep and goats in the study, two Trichostrongylus spp. with 98.3% and 99.2% genetic similarity to T. probolurus respectively and one Trichostrongylus spp. which showed 96.6% similarity to both T. probolurus and T. rugatus. Trichostrongylus axei was also identified in cattle, sheep and goats. This is the first molecular characterisation of Trichostrongylus spp. in Ghana and the species identified in the present study suggests zoonotic transmission from cattle, sheep and goats. Further studies involving larger numbers of farmers and their household members are essential to understand the transmission dynamics and impact of these parasites on farming communities in Ghana.

Development of helminthiasis pest holes of anthropogenic origin during transformation of water bodies, example of Krasnoyarskoye storage reservoir

Man-made impoundment-induced transformation of river biota leads to profound and irreversible changes in the hydrological regime, the structure of communities of all groups of aquatic organisms, from phytoplankton to fish and their parasites. The transformation of river communities following impoundment is accompanied by intensive eutrophication. Due to this fact, the role of zooplankton in the fish diet grows, and stable foci of helminthiases form. One typical example is the fish and human diphyllobothriasis caused by cestodes Dibothriocephalus latus (Linnaeus, 1758) Luhe, 1899 (syn. Diphyllobothrium latum ). The conditions in which the diphyllobothriasis pesthole has originated and developed are considered using the regulation of the Yenisei River and creation of Krasnoyarskoye storage reservoir as the example. D. latus plerocercoids were found in three species from the reservoir: perch, ruffe and pike, acting as second intermediate hosts, the primary role belonging to the perch, and to a smaller degree to the ruffe. Perch of both younger (2 +, 3+, 4+ years) and older age groups (5+ and older) are infected with plerocercoids due to the prevalence of plankton in their diet. A zonal pattern was observed in the plerocercoid infection in perch. The highest prevalence and mean abundance of helminthes were recorded from the fish living in the upper reaches, where habitats with shallow bays prevail; the infection rate in perch from in the middle and lower parts of the reservoir was somewhat lower.