Number Of Parasitic Diseases Research Articles

Эпизоотический мониторинг зараженности товарной рыбы гельминтозоонозами в Алтайском крае

Fish is a valuable food product, but for all its usefulness it may become a source of poisoning and infection for hu-mans. On the territory of the Russian Federation, a number of parasitic diseases are registered; their causative agents are transmitted to humans through fish and its processed products. The research goal is the epizootic monitoring of marketable fish infection with helminthozoonosis in the Altai Region to evaluate the risk of infection in humans and ani-mals. The research targets are different species of fresh-water and marine fish. The research subject was the epizoot-ic situation regarding helminthozoonosis in commercial fish in the Altai Region. To detect the helminthic fauna in market-able fish and study the infestation dynamics, we conducted our own research and used the data from state reporting on veterinary and sanitary examination of slaughter products on farms, at slaughterhouses and meat processing plants, at cold storage plants and markets in the Altai Region. The studies were carried out according to common research methods. The epizootic monitoring has found that two out of nine parasites registered in marketable fish are dangerous to humans. They are the causative agents of opisthorchiasis and anisacidosis. Analysis of long-term dynamics of market-able fish infestation revealed that the frequency of anisaci-dosisregistration in fish decreased in recent years, and opis-thorchiasiswas not recorded at all in the Region over the past six years. Despite the steady tendency of reducedinfes-tation of marketable fish, veterinary control should not be weakened. The factors accompanying the spread of the invasion are still present in the Region. To evaluate the epi-zootic situation in the Region and the effectiveness of pre-ventive measures to improve the health of the population regarding helminthic helminthozoonosis, it is necessary to further monitor the dynamics of fish infection by means of veterinary and sanitary examination of fish as a possible source of human infection.

THE IMPACT OF EMERGENCIES ON THE SPREAD OF INVASIVE DISEASES OF FARM ANIMALS IN THE REPUBLIC OF KHAKASSIA

In the conditions of the Shirinsky District, monitoring was carried out for the first time for the change in number of helminthic diseases before and after fires. Fires have led to changes in the properties of the ground cover, soil, and simplification of communities; the complex of soil-dwelling arthropods has undergone a number of significant changes, which are manifested in a decrease in number and species diversity. The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence of various parasites in farm animals after large-scale fires on the example of the Shirinsky District of the Republic of Khakassia. The study subject was eggs, larvae and helminths of the studied animals. The study object was farm animals. The studies were carried out by the method of sequential washing of fecal samples. Based on the study results of 786 fecal samples from various animals, we received the following results. We have proved that the fire had a great impact on the parasitofauna of animals in the Shirinsky District; the number of invasive diseases first decreased after fires and then increased again. We found out that the decrease in number of parasitic diseases was associated with the following: fires had an adverse effect on the ecological state of the environment and changed the existence conditions of living organisms. The fire destroyed eggs, larvae and definitive hosts of the parasites.

Endoparasite survey of free-swimming baleen whales (Balaenoptera musculus, B. physalus, B. borealis) and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) using non/minimally invasive methods.

A number of parasitic diseases have gained importance as neozoan opportunistic infections in the marine environment. Here, we report on the gastrointestinal endoparasite fauna of three baleen whale species and one toothed whale: blue (Balaenoptera musculus), fin (Balaenoptera physalus), and sei whales (Balaenoptera borealis) and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) from the Azores Islands, Portugal. In total, 17 individual whale fecal samples [n = 10 (B. physalus); n = 4 (P. macrocephalus); n = 2 (B. musculus); n = 1 (B. borealis)] were collected from free-swimming animals as part of ongoing studies on behavioral ecology. Furthermore, skin biopsies were collected from sperm whales (n = 5) using minimally invasive biopsy darting and tested for the presence of Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, and Besnoitia besnoiti DNA via PCR. Overall, more than ten taxa were detected in whale fecal samples. Within protozoan parasites, Entamoeba spp. occurred most frequently (64.7%), followed by Giardia spp. (17.6%) and Balantidium spp. (5.9%). The most prevalent metazoan parasites were Ascaridida indet. spp. (41.2%), followed by trematodes (17.7%), acanthocephalan spp., strongyles (11.8%), Diphyllobotrium spp. (5.9%), and spirurids (5.9%). Helminths were mainly found in sperm whales, while enteric protozoan parasites were exclusively detected in baleen whales, which might be related to dietary differences. No T. gondii, N. caninum, or B. besnoiti DNA was detected in any skin sample. This is the first record on Giardia and Balantidium infections in large baleen whales.

Targeted disruption of Plasmodium falciparum cysteine protease, falcipain 1, reduces oocyst production, not erythrocytic stage growth.

Cysteine proteases are currently targets for drug development in a number of parasitic diseases, including malaria. In Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite responsible for the most virulent form of human malaria, there are four members of the cathepsin L-like family of cysteine proteases. Three of these (falcipains 2A, 2B and 3) are thought to be primarily involved in haemoglobin digestion, whereas falcipain 1 has recently been linked to erythrocyte invasion. Neither their expression nor their role in P. falciparum gametocytogenesis, which is required for malaria transmission, has been evaluated. In this study, RNA transcripts for the falcipain family members were identified as the parasite developed through all five stages of gametocytogenesis. Falcipain 1 transcript was upregulated in gametocytes, while levels of falcipain 2A/2B decreased in late-stage gametocytes and gametes. To evaluate the function of falcipain 1, the gene was disrupted, and clones from independent transformations were isolated. The asexual growth of the falcipain 1 minus clones was not overtly affected, and they produced morphologically normal gametocytes and gametes. However, when falcipain 1 minus parasites were fed to a mosquito, oocyst production was reduced by 70-90%, suggesting an important role for falcipain 1 during parasite development in the mosquito midgut.

Significance of coprological examinations in diagnosis of major helminthoses in domestic animals

The biggest number of parasitic diseases in our country are caused by helminths. The causes of these diseases differ among each other according to biomorphological characteristics, which consequently accounts for the different nature of the disease that they cause. In order to approach the curbing and treatment of these diseases in animals, it is necessary to make a precise etiological diagnosis. A correct and timely diagnosis secures insight into the episootiological situation concerning the existing parasitic diseases in the studied field. Moreover, it enables an estimate of the health condition of animals, which determines the quality of the production process in cattle breeding. Coprological diagnostic methods are among the direct diagnostic methods and are of great practical importance in diagnosing parasitic diseases, because they are based on the finding of the immediate causes (parasites) in any stage of development. These methods are mostly applied for diagnosis of helminthoses, since the biggest number of helminths is localized in the digestive tract and the communicating organs, which is why their eggs and larvae are eliminated into the outer environment through the feces of the diseased animals.

Transmission of parasites by blood transfusion.

A number of parasitic diseases are known, or suspected to be transmitted by blood transfusion. Of greatest concern are malaria and Chagas' disease, but babesia, leishmania and toxoplasmosis also offer risk in particular locations or circumstances. Some of these parasites may be imported into non-endemic areas as a result of population movements and in some cases, the natural range of the parasite is increasing as a result of environmental change. Recent research, particularly on Chagas disease and babesiosis will be discussed, along with measures to minimize transmission of these and other parasites via transfusion.

Preface. Antiparasite chemotherapy: is there hope for the future?

The science of chemotherapy has been built upon the seminal concepts arising from pioneering studies, notably by Paul Ehrlich, carried out nearly 100 years ago. The investigations conducted in the early decades of this century were of major significance for antiparasite chemotherapy as they resulted in the discovery of a variety of drugs for treating human and animal diseases. Derivatives of many of these drugs are still being used today, which, it could be claimed, reflects the outstanding success of the early approaches. However, it also highlights the relatively poor record of drug discovery in more recent decades. While major advances were taking place in the development of drugs and vaccines for bacterial, fungal and viral diseases, the discovery of new drugs for parasitic infections progressed relatively slowly. It would be wrong, however, to give an impression that there were no advances. The discovery of the avermectins and praziquantel has had an enormous impact on anthelmintic therapy, and new classes of antiprotozoal drugs have been developed for both prophylaxis and treatment of infections. Nevertheless, major problems remain and for some parasitic diseases the situation now is worse than it was 20 years ago. Malaria is perhaps the best example in this respect. The advent of chloroquine resistance in Plasmodium falciparum has resulted in a major public health problem. In addition, the increase in importance of some diseases, notably those associated with immunosuppression in AIDS, has again highlighted the limitations of antiparasite chemotherapy. New drugs are needed urgently for a number of parasitic diseases.