Presence Of Oocysts Research Articles

Frequency of Cryptosporidiosis in Children having Persistent Diarrhea.

Objective:Globally childhood diarrheal diseases continue to be the second leading cause of death. Cryptosporidium spp are important intestinal parasites that cause diarrhea in humans and animals particularly in developing countries. This investigation was carried out to find out the frequency of cryptosporidiosis in children presenting with persistent diarrhea.Methods:Two hundred stool samples were collected in this descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at Microbiology Department, Combined Military Hospital, Lahore Pakistan between the months of July to Dec 2014. Children aged five years to 12 years who presented with persistent diarrhea were included in the study. Stool specimens were processed using the modified acid-fast staining method, and microscopically examined for Cryptosporidium infection.Results:The average age of study participants was 7.95 with a standard deviation of 2.21 years. Among the participants 66% were males whereas 34% were females. Twenty eight percent had presence of oocysts in stool samples.Conclusions:The frequency of Cryptosporidiosis among children with persistent diarrhea was 28%. This high frequency indicates that this population is uniquely susceptible to infection. It also highlights the need for education about hygiene, accurate diagnosis, and treatment of Cryptosporidiosis. There is also a need for additional studies regarding the occurrence of this pathogen.

Eimeria spp. infection in lambs from southern Brazil

ABSTRACT: Eimeria infections are common in the sheep industry worldwide. Lambs are more susceptible to coccidiosis, especially in stressful conditions, being infected by different species of the parasite. Eimeria crandallis and Eimeria ovinoidalis are considered the most pathogenic, causing reduced growth, dehydration, anorexia, and death. In this study, the frequency of Eimeria species was evaluated in lambs from the southern region of the Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Fecal samples from 248 lambs, from 19 farms, were tested for the presence of oocysts. The positive samples were re-examined and the sporulated oocysts analyzed morphometrically to identify the presence of Eimeria species. In 100% of the evaluated farms, there were animals positive for the protozoan. The frequency of Eimeria species was: E. ovinoidalis (94.74%), E. crandallis (89.47%), E. granulosa (78.95%), E. parva (68.42%), E. ahsata (63.13%), E. punctata (42.11%), E. bakuensis (36.84%), E. faurei (10.53%), and E. pallida (5.26%). Mixed infection was found in 94.74% of the samples. This research describes, for the first time, the occurrence of E. crandallis and E. ovinoidalis infecting lambs in the study area. The wide distribution of this protozoan and the high frequency of pathogenic species show the importance and potential damage of sheep coccidiosis in herds from Rio Grande do Sul.

Shedding proportion of Toxoplasma gondii-like oocysts in feral cats and soil contamination in Oyo State, Nigeria

Toxoplasmosis, a disease caused by the intracellular protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, is transmitted through several hosts with cats serving as its definitive host. Oocysts are released with cat faeces into the environment (e.g. soil); an important medium in its transmission. The level of soil contamination with oocysts is an indicator of the level of on- going transmission. However, a dearth of information exists on the relationship between the presence of oocysts shedding cats and soil, and its importance in the transmission of T. gondii in Nigeria. In this study, the shedding proportion of T. gondii-like oocysts in cats and soil contamination levels were investigated in three communities in Ibadan, Nigeria. Soil (n = 204) and feral cat faecal samples (n = 14) were examined for the presence of oocysts using a modified sucrose flotation technique. Cat sera (n = 15) were also analysed for IgG antibodies to T. gondii by ELISA. T. gondii-like oocysts were identified in 21.4% (95% CI: 4.6–50.8) of the total cat faecal samples. The prevalence was 50% (95% CI: 6.7–93.3), 0% and 10% (95% CI: 0.3–44.5) in Akinyele, Laniba and Ajibode communities respectively. T. gondii IgG antibody was present in 86.7% of the screened cat sera (including the copropositive cats). The seroprevalence in cats was 75% in Akinyele, 0% Laniba and 90.9% for Ajibode community (P >0.05). Oocysts were recovered from 1.5% (95% CI: 0.50–4.23) of the soil samples screened and were identified from 3.8% (95% CI: 0.13–10.58) of the soil collected in Akinyele community. Akinyele also recorded the highest number of infected cats. Oocysts were identified in soil from dumpsites 2.6% (95% CI: 0.4–13.2) and residential areas 1.9% (95% CI: 0.5–6.8). Soil contaminated with T. gondii-like oocysts and cats shedding oocysts were found in areas with high human activities within the communities. The presence of T. gondii-like oocysts in the soil and the presence of cats that tested positive to antibodies specific to T. gondii MIC 3 Protein suggested the possibility of T. gondii transmission in these communities and places emphasis on its public health importance in a susceptible population.

Water security and detection of Cryptosporidium spp. in samples from the Guarapiranga Reservoir, São Paulo

Water security depends, among other factors, on the hydrological cycle, quantity and quality of water. Several microorganisms that pose risks to human and animal health are waterborne, such as the protozoan Cryptosporidium spp. The parasitological diagnosis of Cryptosporidium spp. in biological material and environmental samples can be accomplished through several techniques that include optical microscopy with analysis of fresh material or through the use of concentration techniques, indirect immunofluorescence and molecular biology that allows differentiation between species. Oocysts of Cryptosporidium spp. are eliminated through feces from parasitized hosts and released into drinking water reservoirs through untreated sewage. Therefore, its proper identification is necessary when causing human gastrointestinal changes. The objective of this work is to analyze the presence of oocysts of Cryptosporidium spp. in recreational areas of the Guarapiranga Resevoir located in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Water samples were collected and concentrated between July and November and analyzed through the technique of Ziehl Neelsen. Samples showed positive results for Cryptosporidium spp. and cyanobacteria, which are commonly found in the aquatic biota. The latter can be found in large quantities in eutrophic environments due to high amount of organic matter released in water bodies. Oocysts were observed in 60% of the analyzed samples and the distribution between positive and negative samples was not dependent on the month of sampling, but showed statistically significant differences according to the sampling site.

Effect of irradiation on the survival and susceptibility of female Anopheles arabiensis to natural isolates of Plasmodium falciparum

BackgroundThe sterile insect technique (SIT) is a vector control strategy relying on the mass release of sterile males into wild vector populations. Current sex separation techniques are not fully efficient and could lead to the release of a small proportion of females. It is therefore important to evaluate the effect of irradiation on the ability of released females to transmit pathogens. This study aimed to assess the effect of irradiation on the survival and competence of Anopheles arabiensis females for Plasmodium falciparum in laboratory conditions.MethodsPupae were irradiated at 95 Gy of gamma-rays, and emerging females were challenged with one of 14 natural isolates of P. falciparum. Seven days post-blood meal (dpbm), irradiated and unirradiated-control females were dissected to assess the presence of oocysts, using 8 parasite isolates. On 14 dpbm, sporozoite dissemination in the head/thorax was also examined, using 10 parasites isolates including 4 in common with the 7 dpbm dissection (oocyst data). The survivorship of irradiated and unirradiated-control mosquitoes was monitored.ResultsOverall, irradiation reduced the proportion of mosquitoes infected with the oocyst stages by 17% but this effect was highly inconsistent among parasite isolates. Secondly, there was no significant effect of irradiation on the number of developing oocysts. Thirdly, there was no significant difference in both the sporozoite infection rate and load between the irradiated and unirradiated-control mosquitoes. Fourthly, irradiation had varying effects on female survival with either a negative effect or no effect.ConclusionsThe effect of irradiation on mosquito competence strongly varied among parasite isolates. Because of such isolate variability and, the fact that different parasite isolates were used to collect oocyst and sporozoite data, the irradiation-mediated reduction of oocyst prevalence was not confirmed for the sporozoite stages. Our data indicate that irradiated female An. arabiensis could contribute to malaria transmission, and highlight the need for perfect sexing tools, which would prevent the release of females as part of SIT programmes.

Usefulness of PCR-RFLP of 18S rRNA gene for rapid post-mortem diagnostics of highly pathogenic Eimeria spp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) of European bison, Bison bonasus L. with histopathological correlation.

Eimeria spp. infection was investigated in 10 free-roaming European bison aged three months to 26 years by anatomopathological, histopathological, coproscopic and PCR-RFLP examination. The coproscopic study identified Eimeria oocysts in the faeces of five bison. The most prevalent morphotypes were E. bovis, present in all positive samples, and E. zuernii, in all but one. Additionally, mixed infections consisting of E. bovis, E. zuernii, E. alabamensis, E. auburnensis, E. canadensis, E. cylindrica, E. ellipsoidalis and E. subspherica were diagnosed in two bison calves. Besides being the most prevalent form, E. bovis also demonstrated the highest OPG (2,750). The presence of oocysts in the faeces was associated with those of macrogamonts, microgamonts and oocysts in the epithelium of the large intestine. Intestinal coccidiosis associated with lymphoplasmacytic enteritis was observed in many bison, not only those with positive OPG. Four animals with negative coproscopy results demonstrated early-stage gametogony in the large intestine; one case presented no endogenous stages of coccidians in the histopathological sections of the intestine, nor oocysts in the faecal samples. A 530 bp product of E. bovis 18S rDNA (GenBank: MK951685) was obtained from both the colon wall and oocysts; this was subjected to PCR-RFLP analysis based on AluI and Hin1II (NlaIII) restriction enzymes. Both samples yielded a consistent seven-band pattern, four of which (270 bp, 40 bp, 180 bp and 84 bp) were expected, and the other three represented undigested fragments. The obtained digestion pattern is indicative of Eimeria spp. infection, and can serve as a first-step diagnostic approach in detection of infection. The result of computer-based virtual digestion of the PCR product suggests that double digestion with Mval (BstNI) and KpnI restriction enzymes may be used as a second-step tool to distinguish between E. bovis, E. zuernii and E. alabamensis, all of which are highly-pathogenic species.

Factors Associated With Cryptosporidium Infection Among Adult HIV Positive Population in Contact With Livestock in Namwala District, Zambia.

Cryptosporidium spp. is one of the leading causes of diarrhoeal disease globally. In Zambia, the burden of Cryptosporidium infection in the general human population is unknown and factors associated with it are unclear. A study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. and identify factors associated with its infection among Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) positive individuals in contact with livestock in Namwala district of Zambia. Three hundred and twenty six stool samples were collected from HIV infected individuals presenting at local health centers in Namwala district of Zambia between August 2015 and June 2016. The Meriflour Cryptosporidium/Giardia test kit was used to test for presence of oocysts. Demographic information such as age and sex and information on hypothesized risk factors was collected using a structured questionnaire. Overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection was 9.5% (95% CI = 6.7–13.2%); 13.3% and 7.1% among male and female participants, respectively. Males were 2.5 times more likely to be infected than females whereas the divorced had higher odds of being infected (OR = 14.8). Participants who kept animals had a higher prevalence (11.4%) than those that did not (7.0%). Those that shared water with neighbors were 5.7 times more likely to be infected than those who did not. We conclude that Cryptosporidium infection is prevalent among HIV positive adults in Namwala district and infection is associated with sex, marital status and sharing water sources among neighbors. Community sensitization is required to create awareness and reduce human exposure to Cryptosporidium infection.

Prevalence and genotyping of bovine Cryptosporidium species in the Mediterranean and Central Anatolia Region of Turkey

The prevalence of Cryptosporidium species in calves and heifers with relation to diarrhea from several herds was investigated in this study. Fecal samples were collected from 135 and 120 pre-weaned calves and 79 and 130 heifers raised in the Central Anatolia (CAR) and Mediterranean Regions (MR) of Turkey, respectively. A total of 86 post-weaned calves in CAR were also included in the study. For diagnostic comparison, all samples were examined by microscopic examination, SSU rRNA nested PCR and TaqMan real-time PCR for the presence of oocyst and Cryptosporidium DNA. In total, 102 (34.0 %) and 93 (37.2 %) of the examined samples from CAR and MR were found positive for Cryptosporidium DNA with both nested PCR and real-time PCR analyses, respectively with an overall prevalence of 35.5 %. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of microscopic examination were determined as 68.7 % and 100.0 % compared to molecular tools, respectively. RFLP and sequence analyses of the SSU rRNA from the PCR products revealed that 138 (70.8 %) out of 195 positive isolates were C. parvum further confirming the species-specific real-time PCR results. Among the remaining 57 (29.2 %) positive isolates, 30 (15.4 %) and 27 (13.8 %) were characterized as C. ryanae and C. bovis, respectively. C. parvum was the dominant species in pre-weaned calves especially with diarrhea while C. bovis and C. ryanae were mostly found in post-weaned calves and heifers. The sequence analyses of the gp60 gene of C. parvum isolates revealed two subtypes (IIaA13G2R1, IIaA14G1R1) belonging to zoonotic family IIa, with IIaA13G2R1 being the most common in diarrheic calves.

Patterns of Transmission and Sources of Infection in Outbreaks of Human Toxoplasmosis.

We report on apparent temporal progression of probable sources of infection and transmission routes for global human toxoplasmosis outbreaks as described in published articles. We searched the Scientific Electronic Library Online, Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus databases for articles on Toxoplasma, toxoplasmosis, and outbreaks. We found that transmission routes for Toxoplasma gondii varied by decade. In the 1960s and 1990s, toxoplasmosis outbreaks mainly occurred through ingestion of cysts in meat and meat derivatives; in the 1980s, through milk contaminated with tachyzoites; in 2000, due to the presence of oocysts in water, sand, and soil; and in 2010, due to oocysts in raw fruits and vegetables. Our study suggests a possible change in the epidemiology of reported toxoplasmosis outbreaks. Because of this change, we suggest that greater attention be paid to the disinfection of vegetables, as well as to the quality of water used for drinking and irrigation.

The role of the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) as transport host of Eimeria tenella to chickens.

The role of the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana as transport host for Eimeria tenella was evaluated. Twenty-four cockroaches were orally fed with sporulated oocysts of E. tenella. Their feces and digestive tract were examined for oocysts by sugar centrifugal flotation technique and PCR. Infectivity of the oocysts recovered from the digestive tract of infected cockroaches as well as from their feces was evaluated by orally inoculating them into Boris Brown chickens. E. tenella oocysts were found in the digestive tract and feces of infected cockroaches up to day 4 after ingestion of oocysts. Furthermore, oocysts that were recovered from the digestive tract and feces of cockroaches remained infective for 4 and 3days after ingestion of oocysts, respectively. Presence of oocysts in the feces of chicken that had been inoculated with either digestive tract or feces of P. americana demonstrated the infectivity of E. tenella oocysts from digestive tract or feces, suggesting that P. americana may play a role in the transmission of E. tenella among chicken and between chicken flocks.

Impairment of the phosphotransfer network and performance in broiler chickens experimentally infected by Eimeria spp.: The role of the oxidative stress

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether infection Eimeria spp. in broiler chickens could negatively affect seric enzymes linked to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) metabolism and its relationship to oxidative stress. For this, 30 broiler chickens, 27 days-old, were divided into two groups (n = 15): the control group (C) and the group infected by Eimeria spp. (I). On days 1, 7 and 15 of the experiment, the animals were weighed, and fecal and blood samples were collected to evaluate the presence of oocysts and for serum biochemistry and enzymatic parameters, respectively. On day 15, one animal per repetition was submitted to euthanasia and intestinal fragments were collected for histopathological analyses. The body weight was lower in infected animals on day 15 of experiment, while oocyst counts were higher in infected animals on days 7 and 15 of the experiment. Serum levels of globulins were lower in infected animals on days 7 and 15 of experiment, while uric acid levels were higher in the same days, which represent changes on the immune system. Compared to the uninfected animals, on days 7 and 15, levels of serum globulins, triglycerides, creatine kinase and cholesterol were lower. Levels of adenylate kinase and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were higher on both days in infected animals, while levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) were elevated on day 15. Lesions and immature forms of the parasite were observed in the intestines of infected birds. The phosphotransfer network elicited by an oxidative stress negatively affected the performance of broiler chickens with coccidiosis.

Ефективність способів дослідження проб ґрунту на наявність збудників кокцидіозів

One of the factors of transmission of parasitic diseases, including coccidioses of animals is objects of the environment contaminated by invasive elements. It is well known that the greatest intensity of coccidia oocysts contamination is characteristic of the soil - of the place where the exogenous stage of the pathogen development - invasive sporulated oocysts occurs. In this regard, an important issue for scientists and practitioners is the question of studying the actual soil contamination by invasive elements, since it allows predicting the epizootic well-being of herd animals and developing appropriate therapeutic and preventive measures. Thus, the aim of the work was to establish the effectiveness of soil examination methods for the presence of oocysts of eimeries. The paper presents data concerning comparative effectiveness of well-known methods - Romanenko (1968) and Hudzhabidze (1969), Dolbin et al. (2012), as well as an improved method for examining the soil for the presence of coccidia oocysts. The improvement of the new method was carried out by making changes in the indicators: the mass of the studied soil, the time of sedimentation with alkali, centrifugation modes. Also, the composition of the flotation liquid was modified, in which two-component solution (a flotation solution based on inorganic salt in combination with alkali) was used. Romanenko (1968) and Hudzhabidze (1969) used a prototype method. It has been established that the proposed method turned out to be the most effective in relation to the indicators of the number of positive samples, the total number of detected oocysts and their conversion to 1 kg of soil. So the improved method has a higher efficiency compared with the methods of Dolbin and Romanenko-Hudzhabidze according to the following indicators: the number of positive samples by 5 and 20 %; the number of detected oocysts in the studied samples was 26.21 and 53.45 %; the average number of detected oocysts per 1 kg of soil was 22.33 and 41.81 % (p <0.01), respectively. At the same time, the method turned out to be more effective than the techniques of Dolbin and Romanenko-Hudzhabidze in terms of the minimum indicators of the identified invasive elements by 60 and 86.67 %, and maximum - by 21.6 and 28.0 %, respectively.

Applying I see inside histological methodology to evaluate gut health in broilers challenged with Eimeria

The present study evaluated the effects of coccidiosis on histological parameters and performance of broilers submitted to a mild challenge with Eimeria sp. A total of 132 broilers were randomly divided into two groups with 6 replicates of 11 birds each: negative control (NC) – birds uninfected and challenge (CH) - birds infected by gavage at day-one with 10x the manufacturer recommended dose of Bio-Coccivet R® live vaccine by Biovet, with strains of E. acervulina, E. brunetti, E. maxima, E. necatrix, E. praecox, E. tenella and E. mitis. From 1 to 28 d of age, weekly the zootechnical performance was evaluated and samples of the liver, duodenum, jejunum and ileum were collected and submitted to histological analysis by the I See Inside methodology (ISI). The ISI methodology is a metric evaluation of histological alterations in the intestine and liver. Which translates macroscopic and microscopic alterations into numbers and allows their correlation with the animal zootechnical performance. Pearson’s correlation was used to demonstrates how the damages to the gut, evaluated by ISI method, could affect negatively the performance of broilers. The presence of oocysts in histological analysis of the jejunum and ileum at 7d indicate a negative effect on performance over the next 2 weeks (14d and 21d). When the ISI total score was measured in the ileum at 14d, we observed a strong negative effect on zootechnical performance from that period on 14d, 21d and 28d. The obtained data demonstrates that the higher the ISI scores, the worse are the zootechnical performance results of broilers challenged with Eimeria sp. and the I See Inside scores could be applied to evaluate coccidiosis effect on performance in future.

The occurrence of Cryptosporidium sp., and eggs of soil-transmitted helminths in market vegetables in the north of Iran.

This study aimed to investigate the presence of oocyst of Cryptosporidium sp., and egg of soil-transmitted helminths in market vegetables in the north of Iran. Fecal-oral transmission via consumption of contaminated food is the main route of transmission of intestinal parasites. Concerning the high risk of contamination of vegetable with intestinal parasites, raw consumption of crops can enhance the chance of transmission of intestinal parasites. In this study, we collected 34 pre-washed vegetable samples including spinach, mint, parsley, oregano, chives, savory, radish, coriander, basil and tarragon from local markets in Tonekabon City, North of Iran. All vegetable samples were washed using sterile PBS. Parasitological examinations, including direct examination and staining with Lugol's iodine and modified Ziehl-Neelsen were performed on the pellet resulted from the washing process. The findings showed that 14/34 (41.17%) of collected samples were contaminated with at least one parasite. Eggs of Toxocara sp., Ascaris sp., Fasciola sp., Toxoascaris leonine, Trichuris sp. and Enterobius together with free-living larvae, amoeba cyst, cyst of Entamoeba coli and oocyst of Cryptosporidium sp., were observed among the positive samples. Furthermore, statistical analysis indicated that there was no significant correlation between parasitic contamination of vegetables and seasonal changes. This study signifies that some parasites due to their resistant cell wall usually remain in an environment with the harsh condition and thus, consumption of raw vegetables increases the risk of transmission of them.

Prevalence of calf coccidiosis in Mekelle, northern Ethiopia

A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2015 to March 2016 with the objectives of estimating the prevalence of coccidiosis, identifying the most known pathogenic coccidia species involved, and assessing the overall knowledge of dairy farm owners and workers on calve coccidiosis and adapted control methods in randomly selected 7 kebeles of Mekelle dairy farms. Two hundred thirty two fecal samples were randomly collected from calves belonging to seventy dairy farms and examined for the presence of oocysts of Eimeria by floatation technique using saturated salt solution. For positive samples, solution of 2.5% potassium dichromate was added to the feces containing the oocyst for sporulation and identification of the Eimeria species. The risk factors and the overall knowledge on calf coccidiosis and adapted control methods were assessed by two types of questionnaires and a prepared observational format. The overall prevalence of coccidiosis was 72.7% (169/232) and the identified Eimeria species were E. bovis and E. zuernii with the prevalence of 26.6% (45) and 11.2% (19); respectively. There was statistically significant difference (p< 0.05) among various age categories with the infection of Eimeria species. However, sex and body condition of animals were not significantly associated (p > 0.05) with Eimeria infection. Questioner survey result of animal health experts and owners showed 33 calves were suspected to be infected with pathogenic Eimeria spp. In conclusion, the study revealed that calf coccidiosis is prevalent in dairy farms of Mekelle. Hence, appropriate disease prevention and control program need to be undertaken to reduce its impact.Keywords: Calve; Coccidiosis; Eimeria; Mekelle; Prevalence; Risk factors

FELINE NEONATAL COINFECTION OF TOXOPLASMOSIS AND CYSTOISOSPOROSIS – CASE REPORT

Toxoplasma gondii and Cystoisopora spp. are coccidian protozoa and compulsory intracellular parasites. These parasites present an enteric cycle phase, wild and domestic felines are definitive hosts capable of eliminating non-sporulated oocysts by faeces. Furthermore, they share the same transmission path, through the ingestion of infectious oocysts or the ingestion of cysts present on tissues. Most cat infections occur subclinically. Commonly, clinical and severe disease develops more often in kittens and immunocompromised animals. The present paper reports a case of coinfection of T. gondii and Cystoisospora spp in a feline of approximately 20 days old, weighing 260 grams, assisted at the Veterinary Hospital - UEM. The patient presented acute signs of limited mobility, remaining only in sternal position, cervical ventroflexion, dyspnea, lethargy and anorexia. T. gondii was identified through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test using a blood sample, whereas the co-analysis by flotation in saturated saline solution (Willis technique) was able to verify the presence of oocysts of Cystoisospora spp. After negative result from PCR test using stool sample, the presence of Cystoisospora spp. was confirmed, differentiating it from oocysts of T. gondii. The treatment based on sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim was able to control the infection and decrease disease symptoms, proving to be effective and showing significant clinical improvement within 3 days after starting the treatment.

Risk factors and infection due to Cryptosporidium spp. in dogs and cats in southern Rio Grande do Sul.

This study investigated the frequency of oocysts of Cryptosporidium spp. in feces from dogs and cats in five municipalities in the southern region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The risk factors associated with infection were also investigated. Feces samples from 110 dogs and 18 cats were stained using the auramine method. At the time of feces sampling, a questionnaire with semi-open-ended questions was applied to the animal guardians and all data obtained underwent statistical analysis. The real frequency of oocysts of Cryptosporidium spp. was 24.63% (27 dogs and two cats). Only four samples of dog feces were diarrheic and no presence of oocysts was observed in any of them. Variables that represented risk factors for infection were: homemade food, untreated water, circulation of animals on grassy terrain and living in the same environment as other animals (cattle). The results made it possible to inferring that within the population studied, the frequency of parasitism due to Cryptosporidium spp. in dogs was relevant and emphasize the asymptomatic nature of this infection. The adopting control measures are highlighted, particularly in relation to variables that represent risk factors for this infection.

Promising approach to reducing Malaria transmission by ivermectin: Sporontocidal effect against Plasmodium vivax in the South American vectors Anopheles aquasalis and Anopheles darlingi.

BackgroundThe mosquito resistance to the insecticides threatens malaria control efforts, potentially becoming a major public health issue. Alternative methods like ivermectin (IVM) administration to humans has been suggested as a possible vector control to reduce Plasmodium transmission. Anopheles aquasalis and Anopheles darlingi are competent vectors for Plasmodium vivax, and they have been responsible for various malaria outbreaks in the coast of Brazil and the Amazon Region of South America.MethodsTo determine the IVM susceptibility against P. vivax in An. aquasalis and An. darlingi, ivermectin were mixed in P. vivax infected blood: (1) Powdered IVM at four concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20 or 40 ng/mL). (2) Plasma (0 hours, 4 hours, 1 day, 5, 10 and 14 days) was collected from healthy volunteers after to administer a single oral dose of IVM (200 μg/kg) (3) Mosquitoes infected with P. vivax and after 4 days was provided with IVM plasma collected 4 hours post-treatment (4) P. vivax-infected patients were treated with various combinations of IVM, chloroquine, and primaquine and plasma or whole blood was collected at 4 hours. Seven days after the infective blood meal, mosquitoes were dissected to evaluate oocyst presence. Additionally, the ex vivo effects of IVM against asexual blood-stage P. vivax was evaluated.ResultsIVM significantly reduced the prevalence of An. aquasalis that developed oocysts in 10 to 40 ng/mL pIVM concentrations and plasma 4 hours, 1 day and 5 days. In An. darlingi to 4 hours and 1 day. The An. aquasalis mortality was expressively increased in pIVM (40ng/mL) and plasma 4 hours, 1, 5 10 and 14 days post-intake drug and in An. darlingi only to 4 hours and 1 day. The double fed meal with mIVM by the mosquitoes has a considerable impact on the proportion of infected mosquitoes for 7 days post-feeding. The oocyst infection prevalence and intensity were notably reduced when mosquitoes ingested blood from P. vivax patients that ingested IVM+CQ, PQ+CQ and IVM+PQ+CQ. P. vivax asexual development was considerably inhibited by mIVM at four-fold dilutions.ConclusionIn conclusion, whole blood spiked with IVM reduced the infection rate of P. vivax in An. aquasalis and An. darlingi, and increased the mortality of mosquitoes. Plasma from healthy volunteers after IVM administration affect asexual P. vivax development. These findings support that ivermectin may be used to decrease P. vivax transmission.

Addition of yucca extract and glutamine in the diet of chicks had a protective effect against coccidiosis

Some challenge has been faced by farmers and among them are the decline of animal performance and mortality rate in the growth phase. One of the main causes of low performance is gastrointestinal problems, most of them caused by parasitic infections. Among the protozoa of major importance that affect the poultry in the first weeks of life, stands out the genus Eimeria, a parasite that causes intestinal malabsorption. The current study used 40 chicks, 1-day old, separated into four groups that received the same diet with different levels of yucca extract and glutamine supplementation. The animals were weighed at 10 and 15 days of age, where five chicks per group were used to evaluate the presence of oocysts, intestinal lesions, and biochemical variables. The addition of glutamine and yucca extract caused positive effect controlling coccidiosis, decreasing the presence of oocysts in both periods (Friedman = 37; p = 0.001); in addition, both served to protect the gut against the injury caused by the infection. Increased total protein values on day 15 (Friedman = 12; p < 0.001) in the control group due to increased levels of globulin (Friedman = 31; p = 0.02), exacerbating an inflammatory response against infection. At the same time, triglyceride levels (Friedman = 28.64; p < 0.001) and uric acid (Friedman = 28.64; p < 0.001) were lower in the control group compared to treated groups, which might be a consequence of malabsorption syndrome seen in cases of coccidiosis. In relation to the antioxidant enzymes, it was observed a reduction on SOD levels (Friedman = 13.51, p = 0.03) and CAT (Friedman = 13.65; p = 0.05) in the supplemented groups in relation to the control group at 15 days, due to lower parasitism and intestinal lesions. Based on the preliminary results, we conclude that the supplementation of glutamine and yucca extract had positive effects on the health and growth of broilers, with coccidiostatic action.

Determination and Diversity of Bovine Coccidia in Zabol, East of Iran.

The present study was designed to investigate the prevalence of Eimeria spp. in Zabol, east of Iran. The samples were examined microscopically for the presence of oocysts from February 2015 to December 2016. Out of 196 cattle, 124 (63.26%) were identified to be positive for Eimeria species. Eight species of Eimeria were found as follows: E. bovis (42.54%), E. zuernii (38.67%), E. subspherica (5.52%), E. brasiliensis (4.97%), E. ellipsoidalis (4.41%), E. cylindrical (1.65%), E. pellita (1.65%), and E. wyomingensis (0.55%). Multiple infections with two or three species were identified in 56 (45.16%) and 2 (1.61%) cases, respectively. The infection rate was observed to be higher in calves (75%) as compared to adult cattle (59.02%). The prevalence of Eimeria was greater in female cattle (67.94%). The highest prevalence and mean number of oocysts were observed in winter (69%) and autumn (209.09), respectively. All the faecal samples had an oocysts per gram of feces (OPG) less than 1000. The prevalence of infection and mean OPG were directly correlated with rainfall and relative humidity and inversely correlated with temperature. Considering the high prevalence of bovine coccidiosis in Zabol, increasing awareness of farmers and veterinarians regarding the economic importance of bovine coccidiosis should be regarded as an important factor in preventing and controlling the infection.