Ascaris Species Research Articles

Ascaris lumbricoides and Ascaris suum: Comparative proteomic studies using 2-DE coupled with mass spectrometry

Roundworms of the genus Ascaris comprise species of medical (A. lumbricoides) and veterinary (A. suum) importance. Despite the economic importance, public health impact, and worldwide prevalence both parasites still have a controversial taxonomy and their proteomes are poorly described in databases. In the present study, high-resolution two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE) coupled with MALDI-TOF/TOF MS was used to characterize and contrast proteomic profiles of adult female A. lumbricoides and A. suum. Approximately, 3-fold higher protein spots were obtained in the present study compared to traditional method, and more than 630 and 750 protein spots were reproducibly detected among the 6 gels examined (3 gels for each of A. lumbricoides and A. suum). The peptide mass finger printings (PMFs) were acquired successfully for 17 from 22 differential 2-DE spots, corresponding to 12 unique proteins. Among them, 2 Asu-enriched and 3 Alu-specific proteins were found in A. lumbricoides; and 6 Asu-enriched and 1 Alu-specific proteins were found in A. suum. Functional analysis revealed low level of difference among differentially expressed proteins of the two nematode species, while the 1 species-specific protein of A. suum was different from that of A. lumbricoides. The proteomic patterns of A. lumbricoides and A. suum provide proteomic evidence that these two taxa are very closely related. This work indicates that the combined 2-DE and MALDI-TOF/TOF MS approaches employed in the current study allow the identification of proteins whose expression is different between Ascaris species.

Parasitological Evaluation of Domestic Water Sources in a Rural Community in Nigeria

Aim: To evaluate the level of safety of water sources in a rural settlement in Nigeria with reference to parasitic infections and to make appropriate recommendations to the government and the community dwellers. Study Design: Investigative study. Place and Duration of Study: Samples were collected in Heipang, Barkin Ladi Local Research Article British Microbiology Research Journal, 3(3): 393-399, 2013 394 Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria between October-December, 2012. They were processed at the General Laboratory of National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Nigeria. Methodology: 100 water samples were collected from domestic water sources. 10 of the samples were from streams, 60 from ponds, 20 from wells and 10 were from bore holes. Samples were investigated for presence of parasites using standard World Health Organisation approved laboratory techniques. Each sample was subjected to macroscopy, filtration, centrifugation and microscopy. Results: It revealed that 59 out of 100 water sources investigated had parasitic infestation. Ponds had the highest degree of parasitic contamination (78.3%), streams followed closely with 50%, while wells and bore holes had 35% and 0% in that order. Helminths were the leading parasitic genera encountered with Ascaris species accounting for 33.9% of the parasites. Hookworm was the second most common helminth with the prevalence of 20.3%. Strongyloides species accounted for a paltry prevalence of 3.4%. Protozoan cysts of Balanditium coli and Entamoeba histolytica accounted for 18.6% of parasites each. Conclusion: These findings clearly show that most water sources in the study area constitute grave epidemiological threat to public health. Inhabitants of such communities should boil or treat their water before consumption while government authorities should provide safe drinking water to the rural dwellers.

Acceptance of the 2012 Henry Baldwin Ward Medal: My Experience with Parasites

President Kuris, Dr. Healy, Dr. Fayer, fellow members of the Society, colleagues, and friends, it is truly a great honor to accept the 2012 Henry Baldwin Ward Medal. To join a list of 50 or so prominent parasitologists whom I have long admired as a Ward Medal recipient is a very humble experience. I sincerely thank Dr. Fayer for nominating me and Dr. Mark Eberhard and Dr. David Lindsay for supporting the nomination. I am honored to be nominated and supported by these past Ward Medalists or Eminent Parasitologist recipients. I also want to thank the Ward Medal Committee members for putting their faith in me. I hope I can live up to it. Ron has given a very generous introduction of my career and research background. I will try not to repeat it and bore you with other details. As customarily done in previous acceptance speeches, I will take some time to discuss my career development, especially on how I came to be working in a public health institution as a veterinary parasitologist, and will thank people who have shaped me along the way. I will also pay tribute to prominent ASP members who have made great contributions to my research area. Hopefully, some young ASP members, especially graduate students, can follow the steps of other ASP members into our research area. Like other Ward Medalists, my experience with parasites started very early in life, but literally, I vividly remember some of my experiences with parasites. There were quite a few of them, but I will only talk about 3, 1 each for helminths, protozoa, and arthropods. As Ron mentioned, I grew up in China in the 1960s and 1970s when China was in its most difficult recent history. Back then, life was poor and hygiene was bad. I now cannot remember when I had my initial Ascaris infection, but I still remember the feeling of the movement of the roundworm in me when it was trying to make an exit after its expected lifespan. Since I experienced this from time to time for several years, I probably had multiple episodes of Ascaris infection, a common occurrence in children in developing countries. What I am not sure of is the species of Ascaris I had. In developing countries, humans are commonly infected with Ascaris lumbricoides, the human species, whereas in industrialized nations a few human ascariasis cases are caused by Ascaris suum, the species in pigs. As my family had kept a pig most of the time during my childhood, what I had could have been A. suum. I can also remember my experience with malaria, which occurred right about the same time I had ascariasis. It was really a bad experience, as I had the worst recurrent fever and chills in my life for quite a few days before the eventual diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Based on the pattern of recurrent fever, what I had was probably caused by Plasmodium vivax, which was prevalent in Hunan, China back then. Of course, the local term for the illness was not malaria and the cause of it was not Plasmodium spp. My mother told me that the reason I got sick was because I spent too much time watching snake-mating. I truly believed her, and tried very hard to avoid the ever-present snakes around my home, which was surrounded by water on 3 sides. In retrospect, the malaria I had was not of snake or other animal origin. I could have had my share of zoonotic protozoan infections, such as cryptosporidiosis, as my family always kept 1 dog, 1 pig, 1 donkey, and several chickens or ducks simultaneously. Although I experienced quite a few encounters of ectoparasites before, the experience I hated most was a flea bite. Unlike most other people who would simply develop rashes after a bite, I always had a large, shining blister at the biting site. Host preference of fleas was definitely showing on me, as I was usually DOI: 10.1645/12-89.1

Helminthic infections mimicking malignancy: a review of published case reports

Infectious diseases, including infections with helminths, can initially present similarly to malignancies. The goal of the article is to review reports of helminthic infections that are initially diagnosed as malignancy. The database PubMed was searched for English language references published as of July 2009. The following published case reports and case series, mainly from Asia and Africa, were identified: Nematodes: 8 publications (1 patient with Angiostrongylus cantonensis, 2 Stronglyloides stercoralis, 1 Toxocara species, 1 Dioctophyma renale, 1 Ascaris species, 1 Gnathostoma spinigerum, 1 Dirofilaria repens); Trematodes: 7 publications (46 patients with Schistosoma species, 2 Fasciola hepatica, 1 Paragonimus westermani); Cestodes: 6 publications (10 patients with Echinococcus species, 1 Sparganum mansoni). To avoid unnecessary investigations and treatment, physicians should be aware when diagnosing patients from Asia or Africa that a large number of helminthic infections can present similar to malignancies.

Prevalence of gastrointestinal nematodes in Mukota pigs in a communal area of Zimbabwe

A one year monitoring study was conducted between November 2005 and October 2006 to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal nematodes in indigenous Mukota pigs in Hama-Mavhaire communal area of Chirumhanzu District, Zimbabwe. Faecal samples from a total of 143 randomly selected pigs of both sexes and different ages ( 12 months) from 10 villages were collected from the rectum for identification and quantification of nematode eggs. Of the 143 pigs, 58.7% were positive for gastrointestinal (GI) nematodes, 17.5% having mixed infections. Four parasite species were identified;Oesophagostomum species (54.6%) being the most prevalent followed byStrongyloides ransomi (14%), Ascaris species (7%) and Trichuris suis (4.2%). Month had an effect on the prevalence and mean egg counts of the four GI nematode species. However, pig class and the interaction between pig class and month did not have an effect on the prevalence and mean egg counts of the GI nematode species. The present work indicates that parasite prevalence in local indigenous pigs in the communal areas is moderate. Further examinations are needed to determine the pathological importance and impact of parasitic infestations on indigenous pigs in the communal area. Key words: Ascaris, epidemiology, indigenous pigs, internal parasites,Oesophagostomum.

Bacteriological and parasitological evidence of soil contamination from livestock farming in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria

Domestic environmental pollution resulting from human's cohabitation with domestic and farm animals were investigated in Makurdi using multiple tubes fermentation for identification of faecal indicator bacteria and test tube floatation techniques for the parasitological analysis of soil samples respectively. Of the 150 soil samples examined, 55 (36.7%) were positive for one or more eggs of helminth parasites. There was no significant difference in the distribution of eggs in the three areas sampled (X2=0.046, df=2, p>0.05). Ascaris species were the dominating parasite eggs seen. 142 (97.3%) of soil samples showed colonial growth of one or more faecal bacteria (Escherichia coli, Aerobacter aerogens and Enterobacter species). There was significant contamination of soil sample using t-test (t=3.78, df=5, p

Parasitology and urban livestock farming in Nigeria : prevalence of ova in faecal and soil samples and animal ectoparasites in Makurdi

Domestic environmental pollution resulting from urban livestock farming was investigated in Makurdi using parasitological techniques. The test tube flotation technique was used for the parasitological analysis of animal faecal matter and soil samples collected from residential premises. Ectoparasitic fauna of dogs, goats, sheep and cattle cohabiting with humans within the same residential compound were also collected and identified. The hand-picking and body brushing methods were employed to search for ticks, fleas, lice and mites. Of the 150 soil samples examined, 55 (36.7 %) were positive for 1 or more eggs of helminth parasites. There was no significant difference in the distribution of eggs in the soil samples from the 3 areas sampled (Chi2 = 0.046, df = 2, P > 0.05). Ascaris species were the dominant parasite eggs found. Of the 180 faecal samples examined, 107 (59.4 %) were positive for 1 or more eggs of helminth parasites. Chi-square analysis showed no significant difference in the level of infection of different animal faeces sampled (Chi2 = 5.74, df = 4, P > 0.05). Ascaris species were again the dominating helminth parasite eggs found. There was also no significant difference in the prevalence of helminth eggs in the animal faecal samples from the 3 areas sampled (Chi2 = 5.99, df = 4, P > 0.05). A total of 1908 ectoparasites was recovered (ticks: 32.80 %; lice: 22.43 %; fleas: 22.06 % and mite: 22.69 %). There was no significant difference in infestation animals between sexes (Chi2 = 0.10, df = 4, P > 0.05). The predominant genus encountered for ticks were Amblyomma, while Linognathus (43.90 %), Ctenocephalides (97.38 %) and Sarcoptes (58.89 %) were most predominant for lice, fleas and mites respectively. The public health implications of the findings, especially as these relate to the increasing incidence and prevalence of zoonotic infections, are discussed.

Parasitic Pulmonary Eosinophilia

Parasitic infections, although common in tropical and subtropical regions, are prevalent worldwide because of changing immigration patterns and in international travel. The burden of worm infection is enormous and the intensity of infection is usually high among the poor and in immunocompromised individuals. Pulmonary eosinophilia occurs in almost all metazoan infections. In the Western world, the most common infections are caused by Strongyloides, Ascaris, Toxocara, and Ancylostoma species. Most of the nematodes multiply within the human host and cause pulmonary eosinophilia during larval migration through the lungs. Despite larval migration through the lungs, there is usually no permanent lung damage. The result is an increased number of eosinophils in the airways or lung parenchyma with or without peripheral eosinophilia. Löffler's syndrome, visceral larva migrans, and tropical pulmonary eosinophilia are the most common infections that cause pulmonary eosinophilia. The most serious parasitic eosinophilic lung disease is tropical pulmonary eosinophilia, a disorder caused by the filarial worms Wuchereria bancrofti and Brugia malayi, in which cases have typically been reported to masquerade acute or refractory bronchial asthma. Increasing awareness, newer diagnostic techniques, preventative measures, and antiparasitic drugs are important in reducing the worldwide morbidity and mortality from parasitic helminths and protozoa. This review focuses on common and some uncommon causes of pulmonary parasitic eosinophilia and their manifestations, diagnosis, and management.

Inactivation of Ascaris suum Eggs by Ammonia

Uncharged ammonia is known to cause inactivation of a number of wastewater pathogens, but its effect on Ascaris eggs has never been isolated or quantified. The objectives of this research were to determine the conditions under which ammonia inactivates eggs of the swine Ascaris species, Ascaris suum, and to quantify the impact of ammonia on the U.S. EPA's requirements for alkaline treatment to produce Class A sludge. Eggs were incubated in controlled, laboratory solutions such that the effects of ammonia concentration and speciation, pH, and temperature could be separated. With a 24-h incubation, the inactivation at all pH levels (range 7-11) was not statistically different in the absence of ammonia. The presence of ammonia (0-1000 ppm as N) significantly increased Ascaris egg inactivation at pH 9 and 11, and the ovicidal effect was directly related to the concentration of the uncharged NH3 species. Increasing temperatures (32-52 degrees C) caused increased inactivation at all pH levels and ammonia concentrations. The current EPA treatment requirements to produce Class A biosolids by alkaline treatment have temperature, pH, and time requirements, but do not account for the effectof differences in ammonia concentration on inactivation. To illustrate the potential savings in temperature and pH that could be achieved when accounting for ammonia inactivation, the combinations of ammonia concentration, temperature, and pH neededto achieve 99% inactivation after 72 h were determined. The presence of ammonia at concentrations encountered in sludges and feces (up to 8000 ppm as N) allowed for 99% egg inactivation to be achieved at temperatures up to 14 degrees C lower than ammonia-free controls. Thus, environmentally relevant concentrations of ammonia may significantly increase the rate of Ascaris egg inactivation during alkaline stabilization.

RecombinantAscaris16‐Kilodalton Protein–Induced Protection againstAscaris suumLarval Migration after Intranasal Vaccination in Pigs

We recently cloned a protective antigen that is commonly expressed in Ascaris species that infect humans and pigs. We evaluated the vaccinal effects of this 16-kilodalton protein (As16) in pigs, the natural host of Ascaris suum, by intranasal immunization. Pigs that received Escherichia coli-expressed recombinant As16 (rAs16) coupled with cholera toxin (CT) had significantly elevated levels of rAs16-specific serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and mucosal-associated IgA antibodies. rAs16 evoked a type II immune response characterized by elevated levels of interleukin-4 and -10 in the culture supernatants of peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the vaccinated pigs. An increased level of rAs16-specific serum IgG1 was also detected. Pigs vaccinated with rAs16-CT were protected from migration of A. suum larvae through the lungs, as indicated by a 58% reduction in the recovery of lung-stage third-stage larvae (L3), compared with that in nonvaccinated controls. Purified immunoglobulin from rAs16-CT-vaccinated pigs inhibited survival of infective L3 and interrupted the molting of lung-stage L3. Immunofluorescence studies revealed that this immunoglobulin bound to the digestive tracts of L3, suggesting that it might inactivate functions of the gut tissues of Ascaris species. We conclude that rAs16 is a promising mucosal vaccine candidate for pig and human ascariasis.

Helminth risks associated with mixed game and livestock interactions in and around Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda

AbstractA study was performed in and around Lake Mburo National Park (LMNP) to identify common helminths that parasitize both game and livestock. Various techniques including floatation, Baerman and sedimentation tests, faecal culturing and post‐mortem were used to identify helminths recovered during the survey. Identification was based on egg, larval and adult helminth developmental stages. Results showed that 22 species of parasitic nematodes, lungworms, ascaris, trematodes and tapeworms occur in both wild game and livestock found in and around the national park. The significance of the findings to helminth cross‐infection among game, livestock and man is discussed.

Prevalence of gastro-intestinal parasites in captive birds of Gujarat zoos

Received on 16 August 1999 Accepted on 3 March 2000 Abstract A total of 106 group faecal samples of different wild birds from Kamal Nehru Zoo, Ahmedabad and Sayyajibaug Zoo, Vadodara, were examined. Out of this 51 (48.11%) were found positive for parasitic infection. Eggs of Ascaris and Capillaria species were observed in 22 (20.75%) and 14 (13.2%) group faecal samples respectively, while the oocyst of Coccidia (Eimeria species) were observed in 19 (17.92%) group faecal samples. Ascardia galli and Cotugnia digonopora were recovered during postmortem of three hariyal pigeon, while only Ascaridia galli was observed in a postmortem of parrot, peacock and cockatiel.

Total and specific IgE (house dust mite and intestinal helminths) in asthmatics and controls from Gondar, Ethiopia.

The role, if any, of parasitosis in the development of asthma remains incompletely understood; both 'protective' and 'predictive' associations have been reported. We report a study which examined immunoglobulin (Ig) E responses to two common helminths in asthmatics living in Ethiopia. To compare the frequencies of specific IgE antibodies to Ascaris and Necator species and to Der p 1 among 84 adult asthmatics and a referent group of nonasthmatics. A case-control analysis. Total IgE levels were not different between the two groups. The presence of specific IgE to Der p 1 was strongly associated with asthma (P = 0.001). Raised levels of Ascaris-(P = 0.010) and Necator- (P = 0.001) specific IgE antibodies were more common among referents; there were no associations between specific IgE production to Der p 1 and either of the two parasites. These findings confirm the association between Der p 1 sensitization and asthma among urban, adult Ethiopians. While they also indicate a negative relationship with two indicators of helminth infestation it appears that this is not mediated through the immunological response to common aeroallergens.

Sex-manipulated Ascaris suum infections in pigs: implications for reproduction.

In spite of the vast distribution and considerable impact on human and animal health of Ascaris suum and A. lumbricoides, little is known of the sexual biology and reproductive capacity of these intestinal nematodes. By oral transfer of adult female worms to previously parasite-naive pigs we show that in the absence of males the egg production ceases after 2-3 weeks. Such females readily resume egg production a few days after oral transfer of male worms. These observations throw light on an important aspect of Ascaris biology, but also pave the way for possible experimental interbreeding between the human and pig Ascaris species.

Sanitation and parasitism at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

One focus of historical archaeology at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, West Virginia, is tracing the development of sanitation at the town through the 1800s and 1900s. Historical documentation indicates that there was a degree of resistance to the modernization of village sanitation. This study attempts to verify this resistance through examination of privy soils for parasites indicative of fecal-borne disease, specifically the helminth species Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura. The presence of these parasites in the early 1900s would indicate that fecal-borne disease due to poor sanitation continued to be an aspect of town life. The analysis revealed the eggs of both species in all three privies, indicating that resistance to modern sanitation resulted in the maintenance of fecal-borne disease.

Parasites on the defensive

A scaris worms inhabit the small intestine of humans and domestic animals. It's an environment rich, both quantitatively and qualitatively, in bacteria so we would expect these parasitic nematodes to have developed antibacterial defences. Yet no one seems to have even investigated the possibility, until very recently. Textbooks of parasitology provide ample material on the interactions between various species of Ascaris and their hosts - but virtually nothing about how the worms themselves cope with the microbial population surrounding them. Now, thanks to the efforts of Professor A C Wardlaw and collaborators in the microbiology and zoology departments at the …

Cuticlin genes of nematodes

Two genes coding for cuticlin components of Caenorhabditis elegans have been cloned and their structure is described. Recombinant proteins have been produced in E. coli and antibodies raised against them. Nucleic acid and specific antibodies are being used to isolate the homologues from the parasitic species Ascaris lumbricoides and Brugia pahangi.

Interrelationship between schistosomiasis and concomitant diseases.

The biological literature contains many examples of mutual influences between different species of parasites, especially with respect to concomitant helminth infections. Several situations are known in which the association of infection by Schistosoma mansoni with other pathogens in the same host results in a type of disease which differs from the simple summation of the individual effects of each infection. The present study concerns concomitant infections involving S. mansoni and enterobacteriaceae; S. mansoni and other helminths such as Ascaris lumbricoides, Ancylostomids, Toxocara canis and species of the genus Hymenolepis; S. mansoni and different protozoa such as Trypanosoma cruzi, T. brucei, Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium berghei. The interaction between hepatitis B virus and S. mansoni, leading to prolonged viremia and worsening of liver damage, is also discussed. The paper also treats the simultaneous occurrence of schistosomiasis and other aggravating factors such as malnutrition and neoplasias which may alter the host's response to the trematode.

Ascaris and Eosinophil

Abstract In the previous study, we found an eosinophil chemotactic factor of the parasite (ECF-P) in extracts from the body cavity fluid of the Ascaris species. In this study, the physicochemical characteristics of ECF-P were determined in order to elucidate the relationship between ECF-P and Ascaris antigens. ECF-P was active in both in vivo and in vitro chemotactic assay systems and was found to be heat labile, nondialyzable, and stable to lyophilization. The estimated m.w. was approximately 30,000 daltons. The isoelectric point of ECF-P was 8.5. It was quite different from the Ascaris antigen in the same extract, or various Ascaris allergens that had been reported previously by other researchers. Furthermore, ECF-P did not show any activity in eliciting a guinea pig passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction. From these experimental results, we concluded that ECF-P is not identical to Ascaris antigens. In addition, we found that the neutrophil chemotactic factor of the parasite (NCF-P), with at least two components, is present in the Ascaris extract, and is also heat labile and resistant to dialysis and lyophilization, but separable from coexistent ECF-P by reason of their different physicochemical properties.

Quantitative isolation of native chitin from resistant structures of Sordaria and Ascaris species

A procedure for the quantitative isolation of native chitin from resistant biological structures is developed utilizing ozone and neutralized hydrogen peroxide ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. These reagents permit extraction of the chitinous component at a neutral pH without any preliminary cell disruption or extensive fractionation, thereby conserving the cell wall integrity and structure. The resulting product is essentially free of protein and is greatly enriched in chitin content, the exact purity of which depends upon the nature of the particular chitin source. The chitin polymer is recovered in a highly N-acetylated form and is readily identified with a standard chitin reference by physical characterization, infrared spectroscopy, enzymatic hydrolysis, and glucosamine assay.