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Panti-May JA, Retana-Guiascón O, Moguel-Chin WI, Hernández-Mena DI, García-Prieto L. NEW RECORDS OF HELMINTHS OF THE JAGUAR IN MEXICO, WITH AN UPDATED LIST OF SPECIES IN THE AMERICAS. J Parasitol 2024; 110:114-126. [PMID: 38503317 DOI: 10.1645/23-56] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
An inventory of parasites infecting the jaguar (Panthera onca) across its distribution range is relevant for the conservation of this threatened big cat. In this study, we report the occurrence of helminths in a jaguar from Mexico using morphological techniques (cleared and stained mounts and scanning electron microscopy) and partial sequences of the 28S ribosomal RNA (28S rRNA) gene and the cytochrome c oxidase 1 mitochondrial (COI) gene. We also provide an updated list of helminth species reported in jaguars in the Americas. Three helminth taxa are identified in the jaguar examined from Mexico: Toxocara cati, Physaloptera sp., and Taenia sp. The new 28S rRNA sequences of To. cati, Physaloptera sp., and Taenia sp. and the COI sequence of Taenia sp. corroborate the identity of the helminths isolated from this host. One hundred and twenty-nine records of helminths parasitizing jaguars from 49 studies up to May 2023 were identified in the Americas. In most of these studies (73.6%), helminths were identified using coproparasitological techniques. Sixteen helminths (7 nematodes, 5 cestodes, 3 acanthocephalans, and 1 trematode) were identified at the species level in free-ranging and captive jaguars. The study demonstrates the value of an integrative taxonomy approach to increase the accuracy of parasite identification in wildlife, especially when helminth specimens are scarce or poorly fixed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Alonso Panti-May
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi," Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Avenida Itzaés 490, Mérida, C. P. 97000, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Oscar Retana-Guiascón
- Centro de Estudios de Desarrollo Sustentable y Aprovechamiento de la Vida Silvestre, Universidad Autónoma de Campeche, Avenida Héroe de Nacozari 480, Campeche, C. P. 24079, Campeche, Mexico
| | - Wilson Isaias Moguel-Chin
- Doctorado en Manejo de Recursos Naturales Tropicales, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Carretera Mérida-Xmatkuil km 15.5, Mérida, C. P. 97315, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - David I Hernández-Mena
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Carretera Mérida-Tetiz km 4, Ucú, C. P. 97358, Yucatán, Mexico
- Colección Nacional de Helmintos, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, C. P. 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Luis García-Prieto
- Colección Nacional de Helmintos, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, C. P. 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico
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Arrabal JP, Arce LF, Macchiaroli N, Kamenetzky L. Ecological and molecular associations between neotropical wild felids and Taenia (Cestoda: Taeniidae) in the Atlantic Forest: a new report for Taenia omissa. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:2999-3012. [PMID: 37874392 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07989-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Ecological associations between wild felids and parasites from the Taeniidae family are related to predator-prey interactions, where felids act as definitive hosts while their prey, herbivores and/or omnivores, act as intermediate hosts. In the Atlantic Forest, six neotropical felid species coexist in sympatry, but the ecological parasite-host interactions remain poorly studied. Taenia omissa is a tapeworm that parasitizes cougars (Puma concolor) as its only definitive host and their ungulate prey as intermediate hosts. The aim of this study was to identify tapeworms present in road-killed fauna using both molecular and morphological characteristics and their predator-prey relationship. Adult tapeworms found in a cougar, a jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi), and two ocelots (Leopardus pardalis); and metacestodes found in a red brocket deer (Mazama americana) and a wild guinea pig (Cavia aperea) were analyzed. Through morphological analysis of rostellar hooks and molecular analysis of the mitochondrial genetic marker cox1, Taenia omissa adult individuals were identified in the cougar, and metacestodes in the red brocket deer, proving the existence of a full host-parasite life cycle in the Atlantic Forest region. This new report reveals the southernmost record of T. omissa and broadens its geographic distribution. In addition, isolates of the Taenia genus divergent from those described so far in molecular databases were reported and suggested a wild cycle that involves the jaguarundi and agouti (Dasyprocta asarae) as definitive and intermediate hosts, respectively. These results highlight the complexity of the tapeworm population in the region and the need to study it with both morphological and molecular approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Pablo Arrabal
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical (IBS), CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Misiones (UNaM), Garupá, Argentina
- Asociación Civil Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico (CeIBA), Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
| | - Lucas Federico Arce
- Laboratorio de Biofísica y Biología Celular de Proteínas Que Unen Lípidos, Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Profesor Doctor Rodolfo R. Brenner" (INIBIOLP), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Natalia Macchiaroli
- Laboratorio de Genómica y Bioinformática de Patógenos, Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional (iB3), Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Laura Kamenetzky
- Laboratorio de Genómica y Bioinformática de Patógenos, Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional (iB3), Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Fonti N, Parisi F, Mancianti F, Freer G, Poli A. Cancerogenic parasites in veterinary medicine: a narrative literature review. Infect Agent Cancer 2023; 18:45. [PMID: 37496079 PMCID: PMC10373346 DOI: 10.1186/s13027-023-00522-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasite infection is one of the many environmental factors that can significantly contribute to carcinogenesis and is already known to be associated with a variety of malignancies in both human and veterinary medicine. However, the actual number of cancerogenic parasites and their relationship to tumor development is far from being fully understood, especially in veterinary medicine. Thus, the aim of this review is to investigate parasite-related cancers in domestic and wild animals and their burden in veterinary oncology. Spontaneous neoplasia with ascertained or putative parasite etiology in domestic and wild animals will be reviewed, and the multifarious mechanisms of protozoan and metazoan cancer induction will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niccolò Fonti
- Dipartimento di Scienze veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Viale delle Piagge, 2, 56124, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Francesca Parisi
- Dipartimento di Scienze veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Viale delle Piagge, 2, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesca Mancianti
- Dipartimento di Scienze veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Viale delle Piagge, 2, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giulia Freer
- Dipartimento di Ricerca Traslazionale e delle Nuove Tecnologie in Medicina e Chirurgia, Università di Pisa, Via Savi, 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandro Poli
- Dipartimento di Scienze veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Viale delle Piagge, 2, 56124, Pisa, Italy
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Vettorazzi R, Norbis W, Martorelli SR, Garcia G, Rios N. First report of Spirometra (Eucestoda; Diphyllobothriidae) naturally occurring in a fish host. Folia Parasitol (Praha) 2023; 70. [PMID: 37114794 DOI: 10.14411/fp.2023.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Spirometra Faust, Campbell et Kellogg, 1929 is a genus of cestodes belonging to the family Diphyllobothriidae. To date, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals are known second intermediate hosts of these parasites; humans can also be infected (the zoonotic disease is known as sparganosis or spirometrosis). Although the number of phylogenetic studies on Spirometra spp. has increased worldwide in recent years, there are few in South America. Specifically in Uruguay, molecular studies have shown that tapeworms of S. decipiens (Diesing, 1850) complexes 1 and 2 are present in this country. In this study, we characterised the larvae of Spirometra present in the annual fish Austrolebias charrua Costa et Cheffe. Phylogenetic analysis of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences of these larvae showed that they belong to S. decipiens complex 1. This is the first report of teleost fishes serving as a second intermediate host for tapeworms of the genus Spirometra in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renzo Vettorazzi
- Laboratorio de Fisiologia de la Reproduccion y Ecologia de Peces, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la Republica, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Seccion Genetica Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la Republica, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Laboratorio de Biologia Parasitaria, Instituto de Higiene, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la Republica, Montevideo, Uruguay (present address)
| | - Walter Norbis
- Laboratorio de Fisiologia de la Reproduccion y Ecologia de Peces, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la Republica, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Sergio R Martorelli
- Centro de Estudios Parasitologicos y Vectores (CEPAVE-CONICET-CCT La Plata-UNLP), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Graciela Garcia
- Seccion Genetica Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la Republica, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Nestor Rios
- Seccion Genetica Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la Republica, Montevideo, Uruguay
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Xu FF, Chen WQ, Liu W, Liu SS, Wang YX, Chen J, Cui J, Zhang X. Genetic structure of Spirometra mansoni (Cestoda: Diphyllobothriidae) populations in China revealed by a Target SSR-seq method. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:485. [PMID: 36564786 PMCID: PMC9789593 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05568-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In China, the plerocercoid of the cestode Spirometra mansoni is the main causative agent of human and animal sparganosis. However, the population genetic structure of this parasite remains unclear. In this study, we genotyped S. mansoni isolates with the aim to improve current knowledge on the evolution and population diversity of this cestode. METHODS We first screened 34 perfect simple sequence repeats (SSRs) using all available omic data and then constructed target sequencing technology (Target SSR-seq) based on the Illumina NovaSeq platform. Next, a series of STRUCTURE. clustering, principal component, analysis of molecular variance and TreeMix analyses were performed on 362 worm samples isolated from 12 different hosts in 16 geographical populations of China to identify the genetic structure. RESULTS A total of 170 alleles were detected. The whole population could be organized and was found to be derived from the admixture of two ancestral clusters. TreeMix analysis hinted that possible gene flow occurred from Guizhou (GZ) to Sichuan (SC), SC to Jaingxi (JX), SC to Hubei (HB), GZ to Yunnan (YN) and GZ to Jiangsu (JS). Both neighbor-joining clustering and principal coordinate analysis showed that isolates from intermediate hosts tend to cluster together, while parasites from definitive hosts revealed greater genetic differences. Generally, a S. mansoni population was observed to harbor high genetic diversity, moderate genetic differentiation and a little genetic exchange among geographical populations. CONCLUSIONS A Target SSR-seq genotyping method was successfully developed, and an in-depth view of genetic diversity and genetic relationship will have important implications for the prevention and control of sparganosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Fang Xu
- grid.207374.50000 0001 2189 3846Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001 Henan China
| | - Wen Qing Chen
- grid.207374.50000 0001 2189 3846Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001 Henan China
| | - Wei Liu
- grid.257160.70000 0004 1761 0331Research Center for Parasites and Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan China
| | - Sha Sha Liu
- grid.207374.50000 0001 2189 3846Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001 Henan China
| | - Yi Xing Wang
- grid.207374.50000 0001 2189 3846Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001 Henan China
| | - Jing Chen
- grid.207374.50000 0001 2189 3846Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001 Henan China
| | - Jing Cui
- grid.207374.50000 0001 2189 3846Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001 Henan China
| | - Xi Zhang
- grid.207374.50000 0001 2189 3846Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001 Henan China
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Morales A, Laird-Pérez RM, Capó V, Iglesias E, Fonte L, Plascencia-Hernández A, Calderón EJ, Eom KS, de Armas Y, Pérez-Gómez HR. Genetic and Morphological Identification of Spirometra decipiens in Snakes and Domestic Dog Found in Cuba. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11121468. [PMID: 36558802 PMCID: PMC9780860 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11121468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Spirometra (Cestoda: Diphyllobothriidea) affects humans and some species of domestic and wild animals which eventually interact with humans. In this article, we report three new cases of Spirometra decipiens (Diesing, 1850) infection observed in two intermediate hosts and one definitive host, in Cuba. Genetic and morphological identification of S. decipiens in two snakes and a domestic dog were carried out by molecular means and routine histological study using hematoxylin-eosin staining, respectively. Taken together, the anatomical location, the host species infected with the specimens and their morphological and genetic features, all the samples were identified as S. decipiens. In each of the three cases, PCR assays using specific primers amplified bands that corresponded to S. decipiens species. To our knowledge, this paper is the first report of S. decipiens in species of Cuban endemic fauna and in the Caribbean islands. These species constitute a real or potential risk of transmission of Spirometra to humans in Cuba.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Morales
- Pathology Department, Hospital Center, Institute of Tropical Medicine “Pedro Kourí”, Havana 11400, Cuba
| | - Rebeca M. Laird-Pérez
- Teaching Department, Institute of Tropical Medicine “Pedro Kourí”, Havana 11400, Cuba
| | - Virginia Capó
- Pathology Department, Hospital Center, Institute of Tropical Medicine “Pedro Kourí”, Havana 11400, Cuba
| | - Enrique Iglesias
- Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología, Habana 11400, Cuba
| | - Luis Fonte
- Parasitology Department, Institute of Tropical Medicine “Pedro Kourí”, Havana 11400, Cuba
| | | | - Enrique J. Calderón
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Universidad de Sevilla, 41013 Seville, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Keeseon S. Eom
- Department of Parasitology and Medical Research Institute, School of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Chungbuk 361-763, Cheongju 28644, Republic of Korea
| | - Yaxsier de Armas
- Pathology Department, Hospital Center, Institute of Tropical Medicine “Pedro Kourí”, Havana 11400, Cuba
- Department of Clinical Microbiology Diagnosis, Hospital Center, Institute of Tropical Medicine “Pedro Kourí”, Havana 11400, Cuba
| | - Héctor R. Pérez-Gómez
- Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44100, Mexico
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +52-333-808-0396
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Uribe M, Payán E, Brabec J, Vélez J, Taubert A, Chaparro-Gutiérrez JJ, Hermosilla C. Intestinal Parasites of Neotropical Wild Jaguars, Pumas, Ocelots, and Jaguarundis in Colombia: Old Friends Brought Back from Oblivion and New Insights. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10070822. [PMID: 34209062 PMCID: PMC8308835 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10070822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Neotropical wild felids (NWF) are obligate carnivore species present in Central and South America, and some are considered endangered due to constantly decreasing populations. NWF can become infected by a wide range of protozoan and metazoan parasites, some of them affecting their health conditions and others having anthropozoonotic relevance. Parasitological studies on NWF are still very scarce, and most data originated from dead or captive animals. On this account, the current study aimed to characterize gastrointestinal parasites of free-ranging jaguars (Panthera onca), pumas (Puma concolor), ocelots (Leopardus pardalis), and jaguarundis (Herpailurus yagouaroundi), i.e., four out of six NWF species endemic to Colombia. Fecal samples from jaguars (n = 10) and ocelots (n = 4) were collected between 2012 and 2017 as part of the Jaguar Corridor Initiative from six geographic locations in Colombia. In addition, cestode specimens were obtained during puma and jaguarundi necropsies. Scat samples were processed by standardized sodium acetate-acetic acid-formalin (SAF), sedimentation, and flotation techniques and by carbol fuchsin-stained fecal smears. Morphological evaluation of feces showed the presence of one cestode (Spirometra sp.), a nematode (Toxocara cati), an acanthocephalan (Oncicola sp.), and one cyst-forming coccidian (Cystoisospora-like oocysts). Feces oocysts were submitted to a Toxoplasma gondii-specific PCR for species identification, but no product was amplified. The cestodes isolated from a puma and jaguarundi were molecularly characterized by sequencing cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, identifying them as Taenia omissa and as a T. omissa sister lineage, respectively. These results collectively demonstrate the potential role of NWF as natural reservoir hosts for neglected zoonotic parasites (e.g., Spirometra sp., T. cati) and highlight their possible role in parasite transmission to human communities. Due to public health concerns, the occurrence of these parasites should be monitored in the future for appropriate zoonotic management practices in conservation strategies and wild felid health management programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Uribe
- Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg (BFS), Institute of Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany; (M.U.); (J.V.); (A.T.)
- CIBAV Research Group, Veterinary Medicine School, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050034, Colombia;
| | | | - Jan Brabec
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Parasitology, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic;
| | - Juan Vélez
- Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg (BFS), Institute of Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany; (M.U.); (J.V.); (A.T.)
| | - Anja Taubert
- Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg (BFS), Institute of Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany; (M.U.); (J.V.); (A.T.)
| | | | - Carlos Hermosilla
- Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg (BFS), Institute of Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany; (M.U.); (J.V.); (A.T.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-64-1993-8457
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Kikuchi T, Dayi M, Hunt VL, Ishiwata K, Toyoda A, Kounosu A, Sun S, Maeda Y, Kondo Y, de Noya BA, Noya O, Kojima S, Kuramochi T, Maruyama H. Genome of the fatal tapeworm Sparganum proliferum uncovers mechanisms for cryptic life cycle and aberrant larval proliferation. Commun Biol 2021; 4:649. [PMID: 34059788 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02160-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The cryptic parasite Sparganum proliferum proliferates in humans and invades tissues and organs. Only scattered cases have been reported, but S. proliferum infection is always fatal. However, S. proliferum’s phylogeny and life cycle remain enigmatic. To investigate the phylogenetic relationships between S. proliferum and other cestode species, and to examine the mechanisms underlying pathogenicity, we sequenced the entire genomes of S. proliferum and a closely related non–life-threatening tapeworm Spirometra erinaceieuropaei. Additionally, we performed larvae transcriptome analyses of S. proliferum plerocercoid to identify genes involved in asexual reproduction in the host. The genome sequences confirmed that the S. proliferum has experienced a clearly distinct evolutionary history from S. erinaceieuropaei. Moreover, we found that nonordinal extracellular matrix coordination allows asexual reproduction in the host, and loss of sexual maturity in S. proliferum are responsible for its fatal pathogenicity to humans. Our high-quality reference genome sequences should be valuable for future studies of pseudophyllidean tapeworm biology and parasitism. Kikuchi et al. sequence the genome of the fatal tapeworm Sparganum proliferum and a closely related non–life-threatening tapeworm Spirometra erinaceieuropaei, and describe its genomic features suggesting the natural history and molecular mechanisms underlying pathogenicity. Their findings indicate that nonordinal extracellular matrix coordination is important for its asexual reproduction, and suggest that loss of sexual maturity contributes to the fatal pathogenicity of S. proliferum to humans.
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McHale B, Callahan RT, Paras KL, Weber M, Kimbrell L, Velázquez-Jiménez Y, McManamon R, Howerth EW, Verocai GG. Sparganosis due to Spirometra sp. (cestoda; Diphyllobothriidae) in captive meerkats ( Suricata suricatta). Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2020; 13:186-190. [PMID: 33134078 PMCID: PMC7591330 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2020.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We report three cases of sparganosis due to plerocercoids of the tapeworm Spirometra sp. in captive meerkats (Suricata suricatta) from a zoo exhibit in the southeastern United States. Two meerkats were euthanized, one due to an uncontrollable seizure and the other due to trauma, and at necropsy cysts containing cestode larvae were observed. A third meerkat had a subcutaneous nodule surgically removed, which contained similar larvae. The third animal died years later, and had numerous cestode larvae in the pleural and peritoneal cavities. The larvae were morphologically identified as plerocercoids of diphyllobothriidean cestodes. On necropsy, multiple nodules, ranging in size from 2.5 to 3.0 cm, were observed in the subcutaneous tissue and muscles. Multifocally, separating skeletal muscle fibers were longitudinal and transversal sections of cestode larva. Histologically, parasitic cysts contained large numbers of neutrophils and macrophages, admixed with proteinaceous material. Molecular and phylogenetic analyses confirmed that specimens from one of the meerkats belonged to the genus Spirometra and was closely related to Spirometra plerocercoids isolated from a snake from the United States and wild felids from South America. Meerkats likely became infected by ingesting infected second intermediate hosts, such as amphibians and reptiles that may have entered the exhibit. Management practices that minimize access of meerkats and other susceptible hosts to intermediate hosts should be implemented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany McHale
- Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia. 501 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602, USA.,Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia. 501 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - R Trey Callahan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia. 501 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Kelsey L Paras
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia. 501 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Martha Weber
- Riverbanks Zoo & Garden, 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, SC 29210, USA
| | - Lisa Kimbrell
- Riverbanks Zoo & Garden, 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, SC 29210, USA
| | - Yanet Velázquez-Jiménez
- Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia. 501 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602, USA.,Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Puebla. Calle 21 Sur 1103, Barrio Santiago, 72410, Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
| | - Rita McManamon
- Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia. 501 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Elizabeth W Howerth
- Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia. 501 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Guilherme G Verocai
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia. 501 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602, USA.,Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
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