Adela Valero - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Adela Valero

Animals, 2021

South American camelids are definitive hosts of Fasciola hepatica. However, their capacity to par... more South American camelids are definitive hosts of Fasciola hepatica. However, their capacity to participate in the transmission and epidemiology of fascioliasis has never been appropriately studied. Therefore, an F. hepatica isolate from Argentine llama is for the first time analyzed using Galba truncatula lymnaeids from Bolivia. Experimental follow-up studies included egg embryogenesis, miracidial infection of lymnaeid snails, intramolluscan larval development, cercarial production, chronobiology of cercarial shedding, vector survival to infection, and metacercarial infectivity of mammal host. Shorter prepatent and patent periods were leading to markedly lower cercarial production, shorter cercarial shedding, and a higher negative impact on snail survival. The usually low liver fluke prevalences and intensities and low daily fecal outputs indicate that llamas do not substantially contribute to fascioliasis transmission. The defecating behavior in dung piles far from freshwater collec...

Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2020

Parasitology Research, 2008

An epidemiological study was carried out on the anisakids in sardines (Sardina pilchardus) from t... more An epidemiological study was carried out on the anisakids in sardines (Sardina pilchardus) from the southern (Atlantic and Mediterranean) and eastern coasts of Spain. Length of fish was from 12.2-21.0 cm. The anisakids found were identified as the third larval stage (L3) of Hysterothylacium aduncum, with a total prevalence of 11.85%. Prevalence within the host was 9.64% in viscera and 4.69 % in muscle. The highest infection parameters were found in fish from the east coast (western Balearic Sea) with prevalence of 25.21%, mean intensity of 2.10, and mean abundance of 0.52. No worms of the genus Anisakis were found in the 359 sardines analyzed.

Geospat Health, May 1, 2014

Large areas of the province of Punjab, Pakistan are endemic for fascioliasis, resulting in high e... more Large areas of the province of Punjab, Pakistan are endemic for fascioliasis, resulting in high economic losses due to livestock infection but also affecting humans directly. The prevalence in livestock varies pronouncedly in space and time (1-70%). Climatic factors influencing fascioliasis presence and potential spread were analysed based on data from five meteorological stations during 1990-2010. Variables such as wet days (Mt), water-budget-based system (Wb-bs) indices and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), were obtained and correlated with geographical distribution, seasonality patterns and the two-decade evolution of fascioliasis in livestock throughout the province. The combined approach by these three indices proved to furnish a useful tool to analyse the complex epidemiology that includes (i) sheep-goats and cattlebuffaloes presenting different immunological responses to fasciolids; (ii) overlap of Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica; (iii) co-existence of hig...

Parasitology research, 2006

Two gadiform species with a successive bathymetric and an ecological and economical importance in... more Two gadiform species with a successive bathymetric and an ecological and economical importance in the Mediterranean fishing industry, Phycis blennoides and Phycis phycis, were selected for the present study. A total of 592 fresh specimens belonging to the Gadiformes genus were obtained from local commercial fisheries. The investigation was centred on anisakid parasites of 272 specimens of the greater forkbeard (P. blennoides) and 320 of the forkbeard (P. phycis) captured off the Mediterranean coasts of Tunisia (eastern Mediterranean Sea). Four species of nematodes were identified: Anisakis simplex s.1., Anisakis physeteris, Hysterothylacium aduncum and Hysterothylacium fabri. The total prevalence was 53.75% in the forkbeard and 51.47% in the greater forkbeard. The highest values of prevalence (38.75%, 2-14), mean intensity (6.74+/-3.4) and mean abundance (2.61) were all obtained for H. fabri L4 in the forkbeard. The most frequent parasite in the greater forkbeard was H. aduncum L3 with 32.35% (1-3) prevalence and values of 1.21+/-0.58 and 0.39 for mean intensity and mean abundance, respectively. The infestation parameters were also analysed according to the host length, and prevalence was highest in P. blennoides longer than 35 cm in respect of all anisakid species. Whilst in P. phycis, the highest prevalence, conditioned by H. fabri parasitisation, was found in fish with length reaching a maximum of more than 40 cm. When the data were grouped seasonally, clear patterns were observed for P. blennoides and P. phycis species, with prevalence and mean intensity of all the anisakid species peaking in spring and summer.

International journal of food microbiology, Jan 31, 2016

Our study determined parameters of parasitization of Anisakis simplex s.l. in Micromesistius pout... more Our study determined parameters of parasitization of Anisakis simplex s.l. in Micromesistius poutassou in a confluence zone of the Atlantic and Mediterranean, with a total prevalence of 82%. Also, in the three seasons analyzed, high prevalence's values were found, reaching 100% in spring; however mean intensity and abundance values were higher in winter. The use of molecular techniques to differentiate between Anisakis genotypes of the larvae characterized allowed obtaining values of 99.7% Anisakis simplex s.l. (50.1% A. simplex s.s., 42.9% A. pegreffii, 7.0% A. simplex s.s. - A.pegreffii hybrids) and 0.3% A. typica. The infections found in the fish were of both single and mixed species, in all the different possible combinations. The presence of A. simplex s.l. in the viscera varied according to genotype and season. Likewise, factors associated with the presence of the parasite in the ventral or dorsal musculature were different, where A. simplex s.s. proportion was double than...

Parasitology Research, Mar 1, 2003

The existence of sibling species is widespread among nematodes and the recognition of these has i... more The existence of sibling species is widespread among nematodes and the recognition of these has important epidemiological implications. In an attempt to establish whether this is the case for Hysterothylacium fabri, which is present in many Mediterranean fish species, we studied its genetic diversity and analysed its population structure. To do this, we used 266 fourth stage larvae of H. fabricollected from three different host species and used two different methods for characterising genetic variability: isoenzyme electrophoresis and RAPD. The four isoenzyme loci studied are polymorphic, with five or six alleles at each. Significant differences in the deviations from the Hardy-Weinberg law were detected, especially at the PGM locus. A total of 92.1% of the markers revealed by the RAPD technique were polymorphic, demonstrating a great diversity. The UPGMA dendrogram revealed the existence of four genetic groups. Values of Nei's genetic distance, gene flow and the existence of different fixed alleles, together with the deviations from the Hardy-Weinberg law detected in the isoenzyme study, suggest that H. fabri is a complex comprising at least three sibling species with little host specificity, at least in the case of the most abundant species.

Parasitology research, 2003

The existence of sibling species is widespread among nematodes and the recognition of these has i... more The existence of sibling species is widespread among nematodes and the recognition of these has important epidemiological implications. In an attempt to establish whether this is the case for Hysterothylacium fabri, which is present in many Mediterranean fish species, we studied its genetic diversity and analysed its population structure. To do this, we used 266 fourth stage larvae of H. fabricollected from three different host species and used two different methods for characterising genetic variability: isoenzyme electrophoresis and RAPD. The four isoenzyme loci studied are polymorphic, with five or six alleles at each. Significant differences in the deviations from the Hardy-Weinberg law were detected, especially at the PGM locus. A total of 92.1% of the markers revealed by the RAPD technique were polymorphic, demonstrating a great diversity. The UPGMA dendrogram revealed the existence of four genetic groups. Values of Nei's genetic distance, gene flow and the existence of di...

The Journal of Parasitology, 1997

Haemaphysalis sulcata (Acarina, Ixodidae) is a common ectoparasite of wild artiodactyls (mouflon ... more Haemaphysalis sulcata (Acarina, Ixodidae) is a common ectoparasite of wild artiodactyls (mouflon and wild goat) in Sierra Nevada (Granada, southern Spain). A study of the spermatogonial meiosis of 15 H. sulcata males was carried out. The diploid complement is 2n = 21 and its sex determination is XX:XO. The behavior of the chromosomes in the different stages of meiosis was also investigated, and the possible presence of a secondary nucleolar organizer region in H. sulcata is discussed.

Parasitol Res, 1997

A total of 163 Hysterothylacium aduncum specimens, obtained from two gadoids and one percid, were... more A total of 163 Hysterothylacium aduncum specimens, obtained from two gadoids and one percid, were studied by electrophoresis of the enzymes glucose phosphate isomerase and phosphoglucomutase. The two loci deviated significantly from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, both when considering all specimens and when distinguishing the hosts. This could suggest that there is no single species in either case.

Acta Parasitologica, 2015

Fascioliasis has recently been included in the WHO list of Neglected Zoonotic Diseases. Besides b... more Fascioliasis has recently been included in the WHO list of Neglected Zoonotic Diseases. Besides being a major veterinary health problem, fascioliasis has large underdeveloping effects on the human communities affected. Though scarcely considered in fascioliasis epidemiology, it is well recognized that both native and introduced wildlife species may play a significant role as reservoirs of the disease. The objectives are to study the morphological characteristics of Fasciola hepatica adults and eggs in a population of Lepus europaeus, to assess liver fluke prevalence, and to analyze the potential reservoir role of the European brown hare in northern Patagonia, Argentina, where fascioliasis is endemic. Measures of F. hepatica found in L. europaeus from northern Patagonia demonstrate that the liver fluke is able to fully develop in wild hares and to shed normal eggs through their faeces. Egg shedding to the environment is close to the lower limit obtained for pigs, a domestic animal whose epidemiological importance in endemic areas has already been highlighted. The former, combined with the high prevalence found (14.28%), suggest an even more important role in the transmission cycle than previously considered. The results obtained do not only remark the extraordinary plasticity and adaptability of this trematode species to different host species, but also highlight the role of the European brown hare, and other NIS, as reservoirs capable for parasite spillback to domestic and native cycle, representing a potentially important, but hitherto neglected, cause of disease emergence.

Advances in parasitology, 2009

Fascioliasis, caused by liver fluke species of the genus Fasciola, has always been well recognize... more Fascioliasis, caused by liver fluke species of the genus Fasciola, has always been well recognized because of its high veterinary impact but it has been among the most neglected diseases for decades with regard to human infection. However, the increasing importance of human fascioliasis worldwide has re-launched interest in fascioliasis. From the 1990s, many new concepts have been developed regarding human fascioliasis and these have furnished a new baseline for the human disease that is very different to a simple extrapolation from fascioliasis in livestock. Studies have shown that human fascioliasis presents marked heterogeneity, including different epidemiological situations and transmission patterns in different endemic areas. This heterogeneity, added to the present emergence/re-emergence of the disease both in humans and animals in many regions, confirms a worrying global scenario. The huge negative impact of fascioliasis on human communities demands rapid action. When analyzi...

The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 2006

Contamination by fasciolids takes place through ingestion of metacercariae attached to vegetables... more Contamination by fasciolids takes place through ingestion of metacercariae attached to vegetables. Experimental studies were performed with plant-made foods suggesting a role in human contamination in Iran and on the usefulness of potassium permanganate as a preventive tool for killing metacercariae attached to vegetables used in salads in Egypt. In the foods assayed, although viability decreases with time, a high percentage of the metacercariae were still alive 2 and 4 weeks after preparation. Infection of laboratory animals proved that metacercariae kept their infectivity. The 5-minute tests of potassium permanganate effects showed that metacercarial viability was not affected even at the very high doses of 300, 600, and 1,200 mg/L. Careful, subsequent washing of leaves and vegetables with water is therefore needed after its application. A review on similar studies performed with metacercariae belonging to fasciolid and other trematode species affecting humans is included.

Handbook of Clinical Neurology, 2013

Fascioliasis is a worldwide, zoonotic disease caused by the liver trematodes Fasciola hepatica an... more Fascioliasis is a worldwide, zoonotic disease caused by the liver trematodes Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica. Neurological fascioliasis has been widely reported in all continents, affecting both sexes and all ages. Two types of records related to two physiopathogenic mechanisms may be distinguished: cases in which the neurological symptoms are due to direct effects of a migrating juvenile present in the brain or neighboring organ and with cerebral lesions suggesting migration through the brain; and cases with neurological symptoms due to indirect immuno-allergic and toxic effects at distance from flukes in the liver. Neurological manifestations include minor symptoms, mainly cephalalgias, and major symptoms which are nonspecific, extremely diverse, varying from one patient to another and even within the same patient, and comprising meningeal manifestations and impressive neurological manifestations. The puzzling neurological polymorphism leads to confusion with cerebral tumors, multiple sclerosis, lesions of the brainstem, or cerebro-meningeal hemorrhages. Only blood eosinophilia and information on infection source guide toward correct diagnosis by appropriate coprological and/or serological techniques. Although neurological patients usually recover after fasciolicide treatment or surgical worm extraction, sequelae, which are sometimes important, remain in several patients. The need to include possible neurological complications within the general frame of fascioliasis becomes evident.

The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 2009

In this study, we evaluate the MM3-COPRO method for detection of Fasciola coproantigens in human ... more In this study, we evaluate the MM3-COPRO method for detection of Fasciola coproantigens in human fecal samples, and the usefulness of a new preservative/diluent, CoproGuard, developed for preservation of Fasciola coproantigens. The MM3-COPRO assay was evaluated with 213 samples from healthy patients, 30 Fasciola positive fecal samples (according to the Kato-Katz method), and 83 samples from patients with other parasitic infections. All Fasciola positive specimens were detected with the MM3-COPRO assay (100% sensitivity) and there was no cross-reactivity with other common parasites present in the clinical specimens analyzed (100% specificity). The use of CoproGuard enhanced coproantigen extraction without affecting the detection limit of the assay, and the antigenicity of Fasciola coproantigens in fecal samples stored at 37 degrees C was retained throughout the entire observation period (120 days). We concluded that the MM3-COPRO ELISA combined with the use of CoproGuard may be a ver...

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 2014

Tropical Medicine & International Health, 2014

Therapy against anisakiasis requires invasive techniques to extract L3 , and an effective drug ag... more Therapy against anisakiasis requires invasive techniques to extract L3 , and an effective drug against this nematode is needed. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of peppermint essential oil (EO) and its main components against the parasite in comparison to albendazole, a drug currently prescribed to treat anisakiasis. We conducted in vitro experiments and studied an experimental model simulating the human infection in Wistar rats. We used polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism to identify A. simplex s.s. and A. pegreffii and determine any differences in their pathogenicity and susceptibility to the treatments. The in vitro and in vivo experiments both showed that the larvicidal activity of peppermint EO, menthol, menthone and menthyl acetate is higher than that of albendazole. Large stomach lesions were observed in 46.7% of the albendazole-treated rats, whereas no gastrointestinal lesions were detected in those treated with peppermint EO, menthol, menthyl acetate or menthone. In this animal model, treatment with peppermint EO or its main components was more effective than was treatment with albendazole. Lesions were more frequently produced by A. simplex s.s. larvae than by A. pegreffii larvae.

Veterinary Parasitology, 2009

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2012

Background: The Bolivian northern Altiplano is characterized by a high prevalence of Fasciola hep... more Background: The Bolivian northern Altiplano is characterized by a high prevalence of Fasciola hepatica infection. In order to assess the feasibility, safety and efficacy of large-scale administration of triclabendazole as an appropriate public health measure to control morbidity associated with fascioliasis, a pilot intervention was implemented in 2008.

Phytomedicine, 2012

The increase in diagnosed cases of anisakiasis and the virtual absence of effective treatments ha... more The increase in diagnosed cases of anisakiasis and the virtual absence of effective treatments have prompted the search for new active compounds against Anisakis L 3 larvae. The biocidal efficacy against different pathogens shown by various essential oils (EO) led us to study the Matricaria chamomilla EO and two of its main components (chamazulene and ␣-bisabolol) against the L 3 larvae of Anisakis type I. The activity of M. chamomilla EO, chamazulene and ␣-bisabolol was established by in vitro and in vivo experiments. The EO (125 g/ml) caused the death of all nematodes, which showed cuticle changes and intestinal wall rupture. In the in vivo assays, only 2.2% ± 1.8 of infected rats treated with M. chamomilla EO showed gastric wall lesions in comparison to 93.3% ± 3.9 of control. Chamazulene was ineffective, while ␣-bisabolol showed a high activity to that of the EO in vitro tests but proved less active in vivo. These findings suggest that the larvicidal activity may result from the synergistic action of different compounds of M. chamomilla EO. Neither of the tested products induces irritative damage in the intestinal tissues.

Animals, 2021

South American camelids are definitive hosts of Fasciola hepatica. However, their capacity to par... more South American camelids are definitive hosts of Fasciola hepatica. However, their capacity to participate in the transmission and epidemiology of fascioliasis has never been appropriately studied. Therefore, an F. hepatica isolate from Argentine llama is for the first time analyzed using Galba truncatula lymnaeids from Bolivia. Experimental follow-up studies included egg embryogenesis, miracidial infection of lymnaeid snails, intramolluscan larval development, cercarial production, chronobiology of cercarial shedding, vector survival to infection, and metacercarial infectivity of mammal host. Shorter prepatent and patent periods were leading to markedly lower cercarial production, shorter cercarial shedding, and a higher negative impact on snail survival. The usually low liver fluke prevalences and intensities and low daily fecal outputs indicate that llamas do not substantially contribute to fascioliasis transmission. The defecating behavior in dung piles far from freshwater collec...

Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2020

Parasitology Research, 2008

An epidemiological study was carried out on the anisakids in sardines (Sardina pilchardus) from t... more An epidemiological study was carried out on the anisakids in sardines (Sardina pilchardus) from the southern (Atlantic and Mediterranean) and eastern coasts of Spain. Length of fish was from 12.2-21.0 cm. The anisakids found were identified as the third larval stage (L3) of Hysterothylacium aduncum, with a total prevalence of 11.85%. Prevalence within the host was 9.64% in viscera and 4.69 % in muscle. The highest infection parameters were found in fish from the east coast (western Balearic Sea) with prevalence of 25.21%, mean intensity of 2.10, and mean abundance of 0.52. No worms of the genus Anisakis were found in the 359 sardines analyzed.

Geospat Health, May 1, 2014

Large areas of the province of Punjab, Pakistan are endemic for fascioliasis, resulting in high e... more Large areas of the province of Punjab, Pakistan are endemic for fascioliasis, resulting in high economic losses due to livestock infection but also affecting humans directly. The prevalence in livestock varies pronouncedly in space and time (1-70%). Climatic factors influencing fascioliasis presence and potential spread were analysed based on data from five meteorological stations during 1990-2010. Variables such as wet days (Mt), water-budget-based system (Wb-bs) indices and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), were obtained and correlated with geographical distribution, seasonality patterns and the two-decade evolution of fascioliasis in livestock throughout the province. The combined approach by these three indices proved to furnish a useful tool to analyse the complex epidemiology that includes (i) sheep-goats and cattlebuffaloes presenting different immunological responses to fasciolids; (ii) overlap of Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica; (iii) co-existence of hig...

Parasitology research, 2006

Two gadiform species with a successive bathymetric and an ecological and economical importance in... more Two gadiform species with a successive bathymetric and an ecological and economical importance in the Mediterranean fishing industry, Phycis blennoides and Phycis phycis, were selected for the present study. A total of 592 fresh specimens belonging to the Gadiformes genus were obtained from local commercial fisheries. The investigation was centred on anisakid parasites of 272 specimens of the greater forkbeard (P. blennoides) and 320 of the forkbeard (P. phycis) captured off the Mediterranean coasts of Tunisia (eastern Mediterranean Sea). Four species of nematodes were identified: Anisakis simplex s.1., Anisakis physeteris, Hysterothylacium aduncum and Hysterothylacium fabri. The total prevalence was 53.75% in the forkbeard and 51.47% in the greater forkbeard. The highest values of prevalence (38.75%, 2-14), mean intensity (6.74+/-3.4) and mean abundance (2.61) were all obtained for H. fabri L4 in the forkbeard. The most frequent parasite in the greater forkbeard was H. aduncum L3 with 32.35% (1-3) prevalence and values of 1.21+/-0.58 and 0.39 for mean intensity and mean abundance, respectively. The infestation parameters were also analysed according to the host length, and prevalence was highest in P. blennoides longer than 35 cm in respect of all anisakid species. Whilst in P. phycis, the highest prevalence, conditioned by H. fabri parasitisation, was found in fish with length reaching a maximum of more than 40 cm. When the data were grouped seasonally, clear patterns were observed for P. blennoides and P. phycis species, with prevalence and mean intensity of all the anisakid species peaking in spring and summer.

International journal of food microbiology, Jan 31, 2016

Our study determined parameters of parasitization of Anisakis simplex s.l. in Micromesistius pout... more Our study determined parameters of parasitization of Anisakis simplex s.l. in Micromesistius poutassou in a confluence zone of the Atlantic and Mediterranean, with a total prevalence of 82%. Also, in the three seasons analyzed, high prevalence's values were found, reaching 100% in spring; however mean intensity and abundance values were higher in winter. The use of molecular techniques to differentiate between Anisakis genotypes of the larvae characterized allowed obtaining values of 99.7% Anisakis simplex s.l. (50.1% A. simplex s.s., 42.9% A. pegreffii, 7.0% A. simplex s.s. - A.pegreffii hybrids) and 0.3% A. typica. The infections found in the fish were of both single and mixed species, in all the different possible combinations. The presence of A. simplex s.l. in the viscera varied according to genotype and season. Likewise, factors associated with the presence of the parasite in the ventral or dorsal musculature were different, where A. simplex s.s. proportion was double than...

Parasitology Research, Mar 1, 2003

The existence of sibling species is widespread among nematodes and the recognition of these has i... more The existence of sibling species is widespread among nematodes and the recognition of these has important epidemiological implications. In an attempt to establish whether this is the case for Hysterothylacium fabri, which is present in many Mediterranean fish species, we studied its genetic diversity and analysed its population structure. To do this, we used 266 fourth stage larvae of H. fabricollected from three different host species and used two different methods for characterising genetic variability: isoenzyme electrophoresis and RAPD. The four isoenzyme loci studied are polymorphic, with five or six alleles at each. Significant differences in the deviations from the Hardy-Weinberg law were detected, especially at the PGM locus. A total of 92.1% of the markers revealed by the RAPD technique were polymorphic, demonstrating a great diversity. The UPGMA dendrogram revealed the existence of four genetic groups. Values of Nei's genetic distance, gene flow and the existence of different fixed alleles, together with the deviations from the Hardy-Weinberg law detected in the isoenzyme study, suggest that H. fabri is a complex comprising at least three sibling species with little host specificity, at least in the case of the most abundant species.

Parasitology research, 2003

The existence of sibling species is widespread among nematodes and the recognition of these has i... more The existence of sibling species is widespread among nematodes and the recognition of these has important epidemiological implications. In an attempt to establish whether this is the case for Hysterothylacium fabri, which is present in many Mediterranean fish species, we studied its genetic diversity and analysed its population structure. To do this, we used 266 fourth stage larvae of H. fabricollected from three different host species and used two different methods for characterising genetic variability: isoenzyme electrophoresis and RAPD. The four isoenzyme loci studied are polymorphic, with five or six alleles at each. Significant differences in the deviations from the Hardy-Weinberg law were detected, especially at the PGM locus. A total of 92.1% of the markers revealed by the RAPD technique were polymorphic, demonstrating a great diversity. The UPGMA dendrogram revealed the existence of four genetic groups. Values of Nei's genetic distance, gene flow and the existence of di...

The Journal of Parasitology, 1997

Haemaphysalis sulcata (Acarina, Ixodidae) is a common ectoparasite of wild artiodactyls (mouflon ... more Haemaphysalis sulcata (Acarina, Ixodidae) is a common ectoparasite of wild artiodactyls (mouflon and wild goat) in Sierra Nevada (Granada, southern Spain). A study of the spermatogonial meiosis of 15 H. sulcata males was carried out. The diploid complement is 2n = 21 and its sex determination is XX:XO. The behavior of the chromosomes in the different stages of meiosis was also investigated, and the possible presence of a secondary nucleolar organizer region in H. sulcata is discussed.

Parasitol Res, 1997

A total of 163 Hysterothylacium aduncum specimens, obtained from two gadoids and one percid, were... more A total of 163 Hysterothylacium aduncum specimens, obtained from two gadoids and one percid, were studied by electrophoresis of the enzymes glucose phosphate isomerase and phosphoglucomutase. The two loci deviated significantly from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, both when considering all specimens and when distinguishing the hosts. This could suggest that there is no single species in either case.

Acta Parasitologica, 2015

Fascioliasis has recently been included in the WHO list of Neglected Zoonotic Diseases. Besides b... more Fascioliasis has recently been included in the WHO list of Neglected Zoonotic Diseases. Besides being a major veterinary health problem, fascioliasis has large underdeveloping effects on the human communities affected. Though scarcely considered in fascioliasis epidemiology, it is well recognized that both native and introduced wildlife species may play a significant role as reservoirs of the disease. The objectives are to study the morphological characteristics of Fasciola hepatica adults and eggs in a population of Lepus europaeus, to assess liver fluke prevalence, and to analyze the potential reservoir role of the European brown hare in northern Patagonia, Argentina, where fascioliasis is endemic. Measures of F. hepatica found in L. europaeus from northern Patagonia demonstrate that the liver fluke is able to fully develop in wild hares and to shed normal eggs through their faeces. Egg shedding to the environment is close to the lower limit obtained for pigs, a domestic animal whose epidemiological importance in endemic areas has already been highlighted. The former, combined with the high prevalence found (14.28%), suggest an even more important role in the transmission cycle than previously considered. The results obtained do not only remark the extraordinary plasticity and adaptability of this trematode species to different host species, but also highlight the role of the European brown hare, and other NIS, as reservoirs capable for parasite spillback to domestic and native cycle, representing a potentially important, but hitherto neglected, cause of disease emergence.

Advances in parasitology, 2009

Fascioliasis, caused by liver fluke species of the genus Fasciola, has always been well recognize... more Fascioliasis, caused by liver fluke species of the genus Fasciola, has always been well recognized because of its high veterinary impact but it has been among the most neglected diseases for decades with regard to human infection. However, the increasing importance of human fascioliasis worldwide has re-launched interest in fascioliasis. From the 1990s, many new concepts have been developed regarding human fascioliasis and these have furnished a new baseline for the human disease that is very different to a simple extrapolation from fascioliasis in livestock. Studies have shown that human fascioliasis presents marked heterogeneity, including different epidemiological situations and transmission patterns in different endemic areas. This heterogeneity, added to the present emergence/re-emergence of the disease both in humans and animals in many regions, confirms a worrying global scenario. The huge negative impact of fascioliasis on human communities demands rapid action. When analyzi...

The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 2006

Contamination by fasciolids takes place through ingestion of metacercariae attached to vegetables... more Contamination by fasciolids takes place through ingestion of metacercariae attached to vegetables. Experimental studies were performed with plant-made foods suggesting a role in human contamination in Iran and on the usefulness of potassium permanganate as a preventive tool for killing metacercariae attached to vegetables used in salads in Egypt. In the foods assayed, although viability decreases with time, a high percentage of the metacercariae were still alive 2 and 4 weeks after preparation. Infection of laboratory animals proved that metacercariae kept their infectivity. The 5-minute tests of potassium permanganate effects showed that metacercarial viability was not affected even at the very high doses of 300, 600, and 1,200 mg/L. Careful, subsequent washing of leaves and vegetables with water is therefore needed after its application. A review on similar studies performed with metacercariae belonging to fasciolid and other trematode species affecting humans is included.

Handbook of Clinical Neurology, 2013

Fascioliasis is a worldwide, zoonotic disease caused by the liver trematodes Fasciola hepatica an... more Fascioliasis is a worldwide, zoonotic disease caused by the liver trematodes Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica. Neurological fascioliasis has been widely reported in all continents, affecting both sexes and all ages. Two types of records related to two physiopathogenic mechanisms may be distinguished: cases in which the neurological symptoms are due to direct effects of a migrating juvenile present in the brain or neighboring organ and with cerebral lesions suggesting migration through the brain; and cases with neurological symptoms due to indirect immuno-allergic and toxic effects at distance from flukes in the liver. Neurological manifestations include minor symptoms, mainly cephalalgias, and major symptoms which are nonspecific, extremely diverse, varying from one patient to another and even within the same patient, and comprising meningeal manifestations and impressive neurological manifestations. The puzzling neurological polymorphism leads to confusion with cerebral tumors, multiple sclerosis, lesions of the brainstem, or cerebro-meningeal hemorrhages. Only blood eosinophilia and information on infection source guide toward correct diagnosis by appropriate coprological and/or serological techniques. Although neurological patients usually recover after fasciolicide treatment or surgical worm extraction, sequelae, which are sometimes important, remain in several patients. The need to include possible neurological complications within the general frame of fascioliasis becomes evident.

The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 2009

In this study, we evaluate the MM3-COPRO method for detection of Fasciola coproantigens in human ... more In this study, we evaluate the MM3-COPRO method for detection of Fasciola coproantigens in human fecal samples, and the usefulness of a new preservative/diluent, CoproGuard, developed for preservation of Fasciola coproantigens. The MM3-COPRO assay was evaluated with 213 samples from healthy patients, 30 Fasciola positive fecal samples (according to the Kato-Katz method), and 83 samples from patients with other parasitic infections. All Fasciola positive specimens were detected with the MM3-COPRO assay (100% sensitivity) and there was no cross-reactivity with other common parasites present in the clinical specimens analyzed (100% specificity). The use of CoproGuard enhanced coproantigen extraction without affecting the detection limit of the assay, and the antigenicity of Fasciola coproantigens in fecal samples stored at 37 degrees C was retained throughout the entire observation period (120 days). We concluded that the MM3-COPRO ELISA combined with the use of CoproGuard may be a ver...

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 2014

Tropical Medicine & International Health, 2014

Therapy against anisakiasis requires invasive techniques to extract L3 , and an effective drug ag... more Therapy against anisakiasis requires invasive techniques to extract L3 , and an effective drug against this nematode is needed. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of peppermint essential oil (EO) and its main components against the parasite in comparison to albendazole, a drug currently prescribed to treat anisakiasis. We conducted in vitro experiments and studied an experimental model simulating the human infection in Wistar rats. We used polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism to identify A. simplex s.s. and A. pegreffii and determine any differences in their pathogenicity and susceptibility to the treatments. The in vitro and in vivo experiments both showed that the larvicidal activity of peppermint EO, menthol, menthone and menthyl acetate is higher than that of albendazole. Large stomach lesions were observed in 46.7% of the albendazole-treated rats, whereas no gastrointestinal lesions were detected in those treated with peppermint EO, menthol, menthyl acetate or menthone. In this animal model, treatment with peppermint EO or its main components was more effective than was treatment with albendazole. Lesions were more frequently produced by A. simplex s.s. larvae than by A. pegreffii larvae.

Veterinary Parasitology, 2009

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2012

Background: The Bolivian northern Altiplano is characterized by a high prevalence of Fasciola hep... more Background: The Bolivian northern Altiplano is characterized by a high prevalence of Fasciola hepatica infection. In order to assess the feasibility, safety and efficacy of large-scale administration of triclabendazole as an appropriate public health measure to control morbidity associated with fascioliasis, a pilot intervention was implemented in 2008.

Phytomedicine, 2012

The increase in diagnosed cases of anisakiasis and the virtual absence of effective treatments ha... more The increase in diagnosed cases of anisakiasis and the virtual absence of effective treatments have prompted the search for new active compounds against Anisakis L 3 larvae. The biocidal efficacy against different pathogens shown by various essential oils (EO) led us to study the Matricaria chamomilla EO and two of its main components (chamazulene and ␣-bisabolol) against the L 3 larvae of Anisakis type I. The activity of M. chamomilla EO, chamazulene and ␣-bisabolol was established by in vitro and in vivo experiments. The EO (125 g/ml) caused the death of all nematodes, which showed cuticle changes and intestinal wall rupture. In the in vivo assays, only 2.2% ± 1.8 of infected rats treated with M. chamomilla EO showed gastric wall lesions in comparison to 93.3% ± 3.9 of control. Chamazulene was ineffective, while ␣-bisabolol showed a high activity to that of the EO in vitro tests but proved less active in vivo. These findings suggest that the larvicidal activity may result from the synergistic action of different compounds of M. chamomilla EO. Neither of the tested products induces irritative damage in the intestinal tissues.

"In memoriam" al Profesor Doctor D. Francisco de Paula Martínez Gómez, 1992

Ruiz-Valero, J., Valero, A., Adroher, F.J., Ortega, J.E., 1992. Presencia de ascáridos en peces c... more Ruiz-Valero, J., Valero, A., Adroher, F.J., Ortega, J.E., 1992. Presencia de ascáridos en peces comerciales de frecuente consumo en Granada, in: Hernández-Rodríguez, S. (Ed.), “In Memoriam” Al Profesor Doctor D. F. de P. Martínez Gómez. Universidad de Córdoba, Servicio de Publicaciones, Córdoba, Spain, pp. 335–349.
Summary. An epidemiological study has been undertaken of ascarids in 914 fishes for human consumption for the inhabitants of Granada. Anisakis simplex (67.9%), Anisakis sp. (2.3%) and Hysterothylacium aduncum (22.4%) have been detected in the host Micromesistius poutassou. Anisakis simplex (27.2%) , Anisakis physeteris (0.3%), Hysterothylacium aduncum (36.7%) and Hysterothylacium sp (1.3%) have been detected in the host Trachurus trachurus. Anisakis simplex (0.9%), Hysterothylacium aduncum (3.5%) Hysterothylacium sp (0.3%) have been found in the Sardina pilchardus. A. simplex have been found in the muscle of 29.1% Micromesistius poutassou, only in 1.0% of Trachurus trachurus and only in 0.3 % of Micromesistius poutassou.
Resumen. Se ha llevado a cabo una encuesta epidemiológica sobre los ascáridos de 914 peces destinados al consumo de la población de Granada. En el hospedador Micromesistius poutassou (bacaladilla) se ha encontrado un índice de parasitación de 67,9% para Anisakis simplex, 2,3 % Anisakis sp. y 22,4% para Hysterothylacium aduncum. En el hospedador Trachurus trachurus (jurel) se ha hallado un índice de
parasitación de 27,2% para Anisakis simplex, 0,3% para Anisakis physeteris, el 36,7% para Hysterothylacium aduncum y el 1,3% Hysterothylacium sp. En el hospedador Sardina pilchardus (sardina) el índice de parasitación observado ha sido de 0,9% para Anisakis simplex, 3,5% para Hysterothylacium aduncum y 0,3% para Hysterothylacium sp. La localización de parásitos en la musculatura de los peces es: A. simplex en un 29,1% de las bacaladillas y 1,0% en jureles. Anisakis sp. 0,3% en bacaladillas.

Primer Congreso Virtual sobre Farmacia (ICVF)/First Virtual Congress about Pharmacy (IVCP), 1998

Cita: Iglesias, L.; Gómez del Prado, M.C.; Adroher, F.J.; Valero, A. (1998). Floridosentis elonga... more Cita: Iglesias, L.; Gómez del Prado, M.C.; Adroher, F.J.; Valero, A. (1998). Floridosentis elongatus y Contracaecum sp., parásitos de Mugil cephalus en Baja California Sur, México. First Virtual Congress about Pharmacy (IVCP). Granada, Spain, free contribution 068.
Resumen: La lisa rayada (Mugil cephalus) se consume con frecuencia entre la población mexicana debido a su bajo costo y a la abundancia con la que se encuentra en las costas de este país. En este trabajo se ha realizado un estudio parasitológico sobre este pescado procedente de las costas de Baja California Sur (México) y se han encontrado dos tipos de parásitos: nematodos que correspondieron a L3 de Contracaecum sp., y acantocéfalos que correspondieron a estadios juveniles y adultos de Floridosentis elongatus (=F. mugilis). Los nematodos se encontraron parasitando al 100% de las lisas en localizaciones diversas como hígado, gónadas, mesenterios intestinales, musculatura y riñón, siendo este último el más afectado. Los acantocéfalos se encontraron siempre en el lumen intestinal causando daños al hospedador como oclusiones y perforaciones intestinales. El porcentaje de parasitación varió según la talla y sexo del hospedador en ambos parásitos. En diversos trabajos se ha implicado a las larvas de Contracaecum spp. como causa de anisakidosis humana (1)(2). Esta circunstancia y el hecho de que la población mexicana consume la lisa ahumada y en forma de cebiche (pescado crudo con limón), justifican este estudio. También se ha ensayado la supervivencia de las L3 de Contracaecum sp. en diversas condiciones de mantenimiento, pudiendo destacar la supervivencia de hasta 3 días a 15ºC en zumo de limón.