Parasites Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Alfalfa hay crop was grown at TADCO, mainly for dairy farms companies in Saudi Arabia on contract basis. This crop and due to the application of broad-spectrum contact insecticides lead to aphids' outbreak during spring and autumn and... more

Alfalfa hay crop was grown at TADCO, mainly for dairy farms companies in Saudi Arabia on contract basis. This crop and due to the application of broad-spectrum contact insecticides lead to aphids' outbreak during spring and autumn and worms' outbreak during the summer month of each year leading to loss of hay quality and yield quantity. An Integrated Pest Management program was applied at TADCO in the period 2000 to 2010, and it succeeded to regulate the aphids and worms' insects' numbers on the alfalfa crop which resulted in a smaller number of sprays per season and lowered the cost of pest control over the years. This success was due to using selective insecticides which has little impact on the predators and parasites insects and allowed the company to produce high quality hay desired by the dairy farm companies and reduced the cost of production. Alfalfa was an ideal crop for applying integrated pest management program (IPM) as it is a perennial crop grown at each pivot for an average of two years, and this allowed the beneficial insects to stay on it and survive between the seasons feeding on insect pests.

Dog parks represent a recent trend in western countries, enabling owners to spend quality time with their pets in a controlled environment. Despite their growing popularity, few studies have been performed to date on these parks to... more

Dog parks represent a recent trend in western countries, enabling owners to spend quality time with their pets in a controlled environment. Despite their growing popularity, few studies have been performed to date on these parks to investigate dog intestinal parasitic infections and soil contamination. The present study examined 369 faecal and 18 soil samples collected from 3 dog parks in Greater Lisbon, Portugal. Additionally, 102 interviews were performed with dog owners to assess dog-walking behaviours and parasite risk. In total, 33% of the faecal dog samples were infected with at least one parasitic agent: hookworms (16.5%), Cryptosporidium spp. (11.9%), Giardia spp. (11.4%), Toxascaris leonina (1.1%), Cystoisospora spp. (1.1%), Toxocara spp. (0.5%), and Sarcocystis sp. (0.3%). The soil of all the parks was contaminated with hookworm eggs. This is the first study performed in a European urban area to assess canine faecal contamination and parasitic agents in dog parks. Our resu...

Butterflies, bees, parasites

In the present study, a tetraphylleadean larval cestode Scolex pleuronectis Müller, 1788 was determined in the intestine of shore rockling Gaidropsarus mediterraneus, Atlantic horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus, blotched picarel Spicara... more

In the present study, a tetraphylleadean larval cestode Scolex pleuronectis Müller, 1788 was determined in the intestine of shore rockling Gaidropsarus mediterraneus, Atlantic horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus, blotched picarel Spicara flexuosa, grass goby Zosterissesor ophiocephalus and round goby Neogobius melanostomus. Fish were collected by commercial fishermen in Sinop coasts of the Black Sea in April and May 2014. Infection prevalence and mean intensity values were determined as 12.5% and 2.00 ± 0.0 in shore rockling; 4.76% and 1.00 ± 0.0 in Atlantic horse mackerel; 20.0% and 6.80 ± 3.20 in botched picarel; 20.00% and 4.00 ± 0.0 in grass goby and, 1.44% and 55.00 ± 0.0 in round goby. Our results showed that this parasite species can be found widely at its larval stage in many bony fish species in the Black Sea.

This study was conducted to evaluate effectiveness of an integrated management intervention in the control of endo- and ectoparasites of pigs kept by smallholder farmers in Mbeya Rural and Mbozi districts of southern highlands of... more

This study was conducted to evaluate effectiveness of an integrated management intervention in the control of endo- and ectoparasites of pigs kept by smallholder farmers in Mbeya Rural and Mbozi districts of southern highlands of Tanzania. A repeated cross-sectional group randomization design was employed, with 10 villages in the intervention group and six villages in the control group. The intervention consisted of improving pig confinement, feeds and feeding practices, and strategic anthelmintic treatment of pigs with oxfendazole, to primarily control Taenia solium (porcine) cysticercosis and nematodes; and with ivermectin to control ectoparasites and nematodes. Blood and faecal samples, ectoparasite specimens and skin scrapings were collected at baseline and two follow-up rounds, at an interval of seven months. A total of 482, 460 and 421 pigs were sampled in 221, 196 and 139 households at baseline, first and second follow-up visits respectively. Sero-prevalence of PC, prevalence and burden of gastrointestinal (GI) nematodes and prevalence of ectoparasites were determined using Ag-ELISA, McMaster faecal egg counting technique and body searches/skin scrapings, respectively. Mann Whitney test was used to measure intervention effect by comparing changes from baseline values of prevalence and faecal egg counts between the two groups. No significant difference (p > 0.05) was observed between the two groups, in changes from baseline of sero-prevalence of PC. The intervention significantly reduced prevalence of Trichuris suis (p = 0.044) and mean faecal egg counts of Ascaris suum (p = 0.02) from baseline to first follow-up. The intervention showed a substantial effect on the prevalence of ectoparasites as it significantly reduced overall prevalence of ectoparasites (p = 0.026), lice (p = 0.045), ticks (p = 0.049) and mites (p = 0.013) from baseline to first follow-up, and prevalence of ectoparasites, lice and mites from baseline to second follow-up (p = 0.052, p = 0.03, p = 0.017 respectively). This study has demonstrated a moderate effect of the intervention on controlling GI nematodes and ectoparasites, but no effect on sero-prevalence of PC. The reported ineffectiveness of the intervention against PC is probably an underestimation because serology is not able to provide quantitative data. It may also be a result of reduced compliance as this was a field study. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to better understand transmission dynamics of PC and explore One Health approaches including treatment of the human population against taeniosis to better secure public health.

Parasitic diseases are prevalent in developing countries, especially among poor communities in the tropics. In Côte d'Ivoire, previous studies have recorded high prevalence for intestinal parasite infestations. This paper focuses on... more

Parasitic diseases are prevalent in developing countries, especially among poor communities in the tropics. In Côte d'Ivoire, previous studies have recorded high prevalence for intestinal parasite infestations. This paper focuses on investigating the presence of gastro-intestinal parasites in rural populations from 3 villages located near the Tai National Park (TNP) and among researchers and research assistants working in TNP. Screening of 586 stool samples by Ritchie method and Merthiolate-Iodine-Formaldehyde concentration technique has revealed the presence of 21 parasites including 12 helminths and 9 protozoa. The overall parasite prevalence was high (69.1%). We found the highest and lowest prevalence in Gouléako 1 (81.43%) and Paule Oula (64.58%) villages respectively. The age group [7-14] has been more infested with a peak of infestations during rainy season. Polyparasitism is very marked with 89% of individuals harboring at least two species of parasites. The intestinal parasites inventory, detected in rural populations living near the PNT, allowed us to add six species to the list of parasites identified in the human population of Côte d'Ivoire. These are Oesophagostomum sp., Capillariidae Gen. sp., 2 Dicrocoelium sp., Trichostrongylus sp., Strongyloides fuelleborni and Balantidium coli.

HAL is a multidisciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or... more

HAL is a multidisciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L'archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d'enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés.

Our understanding of human evolutionary and population history can be advanced by ecological and evolutionary studies of our parasites. Many parasites flourish only in the presence of very specific human behaviors and in specific... more

Our understanding of human evolutionary and population history can be advanced by ecological and evolutionary studies of our parasites. Many parasites flourish only in the presence of very specific human behaviors and in specific habitats, are wholly dependent on us, and have evolved with us for thousands or millions of years. Therefore, by asking when and how we first acquired those parasites, under which environmental and cultural conditions we are the most susceptible, and how the parasites have evolved and adapted to us and we in response to them, we can gain considerable insight into our own evolutionary history. As examples, the tapeworm life cycle is dependent on our consumption of meat, the divergence of body and head lice may have been subsequent to the development of clothing, and malaria hyperendemicity may be associated with agriculture. Thus, the evolutionary and population histories of these parasites are likely intertwined with critical aspects of human biology and cu...

Trypanosma gambiense is a flagellated protozoan causing a disease African sleeping sickness of trypanosomiasis. The parasite requires a vector for transmission to human and the vector is a insect i.e., Tse-tse fly (Glossina palpalis).

Microscopic examination of stool specimens is the cornerstone of detection of intestinal parasites in parasitology laboratories. In Europe, fresh, nonpreserved stool specimens are generally used for examination. Because intestinal... more

Microscopic examination of stool specimens is the cornerstone of detection of intestinal parasites in parasitology laboratories. In Europe, fresh, nonpreserved stool specimens are generally used for examination. Because intestinal parasites are shed intermittently, patients are asked to deliver multiple stool samples for examination. The limitation of this diagnostic approach is that detection of the vegetative stages of protozoa may be missed because of delays in processing and/or low compliance with the request to submit multiple stool samples. To overcome this limitation, a diagnostic test that combines multiple sampling (on 3 consecutive days), a fixative (SAF; sodium acetate acetic acid formalin), a concentration method and an easy-to-use permanent stain (chlorazol black dye) was developed for use in routine clinical practice. The results of the test, called the "Triple Faeces Test" (TFT), were compared with those of the conventional diagnostic method, i.e. ether sedi...

Michel Serres’s Le Parasite is a foundational text not only for the understanding of Serres’s own imposing and timely thought but also for key debates in contemporary posthumanism, object oriented thought, new materialisms, ecology,... more

Michel Serres’s Le Parasite is a foundational text not only for the understanding of Serres’s own imposing and timely thought but also for key debates in contemporary posthumanism, object oriented thought, new materialisms, ecology, ontology and politics.
However, the reader seeking to come to terms with the book faces a three-fold problem. To begin with, Serres dialogues with a forbidding array of intertexts ranging from ancient Greek and Roman literature and philosophy through medieval and early modern French to more recent texts. Without a knowledge of key passages from these intertexts it is simply impossible to appreciate Serres’s argument, an argument which is, itself, quite intentionally parasitic on the texts with which it interacts.
The second problem for the reader is that, although both the original French and subsequent English translation of Le Parasite contain a list of intertexts as an appendix bearing the title “Histoires, animaux” (“Stories, animals”), the list is incomplete. Thirdly, and to compound the problem, Serres does not systematically mention the particular text with which he is interacting at any given point, nor indeed that he is interacting with a particular text at all. It is left to the reader to pick up the allusions and reactions for herself. The English translation provides footnotes to some but not all of these references, but the reader is nevertheless left to track down the intertexts and read the relevant passages. This leaves a great deal of work to do in order to access and appreciate the brilliant and important moves that Serres is making in Le Parasite.
The current document has been prepared to save some – perhaps most – of that extra effort. The reader will find herein not only a comprehensive list of Serres’s intertexts but also both French and English versions of the key passages with which he interacts. Each passage given below is accompanied by references to the pages of the French (Grasset, 1980) and English (Minnesota Press, 2007) editions of Le Parasite where Serres alludes to it or mentions it directly.

Paragonimus westermani is commonly known as lung fluke is native to Asia and South America. It was first isolated from two tigers that died in the zoo in Europe in 1878. It was isolated from humans after many years in Formosa. The... more

Paragonimus westermani is commonly known as lung fluke is native to Asia and South America. It was first isolated from two tigers that died in the zoo in Europe in 1878. It was isolated from humans after many years in Formosa. The parasite is known to cause a food-borne infection known as Paragonimiasis which causes a sub-acute inflammatory disease of lung. It has a wide geographical distribution. More than 30 species of trematodes belonging to the genus Paragonimus are known to infect both humans and animals. Out of these 10 are known to infect humans and this species is also known as oriental lung fluke.

The purpose of the African Chiroptera Report is to collate published information on, and collate specimen records of, African bats. The advent of the internet provides an opportunity for large amounts of information to be easily and... more

The purpose of the African Chiroptera Report is to collate published information on, and collate specimen records of, African bats. The advent of the internet provides an opportunity for large amounts of information to be easily and economically updated and accessible, which is particularly important for taxonomic information. The electronic, web-based nature of the information is intended to allow information on African bats to be corrected/updated more frequently than a printed format allows, and to be available to users in an affordable form that can be manipulated to their specific requirements. It is hoped this tool will facilitate research and conservation planning, and possibly stimulate interactions across different areas of research. The report is generated from data collated in the African Chiroptera Database and will hopefully grow and develop with the addition of new and corrected information.
The incorporation of information other than taxonomic (see the various section headings in the description of the layout below), is still patchy in its execution across the taxa. Information that may answer specific requirements of a user, i.e. more information about the voucher specimens, or specimen collectors, has been drawn from across the database and is presented in separate appendices. Published identification keys for African bat species, have, where necessary, been updated to include current names, and are presented in appendix 5. In appendix 6 images of type specimens are included as they become available.

A re-translation of Michel Serres's “The Parasite” by Randolph Burks, based on Lawrence Schehr's translation. It was high time “The Parasite” saw a revision. Here it is. Schehr's translation has been substantially altered in style and... more

A re-translation of Michel Serres's “The Parasite” by Randolph Burks, based on Lawrence Schehr's translation. It was high time “The Parasite” saw a revision. Here it is. Schehr's translation has been substantially altered in style and content.

Parasites play an important role in the structure and function of arctic ecosystems, systems that are currently experiencing an unprecedented rate of change due to various anthropogenic perturbations, including climate change. Ungulates... more

Parasites play an important role in the structure and function of arctic ecosystems, systems that are currently experiencing an unprecedented rate of change due to various anthropogenic perturbations, including climate change. Ungulates such as muskoxen, caribou, moose and Dall's sheep are also important components of northern ecosystems and are a source of food and income, as well as a focus for maintenance of cultural traditions, for northerners. Parasites of ungulates can influence host health, population dynamics and the quality, quantity and safety of meat and other products of animal origin consumed by people. In this article, we provide a contemporary view of the diversity of nematode, cestode, trematode, protozoan and arthropod parasites of ungulates in arctic and subarctic North America and Greenland. We explore the intricate associations among host and parasite assemblages and identify key issues and gaps in knowledge that emerge in a regime of accelerating environment...

Parasites (ectoparasites or endoparasites) are a major cause of diseases in man, his live‐ stock and crops, leading to poor yield and great economic loss. To overcome some of the major limitations of chemical control methods such as... more

Parasites (ectoparasites or endoparasites) are a major cause of diseases in man, his live‐ stock and crops, leading to poor yield and great economic loss. To overcome some of the major limitations of chemical control methods such as rising resistance, environmen‐ tal and health risks, and the adverse effect on non‐target organisms, biological control (biocontrol) is now at the forefront of parasite (pests) control. Biocontrol is now a core component of the integrated pest management. Biocontrol is defined as " the study and uses of parasites, predators and pathogens for the regulation of host (pest) densities ". Considerable successes have been achieved in the implementation of biocontrol strate‐ gies in the past. This chapter presents a review of the history of biocontrol, its advantages and disadvantages; the different types of biological control agents (BCAs) including predators, parasites (parasitoids) and pathogens (fungi, bacteria, viruses and virus‐like particles, protozoa and nematodes); the effect of biocontrol on native biodiversity; a few case studies of the successful implementation of biocontrol methods and the challenges encountered with the implementation of biocontrol and future perspectives.

"Michel Serres’ concept of ‘the parasite’ provides for a sustained rethinking of basic categories in social science. As an example of post-Kantian philosophy, Serres critiques the classical logic of identity as based on a ‘third man’... more

"Michel Serres’ concept of ‘the parasite’ provides for a sustained rethinking of basic categories in social science. As an example of post-Kantian philosophy, Serres critiques the classical logic of identity as based on a ‘third man’ argument. This third space – personified as the parasite – is essential to thinking communication and transformation in systems. Parasitism operates through the logic of taking without giving or ‘abuse value’. But the parasite nevertheless makes exchange possible by creating connections between otherwise incommensurable forms of ordering. Human relations oscillate through periods of disequilibrium, often involving scapegoating and exclusion, as parasitic cascades emerge. However, parasites in the form of jokers and quasi-objects create powerful mechanisms for creating collectivity and individuality. The ‘dark organizational theory’ of Serres allows for adequate descriptions of these processes.
"

Protease function is essential to many biological systems and processes. In parasites, proteases are essential for host tissue degradation, immune evasion, and nutrition acquisition. Helminths (worms) depend on several classes of... more

Protease function is essential to many biological systems and processes. In parasites, proteases are essential for host tissue degradation, immune evasion, and nutrition acquisition. Helminths (worms) depend on several classes of proteases for development, host tissue invasion and migration, and for degradation of host hemoglobin and serum proteins. The protozoa, which cause malaria, depend on both cysteine and aspartic proteases to initiate host hemoglobin digestion. Other types of proteases are involved in erythrocyte cell invasion and cell exit. Surface metalloproteases in kinetoplastids are implicated in the evasion of complement-mediated cell lysis and cell entry. Cysteine proteases in Entamoeba facilitate invasion of the host colon. Giardia utilizes a cysteine protease for both encystation and excystation. This review will summarize published data using protease inhibitors as tools to identify the function of parasite proteases in the development, virulence, and pathogenesis of parasites; as well as the role of endogenous parasite protease inhibitors in regulation.

J. L. Austin's claim that language ‘used not seriously’ is ‘parasitic’ upon ‘normal use’ has proved a puzzle to literary scholars, who have often taken this to mean that they are not allowed to apply the insights of speech-act theory to... more

J. L. Austin's claim that language ‘used not seriously’ is ‘parasitic’ upon ‘normal use’ has proved a puzzle to literary scholars, who have often taken this to mean that they are not allowed to apply the insights of speech-act theory to their own object of research. This article explores how, when read together, Michel Serres’ definition of the parasite as a ‘thermal exciter’ and Deleuze's concept of ‘minor literature’ bring out the hidden potential inherent in Austin's claim. More specifically, the article argues that Austin's reference to literature as a parasitic entity might become a promising conceptual gift, allowing us to generate a new model for approaching the world-shaping potential of literary texts.

Eicosanoids are lipid mediators with multiple functions in vertebrate tissues and invertebrate organisms. In this review the roles of eicosanoids--mostly prostaglandins (PGs), thromboxanes and leukotrienes--in parasite physiology and... more

Eicosanoids are lipid mediators with multiple functions in vertebrate tissues and invertebrate organisms. In this review the roles of eicosanoids--mostly prostaglandins (PGs), thromboxanes and leukotrienes--in parasite physiology and host-parasite interactions are discussed. PGs are present in the saliva of blood-sucking arthropods facilitating feeding by increasing local blood flow and prolonged attachment of ticks by immune suppression. Release of various eicosanoids has also been demonstrated for a number of protozoan and metazoan endoparasites. These substances appear to play a role in penetration, immune suppression, inflammation or modulation of haemostasis, enabling parasite invasion and establishment. Moreover, endogenous eicosanoids serve various functions in parasite metabolism and physiology. In many parasitic infections eicosanoids are involved in host pathology, e.g. granuloma formation, coagulopathy, secretory diarrhoea, or fever. Immune suppression by induction of PG ...

Disease is a major cause of natural selection affecting human evolution, whether through a sudden pandemic or persistent morbidity and mortality. Recent contributions in the field of ancient pathogen genomics have advanced our... more

Disease is a major cause of natural selection affecting human evolution, whether through a sudden pandemic or persistent morbidity and mortality. Recent contributions in the field of ancient pathogen genomics have advanced our understanding of the antiquity and nature of human-pathogen interactions through time. Technical advancements have facilitated the recovery, enrichment, and high-throughput sequencing of pathogen and parasite DNA from archived and archaeological remains. These time-stamped genomes are crucial for calibrating molecular clocks to infer the timing of evolutionary events, while providing finer-grain resolution to phylogenetic reconstructions and complex biogeographical patterns. Additionally, genome scale data allow better identification of substitutions linked to adaptations of the pathogen to their human hosts. As methodology continues to improve, ancient genomes of humans and their diverse microbiomes from a range of eras and archaeological contexts will enable...